A Customer Complaint!!! What To Do???
Business By bellaudreycakes Updated 13 Jun 2011 , 6:15pm by Annabakescakes
This is a tough one. I might go ahead and make another one, but I would pointedly tell the dad that out of the kindness of your heart you're doing this, because that cake was dropped and really not your responsibility but you don't want to have a disappointed grad.
Then I would never send a cake that wasn't cold to be driven for an hour in the trunk of a hot car (not sure if it was hot or not, just assuming). And then just to CYA some more, if a customer is picking up an important cake, take a piece of that rubber mesh drawer liner and put that underneath the cake so it will not slide in the car. I am also assuming you were the one to place the cake in the car? If not, always be that person.
Then, with signed paper in hand absolving you of further responsibility, wave goodbye and good luck because it's all in their hands now!
I agree, Make another "But be SURE to show the dad , The before and after,
This is what left my shop------This is what your daughter bought home
The dad had the daughter bring it back and I wasn't there but my employee said she claimed to have put it on a flat surface and "put things around it so it wouldn't move around" I will show them the pictures not sure yet what I am going to say when I call them tomorrow but I am sure I will end up making another cake, however I will charge them and let them know that this is me doing them a favor....
I know the cake looks pretty bad but it taste pretty damn good right now 
DELIVERY:
There will be a $15 delivery fee for the surrounding cities of Goodyear, Avondale, and Litchfield Park. Delivery fee for all other cities will be assessed based off location. If you choose to pick up your cake, you should make sure to have a clean, flat surface to set cake on while driving. Once you pick up the cake, Custom Confections is no longer responsible for the cake.
i have every cusotmer sign my contract, and this is part of it to avoid situations like this. i would not remake the cake. that cake looks completely abused. I dont think people realize how much work it is to make a cake....plus clean up!
No matter what you decide show the dad the picture of the cake before you left the shop. Maybe the kid dropped the cake but no one was home to see that happen so she blamed you and said that is what the cake looked like when she picked it up. That could explain the hour wait for the phone call.
Make sure you cover your butt.
It looks to me like it was picked up by the edges of the cake board and not supported underneath. The cake board doesn't look substantial enough for that. It then cracked and split open. I don't think it had anything to do with her driving. Sheet cakes are so heavy - they don't move around or shift in the back of a car. I would make another one and apologize for not giving adequate transportation instructions. The girl has one h.s. graduation in her life. You can ruin it for her or make it special for her. Which sounds like the better business decision?
Actually we did give her proper transporting directions and told her to support it in the middle. However she wouldn't have handled the cake board itself because the party isn't until tomorrow so why would she have taken it out of the box? Like I said I am making her a new cake even if I don't believe what they say happened. It was either dropped or left in a hot car for a long period of time...end of story.
Having had a slider once (car in front slammed on brakes), it looks to me like the top layer on the right side of the cake has slid forward and is extended over the bottom layer, which sounds like a slam-on-the-brakes incident. This could have been a chain reaction factor in the other parts of the icing falling off.
putting stuff around the cake (box) wouldn't prevent the cake from sliding inside the box. Plus, if she picked up the box by holding it on the bottom sides like carrying a cafeteria food tray (i.e. not placing hand in the center under the box), this would have the same effect as picking it up by the edges of the board.
The idea that you didn't "let the icing set" (what is 'setting' icing, anyway? 
) doesn't explain how the top layer of the cake is extended out over the bottom layer.
I think that's the problem with kids these days, they are never held accountable for their actions, they blame it on someone else! Stand firm.
Not just kids...the adults are just as bad about readily throwing blame on others. Responsible adults would look at their teen and say "I know that cake didn't leave the store like that...what did YOU do to it?"
Thats what I say to my teens all the time!!!
It looks to me like it was picked up by the edges of the cake board and not supported underneath. The cake board doesn't look substantial enough for that. It then cracked and split open. I don't think it had anything to do with her driving. Sheet cakes are so heavy - they don't move around or shift in the back of a car. I would make another one and apologize for not giving adequate transportation instructions. The girl has one h.s. graduation in her life. You can ruin it for her or make it special for her. Which sounds like the better business decision?
She specifically said she gave adequate instructions in the beginning. You just made a lot of assumptions and passed them off as facts. Also, its cake..... Life does go on and she will survive.
I'm only a hobbiest baker and work ful time at a Sheriff's Dept. and it sounds to me like her dad is a dad who would yell at the cops for giving their daughter an MIP or DUI... RIGHT... it's their fault for makeing their child drink and drive...
Sorry this happened to you and I hope your reputation is harmed by this.
I don't see any bends in the card board, so I doubt the damage was from the cake being carried improperly. I'm going with the dropped/brakes slammed on.
As far as making another cake... Here are a few options:
1) will making another cake put you behind or cause you to be late on other orders? If the answer is yes, then NO WAY would I make another cake, unless that cake was at the bottom of the list.
2)Being that you're a new business, though, and still establishing clientele, this may be an opportunity for you to gain a life-long customer. I would show the dad the before and after photos and then, without making accusations, say how horrible it is when there's a cake accident and tell him when the new cake will be ready (all this being contingent upon you having enough time to do it.)
3) Same as 2, but explain to him that while the accident was unfortunate, the cake was in good condition when it left your bakery. That being said, you'd be willing to do a RUSH cake for him, and even give a discount of XX%
So sorry that this has happened to you! It would be nice if in business, everyone realized that we're all people, not robots, and treating cakers nicely will get you a lot farther. Plus, when we're happy about making a cake, it tends to come out better lol
Is it warm where you live? I know yesterday we were right below 100. Maybe she left the cake in the car at a stop and things softened up a little, then had to slam on her breaks on the way home.
How I treated it would depend on how they treated me. If they insisted it was my fault and demanded a replacement free of charge I would be less likely to go that route.
If they came at me with a do you know what happened, and what can be done from this point on, then I'd probably deal with them.
Yikes! That is one banged up cake! I did a graduation cake a couple weekends ago for a friend. It was extremely hot that day so I put the cake in the fridge for hours before we left. My dh drove like a little old lady, the AC was blasting and I had the cake box sitting on a non-slip mat on the flat bottom of the trunk. When we got to the party I carried the box in myself holding it carefully with my hands right in the middle of the bottom of the box. When I opened the box once we got inside there was a HUGE crack right through the center of the cake. I think it was just too darn hot, the cake got warm and with all the jiggling and shaking from the car ride the cake split. My cake did not fall apart though and look like that mess you were brought. I could understand a crack, even a big one, but that looks like it took a tumble or two.
And as for this ruining an all important day of her life etc etc. My graduation cake was ordered from a bakery in the town over from ours (our town didnt have a bakery). They made it in that towns school colors by mistake (or not, jury is still out on that). Our towns are BIG rivals. So I got a graduation cake in the colors of the school I HATED. When I saw that cake I burst out laughing. It didnt ruin my graduation party in the least and I dont think having the grand canyon running through my friends daughters cake ruined her party either.
Thanks for all your responses, I talked to the mother today and she was very nice and said she gotten a cake from me before and it was the best cake they had ever had and she was very willing to pay for a new cake and the one that was damaged. Since she was nice about it and not acting like it was our fault I am just charging her for our time on the first cake and not full price...happy medium. Now back to work...late night tonight as we have 10 cakes and like 100 dozen cupcakes lol going out tomorrow oh not to mention cookie orders....long night ahead of us, but I can't complain better busy than not!
I'm with who ever suggested printing the before and after cakes for display in the shop.
This is your cake....This is your cake when you drive like a maniac.
mommachris
I always tell my customers to make sure there is someone else in the car to hold the cake. Yes, I ask them to bring someone not just "lay it on a flat surface" etc that I usually told them. If it is a bigger cake, I ask them to have two people aside from the driver.
I also add that I am not responsible for anything that happens to the cake after it leaves my house. If they opt to come alone then it's their responsibility and I make sure they know that.
I'm late to the party...but where are the before and after pics?
Yeah I didnt get to see the pics either!! Sure would like to see them!!
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