Sticking To Your Guns Can Be Tough

Business By jewelsq Updated 19 Nov 2009 , 2:39am by jewelsq

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jewelsq Posted 18 Nov 2009 , 2:38pm
post #1 of 8

A business acquaintance emailed me on Nov 5 with a cake order on the 29th for her baby's baptism. We went back and forth, via email, and on the 12th she agreed I should send her an invoice and she would forward a deposit. I emailed the invoice the 13th and explained that the check would have to get there pronto OR she could bring a check with her to an event we might both be going to. She wasn't at the event and I haven't heard anything, at all, from her since the 12th of Nov. Not even a note saying she received the invoice.

So, after not seeing her and still not getting a check, last night I emailed her and explained that since I had not received a check or had not seen her at the event, I was assuming she had made other arrangements for her cake. I also said she needed to telephone me between 9 am and noon to discuss how to get the cash to me if she was still interested.

At this point, she's not getting gumpaste baby's breath because there's not enough time either in my schedule and then for it to dry. I might even have to make a special trip to get a cake pan that would make my life easier (if the pan is even available).

Even after only dealing with her via email, I still feel the need to speak with her to make sure she knows she's not getting a cake. She's hard to read and more than a little scary to me but business is business. I cannot go out on a limb for her to cancel at the last minute.

I wish she woudl be and adult and follow up. I haven't ever had to refuse business due to scheduling or someone not following the rules and it is tough. I understand why people cave towards their own rules only to get burnt because the waiting and not knowing is darned uncomfortable. BUT

Her cake cannot be more important to me than it is to her.

Any thoughts, cakesters?

7 replies
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justfrosting Posted 18 Nov 2009 , 2:48pm
post #2 of 8

Let it go. You have made due efforts in contacting her.

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-Tubbs Posted 18 Nov 2009 , 2:52pm
post #3 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by jewelsq

Her cake cannot be more important to me than it is to her.



You said it Sister!

You've done EVERYTHING right here. You do NOT need to speak to her about this, if you have made it perfectly clear in your previous communication to her that there will be no cake, and it sounds like you have.

Grit your teeth and resist contacting her again.

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kakeladi Posted 18 Nov 2009 , 2:54pm
post #4 of 8

I do not like doing e-mail business!
Recently I had a dealing w/a lady and she replied via e-mail that took 4 days to reach me - much past the date we were trying to schedule. (It was dated the day we were 'talking' but didn't arrive in my in box until 4 days after.)
E-mail cannot be trusted for promptness

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__Jamie__ Posted 18 Nov 2009 , 2:54pm
post #5 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by justfrosting

Let it go. You have made due efforts in contacting her.




This is perfect. When I get requests, I reply with the info I can provide based on their requests, I ask for more info, I let them know that time is of the essence, and to get back to me with the info I requested if they want to proceed. Then, their original e-mail and my reply go directly into a "request for info" folder in the e-mail and I don't think about it again, AT ALL until they do their part. Once a week I go in there, review the requests, make sure I asked the right questions, maaaaayyyybe send a follow up, and I'm done. NEXT!

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DefyGravity Posted 18 Nov 2009 , 2:56pm
post #6 of 8

You did the right thing. If someone wants something from me, I will contact them twice. If I don't get a reply, that's it. I had to do that with my cousin's girlfriend this last week.

People act the way that others have always let them act. Don't let anyone walk all over you!

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JenniferMI Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 1:22am
post #7 of 8

You did the right thing...

Jen

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jewelsq Posted 19 Nov 2009 , 2:39am
post #8 of 8

Well, she contacted me.
She sent me an email. 3 lines. Said she was still interested. She would be over on Thursday with the cash (I told her between 9 and 11 am) and...wait for it...

She has lots of stuff going on at work.

She writes this in an email to a caterer at Thanksgiving-flowing-right-into-Christmas-holiday...

When she drops off the check I will be sure to inform her of the changes that need to be made to her cake now that my schedule is too full to properly make her itty bitty flowers.

And so it goes. This is the way policies get developed and evolve. Thank you for your sound advice, my friends!

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