The Cake Fell Apart | How to Handle Upset Customers
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- Hey guys!
A few weeks ago, I made a kake and it fell apart after I gave it to the customer. Sometimes these unfortunate events happen and I wanted to make a video for you letting you know how to get through it. I hope you enjoy the video and that it can help you through a stressful situation. Thank you for watching!
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Karolyn
#KarolynsKakes #CakeCollapsed #DroppedCake
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Karolyn’s Kakes provides cake decorating tutorials and tips to help you make amazing kakes!
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Thank you for this video! It’s very brave of you to talk about this issue, especially having the experience recently. Things happen, but if we stay positive and focused on a solution instead of the problem, it all works out for the best. Thanks again for being vulnerable with us and sharing this experience!
Hi Karolyn, you are 100% right about these tips. It is very professional of you to think and take actions the way you did. Thank you for sharing these valuable tips :) Same thing happened to me in March. I have since changed my straw dowels into PVC dowels as they are much stronger than straws.
Glad it was helpful! It really sucks when things like this happen. However, I have learned the most from my mistakes. At least we will never do it again!😊🙏
Great advice as always . Ty for sharing
Karolyn I just started watching your videos and I love them. I am a cake decorator wannabe. You explain things very well. Please keep doing the videos. Thank you.
You're welcome girl! Thanks for the encouragement!
This was so real and raw, you are a brave, decent and responsible lady .
Thank you honey
I fell your pain. And yes...cooling down was the best thing to do before answering!
I respect you for doing that and your right you have to put your self in their shoes. I have been binge watching your videos 😆
It's hard because you want to just place blame on someone else. But running a successful business is all about how you handle your customers. Try to find a solution, then learn from it and move on! 🙏
O Yes! But thank God not offten 😊
❤️humble yourself in this specific situation is the denomination ❤️ both of you ends well..Thank you Karolyn!❤️
Great tips! Definitely needed a video like this. I cry for a few minutes lol when this happens
It's definitely the worst call / text to get!
Your one very smart and sensible women I hope I can follow your lead and give great customer service I’m just starting a home business and I’m so scared to death because I still feel I have so much to learn so hats off to you you have taught me a lot Thank you for all your helpful tutorials. 🎂
We learn as we go! The most important thing is to take that step. You got this!
This is good advice for life in general. I'm teaching my grands to learn to respond to situations instead of reacting. When you react it's out of pure emotions and when you respond it's from your brain. Always try to deescalate. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Be honest with yourself and see what part you had in the situation whether it be big or small. And I tell them that you don't have to be right in everything. Excellent video. Thank you for sharing!
Yes! We are conditioned to react. And taking the time to respond really makes a difference. 😊
You are sooo kind and thoughtful you have really blessed me!!!!! The same thing happened to me today I didn’t build it correctly
Ugh. I'm sorry to hear that. But it happens. It's all about how you handle the situation. You can't change what happened, so try not to get too upset!
I commend you for refunding the entire amount, but there was a alot of the cake left undamaged that I'm sure they enjoyed. I think 50% would have been more than fair.
Thank you! I was going to do 50%, but then thought that I didn't want to possibly argue over it. I probably didn't have to do the full amount, but it was just easier to take the L.
I literally had this happen this weekend and I refunded 50% and I handled it really well. They drove around for 3 hours with the cake in the car but I still refunded and took the L
@@diamondking1140 Dang, that sucks. I have in my policy that whatever happens to your cake after it leaves me is not my problem ( not in those words exactly lol). But i realize that people will pick up a cake and run errands , put it in the back trunk, give it to a kid to hold... all kinds of crazy stuff! I should not have to pay for your negligence, especially after all of my hard work.
Thank you for this video. I am sure that customer will come back and place another order with you. Now I know how to handle such situations.
@@rydapin I also have that policy, "once your order is handed to you or your third party i am no longer liable for your order" also at the bottom is *by placing an order you are agreeing to these terms*
maybe if it was my fault i would give 50% but if its not.. sorry ... be careful with your expensive cake next time 🤷🏻♀️
a cake fell apart at a fourteen (14) year old girl's birthday party yesterday: when her mum texted me my stomach just fell to the floor!!!! i have promised to make them a replacement cake next Saturday and her Mum is a real lady...she said "ok girl. we shall be waiting.".. I listed to what went wrong so that i don't make the same mistake. .I needed to see this video today my head was all over the place. Thank you. Things really do happen. We live and learn. and learning never stops. with love from Zambia
It really is a horrible feeling. But just remember we are human and it’s all about how you handle it. It will be okay! Try not to get too upset and tell yourself you’re doing everything you can to make it right. And be okay with that. I’m sorry it happened!🙏🏼🙏🏼
I agree with you, and you did the right thing. Happened to me something similar, and although it was hard to admit it, I acted he same way and gave full refund.. thanks for hour video and.. you look great!!
It sucks all around, but you just gotta move on and hopefully learn from the situation. And thank you!! :)
Very well said, karolyn❤
Thank you so much for all of your videos! They are super helpful
Yes…. This has happened to me… I felt horrible….mine was I didn’t have enough support. Very, very good advice, thank you! Every experience is a learning experience 😊
At least we learn with every mistake that we make 💜🙏🏼
Your advice also applies to life in so many ways. Since she changed her party to another day could you have offered her a free cake? In the picture of the cake it looks like just the bottom tier was messed up. I'm sure they took the rest of the cake and had a good time. Just curious did she did she ever order from you again? Thank you for sharing and keep on caking 💜
I would rather refund the money than make another cake! She mishandled it so she was at fault too. She did order from me again!
Thank you for sharing
In 30 years of cake decorating, I've had 3 cakes fall apart.
1 was in a car for 45 minutes while the customer stopped to get a few things
1 was placed on the seat of the car after I advised the customer not to do that.
1 I have no idea what happened, but it appears that sudden breaking while transporting may have been the reason.
In all 3 instances I took or shared responsibility and remade all 3 cakes. 2 of those clients continue to order from me, but 1 just bad mouthed me. It was hard to move on but I did🙂
It's the worst because we can't control what someone does after it leaves our hands. But it somehow comes back to us because people rarely look in the mirror and take the blame.
Ty for this video girl.. this was very helpful.
Thanks very much for this...your tips were exactly as I saw it but psychologically it messed me up.... the emotions I went through,I haven't made a cake since. I am still trying to get back to that good place.
Oh no! What's your story?
This happened to me to, it didnt fall apart but it was very humid and everything was affected and the customer was unhappy. (rightly so) but it messed me up. I have baked since but i seem to have this imposter syndrome since then, and its been actual months. I hope you resume baking if you love it x
Thank you for this video
You're welcome, I hope it can help in less-than-desirable situations!
Can’t stop looking at your arms 💪amazing
Thank you! 💪💪
A topic I was literally just thinking about since I am just starting back doing cakes. I would've been tempted to give 50%, but I get why you gave the entire amount given that she cancelled the party and it was a structural problem. Better to take a loss than ruin your rep.
It hurts when it happens, but it's all about finding a resolution, learning the lesson, and moving on!
Great videos, very informative! And a totally different note : where did you get your shirt ??? This pole dance/mandala-ish combo is gorgeous !!
Thank you! My friend actually got it for me when she was in a pole fitness competition! They were selling it at that venue.
Did you do a video of making this cake? I'd like to see it so I'll know how to make it and mine not falling apart TY
I didn't film this one, but here's how I stack cakes:
ruclips.net/video/VwD3RqCasxg/видео.html
I’ve watched this video before but had to come back to it after a bad experience this weekend. First negative feedback ever and 100% refund to the customer just to satisfy them. I think I handled it well but how do you get over the emotions, heartache and disappointment? And the fact that I don’t know if I ever want to do another order for this person?? 😞😬
I'm sorry you're going through this! It depends on what happened. Were you at fault? Or were they negligent and raised hell to get their money back? When this happens to me, I don't dwell on it. Figure out what the lesson is in the situation. Then make the changes so it doesn't happen again. Then you have to move on. The more you keep running the scenario through your mind, the harder it will be to let it go. It happened, you can't change it. You gave a total refund, it's done. It's not the end of the world! On to the next cake! 💜🙏
One of my biggest fear anytime I deliver or get a cake picked up. I almost quit baking when this happened my first year baking
I feel like it's inevitable. It happens to most of us. It's all about learning from it and making sure it doesn't happen again!
Very good advice! Just wondering if the customer had you do another cake for the rescheduled party.
She asked me to, but I didn't want to make it all over again so I didn't do it. I was super annoyed at the situation!
@@KarolynsKakes I understand, but at least it tells you 2 things, she had no hard feelings and still trusts your skill and talents. Well played!
Hello dear darling thank you for sharing your
plastic bubble straws or regular one
I try all dollar stores
Only hard paper one ( how strong they are not sure)
So now what should we do
Plz help us
Specially for tall cake and tiers cake
Waiting for your reply 😊
I prefer the bubble tea straws, you can get them on Amazon or a restaurant supply store. They are wider, taller, and stronger than regular straws. Here is a link to them on Amazon!
amzn.to/3NE15fs
Your video just helped me a lot... This happened today for me 💔💔💔 I gave her 50% refund... I'm still new in cake baking and it really hurts 😢😢😢 But luckily she's placing another order next month, I saved my business & my client by being calm
Sorry that happened to you. Just remember, we are human. We make mistakes. Things happen. It's all about how you deal with it, learn from it, and move on!
After I deliver the cake I take a picture. I also make sure I place it where it's going to stay.
I had a situation like that. But i knew what happen tothe cake. They gave me a wobbly table and the put the cake in direct sun when the sun was extremely hot. And they were told of the problems but was ignored and after i left. they moved the table with cake and all on it causeing it to fall apart. At the bottom. I don't believe the concept that the customers always right. I worked in retail and they will lie to you in oreder to get things for free . but i do believe you should treat them right and not let them take you for a sucker. Honesty goes a long way.
Great tips hun but show us your workout sessions too😍😂Your guns are gorgeous! Is it all the heavy cakes you are lifting!?😂
LOL!! I actually work with a trainer & teach yoga, along with lifting heavy kakes!!
@@KarolynsKakes keep it up! You are gorgeous! Sorry i am not hitting on you in any way at all😂
@@liveandletlive7152 As Ross Geller says...thhhhhhank you!! LMAO!!
I know, right!
Thank you for sharing! But I can't believe this customer rescheduled a whole party because the cake collapsed! Sad, sure... but a last-minute grocery store cake (or no cake) shouldn't make or break the event. Sounds like she needs to reevaluate priorities and get some perspective.
Yeah, the whole situation was a mess! Glad I got through it though and was able to move on.
I would have asked her to return the collapsed cake. I would have redecorated the other layers and salvaged them if possible and offer to make additional cupcakes. AND give a full refund. You'd be so surprised how understanding people are when you take the money part out of the equation. Like you said, many just want their parties to be perfect and when something goes wrong it's very stressful. Having a solution really makes all the difference. Thankfully I've never had a full failure but I did have a few that were a little banged up and had to be redecorated...two admitted they hit the side of the car in transport but you don't always get a confession. In those cases I don't assign blame but offer an immediate resolution instead.💜
(And I don't bother with signing anything on pick about not being responsible. ) I tried it a few times and I could sense my customers didnt like that at all.
Same! The times it wasn’t my fault, I still did what I could to help fix it. It’s good business practice. 🚩
Oops i meant 🙏🏼 not 🚩 lol
Today I delivered a cake to an acquaintance and had spent 7 hours working on the cake. It was beautiful before I left! But, she requested whipped cream inside and I made it from scratch, and didn't realize that as I drove, it was going to cause the cake to slide inside the layers. The outside was buttercream, and I used straws to keep the layers together. The cake started falling apart on the drive. She was as gracious as she could be, but the cake literally fell apart once we tried to fix it in her kitchen. I excused myself as quickly as I could, then went in my car and cried. I'm a single mom in a horrible divorce battle, and was trying to make a measly $30 making the cake. I told her definitely don't pay me for the cake, but I feel horrible having used up all that time on the cake.. precious time as a single mom when your hours and energy are so strapped as it is. I apologized profusely, and realize I'm not going to make cakes anymore. I do like your videos, though, Karolyn! Thank you for sharing how you deal with situations like that.
Ugh I’m so sorry that happened! Unfortunately it is part of cake decorating. I NEVER use whipped cream to fill or ice the cakes. It’s just not stable enough.
I hope you don’t quit though, I have learned more from my failures than my successes! I’ve had cakes slide off the board, collapse, decorations fall off, etc. It’s all how you handle it. You can cry and be upset, but you gotta move on. Don’t give up! Just don’t make whipped cream anymore 😂😂
@@KarolynsKakes You're amazing. Your comment makes me feel better. Oh goodness, never again with the whipped cream! I wish I had your wisdom about whipped cream, before I made the cake! 😢😂Thank you for sharing your wisdom and your beautiful cakes for us to see!! I might venture back into baking. Thanks for the encouragement!
Cake was way too heavy and bottom part collapsed . No prizes🎉 for guessing that its was cake makers mistake. Taking a high road is the way forward. ❤
I had a customer that kept having me go down on the price. Then on the day of delivery there was an issue with her having the money and her mother end up having to cover it. I had a bad feeling. The next day they came up with some excuse saying that the cake was dry but nothing but one little bite was gone from it and all of the two dozen cupcakes were ate up. They were asking for a full discount. The people in the background said that it was fine so I knew there was nothing wrong with the cake, they were just trying to get of paying. Went through there bank and everything. I didn't even fight it. It wasn't worth it. Some people try to get over. In you case, that seem like the case. Just saying this to say read people and don't give everyone 100% refunds.
It's a huge red flag when someone is arguing over price and won't pay. It stinks that happened to you, but at least you know to never take on an order like that again! You're right, it isn't worth fighting over it. Sometimes you just gotta block them and move on LOL
In addition to all of these & and mirroring their feelings - my line is usually something like this (spoken with compassion) what would you like me to do to make this right for you?
I love this! Gonna use that not only for cakes, but in life LOL. 💜🙏
Hi Karolyn. What support method did you use for the bottom tier as to why it collapsed? This makes me nervous lol!! I’ve had a cake collapse on me due to the heat but the support still held up the 2nd tier. Maybe not enough straws?
It wasn't enough straws. And also, she drove with the cake when it wasn't cold, so the structure was compromised that way too.
Oh no
A basic contract signed is important. Should includeI think take it home first before going anywhere else would. Call immediately if it does break. How to store it during warmer months.
If like that type of cake girl if I were you I'd take it to them personally or take it in sections and put it together where the event is at. Stacked cakes like that can be a pain lol.
Good point! I have added more to my info. sheet since this happened. It sucks that things like this happen, but at least we learn from them!
Did the customer order from you again? After she rescheduled her party? Curious
She asked me to make the cake again and I declined. I worked so many hours on that cake and actually did more detail than she paid for. I was just so over the whole situation and wanted to move on, so I didn't make it.
@@KarolynsKakes i would be traumatized lol
I'm only a hobbyist, but I found this really interesting....great video!
(I do think that a 30-60 min wait is too long to respond. Maybe 10-15 min would be better. I know if I was the frantic mom of the b'day boy/girl, or worse...a bride whose cake collapsed, I would lose my sh*t waiting to hear back)
I agree, I did reply right away to her initial text, then had to take time to gather my thoughts before I let her know what I could do for her. She got the cake the day before the party. If it were the same day, I probably would have had to communicate faster.
I put too much butter in my buttercream and my cake started melting before the Customer came. She left with a free $90 cake & 24 cupcakes because it wasn’t her fault. It killed me because I spent 9 hours total on all the cocomelon fondant details.
Ugh I feel for you Brittany! It's a flood of emotions and so upsetting. Do you add shortening to your icing? The shortening helps keep the icing more stable. And do you refrigerate your cakes or no?
Can I put a cake frosted with buttercream in the fridge before the customer picks it up.
For a cake that big straws should’ve never been at the bottom. It should have been wood dowels.
Hello, thank you for this wonderful video. Can you please tell me how did you handle this cake dilemma? Did you make another one for the one that collapsed?
She asked me if I could make it again and I declined. I actually added more detail to it than originally planned (without charging her for it) and it took so long for me to make and I didn't want to make it again. I felt like it was draining my energy. So I just cut my losses and refunded her money.
How do you go about doing proper stock taking.
What's your official way of letting the customers know they have to make a down payment as well as how to take care of their cakes.
I require a $50 deposit to hold a spot and the balance must be paid in full 10 days prior to the due date.
And I have a sheet that I send them that gives all of the information on how to take care of the cakes and how to drive with them. I can email that to you if you want! Just email me at Karolyn@KarolynsKakes.com
Shayoncebrowne@gmail.com
@@shayoncebrowne9956 Just emailed you, check your spam / junk if you don't see it in your inbox!
Hi I’m binging on all your videos right now as I’m thinking of starting my own cake business at home when my son starts school. I have learned so much from watching your videos. Do you think I could have a copy of the sheet as well for the future?
@@merimebardhi5129 Hey! Sure, can you email me at Karolyn@KarolynsKakes.com and I'll reply with the info? I have a crazy work week, but will get back to you in a day or so when I check my messages next!
hmmm. You're right. You should think before you say anything. I imagine you practice yoga or Buddhism. You're very benevolent.
Thank you! I do practice and teach yoga so it does help me with stuff like this!
Omg this just happened to me yesterday with a wedding cake🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 she sent me the wrong address so the cake was in the car for a a hour and thirty minutes longer then it was originally supposed to be! By the time I got the new address the cake was not just defrosted but MELTING so when I stacked it it held for about 30 minutes then boom collapsed 🥺🥺
UGH! It's THE WORST! And, it sucks because it's really not your fault. What did they say?
Are you a Cancer by chance? I am new here with your channel but I feel we are alike in our thought process.
Yes I am! That's so funny you knew!
Hi I wanted to know when you were born.
July! I'm a Cancer 😊