help - refund advice needed

[Tiara]

i had a client come in to get her nails done for her friends wedding and i could tell by her attitude that she didnt really want them doing and wasnt happy paying for them it was simply because her friend wanted her to get them done for the wedding that she was doing. whilst i was doing her nails she was already asking me how much it would cost to get them removed which i thought was a bit strange. 2 days later i got a phone call saying that that had all dropped off and she wanted her money back.
sounded to me like she was too tite to pay for them doing for her friends wedding so she picked them all off and expected to get her money back when the wedding was over
i got upset at first and started to question my work but then i just came to the conclusion she must of picked them off as i did all my preparation and applications correctly
oh well

tara x

 

[nailzoo]

when a client tells me that her nail just FELL OFF, i ask her "did it hurt", if she answers yes, i smile ............and say "good", then continue with my work. some clients think of us tech as idiots, just remember we are the profeshonals, we are the edukayted wuns, they are just kleyeants

 

[talented talons]

I am a converted nail biter and used to have major problems with lift on myself. Plus i used to pick and bite them, sometimes without even realising i was doing it. As i didn't remember doing it, it couldn't have been my fault??

The way i deal with nail biters, ( and believe me i have done loads) i try to put them at ease from the start by explaining i used to be a terrible nail biter myself, so i know how hard it is to keep the fingers out of the mouth. I always explain that to keep these nails looking good, they have to see me once a week at first so i can check them and make sure they are doing ok and getting on with them. I also explain that they will want to pick, but they must try to leave them alone and if they keep me informed of any problems i will always try to sort them out.

This is always a hard one to deal with and there is no hard and fast rules. I agree you need to see them and try and be diplomatic about it. I would personally offer her a 50% refund as a good will gesture if there isn't much damage to her nails. If you can see they were forced off then i would say i would do a free mini manicure and leave it at that.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[nail_affair]

Hi,

In my experience this has happened to me before. You should tell your client they should have come to see you when the problems first started. Seeing though she decided not to I would say to her UNLUCKY. Mainly because she most probably has picked the rest of due to her nail bitting habit.

Try sugesting to her you will give her a free manicure and then weekly manicures for say $20 until her nail grows out to either fit tips or do sculpts.

You could tell her the end result will come within around 4-6 weeks as long as she doesn't bite her nails.

Hope this helps.

Nerida
NSI Nail Tech

 

[dids]

Had this happen to me in the past, so offered her a new set free of charge. Then when doing her new set she happily tells me that when she broke her nails she was blind drunk and messing about in a supermarket trolley in Asda carpark. then took the rest off as they then looked a mess. I could have killed her, talk about cheek of the devil.
How did it go when she came into to see you?

 

[sazzy]

Hi. Personally Id get her back in straight away to ascertain if she's telling the truth. ive had this happen to me and when the lady returned her natural nail beds with red and sore with bits of acrylic still left on them. if she'd lost them 'accidentially' the whole natural nail bed would still have acrylic on, as losses within the first few days mostly occur at the free edge. when questioned she backed down and told me she caught one in the car door and then bit the rest off! be hard with customers like that. if your confident in your work you'll know whose telling the truth!
Saz

 

[Mrs Geek]

Seriously - free this??? free that??? are we not admitting immediately that it is OUR fault??

If a client brings in an envelope full of nails (the tip and overlay) then I would be inclined to think I had seriously done something wrong - but when they come back with no tips but plenty of pink in zone 2 and 3 - I know that they have been broken, knocked etc...

You need to assess WHY they broke:
1. Maybe you did them too long for her in the first place
2. Maybe the client was too late for her rebalance - ie 3 weeks rather than two weeks etc
3. Maybe she just couldn't leave them alone.

IT IS OBVIOUS TO A TRAINED EYE WHAT YOUR CLIENT HAS DONE.

I wish teks would deal with eduacting their clients HOW to look after their nails once they leave the salon and then the clients are IN NO POSTION to use that ridiculous expression 'it just fell off' BECAUSE THEY know they DON'T!!!!

Obviously this can happen if the tek does no prep work at all or slathers the natual nail in oil before L+P application BUT WE DON'T DO THAT DO WE BECAUSE WE ARE PROFESSIONALS

Stop admitting you are at fault, by immediately offering to give freebies - assess and then make an educated business decision!!!

Phewww exhausted now!

 

[Buggy]

when a client tells me that her nail just FELL OFF, i ask her "did it hurt", if she answers yes, i smile ............and say "good", then continue with my work. some clients think of us tech as idiots, just remember we are the profeshonals, we are the edukayted wuns, they are just kleyeants

well, i'm such a wimp. when she came to see me she swears they just fell off (opening a tippex bottle!), but there was gel still on some of her nails and her nails looked rough so i know she was lying and she probably broke some and picked off the rest. i tried to stand my ground for about 20 mins and she was having none of it. in the end, i just thought i don't want this client anyway because if i do another set i'll be so racked off i might stab her with my cuticle scraper, so gave her a "goodwill" refund. Then promptly sat down and did my own nails (cheating with white tips) and hey presto, they are all still intact over a week later. Well, i've learned my lesson, no more refunds.

funny how one complaint in 7 months of doing this can mess your head up.
Next time i'll do a "nailzoo" and ask if it hurt!