1.5 hour late for delivery - Page 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by cupadeecakes 
 I'll give you my time management tip - I never go to bed before the next day's cakes are ready to go out the door.  Occasionally that means I'm up until 3am finishing a cake, but I never regret it the next day when things go smoothly.

 

I think this is great advice and it's what I do when I make my cakes. Mine are for family and friends but they do need them by a certain time so I finish mine the night before the event before I go to bed. I hate rushing because I will probably make a mistake and miscalculate something.Live and learn.

I feel K8 made the most valuable point when she said that this biz isn't for the feint of heart (faint of heart?). A celebration cake is generally much more than the dessert, it's a real part of the event. It sits in a place of honor at the event and people take photos. 

So the pressure is on, because clients aren't expecting a dessert, they are expecting a performance, a triumphant memorial of the day...from flour, sugar and eggs. For this reason, I suspect every cake decorator has a little bit of Isadora Duncan at the core of her soul. You gotta love the spectacle, fantasy and last minute drama, or you won't survive. 

Hang in there, and uh...maybe plan for a 3 hour bumper before delivery?

jen

Quote:

Originally Posted by cupadeecakes 

To the OP, everyone has bad days and we've all had our share of cake disasters.  It really sounds like you have learned from your mistakes.  Pick yourself up, dust off, and move forward.  I'll give you my time management tip - I never go to bed before the next day's cakes are ready to go out the door.  Occasionally that means I'm up until 3am finishing a cake, but I never regret it the next day when things go smoothly.
 

This is the first thing I thought to comment on when I read the story. NEVER leave major amounts of decorating to the day of the delivery. It's one thing to have a few things to put on your cake at the setup, but don't wait to decorate the day of. And I'd just refund her the money too.

eatmcakery, how did it go at work today?

Good to hear.   Thanks for the update, glad it went well.

oh no ;-( were only human though we all make mistakes!! Give a refund and learn from this expriennce x

As you are new and just starting out and have a full time job you might want to tell people you need at least 2 weeks notice for an order. Don't take last minute orders.

As others stated - make sure the cake is completed the night before.  If you have to stay up all night to finish it, that's what you do.

Leave earlier than you need to for delivery.  At least 30 min.  Better to arrive early with the cake than late.

and if a client says the party starts at noon then you plan to deliver at 10:00 am two hours ahead of the event as a general rule

you need wiggle room

they can say oh i don't need it that early--that's not their decision

oh we'll be at soccer practice then --they might say

ok i'll deliver at 7:00 AM then before you leave for practice

and

charge for delivery too ;)

wow so glad it went well at work!!!!! yay!!!

I still can't really believe that at 1.5 hours late, the party was all done and over, especially a party that required a $120 cake...

Quote:

Originally Posted by kikiandkyle 

I still can't really believe that at 1.5 hours late, the party was all done and over, especially a party that required a $120 cake...

yes! because you can delay things a bit too--not that the cake wasn't late etc--just saying as a hostess--you kinda wait a bit to get things started--

an hour & a half is late no ifs and or buts

but if you delay 20-30 mins starting --'cause you know no party ever starts on time -- peeps are always fashionably late- <tosses chin up  flips hair back in one smooth motion >

serve everyone a drink--talk or have a game and open gifts for a few --an hour is gone in no time and it's refreshment time--shoulda been at least close to on time to eat --but i don't know

going forward the cake should arrive hours before the first guest is scheduled to appear (except at weddings there's often an out of town somebody or two just floating around uber early)

that is odd to me though

I'm not saying it was OK that the cake was 1.5 hours late, but was the party over and done? I doubt it!