Help with a client

[inspirationails]

Hi can anyone advise me on to how to handle this client.

I did a full set of gel extensions over 2 weeks ago on a client (my 2nd gel job). She had healthy nails with a good length, so I suggested an overlay to her natural nails; she said she wanted extra length as she was going to a wedding in the USA. So I did as she asked, I gave her an aftercare leaflet and told her to be careful, as she wasn’t used to such a long length.

Three days later (a day before she was due to go away) she called and said that 3 had fallen off one hand, I did what any nail tech would do and told her I would come and redo, remove whatever she wanted me to do, I even offered to come to her office at lunch time as I knew she was pushed for time.

She was quite nice about it at first and said it was ok as she did knock her hand a couple of times and maybe that was why they had come off and that she would file them down herself and take them off. I kept insisting that it should be taken of by a qualified nail tech, then she switched on me and said that she didn’t pay good money to have this happen and that she has had gels before and this was the first time it had happened. Well I felt really bad so I offered to give her a refund. She said no she would prefer a mani or pedi for free when I was next in her area. So we agreed. She has now come back from her trip and has told her friend to tell me she now wants her money back.

What’s the best way to handle this situation? :sad: :o

Any suggestions will be most appreciated.

 

[Sarah Lou]

Obviously shes trying it on, she admitted knocking her nails so thats probably why they have come off.

Also aswell shes says she wants either a mani or pedi, so she doesnt think your no good at what you do, as she is coming back. She just wants something for nothing...Another one of those clients trying it on. I had one the other day she said one of her nails fell off, I said they just dont fall off, so I said I would gladly do her another one for £4.50, my nail repair charge. She got all umm funny and said well you should do it for free, but what I tried explaining to her was that I woud need to inspect the nail that did come off to see if it was helped along. She then backed down and said she jammed it in the door, they all try it.

 

[inspirationails]

Thanks Sarah Lou, it's hard to know what to do in situations like this, because she is a friend of one of my bestfriends mum I don't want to rock the boat, I feel the need to give her her money back instead of doing the free mani/pedi.

 

[thenaillounge]

Did you see her before she went away? Sounds like she went to the wedding with a fab set of nails and was just trying it on with the mani/pedi suggestion, that way she wouldn't have to see you - or you see that there was no probs with her nails. She has now had a few weeks out of your nails and now wants a refund. Sorry lovey, if you wanted a refund then you should have shown the nails when they aparently fell off and had them removed. I am sick of these rip off merchants who try and scare you into giving a refund.

Stand your ground, if she had had so many great sets of gel before why didn't she return to that tech. Sounds as if she is a right porky pie teller.

Regards

 

[NAVIGATOR]

In my opinion you did everything possible to try and sort this problem out even without an opportuntiy of assessing whether it was down to your work or not. Therefore I personally wouldn't give her a mani/pedi let alone a refund. I too think she is trying it on.

Don't be swayed just becuase she is a friend of your best freinds Mum. At the end of the day you did EVERYTHING to try and sort this out for her - she chose not to accept.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Sarah Lou and the nail lounge are so right in what they say - she is definitely trying it on. Even if she has had gel before with no probs doesn't mean she never ever will. She obviously couldn't handle the extra length. You already offered to give her money back at the time, she can't come back several weeks later of wearing your nails and then ask for her money back. She didnt take you up on your offer when you gave it so I reckon she has foregone any rights she had for a refund or compensation of any kind.

We all learn from these situations. Should you get someone like this again you must get them back to you asap to inspect what has happened, it comes down to confidence in knowing when you have got it wrong and when they are telling porkies about knocking them..... 99/100 it's the latter. Personally, I guarantee my work for the first 7 days and will replace foc ( but I don't advertise this), unless they admit they have not been careful, you can usually tell by the trauma left on their natural nail. (you can usually weedle out of them what has happened whilst you do the repair - never settle for "it just fell off"!, cos they don't!)

But never offer to give their money back, always offer to sort them out first. If they still want their money back then say "that will be fine, but as you are so unhappy with my work I will have to take them all off so that you won't do any more damage to your natural nails" - I have only had to do this once and funny how they changed their mind and kept them!!!
HTH and don't let it get to you, I know how upsetting this is when people try it on.

 

[paws]

Hi, I'm only new to this but I noticed you said she wanted "extra length" cos she was going to a wedding. So obviously she wasn't used to it, and didn't take as much care as you advised.

I think the others are dead right when they said she obviously likes your work because she wanted another treatment and not money back. That she's changed her mind now only shows that she's a chancer. She's probably broke from her trip to US and thought she would swindle some cash outta you.

Chin up, I'm sure you'll come across a lot more like her. For what it's worth, I think you handled the situation very professionally. best of luck!

 

[wednesday]

I'm curious, has your best friend mother known this lady to be flaky? Sometimes it is just best to cut your losses. I imagine we have all been "taken" one time or another and I do a great routine with, "thank you so much for giving me the oportunity.....I can see that we are not working out for each other (but I will always value the experience, heh, heh),".....Sometimes you just refund the money and other times you might feel it is best to stand your ground (pleasantly). I never offer to refund without seeing the situation and have simply told them that (sounding cheerful, "I really need to see the nails and access the situation"). It hasn't happened for a really long time, it's funny, you get to an age where only the looniest ever try such things. The last person who played the game with me "They just cracked and some fell off within three days", was a coworker who liked to "play" with people (she told me this three weeks after the fill, we saw each other everyday at work, she never said a thing until she wanted her "free" fill). Sometimes people just want free service, sometimes they like to put you on the defensive (especially when you are young), sometimes they are having problems with a product, but when you know your products you generally know when this is likely (and it sounds as if you do). There are a fair number of flakes out there and some of them are friends of friends mothers. If this woman sounds as if she will cost you more in trouble than she is worth. Let us know how it turns out, we are cheering for you! (I'm betting she trys to book with you again..........)

 

[geeg]

First of all I hope you have learned NEVER again to offer a refund or extra treatment when you haven't seen the nails to determine the problem.

Second, I hope you made a note on her client record card that she had nails longer than you recommended and that you had given her a warning AND a further note that when she rand she admitted knocking them.

Refund???? I certainly don't think so. But you must make notes of evidence like this on the CRC that is why they are so important.