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Need support, first cake mishap.

post #1 of 23
6/12/11 at 11:09am
Thread Starter 
Hi everyone,

In two years I have now experienced my first cake disaster. I had a couple who wanted a pool table for their wedding cake. I placed their names on the balls. I thought I made sure when I wrote them I got everything correct. Apparently I mispelled last name, and I was late even after I confirmed time over email. I feel horrible and I can't stop crying. They spent $230.00 on the cake. wanting 4 full sheet cakes to create the table, and apparently I got that wrong too. He did on brighter side say it tasted great after yelling at me. What should I do?
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post #2 of 23
6/12/11 at 11:23am
What did they want instead of the four sheet cakes? Did you have a contract? If you followed what the contract said, including spellings and delivery time, then I would say that it is the customer's responsibility to review the contract and to make sure the information was correct. If you did not have a contract, have you reviewed the situation to determine where the break down of communication occurred? If so, if it is your error, then a partial refund may be due. What kind of resolution does the customer want?
Check out my cake blog at: http://adventuresofacakediva.com
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Check out my cake blog at: http://adventuresofacakediva.com
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post #3 of 23
6/12/11 at 11:45am
That was one BIG cake - 4 *full* sheets! AND......you only got $230 for it?????? that's llike 175-190 servings! (As I remember each full sheet 4" tall serves 90) So you got not much over $1.75 per serving - You paid them to let you bake icon_sad.gif

Ok you misspelled their name (a VERY important feature) and were late (sounds like they had some degree of mistake in this). What should you do?
I would offer a % off - like 50% OR even make it free - a cake in the near future - like a gift certificate w/some restrictions to keep the size about equal to 1 or 2 cake mixes - not some 3 tier monster and within like 2 monthsicon_smile.gif
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post #4 of 23
6/12/11 at 11:46am
Thread Starter 
I have a contract with them and yes the time was their fault, spelling was mine, As far as a picture Apparently she wanted the sheet cakes to be side by side, laying flat not 2 full sheet cakes side by side that's what I thought that's what she wanted after showing her a picture. They would like half the money back.
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post #5 of 23
6/12/11 at 11:54am
Misspelling of a name is a real problem to me. Growing up everyone spelled or even pronounced my maiden name incorrectly. I have a habit of respelling first names to people.
Size of cake-should have been "spelled out"-no pun intended- in an email or a contract.
Late-not unless you were stuck in traffic for at least two hours, had a flat tire or the van broke down.
Did the groom ask for a refund? Being yelled at might be refund enough.
Sorry that this happened to you and the couple. Sounds like a real lack of communication between all parties.
Making life sweet!

Lindas Just Desserts

Inspected and licensed commercial kitchen
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Making life sweet!

Lindas Just Desserts

Inspected and licensed commercial kitchen
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post #6 of 23
6/12/11 at 12:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by catcreations

I have a contract with them and yes the time was their fault, spelling was mine, As far as a picture Apparently she wanted the sheet cakes to be side by side, laying flat not 2 full sheet cakes side by side that's what I thought that's what she wanted after showing her a picture. They would like half the money back.



Only you can judge whether you should issue a refund and how much that refund should be. Since the time was incorrect on the contract, I would point that out to them. As long as you arrived at the time specified in the contract, that should not be an issue. As for the design, did the client sign off on the design, and did you deliver what was spelled out in the contract? The contract is to protect both parties. If you delivered what the contract said was supposed to be the design, then I would point that out. If you didn't deliver per the specifications of the contract, then some refund would be due. As for the misspelling, that is a problem, and I would offer some kind of refund or free anniversary cake for that. IMO, from what you have described, I think a 50% refund is too high. Sorry you are having to go through this. Hang in there!
Check out my cake blog at: http://adventuresofacakediva.com
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Check out my cake blog at: http://adventuresofacakediva.com
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post #7 of 23
6/12/11 at 12:24pm
Four sheet cakes, side by side? That would be an extremely large cake. Would it even go through a door?
Making life sweet!

Lindas Just Desserts

Inspected and licensed commercial kitchen
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Making life sweet!

Lindas Just Desserts

Inspected and licensed commercial kitchen
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post #8 of 23
6/12/11 at 2:02pm
As I see it, your only real mistake was the spelling---and that, in no way, merits a 50% refund. Maybe a 25% discount on a future cake, but that's about it (oh, and your prices will have gone up by the time they redeem, too, right?????).

As for the size, they got the servings they needed/sorta paid for, & they got a pool table. Done.

If no one specified 4, 2" tall cakes placed to form a rectangular pool table, then 2, 4" tall cakes placed to form a rectangular pool table will have to do. If it was so unworkable for them, then they should have refused delivery.

As for the time, THEY TOLD YOU THE WRONG TIME. Not your problem. Done.

Off them the % off a future order and bid them a happy married life. Done.

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #9 of 23
6/12/11 at 3:10pm
I will have to say misspelling the name is huge. But that is just me. I would give them the 50% refund to to make sure when they tell any body and every body what happened, and they will, they have a positive note at the end of their story. Your reputation is worth 115$ right? Move on knowing that you made it right in the customers eyes and live and learn from the mistake. We will all have cake disasters, it is not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
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post #10 of 23
6/12/11 at 3:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by peetz

I would give them the 50% refund to to make sure when they tell any body and every body what happened, and they will, they have a positive note at the end of their story.



Sorry, but I think that's very wishful thinking. There's no reason to expect, at all, that they'll put a positive spin on this, no matter what the OP does.

Nowadays, people always start with the negative drama and forget to mention that someone went out of their way to make it right. It's just not as spectacular a story when it ends on a good note.

She can't exactly extort a promise from them to only say something nice if she refunds all of that $$$$. More than likely, they'll just give others the impression that if they complain, they can get $$ back.

If the cake tasted good, as reported by the angry DH, then they'll order again and get the value out of a % off a future cake.

JMHO
rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #11 of 23
6/12/11 at 3:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlakesCakes

Quote:
Originally Posted by peetz

I would give them the 50% refund to to make sure when they tell any body and every body what happened, and they will, they have a positive note at the end of their story.



Sorry, but I think that's very wishful thinking. There's no reason to expect, at all, that they'll put a positive spin on this, no matter what the OP does.

Nowadays, people always start with the negative drama and forget to mention that someone went out of their way to make it right. It's just not as spectacular a story when it ends on a good note.

JMHO
rae



What good are these generalizations? Frankly this is an unfair assumption about clients you know nothing about. While the OP cannot demand or "extort" good comments, why assume the worst? There are plenty of people who appreciate folks who attempt to make things right and note that when they discuss service they received. I guess it is easier to assume the worst of people.
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post #12 of 23
6/12/11 at 3:54pm
No problem.

Your assumptions are no better, no worse, than mine.

We're both drawing conclusions, most likely based on our personal experiences. That's very reasonable.

I confronted another poster's assumptions and you've confronted mine.

NEITHER OF US IS NECESSARILY RIGHT, BUT THAT'S FOR THE OP TO DECIDE, RIGHT?

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #13 of 23
6/12/11 at 7:55pm
I would refund every penny. You don't misspell someone's name, you just don't. I would write a letter apologizing profusely and state that your standards are higher than that and that you are mortified. Sorry this happened to you though. I'm sure it's very upsetting.
Oh the time I have wasted trying to come up with pithy signature lines!
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Oh the time I have wasted trying to come up with pithy signature lines!
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post #14 of 23
6/12/11 at 8:26pm
Misspelled names would have been easy enough to scrape off and then rewritten. A simple fix to solve the problem if you were prepared with a repair kit during delivery. (never leave home without it!)

Quote:
Originally Posted by kakeladi

That was one BIG cake - 4 *full* sheets! AND......you only got $230 for it?????? that's llike 175-190 servings! (As I remember each full sheet 4" tall serves 90) So you got not much over $1.75 per serving - You paid them to let you bake



Four full sheet cakes serve 400... that's .58 per serving.
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post #15 of 23
6/14/11 at 12:39pm
I'd refund half. You misspelled their name on the most important day that their name needed to be spelled right.

In the future, you might want to submit sketches for approval to your clients. That way, they can see what you've visualized to make sure it's what they visualized. Sometimes, we see things in our minds eye that aren't quite what the actual product will look like.
Had my blog listed and then realized one day that all you could see was "misadventuresofanal..." Took that sucker right off.
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Had my blog listed and then realized one day that all you could see was "misadventuresofanal..." Took that sucker right off.
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