Home beauty room - clients and their shoes?

[Luscious85]

Hi all,

A strange one but just wanted to get some advice!

My work is mainly mobile, but now I've moved to my own house I've been lucky enough to set up a beauty room at home, in the hope of attracting new clients in the area. The only thing is, our house is new and we've got brand new carpet throughout and a strict no shoes rule. It's a town house, and everyone leaves their shoes by the front door, and in most my friends and family's houses, shoes are left by the door too.

So what happens with clients' shoes when they start coming to the house? My beauty room is on the top floor of my house, is it rude to ask clients to take their shoes off when they come to an appointment? My partner's parents say I cannot ask clients to remove their shoes, but I can't bear the thought of people wearing shoes upstairs on my lovely new carpet!!!!! I sometimes go to another therapist for treatments who also has a home salon and I always take my shoes off at the door without being asked, as her room is upstairs like mine.

I was thinking of buying disposable slippers to have available for clients to wear for their appointments, or is this silly?

 

[Laura1993]

Maybe you could me a little joke like shoes off please new carpet!
That's how I would go about it but im a bit like that lol xxx

 

[Becca@PolishedToPerfection]

I think the slipper thing is a very good idea! I always take my shoes off in anybodys house even when they say they don't mind but i hate walking round without any socks on so if i had summer sandles on i'd be very grateful of the slippers! Xx

 

[olabecee]

Hi all,

A strange one but just wanted to get some advice!

My work is mainly mobile, but now I've moved to my own house I've been lucky enough to set up a beauty room at home, in the hope of attracting new clients in the area. The only thing is, our house is new and we've got brand new carpet throughout and a strict no shoes rule. It's a town house, and everyone leaves their shoes by the front door, and in most my friends and family's houses, shoes are left by the door too.

So what happens with clients' shoes when they start coming to the house? My beauty room is on the top floor of my house, is it rude to ask clients to take their shoes off when they come to an appointment? My partner's parents say I cannot ask clients to remove their shoes, but I can't bear the thought of people wearing shoes upstairs on my lovely new carpet!!!!! I sometimes go to another therapist for treatments who also has a home salon and I always take my shoes off at the door without being asked, as her room is upstairs like mine.

I was thinking of buying disposable slippers to have available for clients to wear for their appointments, or is this silly?

You could give them a pair of shoe cover which they can put over their shoes. I dont exactly know what the name is right now (its more or less like a shower hat but in the shape of the feet or shoe, and its a soft material too) but I can find out from my husband as everyone used them when he lived in Stockholm in Sweden. Apparently, its not normal to wear shoes into peoples home as its dirty and disrespectful. In Sweden, they wear that once they take their shoes off but what you could ask clients to do would be just to wear it over their shoes.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using SalonGeek

 

[Luscious85]

Thanks for your replies! Yes I'm the same I always take shoes off, it's a manners thing but you never know, some people get a bit funny about taking theirs off, like my partner's Mum who wore her boots upstairs on our new carpet even though everyone else had taken theirs off at the door. She had to be asked twice to remove them - and she didn't like it!
Olabecee I know exactly what you mean - when we had our bed delivered the delivery men put these stretchy plastic covers over their boots to go upstairs.

 

[Rhiannon1408]

I'd just say 'would you mind taking your shoes off, I have a new carpet, I have some disposable slippers if you would like a pair' or something along those lines. I'm sure your clients wouldn't like you walking over their new carpet with your shoes on

 

[Dolly6410]

I always take my shoes off, it is soooo rude of people not to. My cousin and her partner always come to our house and never take their shoes off, and because they are smokers they always go outside for a fag, walk all over the garden and then walk back in, it makes me so mad because there is always mud on the floor when they leave.

I think the disposable slipper idea is a good thought because some people will wear sandals and might be put off by the thought of walking around someone elses house barefoot. Also i went to a client once (i am not in any way saying your house would be like this) and i took my shoes off at the front door, did her treatment and when i left i refused to put my shoes back on and walked out to my van barefoot because i had squished banana, raisins and some sort of juice all over my feet! YUK!

 

[Luscious85]

Oh my goodness Dolly! No I can safely say my carpet is spotlessly clean at all times, it's my first proper home and I'm still in that stage of hoovering up every speck of dirt as soon as I see it!

This has been really helpful, I just didn't want to think I was being rude asking but once they've been once they'll know the routine for next time

 

[LBR]

I personally don't think it'd be rude. When I had a home salon I was quite surprised how many folk wanted to take their shoes off at the door. Although I could never understand why they'd take them off and place them on my new carpet! Maybe have a little mat for them to place them on or take them upstairs to your room with you.

I think you're quite within your rights though!

 

[Tomme]

I'm going to have to differ, my shoes come off for a bath or bed, all other times they are on and I'd be a little offended being given builder covers for them too.
I understand the new carpet thing, but could you get yourself a good carpet cleaner to keep? X

 

[lovin it]

Or a plastic runner to put over carpet ?

 

[happyfeet]

Mmmm in the grand scheme of things it can't hurt to ask clients to remove their shoes however as a client myself I would be a bit miffed. Im in a salon home or otherwise, the therapist is opening their home or part of it as a business so surely the therapist knows people are going to be walking through their house and should have the appropriate flooring to withstand shoes. No offence to you lovey im just coming at this from a client point of view. My home salon luckily is all hard floor (for that very reason) and no one needs to walk through my home, however I want my clients to feel like they've come to their own private little salon and not feel like they're in my home with normal house rules iykwim.

That said its not a biggy or deal breaker and it's jmho x x x

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[the_olis]

Hi, all my clients take their shoes off in my house, as ive just got new stair carpet - and I don't want it getting ruined. No-one has ever complained. I think it is very rude for people to think they can tread god knows what through my house. I wouldn't walk in someone's house without taking them off - whether a friend or family. Stick to ur guns, its your house at the end of the day. I do agree with others who suggest slippers/shoe liners - brilliant idea. X

 

[Jodie4156]

Buy a door mat that says please remove your shoes, I saw a few in Matalan that looked pretty and girly, catches your eye so hopefully they see and get the message xx

 

[persianista]

I wouldn't go back if I had to take my shoes off. I have hard floors through my house, easier to keep clean.
If this is a business, it should be treated in a businesslike way, and asking strangers to remove shoes is a little strange.

 

[dellaznailz]

OK, I'm going to put a spanner in the works :wink2:

I choose to WORK at home, therefore my house is a working house and I do not ask or even allow clients to remove their shoes.

I wear professional working salon shoes for PPE, those of you asking clients to remove shoes, do you work in your slippers?!!

 

[Luscious85]

Happyfeet - I do agree with you here, I can see it from the other side where if I walked into a shop and was told to take my shoes off I'd be quite offended as it's a business premises. As you say, you want people to feel comfortable and not like they're intruding in your home, it's a tricky one! And my beauty room is on the top floor of the house which is a town house, so can't put down a runner or anything.
I think this could potentially be a problem but it's actually made things clearer in other respects - the majority of my work is mobile, the home room is very early stages and perhaps this should be reserved for friends and family who know me and know our no shoes rule!

 

[Planky1]

I have to agree with those that say you shouldn't ask clients to remove shoes. I would feel uncomfortable and like persianista said, I probably wouldn't go back as I just would feel like I was intruding rather than relaxing.

I work from home in a summerhouse and most of my clients bless them always ask me if I want them to remove shoes if it's been raining for example. But I always say not at all and that's the beauty of wood floors, easily mopped and clean again in a jiffy. They immediately feel at ease, you can see it.

Some people have a thing about their feet and if they've been at work all day and come straight to you, they may feel hugely uncomfortable and embarrassed in case their feet smell perhaps.

If you are setting up at home, then it has to be practical for both you and the client but ultimately the client has to feel 100% comfortable and relaxed or I doubt you'll have their custom again. It's little things like this that whilst to most is courteous and polite, to others it will put them off :hug:

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[jacquelineanna]

I would definitely be irritated if asked to remove my shoes at someone's place of business.

There is something rather personal about taking your shoes off.

Taking your shoes off at a friends house is different. Perhaps.

Someone coming to your house for a business transaction is something else again.

I also would not return for a second visit ... in fact I may not even stay for the first visit.

You cannot treat clients as you would your friends or family.

If you don't want the aggravation of inconsiderate clients not wishing to make themselves comfortable by taking their shoes off and putting on a pair of slippers then working from home may not be a very sensible idea.

 

[mm29]

I would definitely be irritated if asked to remove my shoes at someone's place of business.

There is something rather personal about taking your shoes off.

Taking your shoes off at a friends house is different. Perhaps.

Someone coming to your house for a business transaction is something else again.

I also would not return for a second visit ... in fact I may not even stay for the first visit.

You cannot treat clients as you would your friends or family.

If you don't want the aggravation of inconsiderate clients not wishing to make themselves comfortable by taking their shoes off and putting on a pair of slippers then working from home may not be a very sensible idea.

I also agree, I would never want to walk on someone else's carpet esp barefooted and the slipper thing would be Hugely expensive to have a new pair for each client,