Does mobile = emergency to clients?

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JanVenus

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At least once a week I get a call from someone who asks me if I can be at their house in the next hour or so, and I need to knock them back because it's far too little notice. Do any other mobile beauticians/nail techs have this problem?

I like to have at least 6 hours notice, so I can ensure my kit is ready, I have transport and someone to watch my kids. I don't think I'm being selfish in having that 'policy' but I do feel a bit sorry for the people who have maybe been let down and are phoning round everywhere to get a replacement.
 
I'm mobile and I used to get this in the early days, I require 24 hours notice, I don't want to be going to clients at the drop of a hat and don't want them thinking that's acceptable.
Even if you're quiet it's good to let them think you're busy, that way they respect your time more and they don't feel that they are doing you a favour by booking you, more they appreciate you fitting them in.
I know it sounds quite harsh but there are so many posts on here about clients taking advantage, you don't want to get into the mindset where you're going to feel fed up and want to quit all you've worked so hard for.
Set the ground rules and you'll continue a to be a happy therapist with happy clients. I hope this helps. Xxx
 
Thanks Oasis, that's my thinking on refusing to entertain them - they'll think that's how I work all the time and never think to give decent notice.
 
Definitely!
If it suits me at the time then I don't mind short notice but I do make a point of saying something along the lines of luckily I've had a cancellation, just to plant a seed that I am not on permanent standby!

My nail clients are the worst, not all but I do have a few who with the slightest thing expect me there to fix it. If it was their time and money spent getting to a salon they would wait for their next appointment.

Unfortunately I have found that those clients who I have gone out of my way to accommodate are the ones who try to take advantage more. At Christmas I complied a "cull" list of those clients who I really wouldn't be sorry never to see again, became completely unflexible with them in the hope they would go elsewhere, two of them have now become completely different clients and I love booking them in now.
 
Yes, I have this too! "I've broken a nail.... can you come fix it NOW?!" Bored holiday makers are the worst when the weather's not so good (I live in Spain)..... they call for an appointment that day and you know the minute the sun comes out they'll be off to beach and won't be home when I get there. Same as Oasis, I tell potential clients I'll either need 24hrs notice or that they need to come to my home salon so I can "squeeze them in" later in the day. It sets a bad precedent to be too keen and it's just not worth the agro. ;)
 
Same Here , I have been Mobile since 4 years or so even some of my regular clients ask me for last minute appointments , and really all i do is if I can manage to fit them in i happily say yes but i really get frustrated if really can't book them in . so i guess its everywhere and i think home salon will be great as don't have to get in to traffic unplanned :)
 
I've just had an unbelievable one. A lady messaged me for prices etc for a pamper party for 5 ladies. I sent back with all the details and said if she was happy with that we can sort dates. She then texted back - yes happy with prices and treatments, " I need you to tomorrow 11am - 3pm". I have clients at 12pm and 2.30 so can't do it, I doubt she will get anyone for a booking like that at such short notice.
 
I work from home and I find the same. I think some people generally are just pretty disorganised and leave things till the last minute.
 
I've just had an unbelievable one. A lady messaged me for prices etc for a pamper party for 5 ladies. I sent back with all the details and said if she was happy with that we can sort dates. She then texted back - yes happy with prices and treatments, " I need you to tomorrow 11am - 3pm". I have clients at 12pm and 2.30 so can't do it, I doubt she will get anyone for a booking like that at such short notice.
Ladies that lunch generally think you are just sitting around waiting for their call!! grrrr… its a shame because you hate turning down work, but if people aren't organised, then you just can't fit them in.
 
Yes! And text messages all hours of the day and night....! :confused:
 
Yes! And text messages all hours of the day and night....! :confused:
Lol. 4.30am is my worst one. A client texted to make an appointment and woke me up. I think she was up with her baby and just thought of making the appointment assuming I would get it later. Lol. Xxx
 
I had it with a hair client but mine was 1.30am I kindly msgd bk saying I was a sleep ur msgd woke me up but I will look at the diary in the morning I got called every name under the sun and heard every swear word lol so I told her a few home truths
 
Just because clients text/email when convenient doesn't mean you need to reply. Should just keep your phone on silent at night etc. and you'd respond when you're naturally up.

As most of my clients are busy running their businesses in the day time, when it comes to sort out marketing and anything I need to sort with them, it's generally always evening time and that's fine by me.
 
I need my phone on during the night however I put the out of hours reply on fb and reply in the morning.
I do get the occasional 2am text which I do think is very thoughtless but I just point out I was asleep when I reply to it.
 
I have to have my mobile on at night this is due to my nan who is 82 she's virtually my mum she's brought me up
Some of us carnt put our phones on silent Facebook is logged out
 
I completely understand as I too have elderly relatives and living 200+ miles away means I'd need to put my foot down to get there in a timely manner.

Having a work mobile might be a consideration for some as it's nice being able to turn it off and separate personal and business life :)
 
I message people at all hours of day and night as I won't remember otherwise. I do not expect anyone to get back to me until it's their business hours. I have a separate mobile for business so keep it on silent from 8pm - 8am. I respond to messages when I can. Sometimes it's 9am, sometimes it's 4am. My personal phone is on silent throughout the night so I get messages but they don't disturb me until I look at my phone. We now live in a 24/7 culture. You choose when you respond.
 
After reading threads on here years ago about clients being demanding and phoning at all times of the night. I decided on two mobiles one private one business. My business phone is switched on one hour before I start work and turned off one hour after I finish, Period.
 
Having a separate phone for business was one of the first things I organised, just a basic PAYG (£10 top up every couple of months) sim in an old phone that was lying around. I have had text messages at silly o'clock but when I hear the chime of the beauty hotline I know I can ignore it until I 'open' the next day. On both my FB page and website my opening hours are clearly stated 10am to 8pm every day, I have an out of hours response for FB messages as well. It's pretty easy to set up so that if someone messages you and you can't answer, your response time isn't affected. I scheduled my page status to 'away' between 8pm and 10am every night but you can have different times for different days xx
 
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Everyone will try it on. We often get asked for treatments that day/that hour. Clients always think that if they don't go to you, no one does, so you can't be busy.
There are often complaints on here from therapists that their clients email/text/messenger at 2.00 in the morning. I always say welcome it. Welcome the fact that they are contacting you and not your competitors. Reply when it suits you. I often reply to texts and emails at 10.00 at night but that's because it suits me to do that.

Vic x
 

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