How do I get rid of a client?

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Great way to make your point and avoid an argument!
 
Things are so different in the UK. Y'all are so polite.

I always believe in honesty and directness. I disagree with feigning illness. Tell her she needs to find a new nail professional and tell her why. PERIOD. END OF STORY.

I understand she's been your client for some time. But just because she's been a paying client doesn't mean she's been a good client. There's a difference.

Totally agree with this, being honest and direct is the only way forward. Sorry I haven't read all the post yet but here's my experience I'm a hair geek an I had a mobile client a few years ago that was a nightmare! I had been doing her hair for some time but she constantly rearranged and cancelled appointments mostly a few hours before she was due to have it done! I accommodated her every time as she had recommended me to friends an family whose hair I had also done regularly, she also began to ask for a fringe cut, which always ended up as a full haircut 'can you just take a bit off here' an expected it to be the price of a fringe trim! The last straw was when she booked me for a family wedding, there was 8 clients in total all wanting up dos each for 3 days (Asian wedding) so that was 24 hair dos over the 3 days, I asked for a 50% deposit as it meant I had to take time off from my office job to do it, she kept putting me off till the week before then decided it was only her that wanted it doing so from 24 hairstyles to 3!! That was it I'd had enough, I'd already booked the time off work stupidly without the deposit, I called her an said could she please go and find another hairdresser as I was no longer willing to have her as a client as she had messed me about so much, she wasn't happy as the wedding was the following week, well hopefully she will think twice about messing another stylist about now!
 
Just adding my bit in....I had a new client who turned up for dermabrasion with the whole family daughter grandson undergoing potty training....get the scene? Had a salon at the time, I heard daughter say what's the matter do you need the toilet to the toddler, ran to her car parked outside to collect a potty. When she returned I said oh the toilet is through there so the child could go to toilet with potty.
The client and daughter looked at me as if I was scum, pulled down the sons trousers in my public reception area sat him on his potty to do what nature intended.
Steam was coming out of my ears at this point my previous client attempted to exit the salon had to swerve around the potty almost slipped and fell on "something watery" on the floor!
I apologised to my client went to get disinfectant and told the daughter the toilet was in the back to dispose of its contents....
She looked at me opened my salon door and threw the potty contents into the street over the pavement!!!
I am no pushover however the look on my face as I was about to have my say the new client turned to me and said I don't like your attitude!
I said I don't like yours,get out!
No I'm not you will do my treatment!
At this point I got a hold of her arm carefully guided her out of my salon as she was shouting "I was going to recommend loads of people to you now you'll be sorry!"
To which it replied if they are anything like you I don't want them now get out and I carefully closed the door , she phoned the police can you believe it?
And obviously the police advised her to leave ?
And guess what I am busier than ever that did not affect my reputationle get away with treating us badly and I think my clients and other business respected me more for that. :)
Sometimes things have to be done and I felt good after that absolutely do not let these peop
 
Just adding my bit in....I had a new client who turned up for dermabrasion with the whole family daughter grandson undergoing potty training....get the scene? Had a salon at the time, I heard daughter say what's the matter do you need the toilet to the toddler, ran to her car parked outside to collect a potty. When she returned I said oh the toilet is through there so the child could go to toilet with potty.
The client and daughter looked at me as if I was scum, pulled down the sons trousers in my public reception area sat him on his potty to do what nature intended.
Steam was coming out of my ears at this point my previous client attempted to exit the salon had to swerve around the potty almost slipped and fell on "something watery" on the floor!
I apologised to my client went to get disinfectant and told the daughter the toilet was in the back to dispose of its contents....
She looked at me opened my salon door and threw the potty contents into the street over the pavement!!!
I am no pushover however the look on my face as I was about to have my say the new client turned to me and said I don't like your attitude!
I said I don't like yours,get out!
No I'm not you will do my treatment!
At this point I got a hold of her arm carefully guided her out of my salon as she was shouting "I was going to recommend loads of people to you now you'll be sorry!"
To which it replied if they are anything like you I don't want them now get out and I carefully closed the door , she phoned the police can you believe it?
And obviously the police advised her to leave ?
And guess what I am busier than ever that did not affect my reputationle get away with treating us badly and I think my clients and other business respected me more for that. :)
Sometimes things have to be done and I felt good after that absolutely do not let these peop

What a horror! Some people really don't have one ounce of manners! Good for you though x
 
Just adding my bit in....I had a new client who turned up for dermabrasion with the whole family daughter grandson undergoing potty training....get the scene? Had a salon at the time, I heard daughter say what's the matter do you need the toilet to the toddler, ran to her car parked outside to collect a potty. When she returned I said oh the toilet is through there so the child could go to toilet with potty.
The client and daughter looked at me as if I was scum, pulled down the sons trousers in my public reception area sat him on his potty to do what nature intended.
Steam was coming out of my ears at this point my previous client attempted to exit the salon had to swerve around the potty almost slipped and fell on "something watery" on the floor!
I apologised to my client went to get disinfectant and told the daughter the toilet was in the back to dispose of its contents....
She looked at me opened my salon door and threw the potty contents into the street over the pavement!!!
I am no pushover however the look on my face as I was about to have my say the new client turned to me and said I don't like your attitude!
I said I don't like yours,get out!
No I'm not you will do my treatment!
At this point I got a hold of her arm carefully guided her out of my salon as she was shouting "I was going to recommend loads of people to you now you'll be sorry!"
To which it replied if they are anything like you I don't want them now get out and I carefully closed the door , she phoned the police can you believe it?
And obviously the police advised her to leave ?
And guess what I am busier than ever that did not affect my reputationle get away with treating us badly and I think my clients and other business respected me more for that. :)
Sometimes things have to be done and I felt good after that absolutely do not let these peop

Unbelieveable how some people behave. I would have handled the situation exactly the same.
 
Hi this thread has given me great advise as well,
I work from home and gave a VERY awkward client,
No time is ever good enough for her and she feels like I should be giving up my spare time just to fit her in, then constantly changes her appointment and gets sarcastic towards me when I can't fit her in that day,

She's a single mum and a child minder do every time she comes she's got at least 2 children with her one of which HAS to sit on her knee throughout her treatment (eyelashes) it takes twice as long to do her treatment as you can imagine!

She answers her phone when ever it rings!!! Saying sorry I have to answer this then chats to her friend on the other end about nothing in particular!!

When her eye lashes start to come off its always my fault, not her fault for putting too much oil in her hair that runs down her face!

I did rockstar toes on her and she rang me back 2 days later saying its come off! I insisted she comes back so I can take a look at them, it turns out she scraped them on the bottom of the swimming pool as its quite gritty for grip, but she thinks it's still my fault!!

I have to sack this awkward woman! I dread her appointments! :-(

Emma, as a mother who has a childminder I would be appalled if I found out that she was taking my child along to personal appointments!! She is working & should not be making appointments like this at a time when she is supposed to be giving full attention to the children in her care!!
My childminder does all her appointments in the times she has no children!
Maybe a quite word with ofsted!!!
 
Emma, as a mother who has a childminder I would be appalled if I found out that she was taking my child along to personal appointments!! She is working & should not be making appointments like this at a time when she is supposed to be giving full attention to the children in her care!!
My childminder does all her appointments in the times she has no children!
Maybe a quite word with ofsted!!!


I'm quite disgusted myself Hun, she txt me back asking if 9am on thurs was ok, I said no as you know I have children myself and got to get them ready and off to school at that time, to which she sent a reply saying "oh well that's the only time I haven't got any children with me" I haven't replied, I don't see the point as I've already given her a reason, hopefully she will go somewhere else! X
 
She does sound a domineering person to me! surely she has no other time?/ she has the children every day 24hrs??

As you say, you said your point, leave it as that.

As I said in a previous post, when I sacked a client ,( i told her it was time for her to find another salon as her contant cancellations too the mick. ) she tried to talk me out of it by txt which didnt reply to.

she got the message thankfully!!!
 
I'm quite disgusted myself Hun, she txt me back asking if 9am on thurs was ok, I said no as you know I have children myself and got to get them ready and off to school at that time, to which she sent a reply saying "oh well that's the only time I haven't got any children with me" I haven't replied, I don't see the point as I've already given her a reason, hopefully she will go somewhere else! X

if she rang the doctors or optician or anywhere else you need to make an appointment, how accomodating do you think they would be.? what gives people the right to think they can a, dictate what hours we work and b, dictate when we can see them.

They want/need our expertise, we tell them when WE are available to accomodate them not the other way round. if she doesnt like it she can lump it. there are lots and lots of professional people who manage to fit in appointments and dont expect the rest of the world to bow down to them. you shouldnt have to explain to her the reason why you cant see her at 9am, just tell her you can offer her an appointment between xxam and xxpm and to come without the entourage lol
 
Kizzycat I would give you a heart but can't from my phone!
 
I once recommended that a client shave as she found waxing sooooo distressing! She was a right PITA, another lady was so rude about my door bell not working, I explained it was 9pm and I had not had time to get out for a new one...she went on and on. I wanted to say knock on the door if no one answers the bell IDIOT...anyway on and on she went then she said now by my next appointment... I said Oh you want another appointment? sorry but you have made me feel terrible and I'm not making you one. She physically had one end of my appointment book trying to get it to write herself in! The client waiting thought it was hysterical!

I have been in business for 16 years you do gather a few 'loose canons' over the years.

For you client I would find a salon that is child friends and give her the number...and the sick plan is good if you are not good at confrontation :)

That is sooooo funny :D
 
Things are so different in the UK. Y'all are so polite.

I always believe in honesty and directness. I disagree with feigning illness. Tell her she needs to find a new nail professional and tell her why. PERIOD. END OF STORY.

I understand she's been your client for some time. But just because she's been a paying client doesn't mean she's been a good client. There's a difference.

Hahaaaaaaaaaa...love it :D
 
I once had a client who I was desperate to get rid of, she always booked her next appointment before leaving, the salon owner sorted it. She booked a client in 15 minutes before this client arrived, so I was in the thick of it when the bad client arrived, my boss smiled, apologised, explained that I was fully booked for the next 8 days, booked her in and did it again.
This time the client blew up and my boss banned her from the salon for shouting and using gutter language.:D
I have always refused to have children in my work area, I explain that the baby is likely to wake up in the middle of the service, the small child will get board and that the salon is not insured, my co-workers are not child minders and yes, all of these situations will slow me down which means I will be inconveniencing my next client by running late. I'm firm but polite.
In your shoes I would phone and cancel her appointment. I would tell her that I did not have another open appointment for the next six weeks and that this is as far ahead as I run my diary. After that if she hadn't taken the hint I would keep telling her my diary was full until she finally gave up trying to get an appointment.
Chin up, it's your business and you just have to be firm about that. xx
 
Thanks for all your advice guys, this is how I've handled this situation.

Firstly I have sent out a generic text to all clients that have kids saying

"Hi, due to a recent incident in the salon, we are no longer able to allow children under the age of 12 yrs old. It has also been confirmed by our insurance company that we are not insured whilst children are present during treatments. Therefore, with immediate effect, children are no longer allowed in the salon. Please make sure you have childcare for your treatment times. If you do turn up with children, you will be asked to reschedule your appt and a 50% late cancellation charge will be applied. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter".

Secondly, I have started giving out an amended price list asking clients and asking them to be aware of price changes. This includes a "quick polish" lol.

With reference to my nightmare client, i have sent this text about children and haven't had a response yet so we will see. I will be letting her know the cost of her appt once I have seen her nails BEFORE i start, and ask her if this is ok to continue.

I think this will do the trick...what do you guys reckon?

Brilliant and professional ......
 
The generic text sounds like an excellent idea. I am a childminder and training with CND on my days off, some being booked as holiday. It's not easy making appointments when you work with children but it's not impossible. I would not dream of taking other peoples children to personal appointments, I won't even take them to do the big weekly shop as that is something that should be done on my time.

I am paid to look after someone's child, to give them quality time, love and education for the hours they have paid me for...it is not an easy job where you watch t.v. all day and get your nails, hair, eyelashes etc done.

She may not even be registered tbh. Anyway, I personally would not allow children where there are chemicals around or treatments being given and my children will be in daycare so send that text and stick to it. Sometimes money isn't everything, especially when you could be getting a bad name because of this woman's ignorance and incompetence xx
 
Love this thread lol.... Did she carry on trying to rebook? X
 

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