Can't say no.

[wondernail]

I find it hard to say no to clients. ..especially if they really want an appointment and are desparate as they are going out to their xmas party or night out and really want to look their best.

After all if you treat your clients right and do your best to squeeze them in then hopefully they will rebook and be faithful clients in the future.

Well this kind of backfired on me yesterday when I worked 14 hours non stop in the salon. I didnt eat or drink and I worked and worked and worked. I got out of the salon at midnight. Then I was back in at 9 this morning for more appointments and finished at 9.30 this evening.

I am very busy due to the fact that i have just opened, so people are coming to me as it is a novelty of having a new nail bar in the town and the fact I have a special offer on at the mo...All the clients have rebooked for their infills, mainly for xmas week, so i am really full that week too.

When a client is really desparate for an appointment what do you do and say without losing them..do you just stay open for them or r u strict?

Sorry if i am rambling, I am tired!

 

[louisenewell]

Angela,
I'm really harsh when it comes to things like this and i guess i need to learn not to be or my salon may suffer when/if it opens but...

You have set open hours,so do sainsburys,so do boots,so do m&s and they all stick to them so you should have a right to close when you say you're going to close after all people need to understand that you do have a life(and i'm sure this is your fellas few!!).

If the opening hours are clearly posted on your shop window,business cards etc then people should be aware of them.Just as christmas falls on the same day every year...25th December you would think people would plan in advance.

However thats a bit rich coming from me,i haven't even done any christmas shopping yet!!!

Having said all that i guess you have to be a bit more flexiable this time of year and squeeze in as much business as you can because 1)clients will remember you bending over backwards for them 2)you'll need the cash because January will probably be completely dead 3)as a new salon you need to establish yourself with as many new clients as possible and build a good reputation for yourself.

Easier said then done.I bet your local chemist is fast running out of pro plus!!Lol!Keep your chin up though babe because it will be so worth it when you add those accounts up and look at how many clients you have had through the door.

A big well done to you honey.I guess putting in the extra is what you expect of yourself when you have your own salon however when you work for someone else(talking from experience here) and they book you something in so you're at the salon to 9 at night (on a regular non-december month) and don't even think twice to offer you the extra cash or time in lieu then that kind of stinks!!

WELL DONE BABE!I AM SO GLAD YOU ARE DOING WELL!!!

 

[ValencianNails]

it's no wonder you're tired Angela it's a difficult one to answer because if you fit clients in when you should be closed they will expect it all the time, however with it being a new business you feel as if it would be better to please your new clients with being open at unsociable hours.
the thing is... you're going to burn yourself out hunny, so I think that your clients need to understand that they should try their best to fit in with your salon opening hours.
Well done on being so busy, all of your hard work has obviously paid off :hug:

 

[Sassy Hassy]

You won't be able to sustain those hours for ever hun or you'll burn out. Your owrk wil deteriorate and you'll end up being short tempered with your clients. However I think you are right to do it up until the New Year, but when you book these clients then let them know that you are opening extra hours for the Christmas period ONLY.

Glad to hear you are so busy - but remember work smarter not harder. Better to charge the going rate and earn the same with less clients than run yourself ragged for the same income and have no quality of life.

PLenty of Red Bull for you hun! Don't make yourself ill though babe!

 

[Urban Geek]

Well done Angela in getting off to such a flying start!

I think flexibility is key but if you over-do it, the quality of your work will no doubt suffer as well as your health. You want to establish a good reputation for quality work so make sure you get your rest. I think to finish at 8pm at the latest is reasonable enough. If you try to please too many peopole all of the time, you will end up pleasing nobody.

I am as bad as you when it comes to saying no but be strong and stick to your guns. If you are too flexible and make sure you fit everyone in, you'll end up with very few people bothering to make appointments.

Good luck and keep the cash rolling!:hug:

 

[claireamy]

I did this last year, although I',m mobile not in a salon. I was eating sarnies in the car in between app's and i was cramming as many in as possible. I then had Christmas day off but spent the day (as you do) cooking the dinner, playing with the kids (and in the snow!) and clearing up. By the time I had a few days off in January I was completely burnt out and had to have some time to recupperate when I realised I'd done too much leading up to christmas. I was also a few weeks pregnant which I don't suppose helped matters really. And as I now have a 4 month old baby I won't be working like a mad thing this xmas. I'll save it for next year!!

 

[Bagpuss]

A client asked for an appointment for 4.30 on 24th dec...!!!! i said no cos not only is this Xmas eve but also my daughters birthday...she said..Oh but i have a function !!! i felt like saying yeah.. and i have a family and a life...if she rang any nail salon in town and asked for an appointment for 4.30 on 24th...i bet she would get the same answer..NO...i stuck to my guns on this one and she booked for another day...You have to draw the line...xxx

 

[Buggy]

i was doing this a few weeks ago, not that i'm fully booked, but i was working all odd hours just to fit people in and doing my full time job too. one night i got to be fella's (at 10.30pm!) and he'd cooked tea for me and i just looked at it and i felt really SICK! i knew it was nothing to do with his cooking! but basically i was burning myself out. i came on here with exactly the same question and was given some very good advice... HOW CAN YOU DO YOUR BEST SET OF NAILS WHEN YOU'RE KNACKERED! and... HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ENJOY IT IF YOUR KNACKERED. (i must admit, i was starting to get a bit sick of it too)

It's not worth feeling ill or tired over. imagine driving home after closing and going through a red light just because your tired. (i was stopping at green lights.. thank god... it scared me it might it the other way round). put on the salon window and leaflets your opening hours AND STICK TO THEM. i do this even though i don't own a salon, i put it on my leaflets. Mobile Techs/Homeworkers.. you should do this too.

my hours are evenings 6pm til 10.pm and Sat/Sun 10.am - 6pm. You will be surprised once you start enforcing it how people start to accommodate you.

Also i only do 3 days a week, two weeknights and one weekend day (but this only works if you go mobile or work from home, obviously if you have a salon you'll need set days). Anyway, the first two weeknights and the first weekend day that get a booking are the days that i work. I take the others off (i didn't want to restrict myself to working, say, Thursday's in case i wanted to go out sometime) and then for the rest of the week i tell people i cannot fit them in as i'm "fully booked". This works two ways, your client's think you're really popular and you're not restricted to working certain days if you need to take off a Thursday for any reason (like for that great film you've been dieing to see). Obviously, i don't tell my clients i work like this, and it also gives me the flexibility that if i'm not feeling tired and someone calls up (usually my sister "i've got a date") I can put them in on a fourth day if i wish. Also, i now purposely book time out in my diary for MYSELF. even if its to go to the gym!

Now i'm not so tired and i'm enjoying it a lot more (sometimes i am tired but not worn out like i was). my last appointment for enhancements is two hours before my closing time so i'm not running over. (once i was doing someone at home til 1am!! because she was going on holiday the next day.)

As a general rule, i think people think beauticians/nail technicians are robots and we are there JUST to accommodate them. We have a life too (don't we?) and we also NEED SLEEP! especially when you're working from home or mobile they really take the mick because we don't seem to have set working times. well, i've learned my lesson, i was starting to feel tired and ill, not down to the amount of clients, but down to my "shift patterns". my body had no routine and the exhaustion was catching up with me (i have to get up for work at 6.00 am and i wasn't going to bed until 1am sometimes just because someone wanted to look nice for a party the next day... well, she should have planned ahead shouldn't she, and its not the end of the world if she can't get her nails done for one party).

be strong mate, you'll feel better for it. and how can you run a salon if your knackered. they wouldn't dream of phoning Comet and saying "can you stay open til 12 for me because i wan't to buy a washing machine?".

 

[Buggy]

I did this last year, although I',m mobile not in a salon. I was eating sarnies in the car in between app's ...

LOL... it was drive thru macdonald's for me.. no wonder i put on weight!

 

[smiler13334]

It is great to hear your business is thriving, just don't make it at your cost by becoming ill. You won't be able to work at all then.

A good way to help you and the client is offer a booking at a later date then ask for their telephone number, so if you have a cancellation you will phone her straight away to offer it to her.

Take care xx

 

[Bagpuss]

I have been working mon-sat and doing appointments from 9am till 9pm...whilst it has been busy, but i draw the line to sundays now...i have 3 kids that i need to spend some time with...my family will always come first. They are at school all day and by the time i finish they are in bed, so sunday is our only real family day. I had a call from a could be new client yesterday asking if i could do her nails today (sunday) and i was tempted but said no.

I remember a story i was told about a guy who worked 7 days a week and earned good money...when asked what about your family he said i am doing this for my family so they can have a fab life...he was told to ask his kids what they would like more...a new bike or one a day a week with there daddy...they wanted daddy. xxx

 

[wondernail]

Thanks for the advice and support.

Yesterday i closed at 3pm just to give myself a break and I am back in doing 14 hr days on monday.

Last week I did 60 hrs, and I found that quite shocking, but then I thought..well this is what being in business is all about, putting the hard work in and making the most successful business you can, and making sure your clients are pleased and happy with your work.

This is after all the optimum time to pick up regular future clients.

I am just thankful my husband and children understand!!