What To Do When Customers Doesnt Pick Up Cake

To run a successful baking concern, you need to know how to deal with all sort of customers in a professional manner. Nosotros've known fellow bakers to lose their rag (or frock) over many different, decidedly awkward orders, and information technology'south not always good for your sanity.

Hither's our listing of pinnacle reasons to refuse a cake social club

Difficult Customers

Whether you lot're making cakes for a profit in your spare time, or you're running a larger business, difficult customers are unfortunately something you'll run across at some point. They tin come in unlike forms; bombarding you with phone calls and emails, repeatedly irresolute their original asking, request yous for different quotes, refusing to pay deposit or simply making you experience uneasy. Politely plow away such customers and yous will certainly thank yourself after on.

What to do? : One way to deal with a difficult customer is to only explain them that you don't have the fourth dimension, skills or expertise to fulfill their asking to the highest standard. If yous have already taken on the gild, you may want to let them know that sure things are unacceptable, such as refusing to pay a eolith or changing the design as its too late now equally the block is existence made. Try to keep things professional person, keeping the customer satisfied without compromising your own business.

Complimentary Tastings

Everyone loves free tastings, especially when it comes to cakes. Tastings are often vital when information technology comes to securing that 3-tier bespoke wedding block guild. Most customers who are looking to book a particularly expensive cake will expect free tastings. Unfortunately, there are some customers out at that place who volition request a completely free tasting session for a adequately plain, an cheap vi- inch birthday cake. This is where you'll want to draw the line; as they have up your time and energy along with a clamper of your overall profit. If you're trying to secure a big social club for a cake that has more than than one tier, information technology is expected that y'all'll offer a tasting session; especially if it's a wedding cake. Be sure to bear in mind that you can't be expected to provide tastings for every cake you make as it's simply non cost or time efficient.

What to practise? : Explain that most bakers only provide tastings for wedding cakes. It's also helpful if you explain your tastings policy and minimum order limit. If yous want to ease your customers worries and so you can also show photos of your previous work and give them the opportunity to talk over their requirements. If they wish to purchase, half a dozen cupcakes then this may be a mode around this.

Replica Cakes

1 of the worst cake orders you can receive every bit a baker or cake decorator is one that requires you to create a cake that is a complete replica of someone else'due south piece of work. Nosotros know exactly how disheartening information technology can be to receive a new request, but for the customer to produce a picture and denote "I want a block exactly like this". Not but does this heighten copyright issues but information technology besides might be a drain on your creativity as you are being asked to re-create someone else's design.

What to do? : Explicate that you're unable to copy someone else'southward design for legal/artistic reasons but you can create something similar. You'll and then be able to use your own creativity and skills while using the customer's original request as a starting signal; y'all never know, the customer volition probably prefer your blueprint to their original request!

Price Haggling

This probably falls into the bracket of 'hard customers', but price haggling is becoming such an issue that we felt it deserved its place on this list. Customers who try to haggle with your original quote most probably don't appreciate what goes into making a cake. They wouldn't go into a local supermarket and say they're only willing to pay a certain amount for a pre-packaged Superman birthday cake, yet they feel they can with you. Y'all have to remember you're not a charity, so don't exist afraid to tell your customer that the price is set up. Of course, if y'all're happy to accept a little price haggling here and there, and y'all feel that you are not existence exploited, you're more than welcome to do so. The main betoken here is that you are running a business and customers tin can't expect y'all to drop your prices to fit their budget. What they should wait is a cake that represents their budget

What to do? : Politely explain to your prospective customer that you're unable to drop your quote any lower due to the price of ingredients forth with the time, endeavour and creative skill involved. Be sure to tell your customer that y'all've given them the very all-time toll y'all can and wish them the best of luck with whatever they choose, y'all are producing a bespoke service, not an off the shelf manufactured cake.

Last Minute Cake Orders

This is most likely ane of the acme reasons to refuse a cake gild and, to be honest; you shouldn't feel bad. If you observe yourself faced with an lodge for a less- than-simple three-tiered birthday cake that the customer expects it in less than 48 hours, so information technology's probably best to turn information technology downwardly; no matter how bad yous feel. Earlier taking on what seems like a last infinitesimal order, make sure you have calculated the amount of time information technology will take to create the finished block, with added time just in case.

Explicate to your prospective customer how much fourth dimension a block order such as theirs would ordinarily take. In addition to this, tell the customer that you lot do not want to create a cake that is below your usual standard; therefore you cannot take on the order. Most customers will understand as they will want to receive the highest quality cake for the money they are paying. If yous believe that you practise take a fiddling space in your work schedule, and then you tin can advise taking on a less time-consuming version of the customer's original club. Overall, customers are commonly very understanding, as long every bit you take the fourth dimension to explain how difficult a last-minute order can be. Plus price appropriately for the work, as this may hateful working hours you lot would non normally take on.

Too little Time

We all know how difficult it is when you lot're working late into the night, staring bleary-eyed at a one-half-decorated three tier cake with hours of painstaking decorating yet to go; this is why nosotros e'er recommend not taking on besides much. It's more likely that you'll go disheartened with your work if you completely overdo it. In that location's nothing more precious than spending time family unit and loved ones. Go on that piece of work-life residuum and don't take on besides much.

What to practice? : The best thing to do is to organise yourself so that you don't have on too much in the first identify. Firstly, keep a diary, log all your family commitments and cake orders and be sure to let yourself at least one twenty-four hour period off per week. If yous observe yourself tempted to have on that extra order, weigh upward how much time you have, how much profit y'all'll brand and enquire yourself if information technology's worth information technology. If not, then politely explain to the customer that, unfortunately, y'all are fully booked and tell them that adjacent time, y'all'd exist happy to accept an society a certain amount of time in advance

Freebies

Taking on a free block guild tin can sometimes be great publicity for your business. In contrast, it can hateful that people are taking advantage of your good nature. You may discover from time to time somebody yous have never heard of or met gets in touch to ask for a free block for their charity. Our advice is to ensure that y'all only have on orders if information technology's for a genuinely expert crusade. We propose that if information technology feels correct to yous, take on an occasional charitable society, providing it is for a skillful cause (family unit friends request for freebies does non utilize!).

Paradigm source : Deviant Art

What to do? : If you don't want to take on a order without getting paid for it, then politely explain to the requester that your ingredients, skills and time are very precious. Most people will sympathise that you cannot run a business by simply giving away cakes.

Trademark Image Cakes

Cakes that depict copyrighted images and characters from pop films such every bit Frozen and Cars are becoming increasingly pop. Because of this, copyright when it comes to cakes is becoming an increasingly hot topic. Firstly, it's important to say that at that place is no law to say that you tin't make a block that depicts famous characters or images. Notwithstanding, using another person's design without permission infringes their rights, which means by constabulary, you could be sued for copyright infringement. This just applies if you are selling a block that bears a trademarked image. The law is a lot more lenient if you are non selling or distributing to the full general public. Existence a business, yous will be selling these cakes. Some bakers follow the school of thought that even though they create cakes using trademarked images, no 1 will take any notice if it'south a minor business organization. Other bakers view the risk of beingness sued past big companies besides great and determine not to create any trademarked cakes at all. So, what does all this mean for y'all and your business organisation? The lesser line is that information technology is against the law to sell a cake that depicts a trademarked image.

Call back that your best bet is to follow the constabulary. If y'all demand to, research copyright infringement until yous're comfortable with the pros and cons of creating cakes that describe popular images. If you were to buy a licensed topper, edible image or toy this would be ok; as the licensor is compensated from your original payment. They tin can not dictate how you lot use the product.

Not your core skill/Cakes that don't inspire

This isn't one of the most obvious reasons to reject a block guild, but it'due south fairly mutual amongst bakers who run pocket-sized businesses. If you receive a request for a cake that makes y'all feel completely underwhelmed or even downright scared due to the amount of work, don't be afraid to decline the society. No one wants to work on a cake belatedly into the dark, but it can be even worse if the design is intricate and tricky while existence the complete opposite of your usual artistic manner. If a cake simply isn't you then don't experience afraid to downwardly your prospective customer on artistic grounds.

What to do? : The first point of call is to determine for certain whether or non you want to have on the club. If not, explain to the customer that yous don't feel you have the correct skills/equipment to fulfill their club then, If you take any friends or acquaintances, yous can refer your customer to someone else you feel may be able to help.

Unusual Requests

Unusual order requests tin can sometimes put you in a difficult state of affairs; customers tin can request cakes that feature anything from horses heads, toilet seats and body parts. While this sounds foreign, believe it or not, such requests aren't an unusual occurrence these days. If an gild like this comes your fashion and you don't feel like you tin can fulfill the request, then practise non take it on.

What to do? : If you feel uncomfortable with the thought of creating any cake, then the best matter is to refuse the order in a way that doesn't offend the client. We have known bakers who refuse rude cake requests or other requests that involve carving/effigy modelling. The all-time approach is to be clear as to what your boundaries are and explain to your customer that y'all don't feel comfortable or skilled enough in creating their request.

Echo Customers

Usually, a echo customer is a good thing; they're often a sign that your skills as a cake baker and decorator are higher up average. Sometimes, though, repeat customers can leave you lot wanting to throw in the rolling pin at the mere thought of making another block for them. This is specially truthful if your client was a nightmare once before. If your repeat customer changed their request, had problems with the payment or simply but annoyed yous immensely (this isn't uncommon when information technology comes to hard customers!) so information technology's probably best to steer clear.

What to do? : It's e'er difficult if you don't desire to take on an order; especially if the reason is that you found the customer hard. Approach this situation by explaining what you expect of the customer. For instance, you may want to explain that they tin can't keep changing their asking and their eolith must be paid in time. If this fails, politely explain that you cannot accept on any more than orders due to time or being fully booked; thank them for their custom and wish them the best of luck.

Allergy and Dietary Requirements

This may seem slightly mean spirited to be one of the top reasons to pass up a block order simply in reality, allergy requirements can require a lot more time, attempt, skill and coin to create. In addition to this, it is ever crucial that you go allergy needs just correct equally yous certainly. Be wary when information technology comes to making an allergy/dietary specific cake and ensure that you lot accept checked what is in of your ingredients before committing to a cake order. A lot of allergy requirements hateful that cakes have to be made using split equipment to what you normally use. Allergy requests can be especially catchy, for example, a customer may ask for gluten gratis. Some allergies are that sensitive that if y'all use your regular mixing bowl that usually has regular flour in; the smallest amount tin can bring on a reaction. For the safety of yourself and business organisation, it is best to avoid these requests. Allergy orders are best left to those bakers who specialise.

What to do? : To offset with, you will need to define the customer'south request and and then decide if y'all tin encounter these requirements while making money and most chiefly, producing an first-class cake. If you experience unable to produce something similar a gluten complimentary block, explicate to the customer you do not have the skills or fourth dimension to adjust your recipe and provide a cake that is going to be 100% suitable to their request. If your customer has specifically requested a vegan cake, you can also explain that there may be an improver toll because you will demand to use dissimilar ingredients and spend more time perfecting the recipe. Overall, be sure to explain that you would love to be able to provide a cake that fits in with special allergy/dietary requirements, but due to lack of time, the costs involved and the availability of ingredients, you tin can physically produce such a block. Plus for their wellness you feel it best they seek out someone who specialises.

These are some of the of reasons y'all should consider when accepting cake orders. Next time you take on a new cake order, ensure that you're comfortable with your customers request. Don't feel guilty or unprofessional if you lot need to plough a prospective customer away, if yous accept to. Always be polite and retrieve you have a cake business to run!

Comment below to share your thoughts, stories and suggestions for accepting and top reasons to plough downward a block social club! We would love to hear them.