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What should I do?

post #1 of 12
9/3/12 at 11:23pm
Thread Starter 
I'm making a cake for a friend that I completely under priced. I gave a quote in which I have worked out will leave me with just over 1 per slice icon_cry.gif
This is my fault as I was distracted when he called and didn't think it through. My question to everyone here is, can I call and put the price up? if so, what would be the best way to do it? He hasn't signed anything yet but I'm worried that it is not professional to call and change price, on the other hand, I don't want to get a name of doing cakes for so cheap.
Any advice?
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post #2 of 12
9/4/12 at 1:16am
I had something similar happen to me - but not a friend, it was a regular client.

I had to just live with it.... icon_sad.gif There was no way on earth I could have phoned to say "actually, this is a lot more work than I initially thought so I need to charge you more".
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Inside this fat body, there's a thin woman screaming to get out...... but I can usually shut her up with chocolate!
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post #3 of 12
9/4/12 at 1:48am
Oh dear - any chance you can send a revised quote via email and after many an apologu otal in the correct price.
Or phone the gentleman and ecplain that on reflection you have quoted for a cake of a different size.


It may seem icon_confused.gif and icon_rolleyes.gif but at least you won't be creating a cake for peanuts.

Others might say - just leave it and that we live and learn - but if you sound/type in a kind manner - you never know - he might be most gracious and still continue with the order.

It happened to me once - gawd knows what i was thinking at the time.
I just phoned - made many an apology and my customner was very understanding and didn't think poorly of me at all.
Actually she congratulated me on having the strength to speak to her about it. icon_surprised.gif

Sometimes our worst fears are just that - worst fears.

Bluehue
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post #4 of 12
9/4/12 at 5:35am
This happened to me right at the start being super enthusiastic without thinking before quoting... Bluehue I commend your courage- I didn't have the 'cake-pops' to ask icon_wink.gif but she actually said "you need to charge more" and paid me extra icon_smile.gif lol the sign of a good friend icon_smile.gif
I was just putting it down to experience, at least I didn't make a loss- well 5-6 unpaid hours aint so bad really IMO
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post #5 of 12
9/4/12 at 5:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazy-Gray

This happened to me right at the start being super enthusiastic without thinking before quoting... Bluehue I commend your courage- Thank you - as soon as i realised i was going to be *down* $475.00 i picked up the phone and as i said - made my apologies and then quoted the correct price - followed quick smart by an email. I didn't have the 'cake-pops' lollll - love that saying - very clever of you to ask icon_wink.gif but she actually said "you need to charge more" and paid me extra icon_smile.gif lol the sign of a good friend icon_smile.gif
I was just putting it down to experience, at least I didn't make a loss- well 5-6 unpaid hours aint so bad really IMO
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post #6 of 12
9/4/12 at 5:44pm
Well, we all make mistakes every now and again.

If you want to ask for a price increase, obviously be prepared for the customer to balk and/or back out. You just need to be gracious about that, should it happen.

Personally, I wouldn't ask for any more $$, but I'd find a way to let the customer know that my prices had gone up dramatically for all future orders, as theirs was the final cake I would be doing under my "old" pricing structure.

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 #7 of 12
9/5/12 at 8:20am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the advice, I have decided not to do anything bc I'm too stressed about it and the more stressed I am the worse I will be if I call him, I know myself I will start going into long explanations that might or might not be about cake (at some point I will try and give him an example that has nothing to do with anything and confuse him even more), I'll fumble along for ever trying to say what I want to say & the longer I do this the more stilted I will sound eventually sounding like I am reading from a 16th century novel (I have been accused of this before) and probably end the phone call saying I just want to confirm the order or some such other nonsense! When I get uncomfortable I can go on a tad so after reflection I think this is best left and a lesson for the future icon_cry.gif
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post #8 of 12
9/11/12 at 7:58am
I wouldn't charge more on THIS order, but when you deliver it tell him "If I ever do a cake like this again, I will have to charge $XXX" so he understands that you gave him a great deal. Who knows, he may give you more money...
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post #9 of 12
9/12/12 at 2:40am
This kind of thing happens in business all the time - sometimes people make mistakes, but I've never had a business suck up the loss, I've always either been phoned or told somehow that there was a mistake and that the price is x.xx - I suppose it all depends how long between telling them the price and you realising the mistake - if it was only a day, then I say call them, but if you leave a couple of weeks, then I would maybe reconsider. Ultimately it's whatever you think is good for your business - everyone will respond differently.
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post #10 of 12
9/20/12 at 12:04am
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I told my friend that I had made an error price wise and although I would not be charging her more I wanted her to know that it was worth so much more. She said "oh great, thanks". Lesson learned.
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post #11 of 12
9/20/12 at 10:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Claire138

Thanks everyone for your advice. I told my friend that I had made an error price wise and although I would not be charging her more I wanted her to know that it was worth so much more. She said "oh great, thanks". Lesson learned.



Well...........I guess she's being appreciative--in her own way.................but I am sorry that she didn't at least offer to make up the difference.................and I really hope that she remembers what you told her when someone else asks what she paid for the cake icon_confused.gif

I mean, you didn't say, "I gave you a big break on the cake price because you're my BFF." You told her that you'd made a mistake........that she could have rectified by asking for the corrected price and paying the difference--or just asked if you even wanted the difference.....

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 #12 of 12
9/20/12 at 11:34am
Thread Starter 
[
Well...........I guess she's being appreciative--in her own way.................but I am sorry that she didn't at least offer to make up the difference.................and I really hope that she remembers what you told her when someone else asks what she paid for the cake icon_confused.gif

I mean, you didn't say, "I gave you a big break on the cake price because you're my BFF." You told her that you'd made a mistake........that she could have rectified by asking for the corrected price and paying the difference--or just asked if you even wanted the difference.....

Rae[/quote]

Yep, I also thought she would offer more, was really disappointed icon_sad.gif
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