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What to do?....Customer Issue

post #1 of 94
6/20/10 at 10:57am
Thread Starter 
Below you will find a cake that I delivered yesterday.

I get a call by the client after her party "it was beautiful, but it was leaning and collapsed" She continued to say That she served it but no one ate it and she didnt think it was cooked through. i asked did she save the cake so I could get a sample? She replied yes she saved me "a slice". She continued on saying she made sure to remove all the supports and cut it very carefully. So I asked did you remove the top tier prior to cutting she did not respond, she said "I was very careful, I never moved it from where it was placed when you delivered it" She went on saying "the icing was sliding off"

I then told her I would come by and pick it up taoday to see what I could do for her after an examination. I have called, but she has not returned a response. I am aware it is "fathers Day" today....

Perhaps her room was too hot? Perhaps someone "bumped" it?
But She obviously served it....so di it collapse was she serving plates of mush?

I dont think the cake was undercooked...I had extra batter that was baked at the same time, I put in the freezer as I normally do with the excess. I unthawed last night after the complaint...The cake I still have is fine.

I was concerned when I booked the appointment....At the consulation she brought me an invitation to see the colors, but then began to complain about how it was all wrong and the lady who did that did it wrong....I thought it was cute, and perhaps she didnt get what she had paid for...how am I to know....She didnt even leave the invite with me she took it...How is that helpful to match the colors 2 weeks away???

Any who It was a 6 in and an 8 in, cup cake topped. Gumpaste #1, Candy Clay Owls & Dots on Sides, RI tiara on top, with 24 cake pop, with free delivery I charged 115.20 for everything.

Should I offer a partial refund? Or Voucher for 1 DZ cupcakes? Or something?
I dont want her to start trashing my name or anything...but I dont know what to beleive either....
LL
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post #2 of 94
6/20/10 at 11:12am
I bet she did try to cut it with the top tier on and then it collapsed. I would definitely want to see what she has left. Hopefully she won't return your call. Let us know if she ever calls back. I think that I might offer a 10% discount on the future order, but not off of this cake, but only after I saw what the cake looked like that she had saved.
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post #3 of 94
6/20/10 at 11:17am
My bet is she thinks she paid too much for it and she wants some money back. If it was smashed but she still served it makes me think that the guests still ate it too. I say 10% the most on a future order!
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post #4 of 94
6/20/10 at 11:24am
The cake collapsed, the icing was sliding off and it was undercooked? She served it but nobody would eat it. Then she should have all or mostly all of the uneaten cake not the one slice she saved you. You're supposed to trust that all that she claimed went wrong was your fault with only a slice?

She might be out since it's Father's Day. You offered to come pick up the slice and you haven't heard from her. If her complaint is legit and she wants some kind of refund she'll contact you again and have all the uneaten cake or some pictures (I'd want close ups of the undercooked areas if it's none on the saved slice). If not, NO REFUND FOR HER!!!
Don't just do it...Do it just!
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Don't just do it...Do it just!
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post #5 of 94
6/20/10 at 11:41am
I have to say that the cake does look like it's leaning in the picture you attached. It's hard to tell with the wonky angle of the picture, but I can see the fondant buckling a bit on the right side of the picture and it looks like the top tier is not centered on the bottom tier. I could see where it could collapse if she tried to cut the top tier while it was still on the cake (which you should be able to do if you have correct supports.

What kind of supports did you have in the bottom tier? You only need about five wooden dowels or straws on a cake that size. Did you put a bunch in that made it like swiss cheese? That can turn a cake into a pile of crumbs.

Did you torte the cake? I always torte. Not only is it prettier when you cut it, but it gives a more even distribution of cake and filling, AND I can always see the center of the cake.

It's covered in fondant, isn't it? I'm not sure what she means by the icing sliding off. Fondant doesn't usually slide anywhere.

I would want to know why no one wanted to eat it before I decided whether to refund any money. If it was undercooked and mushy, then it's understandable. I'd ask her if she took any pictures of the collapse. It was a party. You'd think someone would have had a camera.
It's not good enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.

Winston Churchill
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It's not good enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.

Winston Churchill
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post #6 of 94
6/20/10 at 11:43am
As it was her child's birthday, I'm sure there are pictures. Why don't you ask her to send you some of those pictures, particularly those that were taken at the time the cake was initially cut. This will probably give you a better idea of what really happened.
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post #7 of 94
6/20/10 at 12:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AuntieE

As it was her child's birthday, I'm sure there are pictures. Why don't you ask her to send you some of those pictures, particularly those that were taken at the time the cake was initially cut. This will probably give you a better idea of what really happened.



That's a good idea...There had to have been a big to-do with the cake cutting since it was a first birthday. Tell her that seeing pictures of what the cake did when it was cut would help you figure out how you want to handle it. If she won't give up the photos I bet she knows that she did something wrong when she was cutting it.
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http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #8 of 94
6/20/10 at 12:18pm
Ruth is correct about the placement and the bulge. I personally cannot tell if the cake is tilted. This being said that woman got away with highway robbery if you only charged her 115.20 for this cake. I don't know what you charge per serving, but you're definitely cheap. It may not be the most sound structure out there, but unless the cake was raw (and how could you possibly stack a cake that's mush?) she does not deserve a refund.

On another note, I don't know about anyone else, but if a make a purchase and the item ends up being a lemon I save the whole damn thing for them to see - not just a slice.

JMHO
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post #9 of 94
6/20/10 at 12:21pm
Thread Starter 
The bottom cake had 5 bubble tea straws to support the top tier.
Then a wood dowel through the center of everything.
Cakes were: Strawberry cup cake, WASC Chocolate version for 6in and a Strawberry 8in
Yes torted, lvl, filled with Crusting BC, and yes covered in fondant.
And yes I was having an few issues with air bubbles on the back right side of the cake and didnt get it totally smoothed out.
And here it is allready close to 100 degrees outside.
I delivered at 10AM , her party wasnt until 3PM
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post #10 of 94
6/20/10 at 3:18pm
Thread Starter 
Well, she just called back to say she unavaliable to meet today.
Now that 1/2 the day has gone by, better late than never right?
At the very least she is willing to email pics. Hopefully I will be able to tell something by what she sends.....
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post #11 of 94
6/20/10 at 3:34pm
Please post the pictures. I am dying to see what it looks like.
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post #12 of 94
6/20/10 at 3:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by awatterson

Please post the pictures. I am dying to see what it looks like.


Me, too!
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post #13 of 94
6/20/10 at 4:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cake4baby


And here it is allready close to 100 degrees outside.
I delivered at 10AM , her party wasnt until 3PM



Was the cake outside in this kind of heat for 5 hours?
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post #14 of 94
6/20/10 at 4:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathysCC

Quote:
Originally Posted by cake4baby


And here it is allready close to 100 degrees outside.
I delivered at 10AM , her party wasnt until 3PM



Was the cake outside in this kind of heat for 5 hours?



I have no idea?
Though that would explain the icing issues she was complaining of.

I delivered to an appartment club house with a pool.
Lots of very large windows all the way arround the room, inside or outside, the sun still could have been an issue.
Could have been a pool party? But I dont know? Guess I will see the pics when she sends them.

She said "never moved the cake" she had me place it on the bar at the clubhouse, didnt even want it on a table as a centerpeice or anything....I find it funny to place a 1 year old on the bar to blow out a candle and smash up a peice of cake.....
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post #15 of 94
6/20/10 at 4:17pm
well, if you torted the cake then you seen the inside of the cake. I'm pretty sure you would know if it was raw at that time. I would just explain to her the torting process and let her know that you have seen the inside of the cake, but nice try lady icon_wink.gif
"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and future."
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"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and future."
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