First Paying Clients - What an Awful Day!!!

[pmason]

Hi Geeks - just wanted to share with you my awful experience yesterday with my first paying clients, I warn you it's a loooooooong story!! Originally had two girls booked in, then half an hour before I was due to go they rang and said i 'had' to do their other friend as well cos she felt left out. I wasn't keen to do 3 in a row but cos I'm new and still practising I thought it would do me good (idiot that I am!). Got there to find a house full of 7 people, 4 of whom wandered in and out of the kitchen whilst I was working - made me feel v uncomfortable. The other 2 girls sat and watched whilst I did each other's nails, again I felt v uncomfortable. I only qualified 2 weeks ago and am NOT used to an audience.

I had explained that I'm new, I only charged £15, and told them not to expect too much of the end result, also told them it takes me 2 hours per set. The first and second girl were reasonably happy with theirs but the last girl was SO RUDE!! She complained about everything, the shape, the thickness, the time I was taking - at one point she pretended to be asleep in a dramatic 'oh she's taking so long' gesture. Then to add insult to injury, all 6 other people came into the kitchen and started cooking dinner around me!! The last girl practically chucked her money at me and started laying the table before I'd even packed up my stuff.

Sorry this is such a long one, but I feel really low about the whole thing now. I did a 13 hour day altogether yesterday including my other jobs that I do - and all that on a Bank Holiday, plus I haven't seen my kids since leaving for work at 7.00 am yesterday cos my mum had to look after them overnight whilst I was working!

Is it me, or were they unreasonable? I know it will get better and I have to practice, practice, practice but I was dreading this first step into charging people and now I know why.:sad:

 

[Trinity]

Oh Pip what a horrible experience on your first outing - have a hug :hug:

Take no notice of them, 3 girls in a group is intimidating enough without the added pressure of them being your first real clients.

I think you did really well to do 3 new sets in a row - you did better than I would have done - congratulate yourself on a job well done and ignore the stupid girl who had no respect for you or your skill, she's not worth worrying about.

It's over with now, don't let it dent your confidence, it's all a learning experience and you know now you can cope very well under pressure and work in the worst circumstances - thats more than a lot of techs know about themselves :Love:

Next time you'll know to say no to anything that you're not comfortable with

Well done - spend some time with your kids and relax a bit (although they probably don't go hand in hand but you know what I mean!!)

Trin
xx

 

[kittenclaws]

hi,

dont beat yourself up about it you were not the one being unreasonable, what did they expect when its all thrown at you like that. i have'nt let myself loose with the public yet but have just got my adds ready and reading your post made me reolise just how selfish some clients can be. you could have been doing it for free and they would still have been rude because thats how some people are but please remember you will become more confident and not everyone is like them, as long as you feel happy about what you are doing dont let small minded people get you down as we all have to start somewhare

 

[scattyfox]

I think you should pat yourself on th back, three clients one after th other and you have only just started.

You explained the facts before you started unfortunatly you got the ignoramus at the end. She couldnt have thought they were that bad or she wouldnt have paid you, she probablyjus likes to have a moan or was having ano off day hersel and having a captive audience thought she would take advantage of it.

You did really well and kept you cool which being a professional is all about, very well done you.

You've had the worse so now it should be easier and you've got £45 to show for all your hard work.

well done hun
x

 

[MINKUS]

blimey you did chuck yourself in the deepend a bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I hate people watching me work !!!!!!!!!!!!

Dont worry toooo much as long as they new the score from the beginning - that you were newly qualified and they were getting a special discounted rate - then thats fine.

I am sure it will get better - onwards and upwards - but just be careful not to bite off more than you can chew in the beginning - take it nice and slow!!!!

Good luck - chin up


Ambxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[diesel1978]

aww hun you did so well to do 3 in a row......i don't think i could even do that my self particularly under the pressure you had.
At the end of the day they knew the score........what they got was an absolute bargain.....hun i am trained to masters level and i still take 2 hours and do you know what i do not care !!
I have seen the work of alot of our areas salons and believe me it does not compare ........i was speakng to a new client on friday.....guess how long for an infill at one of our local salons......15 minutes!!!!! All they do is give a quick file over and put more acrylic over the top.......yes even over the lifting!!! And yes this tech was originally trained to a good level..........but has'nt updated any training for approx 8 years!!!!
I think it's absolutely diabolical that the last girl treat you the way she did but believe me in the long run she will be back........even if it's 2 years down the line.........i have been in similar situations to you back wen i first started and boy it can get you down........don't let it.....keep at it and keep updating your training.....it's the best thing you will ever do.......i have been doing nails for 5 years now and it gets better......i now find an inner strength when dealing wih clients like you have dealt with........and you too will find that one day .........
If you need any help just gve me a shout...you've got my number........i'll do whatever i can too help!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

You can only appreciate the good times when you've experienced the bad. Now that you've had the latter look forward to the good times. Why is it that it's always the ones you do the special favours for that p*** you about the most? Strange but true!

Keep your pecker up, and put your family first.

 

[pmason]

You know, all you girls are just fab! I'm so glad i found this site, i would truly have given up for good this weekend but I knew that I'd get some back up from fellow geeks. I guess I was a bit naive to think I could churn out three sets, but hey I've done it once and I won't be doing it again for a long time!

Forgot to say that I also did a free soak-off for the snotty girl and that took nearly an hour in itself!! Ooo don't some people just make you mad?!

Thanks for the pep talk though girls, feel much better now. Will have a couple of days with the kids then will be more than ready to tackle some more clients!!

THANK YOU!!

PS Amanda, I will ring you soon - maybe if you have a spare min (ha ha!) we could get together and you can 'appraise' my work and give me some pointers?

 

[absolutly fab!]

my god how rude were they .... look at this way you can only improve on the worst!!

 

[kaw]

You did very well dont let those rude clients get you down!
I have a sign in my salon it says:

" IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH​

DONT EXPECT ME TO BE!​

A GOOD SET ​

OF NAIL ENHANCEMENTS​

TAKE TIME". ​

I have recently sold my salon and will be carrying on my business mobile (I hope)​

so now I'm wondering how do I incorperate my sign, maybe I'll have to get a TShirt printed.

Good luck with future clients

 

[diesel1978]

PS Amanda, I will ring you soon - maybe if you have a spare min (ha ha!) we could get together and you can 'appraise' my work and give me some pointers?

no problem hun i'll always make time to help!

 

[pmason]

" IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH
DONT EXPECT ME TO BE!
A GOOD SET
OF NAIL ENHANCEMENTS
TAKE TIME".

​

Lol!! I love this, what a fab idea - yes put it on a tshirt, print it on your towels, have it tattoed on your forehead!! You really cannot say it often enough, it takes time to do good work - hope I get the confidence eventually to tell people to bog off if they expect me to rattle a set out in record time!!

See, I have a smiley face on my message now - not crying any more about s**tty clients!​

 

[suey]

Good for you Pip! Hey you did brilliantly hun!

Why moan all the time? premenstrual i guess (just imagine her in pain with a belly ache right now? :twisted: ) She had seen the others have theirs done, and would not have had hers done, if she didn't think they were any good, so you obviously did well.

Give yourself a pat on the back...and a glass of wine :hug:

 

[Rose143]

Hi Pip,

Very Barve of you to take on those cows, i personally would have told them to shut-up and let me concentrate or I would have walked out!!! (not really but you get the idea) I admire you for your patience and not giving up too easily. You should be very proud!!! :hug: You know how a bunch of girls can be, just out to see who has the most control and who can make the bes impression even if that means being rude to others, they werte just show offs and a "little" immature.

Like the other geeks said, thw worst is over, you'll be able to handle any situation now after that experience.

Chin up hun!!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Noodle]

I think you did really well Pip, especially having to contend with all that c**p going on around you.

Chin up and best foot forward. Have some of these to keep you going :hug:

 

[*JOANNE*]

pip,
we all have been there hun,
i remember my first ever paying clients :cry:
2 sisters at their house 2plus hours for each set,
my back was in bits, my mouth as dry as a badgers bum..............and a throbbing headache,
was i really cut out for this
you will get more confident dealing with people and more confident in telling them about your working conditions,
well done though girl, and dont beat yourself up worrying about how their nails are doing :wink2:
you will allways get people who push their luck, ......make sure they see it doesnt bother you.
so thats it worst is over you will feel a lot better on your next paying customer

 

[bimbogeri]

Hey Pip,
Sounds like a nightmare day, but you got through it, hun!!
I had my first paying client for extensions on Friday - huuuge disaster too. My times are usually 1.45-2hrs for a set, but this took me 4 HOURS!!! Three sculpts broke off onto the forms and I was majorly unhappy with the finished result, everything had just gone to pot. She rang back on Saturday (after I'd text her to offer a free touch-up appt as I wasn't happy with the nails) to say four had 'just come off'. I booked her in right away to fix them at 9am and did so... they worked much better and I was pleased, but she rang me today to say 'they had all come off' that it was a 'complete disaster' and to cancel her next appointment.

I know as well as anybody that nails do not just 'come straight off'. Her nail plates looked pretty clean on Saturday with the four missing nails and I am 90% sure it was not my work so either she has nail plates that just don't go for nails, or she gave them a serious helping hand and tidied up after herself .

I really could do without the bad rep and I'm dreading the pasting she will now give me to her mates and the consequences it could have, but I'm just having to move on. I'm determined to draw a line under it and get on with what I'm doing as unfortunately you just can't change the past.
Taking on three girls in a nightmare situation like that would phase any one of us and I think you did really well to complete your work and not give that girl a clip round the ear!

Take a deep breath and say,
"I am happy being me, I am the best that I can be, believe in myself - come what may, tomorrow is another day!"

 

[pmason]

God Lol, your client sounds worse than my three!! I'm just dreading people like this cos my confidence is not too high as it is. Never mind, I'm not going to let this get me down - I am sure that for every bi**h out there, there must be 3 or 4 who are lovely. Lets just hope we all find the lovely ones eh?!


I tell you what though, I shan't pass up spending a day with my kids for work any more. Had my eldest (8 years old) in tears today cos she's hardly seen me this school hol - family is SO much more important than money. Am sure all the mummy geeks out there can relate to that!

Oh, and by the way, don't know if my client had PMT yesterday but I sure have!!!

 

[talon-teaser]

Well done!!! You coped fantastically and now you know you have the confidence to face anything (within reason of course lol)...Keep your chin up and keep the kids at the top of your priorities, being a mummy geek like you, i know they are much more rewarding than the bestest set of nails you could ever achieve!!!

Oh yeah, must be summat in the water...I've got PMT too! LOL!!!!

 

[zobo]

i think you coped well under the circumstances! i couldnt even do a re-balance to my mum the other day cos my 8 year old brother was watching!! ..... stressed :smack: