Am I being unfair!!

[snaz]

I did a clients nails monday calgel. And had a text the day after to say she had lost one. I told her that I could not do them until Friday has I was booked up.
I booked her in for them doing, and she did not show up for her appointment until 2 hrs after, I explained that I did not have time to do them now, and asked why she was late and she said she could not find shop!! It's only a 5 mins drive from her house, (I did them at her home )., asked her why she had not rung, she replied did not have shop number and didn't think I had my mobile with me!! Didn't bother try ringing .... She left

Now her mum has rung, saying that she wants her money back and if I dont she will be taking me to small claims court. I just replied I offered to rectify her nails and she arrived 2 hrs late and I was unable to do them. And if she wishes them doing again, I will do them half price but paid in front due to failure of last appointment!!

Do you think I'm being unreasonable!!!

 

[geeg]

I did a clients nails monday calgel. And had a text the day after to say she had lost one. I told her that I could not do them until Friday has I was booked up.
I booked her in for them doing, and she did not show up for her appointment until 2 hrs after, I explained that I did not have time to do them now, and asked why she was late and she said she could not find shop!! It's only a 5 mins drive from her house, (I did them at her home )., asked her why she had not rung, she replied did not have shop number and didn't think I had my mobile with me!! Didn't bother try ringing .... She left

Now her mum has rung, saying that she wants her money back and if I dont she will be taking me to small claims court. I just replied I offered to rectify her nails and she arrived 2 hrs late and I was unable to do them. And if she wishes them doing again, I will do them half price but paid in front due to failure of last appointment!!

Do you think I'm being unreasonable!!!

If I had been you, I would have bent over backwards to accommodate my client. It wouldn't have taken much for you to repair one nail If you had done it promptly. So what if you were booked up, please one nail you could have fitted in sooner than you did. ... I don't call what you offerd her good service ... Yes, I think you have not been fair with her. Don't shoot me for saying what you do not want to hear... I am not a YES man.

 

[debi1009]

I did a clients nails monday calgel. And had a text the day after to say she had lost one. I told her that I could not do them until Friday has I was booked up.
I booked her in for them doing, and she did not show up for her appointment until 2 hrs after, I explained that I did not have time to do them now, and asked why she was late and she said she could not find shop!! It's only a 5 mins drive from her house, (I did them at her home )., asked her why she had not rung, she replied did not have shop number and didn't think I had my mobile with me!! Didn't bother try ringing .... She left

Now her mum has rung, saying that she wants her money back and if I dont she will be taking me to small claims court. I just replied I offered to rectify her nails and she arrived 2 hrs late and I was unable to do them. And if she wishes them doing again, I will do them half price but paid in front due to failure of last appointment!!

Do you think I'm being unreasonable!!!

I highly doubt anyone would drive about looking for somewhere for two hours!! I do not think you are being unreasonable at all xx

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

 

[Miss Pink23]

Yes its only one nail, but if you are booked up, you are booked up.
I dont think you were being unfair. She could easily have gone elsewhere for a repair, but instead chose to wait until the friday appt you gave her.
I agree that she wouldnt have driven around for 2 hours trying to find you. If your shop is indeed only 5 mins from her home she could easily have driven back and called you then.
But...in saying this, although I dont think you have been unfair, if she is only 5 mins away could you not have popped in on your way home-it would have only taken you 20mins max to repair?
x

 

[MissLB]

i personally think she was silly not to phone u if that was the case id av at least tried mobile or better yet got the address details off the internet most phones have internet access.

But.....i would have fitted her in yes its annoying when things like this happen but now u have an unhappy client who in turn has told a family member ive been taught that unfortunately people discuss bad experiences more openly and without being prompted for example julie says to a client of so so's "oh i want to get my nails done" that then prompts to recommend or discuss good service, where as people like to moan so do it openly without being prompted.

Its suggested that a person will tell around 7 people about a bad experience then in turn these 7 people will tell 7 more and so on and so forth. its probably not what u want to hear but its my opinion and we all have to learn. x

 

[hannajadem]

Hiya,
I'm really confused by the dates here (doesn't take much to confuse me lol!)
You said you'd done the original nails Monday. It's Tuesday night (well Weds morning really but I assume you posted this Tuesday night?) so which appointment was she 2 hours late for? Thought you were doing the repair on Friday?
Anyway, if it was only one nail and only one day after the set was applied then I would have popped round there after work as suggested before to fix it. I always try and fit repairs in ASAP for new clients and regulars (not that it happens very often) as even though it may be their own fault nails have broken, it's what they class as an 'emergency' and important to them, we are in the service industry after all. Regular appointments I'm less accommodating with, if they don't book it in advance, they have to wait if I'm full, everyone knows in advance that they're going to need maintenance.

 

[snaz]

I had offered to repair earlier but she could not get has she was working, and I couldn't get to her on a evening has I was at college tues we'd night.

It was herself who choose this appointment day. I never said at the time that I wouldn't repair the nail, I just said at that time I had not time to repair it. It was herself that got on her high horse and wanted it done there and then has she didn't have time later!! So was I suppose to make a client who turned up to her appointment wait !!! 20 mins?

Has as a goodwill gesture I have offered to do her a full set at half price!! When she wants some, as she only has them On for a special occasion.. But waiting for her reply!!

 

[MissLB]

I had offered to repair earlier but she could not get has she was working, and I couldn't get to her on a evening has I was at college tues we'd night.

It was herself who choose this appointment day. I never said at the time that I wouldn't repair the nail, I just said at that time I had not time to repair it. It was herself that got on her high horse and wanted it done there and then has she didn't have time later!! So was I suppose to make a client who turned up to her appointment wait !!! 20 mins?

Has as a goodwill gesture I have offered to do her a full set at half price!! When she wants some, as she only has them On for a special occasion.. But waiting for her reply!!

Everyones different in how they deal with situations its what makes us human u asked for peoples opinions and you were given them. Just see what she says and go from there, sometimes you cant help everyone and if u feel u offered her everything possible then thats all that matters.

 

[Fake it...]

I agree with Geeg, for the sake of one repair I'd have bent over backwards (and still do). If you are trying to squeeze in a repair in front of your regular or next client they usually say to fit her in now in my experience. People are, in the most very accommodating and as a Tech, you need to be too. Even if she didn't take any appointment that day I'd have offered her a coffee and a magazine and asked her to take a seat until the end of the appointment that you were working on and just slotted her in, either that or offered her the tail end of every other appointment that day, failing that I'd have asked if she could wait or come at the very end of the day and stayed late. This suggestion generally comes with the reply "are you sure? I don't want to keep you after hours though," to which I would say "it's really no trouble at all, I'd prefer you to have 10 good looking nails, you're a good advert after all."
If these times were really no good for her after all then at least she would have left with her new appointment in hand but feeling like you had tried to accommodate her.
Customer service and good client relations are every bit as important as the practical side in this industry, don't let yourself down on either!
x

 

[snaz]

Yes I did ask for other peoples opinions, I'm not knocking what anyone else's view... I thought I did my best with the situation but seems that I was wrong.... But then if I made my other hair clients wait I would have made them unhappy also.. think I was in a no win situation !!!!!

 

[Fake it...]

Don't take it as a personal attack Snaz, that wasn't my intention. Having the confidence to take control also comes with years and years of practice. Something that Geeg and I, amongst others have. It's difficult to think on your feet when put on the spot and naturally you try to appease a situation with as least fuss and disruption as possible. Not always the best decision but, you know what? You've lived that experience now so therefore you've practiced it and I guarantee that next time a client wants a repair you'll probably fit her in. Why should you offer a greater valued treatment at a discounted price? She only wanted a repair after all.
Start as you mean to go on. It's your salon, you set the rules and stick to them. Be firm but always try to be accommodating. Put it down to experience and know that should it ever happen again you have a plan of action in place to deal with it.
Good luck and happy nailing
xxx

 

[bombini]

I had offered to repair earlier but she could not get has she was working, and I couldn't get to her on a evening has I was at college tues we'd night.

It was herself who choose this appointment day. I never said at the time that I wouldn't repair the nail, I just said at that time I had not time to repair it. It was herself that got on her high horse and wanted it done there and then has she didn't have time later!! So was I suppose to make a client who turned up to her appointment wait !!! 20 mins?

Has as a goodwill gesture I have offered to do her a full set at half price!! When she wants some, as she only has them On for a special occasion.. But waiting for her reply!!

I would not of slotted her in another clients place either. I made this mistake once before when a client smudged her nails, I re-painted them and It then made me run 15mins late for the next client who was very annoyed ! I then had to rush her treatment as she needed to pick her kids up !

So because I tried to help someone out I then upset the next client and stressed myself out !

 

[souz]

i understand that you were busy hun but one nail wouldn't take long??

i had my nails done in my local salon and broke a nail within a day, i had same problem she couldn't fit me in until after the weekend, i was going out at the weekend and my nails looked rubbish so i wasn't a very good advert for her??just a thought for you...........

 

[Kstewart]

I had offered to repair earlier but she could not get has she was working, and I couldn't get to her on a evening has I was at college tues we'd night.

It was herself who choose this appointment day. I never said at the time that I wouldn't repair the nail, I just said at that time I had not time to repair it. It was herself that got on her high horse and wanted it done there and then has she didn't have time later!! So was I suppose to make a client who turned up to her appointment wait !!! 20 mins?

Has as a goodwill gesture I have offered to do her a full set at half price!! When she wants some, as she only has them On for a special occasion.. But waiting for her reply!!

I am with you here, I would have done exactly the same! :Love:

 

[geeg]

If all the information is not given in a post, we will respond only to the information and details given. If more details are given later, then that changes the whole picture doesn't it?

To me, the customer is KING.
I would have done my utmost to fit her in.
I would never inconvenience another client in the process of fitting another in, but I would have found the time .. It is always possible, and if it puts you out a little bit by making you late for college or something else ... Too bad ... That is the name of the game.
If the client is awkward about being fitted in then that is her problem and you have done what you can.

 

[mixnmatch1]

I can understand both sides,it was partly the clients fault being 2hrs late,if she was wanting it fixed she would have been on time and i dont think she drove around for 2 hours to find the salon.
I recently had a client need some repairs and i made sure i fitted her in that day,she was really grateful, i told her that at the end of the day she is advertisement for me so a couple of broken nails would not be a good look.
dont worry too much about it,chalk it off as experience and if it happens again try to do what you can as soon as you can.

 

[snaz]

Thanks everyone for your comments, I do appreciate what you all say...

Now the client is wanting a full refund has she has taken them all off And she said she lost another and couldn't walk round with them like that, I have offered to do another set half price and she says she wants all her money back! Do I have to refund her??

 

[Geminikelli]

I would have done my upmost to accommodate her although being 2hrs late without contact is strange and I would had been annoyed about that.

But the bigger picture and sorry if I sound harsh but she had a nail come off one day later this is very bad for your business and your reputation and you need to address why this happened and if it had been me this happened to then irregardless of how late she was I would not be letting her leave with one nail missing.

One unhappy client with a missing nail just think how many people she will encounter how most probably will ask oh what happened to your nail?? " I got them done and it came off a day later" "who done them?" word gets around quick in this industry.

Any client will leave a happy client if all is how it should be. Mistakes/problems happen but as long as they are dealt with immediately with no fuss then there is no reason for them to moan.

Look at it another way:

You buy a table you get it delivered and a dent in it. You call up they apologies send new one out following day everyone is happy.

Or they takes ages resolving the problem and a nightmare experience. Your friend says oh I'm ordering a table from Xxxx you say no don't do it listen to what happened to me!

Ways protect your business and good name like your life depends on it.

 

[geeg]

Thanks everyone for your comments, I do appreciate what you all say...

Now the client is wanting a full refund has she has taken them all off And she said she lost another and couldn't walk round with them like that, I have offered to do another set half price and she says she wants all her money back! Do I have to refund her??

I would say no you do not have to refund ... The reason being that you have never seen the damage and speaking for myself ... If I haven't seen it to assess it then I would not give a refund.

But you have to look at the whole picture here, which I do not know. YOU asked the question in the first place, 'am I being unfair'? You must have had doubts or you would not have asked. If you think it is wiser to refund and get a happy result then I would do it. If you really feel that the client does not deserve it, that you did everything you possibly could do to accommodate her, then stick to your guns and offer the re-do at half price but no refund.

 

[jacquelineanna]

First of all may I say that I agree the client is always paramount and it would have been better if you could have repaired it asap

My biggest issue with this story is the 2 hours of trying to find you. Really?!

And not phoning you because she didn't think you had your mobile phone with you ... hmmmm.

But if she suggested Friday then you must assume she is happy to wait.

I most certainly do not think you should refund the money and I believe the half price for a new set is fair.

Its unreasonable for this client's mother to try and bully you with the threat of small claims court over one single repair!

Stay professional and polite and suggest that there has been error on both sides and the half price offer is fair to both parties.

Jacqui xx