How do I send a NO instead of a quotaion to a potential client
Hi guys:
I was asked on 22 June to provide a quotation for a 23rd July wedding. I did just that. I heard no word from the guy (apparent wedding coordinator of sorts). On thrusday he calls and asks for the quotation (yes I was stunned). I informed him that it is in his inbox. He then asked for samples and queried the cost telling me that the bride's budget is $JA40,000 and that is the include travelling. I quoted JA$52,000.
I told him that if she wants to stick with her budget then she should reduce the the sizes and number of cakes as well as go easy with the detailing.
On Friday her cousin calls asking if this is Teneisha. When i identified myself she said i am so and so and you are doing a cake for my cousin. I advised her that i am not doing a cake for her (no confirmation nor deposit received) but that i provided a quotation. She asked if she could see me today which I agreed to.
When they came they wanted this and that and I was royally annoyed. Anyhow I remained professional. The bride lives in the US and the wedding is in Jamaica, 2 hrs away from my home. They eventually put her on speaker, and I'm sure she said everything better goes as she expects it to otherwise she is going to sue all who don't deliver as she expects. HOLD UP!!!! Is she serious. She is half of a million over budget and wants to go cheap on my cake then sue me if the cake has a crack after driving with it for 2hrs.
So after I finished the orders I had for today...I reflected and said to self you will not be making that cake...did I tell you all that it will be my birthday...o yes...stress myself to do a wedding cake on my bday and then get sued!!!!
They are expecting a revised quotation...how do I nicely tell them that I will not be able to do the cake?
Looking forward to your responses :)
Regards,
Teneisha Williams
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Eileen S on
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Good luck with this one, Teneisha. It sounds like the woman relied on her wedding planner who dropped the ball and is now trying to back track. I think you did the right thing in refusing to make the cake. Since she hadn't paid any deposits, given you any information, or signed any contracts you are under NO obligation to do anything for her.
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Permalink Reply by Teneisha Williams on
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Just had dialogue with the wedding coordinator who is so not happy...oh well....coordinate better next time...they found someone...happy for all concerned...lol...was rude enough to ask me why I didn't just tell them from Saturday...why didn't they book from from June!!!!...as Christina said...CRAZY PPL!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Dawn Becker on
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I'm with you on this one! I once donated a 4 tier quinceanera cake to my church's Sunday after-church-social because I decided not to deliver when a customer dropped the ball. This was the last cake I ever did without a deposit. I was fairly new to the game. They came for the tasting with plenty of time to order. they waited until one week before the event to actually confirm an order. I went ahead and made it. I told them I have to meet them at the venue at 2 and no later because I had a DJ gig in Burbank, an hour away. I got there at 1:50. At 2:30 no one from the party was there yet - no answering phones - nothing. The venue people told me I could leave the cake with them, no - I haven't been paid. I left. Dropped the cake at my house and drove to Burbank. an hour later (so they would have actually been 1.5 hours late had I waited) they called me crying the blues - sorry, I can't and won't deliver it now. "But there will be no cake at my sister's quinceanera" - sorry - you should have met me at 2:00 as promised. I felt so bad for the birthday girl - but it's not my responsibility to fund her party.
I am all for customer service, and I'm proud of my customer service skills - but there are lines to draw and I will never do that again. The customer simply has to do their own part in MAKING A SALES PROCESS WORK, within reason, or this is no sale.
I now refuse any work that gives me that "watch out" feeling. A simple, no, I'm already booked." works every time.
JJ Becker said:We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason.
I've even refused to sell a customer their cake when they cake to pick it up even though I had filled the order and the cake was done and ready for them because of remarks they made leading me to believe there might be trouble later.
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I do feel bad for the birthday girl...but her planners messed it up...lol
I am never delivering a cake without payment...There's no me being nice with that one.
I have been making cakes for persons in and around my age, so it's a bit easier. I guess they thought they could shove me over since they are in a different age group. It didn't work! :)
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Exactly!! Now I have payment in full way before the event. Then I don;t care if they ever show up.
It's sad that a few bad apples cause us to be so protect-full of ourselves, that we cannot extend this type of courtesy to anyone anymore.Teneisha Williams said:
I am never delivering a cake without payment...There's no me being nice with that one.
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Who would care...I got paid to make a cake...if a dog eats it...so what!!!!
It sure is sad...but it must be done...we are worth every penny that we charge, even more...and we must be respected and compensated. Majority of those who order a cake have no clue what goes into creating it. From the mental to the physical...we deserve a whole lot more!!!
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Permalink Reply by JJ Becker on
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I dropped a cake off at this woman's house a three tiered square deal wirh the bottom tier designed to look like a stage with curtains pulled back, and all three ties done with different patterned lay-ons on the sides, about as complicated as a cake can get, she could barely restrain her giant dog from knocking me down as I tried to carry it inside, I got the cake set up on her little display table, which a toy poodle could have jumped up onto, she pay's me, I get in the car, and head of. It wast thing I had to do that day, I had the next couple days off so I was heading to my parent's house for a couple days, 45 minutes down the road my cell phone rings. This woman is in tears because the dog had jumped up and devoured most of this cake, her party is ruined, was there anything I could do... I felt horrible, but seriously? She couldn't lock her dog in the garage? What did she expect me to do in the hour before her party was going to start? Really people have no consideration or common sense at all. I want to help people out, but some people really gotta help themselves a little.
Teneisha Williams said:
Who would care...I got paid to make a cake...if a dog eats it...so what!!!!
It sure is sad...but it must be done...we are worth every penny that we charge, even more...and we must be respected and compensated. Majority of those who order a cake have no clue what goes into creating it. From the mental to the physical...we deserve a whole lot more!!!
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Permalink Reply by jeri c on
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Tell them you fell and broke your leg ;-) Seriously, unless you charge enough just simply tell them they did not confirm on time and you are not available on that date now. Sounds a bit unorganized to me!
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Ahh JJ...you are superman so you should have just whipped up another one for her within the hour...how mean of you not to....poor woman in tears....DWL
Jeri...I wish them all the best...its my bday and while she's getting married I would like to spend some quality time with my bf as opposed to stressing over her cake and then be sued....that's about US$605...
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Too funny, JJ. I try to go the extra mile. But sometimes there just aren't any miles to go.
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For $605... take the day off and don't stress.... HOWEVER.... if it was $52,000 US dollars... I was going to give you my phone number and have them call me.... I'd love a vacation!
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