Client constantly breaking nails!

[jupiterliz]

Hi folks, can I get some advice please! I set up my business a year ago and have been specialising in Gelish successfully for the last 6 months. I have very good repeat business and regular clients who are now happy Gelish converts. I have one client, in her early 60's who started coming to me about 3 months ago. She books in every two week for a re-polish. However in the last 2 months, she constantly breaks, chips or splits nails in between appointments and rings me panicking asking me to fix. I've been courteous and fixed these. Her nails are short with some tip just over the fingertip. On occasion, I've used structure gel, or where she has badly damaged the nail, I've put an acrylic overlay which does the trick. At present she now has 3 nails with acrylic fixes. She came for her regular re-polish last night. 20 minutes after leaving she calls me in a complete state saying she has caught a good nail on the door catch and broken it and what should she do. I've told her to come back today and I'll fix it. So this will now be the 4th nail fix (previously it has been caught it at work, caught it on my jeans). My fiance has joked that she's after a full set of acrylics for free! So she's coming back today and I'll have to remove the Gelish on that finger, probably put an acrylic overlay (as she wants to keep the length) then re-do the Gelish, probably taking me about 30 mins.

I was going to suggest to her that at her next visit, for a little extra she can have acrylic overlays on all her nails to stop them breaking so easily when she catches them. I don't feel I can start charging her for repairs as she's a regular and has already pre-booked 4 appointments in the run up to Christmas.

Any suggestions? x

 

[geeg]

Hi folks, can I get some advice please! I set up my business a year ago and have been specialising in Gelish successfully for the last 6 months. I have very good repeat business and regular clients who are now happy Gelish converts. I have one client, in her early 60's who started coming to me about 3 months ago. She books in every two week for a re-polish. However in the last 2 months, she constantly breaks, chips or splits nails in between appointments and rings me panicking asking me to fix. I've been courteous and fixed these. Her nails are short with some tip just over the fingertip. On occasion, I've used structure gel, or where she has badly damaged the nail, I've put an acrylic overlay which does the trick. At present she now has 3 nails with acrylic fixes. She came for her regular re-polish last night. 20 minutes after leaving she calls me in a complete state saying she has caught a good nail on the door catch and broken it and what should she do. I've told her to come back today and I'll fix it. So this will now be the 4th nail fix (previously it has been caught it at work, caught it on my jeans). My fiance has joked that she's after a full set of acrylics for free! So she's coming back today and I'll have to remove the Gelish on that finger, probably put an acrylic overlay (as she wants to keep the length) then re-do the Gelish, probably taking me about 30 mins.

I was going to suggest to her that at her next visit, for a little extra she can have acrylic overlays on all her nails to stop them breaking so easily when she catches them. I don't feel I can start charging her for repairs as she's a regular and has already pre-booked 4 appointments in the run up to Christmas.

Any suggestions? x

Of course you must charge her ... There is no other advice anyone could give to you. You should have been charging from the outset for every repair as should all people who are in business ... There is no good reason not to. You are quite simply wrong not to be charging and by not doing you have dug yourself into a deep hole. She at best probably thinks that is normal now and at worst is taking huge advantage of you.

 

[Mobile Manicure]

She's taking you for a fool. I'm assuming these repairs are free? You need to tell her that the free repair days have finished as your accountant has told you its no longer feasable and you need to charge for your time. (this is an excuse i often use). tell her repairs are now charged at £5 each. You watch, suddenly this client won't break her nails anymore. I can guarantee it. :wink2:

 

[nicole333]

Do you really think just Gelish with no added strength is for her? I would do a brand new consultation with her, discussing how these situations come about where she needs repairs. If it's a simple case of aftercare, be assertive and say that from now on they will be X amount for each repair. If you come to the conclusion that she needs extra strength because of her nail condition/lifestyle then you will have a brand new treatment for her.

Remind yourself, you are the professional. If she chooses not to take your advice, she pays the price.

 

[Mrs Bod]

I wonder whether, if you start charging her for repairs, she might become a little more careful? x

 

[jupiterliz]

Thanks ladies, Geeg you are absolutely right, made a rod for my own back here. Nicole, I like your suggestion. Anyways she's been and I suggested to her having acrylic overlays on all her nails for an extra cost and she turned up her nose. I emphasised that her nails are clearly prone to splitting and breaking and that she now had 4 nails with acrylic overlay which I will have to infil at each appointment now. If she decides not to, I'll charge her £5 on top and say that's for the acrylic overlays. She didn't even offer to pay for the repair! Thankfully out of about 25 regular clients, she is the only one I have this with. My fiance thinks she just likes my home salon and coming round!

 

[Mobile Manicure]

Yes, make sure it's £5 for each nail and not for four nails. Cheap way to get a full set otherwise.

I had a client once who booked manicures, which was fine, but then as time went on she just wanted file and polish which just isn't feasible when you're mobile. I did it for a while but I was paying £4 in childcare, 50p in petrol, the round trip including the treatment took an hour, £1.50 went to the tax man and I was left with £2.00 in my pocket. I explained this to her and she couldn't see the problem. I said my accountant advised me to do a £15 minimum call out charge so it was either the full mani or nothing. She went with nothing.

Point I'm making is you have to use your time wisely, where you could be earning money, you can't use that time to do free repairs.