When Clients Make You Feel Like A Slave

[tinkywinky]

Sorry it is early Monday morning but I have to rant about this horrible client I had the pleasure of doing treatments on on Friday.

Booked this lady in at last minute for a manicure, pedicure and eyebrow shape.

She made me feel completely belittled, by the way she pulled faces as I worked and as I painted her nails. Her odd comments dropped in here and there didn't help either.

She even looked in my bag and asked why I had cling film! I then had to explain that sometimes if the client's feet are severely dry I will do a mask and cover the feet in cling film and towels. This would have been instead of another part of the pedicure otherwise I would be there for over 1 hour. She looked like she had been cheated, but I felt her feet didn't need this.

When it came to me leaving, she knew I had another client to go to and had to be off for 7pm to get back and set up for another client. I didn't get out til 7.20pm as she was messing about looking for her cheque book (all the time her husband is sat in the room completely ignoring us - he could have got the cheque book).

I had already re-arranged two other client's appointments to fit her in at last minute and she wasn't even thankful.

When I got home my house looked like a bomb had exploded, I had to tidy up in a flash and set up. I felt completely unorganised and stressed!!

All in all she was not a nice client to treat and kept comparing me to another beautician.

Even when it came to her eyebrow shape telling me that her old beautician always took hair from above the brow. I was told to not do this at college and stuck to my guns. Plus her brows were lovely when I'd shaped them.

I know you will be thinking the good old words the client comes first.

I did everything in my way possible to please this woman without fail. Other clients of mine most always come back, say how wonderful they feel after their treatment etc. but this lady said nothing.

I really don't want to be in the situation again where she makes me feel belittled and like a slave. Plus I am an army wife, so there is a lot of politics going on which doesn't help. If I had time to explain the rank system I would. But my hubby is less of a rank than hers and some woman take this seriously. I think this had something to do with me being the slave and "less important" than her.

Personally I couldnt care! We're all peas from the same pod !

Most of my clients are wonderful but this one was stuck up, arrogant and not pleasant.

I really don't want to do treatments on her again, if she does call that is. Probably wasn't good enough for her. One things for sure my confidence took a pounding, I can't afford for it to be.

I am one of these people who treats people how they wish to be treated. I can't be more attentive to clients than I already am.

In my defence I did a blooming good job, her hands, feet and eyebrows got serious attention and looked lovely.

Just shame about her!

Does anyone else have horrid clients and how do you deal with them??

LOL


VICKY
PS SORRY FOR MOANING, I SUPPOSE ON HERE WE ALL EXPERIENCE THE SAME THINGS SO IT IS GOOD TO SHARE EXPERIENCES!!

 

[vicky]

Hi Vicky


Please don't let this client bother you, just brush it off she really isn't worth it..! As i was reading the thread i was waiting for the bit were she didn't won't to pay, thats the kind of customer i thought she was and there are plenty of them around.
If she does ring again tell her your far to busy to book her in..!!

Take it as a learning experience and get back on track hun :hug:

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Oh the joys of an army wife who wears their husband's rank on their handbag!!

Most of the time our clients are the best, they make YOU feel good as much as you make THEM feel good. Just occasionally you get the exception to the rule. Couple of things that may have helped - whenever I do a treatment I ask if a client has had one done before and what their expectations are. For example, although you may have thought she didn't have dry skin, she may have thought she had it and so would have preferred your mask. Don't always make decisions for your clients - give them the choice, but say which YOU think is best for them.

You can pluck on the top of the eyebrow - although it's really just to get the stragglers and not to make the shape. Remember what we are taught in college is the best way to perform a treatment, it doesn't mean it's the ONLY way.

And I bet that she treats ALL beauticians like this, in fact I bet she has a mammoth chip on her shoulder anyway. I was an army wife and I know the type - horrendous!

That said, being a good therapist isn't just about being able to perform a text book treatment, it's about how to handle people and taking control of the treatment which isn't always easy when it's in their own home. Go back through how you handled the situation and how you would have done it differently, then you will be better prepared when it happens again!

Don't let it get you down hun, we've all been there at some point, it's all part of life's great learning curve! :hug:

 

[Kim Lawless]

Tell me about it.

Some people have delusions of grandeur. Who do they think they are?

Let's face it, we've got to treat them nice, but don't let them talk down to you. Be assertive and confident but don't bow down to them. Draw the line when they become rude or arrogant.

These type of clients are very rare but when you come across them, blind them with science. Also, ask them questions about what care they take of themselves in between treatments. That'll shut 'em up coz my bet is that they do Jack S**T.

I used to have a lady just like that and when she was FINALLY ready to pay, she'd say to me "Oh I can't bend down, can you put my shoes on?". So, I'd smile sweetly and oblige but I'd always make sure that my arse was stuck right in her face as I did it.

xxx

 

[tinkywinky]

By the end of the time I was with her I was feeling so anxious I needed a drink! After my clients had gone I popped open a beer which is very unlike me after I've finished treatments.Thanks for your advice. Her eyebrows on top were fine, I would normally take out stragglers etc. but they didn't need it. Just had another booking from a lovely client so that has cheered me up. Have a great day and thanks for your help

 

[yogacat]

I suggest that you only rebook her at YOUR convenience IF you want to, and charge her MORE for the danger money! :smack: :Scared:

 

[Katelisa]

You can pluck on the top of the eyebrow - although it's really just to get the stragglers and not to make the shape. Remember what we are taught in college is the best way to perform a treatment, it doesn't mean it's the ONLY way.

I usually wax top and bottom of the eyebrow, gives it more definition. I dont make the shape from the top though- i just get rid of the 'fluff' for a nice clean line.

ALSO i do almost everything differently to how i was taught at college!!! lol. Because i found college teach u the simple but long winded way! and I think everyone prefers the quick but effective way!!

I think at some point everyone has a client like this. When i worked at Nails Inc i used to do loads of clients a day, and you could see some of them out of the corner of your eye checkin their polish was perfect and things. always looking for something to criticise. But you become immune to it when your dealing with it daily. You know when someone is being constructive and someone is just moaning!!

xxx

 

[GreekNails]

Vicky

I know just how you must feel. This kind of client really gets you down and makes you feel useless.

I live and work in Samos, Greece and work at the hotels. Last summer I had one client from Athens - a real fat stuck up woman! She knew it all - telling me how to do my job, saying how they do it in Athens and then snatched the nail file off me and sawed backwards and forwards her nails until they we really short and bleeding! She also pulled disaproving faces throughout the treatment.

When it came to do the pedicure, she was no better. Fidgeting and moving her feet, telling me that I should know how to correct her huge bunion on her foot. She actually spoke to me like I was some little servant of hers, and that I should be treating her like a Queen as she was a friend of the hotel owner.

The cheeky woman then moaned about the price of the manicure and pedicure. I only charge €15 for each treatment (about £10.00) which I think is reasonable. She obviously thought that if she moaned and groaned she would scare me into giving her it cheap, but I stuck to my guns and she paid full price.

I always make sure I do a good job (the best to my ability) and strive to improve my services with time and experience. I came away feeling down and depressed after this and she made me late for my next appointment as I had to take more time waiting for her to either stop fidgeting or to hand me back my nail file.

I ended up nick naming her Turkey Trotters!

You will always come across this type of client and they are best ignored.

If I she requests my time again, I will refuse, there are plenty of more grateful clients out there and I do not need to go through this again, so I would say to you, that I would not blame you if you did the same!

All the best

Eva

 

[Buggy]

poor you. some people are well above their station! Ask yourself why she did not go to her old beautician. probably because she P***ed her off so much she doesn't want this woman as a client.

As for the clingfilm, next time tell her its part of a higher priced service!

I've had a client with such horrible feet i couldn't wait to get out of there. In the end (after seriously nearly being sick) i decided i just wasn't qualified to deal with her feet (her toenails ... well... claws shall be call them... were lifting off the nail bed as i was trying to cut them, i thought they were gonna fall off!). in the end i told her i was not prepared to do it as I was not a chiropodist. I still stand by that decision. Bunions, claw toes and all that... leave it to the medics. I only carry a file and toenail clipper. If the job can't be done with those then i know to call it a day. i run a beauty service, not a miracle service.

 

[holliejayne]

I used to have a lady just like that and when she was FINALLY ready to pay, she'd say to me "Oh I can't bend down, can you put my shoes on?". So, I'd smile sweetly and oblige but I'd always make sure that my arse was stuck right in her face as I did it.

xxx

Oh you never cease to make me laugh kimmi, :hug: x x x

 

[caz3]

Hello Vicky,

Oh poor you you get this sort of thing out of the Army life as well LOL!!!!

I was an army wife for 25 years up Feb this year and after all those years in the Army to say you do get the few that take hubbies rank!!!!

I am not one of those wives I am as down to earth as anyone could be. Your hubby will climb the ranks one day and you will not be one of those wives either:wink2:

You will get women like her in all walks of life do not let her get you down, I was a hairdresser years ago now and I was dealing with women like her then and they were not Army wives.

Caz xxx

 

[Kim Lawless]

People will only treat you how you allow them to treat you. x

 

[Katelisa]

People will only treat you how you allow them to treat you. x

thats what im forever teling my girlfriends when their blokes aint treatin them right!!

 

[ADiva1]

People will only treat you how you allow them to treat you. x

Very true, and once they start they dont stop either! Put your foot down and see how well they sort themselves out!

I have a client who ridcules every single person on the planet that she knows.... I said to her well I'd hate to think what you say about me when you leave and she said she like me for my 'speak your mind' personality!

 

[caz3]

OMG KIMMI WHAT A TRUE SAYING AND HOW BAD AM I FOR LETTING PEOPLE DO THIS TO ME LOL!!! ALL MY LIFE I NEED TO CHANGE

CAZ XXX

People will only treat you how you allow them to treat you. x

 

[Kim Lawless]

OMG KIMMI WHAT A TRUE SAYING AND HOW BAD AM I FOR LETTING PEOPLE DO THIS TO ME LOL!!! ALL MY LIFE I NEED TO CHANGE

CAZ XXX

Start now. You're a princess and deserve to be treated like one. xxx

 

[Seanny]

People will only treat you how you allow them to treat you. x

Kimmi, I have to disagree with the above, Tinkwinky (not her real name ) is in a totally different playing field from everyone else here. I know from experience, the army setup, the private is 'inferior' to the sergeant, the sergeant is inferior to the officer. The wives of all three follow the same set of rules.

Tinkywinky, if you can.... avoid taking this woman on as a client in the future. Nothing will change.


Best wishes for the future

 

[caz3]

This is not always true!

I have been a wife in the Army for 25 years and yes ok you do get it but not always.

My hubby worked hard joined the Army as a young lad as a trooper, and worked his way through the ranks to a high rank where he left the Army early this year. I was with him for many years and no way am I like this woman I had friends from troopers to officers.

Many of my friends were the same I would say through the years I know more wives that were like me than wives that carried there husbands rank!

I find if like my husband the men that has worked his way up through the ranks, they are far more down to earth also the wife.

Then you get the men/boys that join up coming from Sandhurst joining the Army as an officer this is where you get a lot of talk of rank!!!! There wives have never had to put up with what we had to bad quarters, I could go on but not everyone would understand!!!! There life to the life I had and many of my friends had is far apart but in the end my hubby was up to there rank and it did not change me!!!!

Caz xxx

Kimmi, I have to disagree with the above, Tinkwinky (not her real name ) is in a totally different playing field from everyone else here. I know from experience, the army setup, the private is 'inferior' to the sergeant, the sergeant is inferior to the officer. The wives of all three follow the same set of rules.

Tinkywinky, if you can.... avoid taking this woman on as a client in the future. Nothing will change.


Best wishes for the future

 

[caz3]

Start now. You're a princess and deserve to be treated like one. xxx

Oh bless that is so sweet of you :o

:hug:

Caz xxx