Client who wish you took longer . . .

[blossom]

I have several customers who have been with me since the early days (4 years ago). I used to take about 2-2.5 hours for a new set and 1.25-1.5 hours for infills. As these clients are also elderly they enjoyed the opportunity of a bit of company and a chat.

The trouble is, several years down the line, I now offer far better nails but take far less time to do it. Most people would be delighted not to have to sit for hours for a set of nails but I'm sure those of you with elderly/lonely clients will agree, sometimes they just love you to take your time.

A couple of these clients have commented how quickly I seem to do the job these days (with a bit of a sigh), and although we have had conversations about speeding up with experience, and I have made them aware that I'm not cutting any corners, just working more efficiently (ie applying product better so it needs hardly any filing, I think this is the main area for me), when they keep commenting, I don't know what to say. I feel like I'm taking the same money, well more now actually, and they're only getting half the time, so I feel almost like I'm cheating them, although I know I'm offering a nail service not a companion service but you get my drift . . .

Does anyone else have this problem? How do you deal with it?

 

[Bagpuss]

I had the oposite...one client said to me.."you know i really do have far more important things to be doing than sitting here"... i immediately felt bad and said sorry i guess if we were not chatting so much i would have you out quicker..to which she replied "well i don't mind us not talking if it means i can get on with my life"........(anyone would think i dragged her in off the street)

To be honest i did feel a little hurt as we got on so well and it was her as much as me that enjoyed a good chin wag...but i soon got over it...(about 5 mins..:lol cos i just thought ohh well and next time was very quiet, polite but not chatty...didnt take long till she asked if i was ok and started wanting to know all about my week...:lol:

you ain't cheating anyone, your there to do a job just like doctors and dentists we all work to appointments and as long as you are polite, friendly and leave your client feel satisfied (which i am sure you do) then i wouldn't worry. xx

 

[IllumeGirl]

Maybe adding 5 minutes to your hand massage would satisfy them? All of my clients say this is thier favourite part of the service,,its mine,too, as i know i have finished!:lol:

Angie, are you still doing that client? How rude of her!

 

[Mieke]

I had two customers aswell that weren,t really thrilled that i worked faster "more efficient" over the time. I guess some people come more for the company then anything else.

I always ask my customers up front if they need to be somewhere before i start the service so they can,t start to nag while i am in the middle of a service. I always tell them how much time i will need minimum to do that specifik service so they can decide if they have the time for it or not.
I think it,s just rude having a customer saying that she needs to get out of the salon so she can go on with her life :irked: It sounds like she is doing you a favour sacrificing her time to get fabulous nails done by you...which makes no sence since everybody walks in willingly. But then again everybody has these odd responses sometimes from customers where you go...what? excuse me?!

 

[Ditzy]

I had the oposite...one client said to me.."you know i really do have far more important things to be doing than sitting here"... i immediately felt bad and said sorry i guess if we were not chatting so much i would have you out quicker..to which she replied "well i don't mind us not talking if it means i can get on with my life"........(anyone would think i dragged her in off the street)

To be honest i did feel a little hurt as we got on so well and it was her as much as me that enjoyed a good chin wag...but i soon got over it...(about 5 mins..:lol cos i just thought ohh well and next time was very quiet, polite but not chatty...didnt take long till she asked if i was ok and started wanting to know all about my week...:lol:

you ain't cheating anyone, your there to do a job just like doctors and dentists we all work to appointments and as long as you are polite, friendly and leave your client feel satisfied (which i am sure you do) then i wouldn't worry. xx

PMT ? :irked:

 

[Bagpuss]

yeah i still do her nails...it doesnt bother me anymore, i tend to just listen to her these days instead of joining in...i give the occasional yeah, really and thats nice.....:lol: x

 

[IllumeGirl]

yeah i still do her nails...it doesnt bother me anymore, i tend to just listen to her these days instead of joining in...i give the occasional yeah, really and thats nice.....:lol: x

LOL i have one of these..more keen on hearing her own voice, blah blah and BLAH. Gets you done in half the time:hug:

 

[blossom]

Maybe adding 5 minutes to your hand massage would satisfy them? All of my clients say this is thier favourite part of the service,,its mine,too, as i know i have finished!:lol:

Angie, are you still doing that client? How rude of her!

That's not a bad idea. However I'm not qualified to do any type of massage. Am I right in thinking there are contra-indications to massage? Or would these not apply to a gentle hand massage? As I don't have a clue what they are I haven't included massage in my service atm. thanks for the idea tho. x

 

[adelekeegan1]

Believe me, nobody has ever wished that I took longer - most of them have to bring a packed lunch as it is:o:o:o

 

[Mieke]

Believe me, nobody has ever wished that I took longer - most of them have to bring a packed lunch as it is:o:o:o

Lol :green:. I bet they don,t mind since they keep on comming back :hug:

 

[IllumeGirl]

That's not a bad idea. However I'm not qualified to do any type of massage. Am I right in thinking there are contra-indications to massage? Or would these not apply to a gentle hand massage? As I don't have a clue what they are I haven't included massage in my service atm. thanks for the idea tho. x

I dont think it would matter too much for just a gentle massage..thats all i do. I would think though, if you have done mani/pedi that would be enough to qualify for the basics..and just follow common sense from there..if in doubt with a client,dont do it kind of thing?

 

[PLAOH]

I've only had one client make comment that I've finished sooner. She's forgotten that I nolonger have a coffee when I arrive, so that saves time.:lol:

She alays makes the comment as she goes to get her purse (probably waiting for a discount, which she isn't getting)

Continue as you are. Do not feel guilty for leaving them sooner and do not give them a discount.

 

[nail_star2003]

Well, I can't believe that people can be so rude. :irked:

I can understand the elderly people wanting to have more time with you as maybe it's the highlight of their week but, if you have appointments, then you have to stick to thm. If you have no one in after them then every now and then just say to them "Well, come on, I'll give you a little treat" and give them the gentle hand massage (as you said you didn't include it already). This will then make them feel more special than all your other clients and they'll have a huge smile on their face!!!

All my customers are lovely but they did annoy me because I dared to put my prices up by £2 and I'd never put them up in the whole 7 years I've been self-employed!!!! A few of them agreed with the increase but I could tell that some of them weren't impressed. To these people I just said, not rudely but firmly in a fun and cheeky way, that if they didn't agree with my reasons for increasing the price then maybe they should try another technician or the local NSS down the road!!! They soon shut up and said that they'd never, ever go anywhere else. I think I got my point across!! :lol:

 

[DaisyMae]

I have some customers who complain that I should take longer. Not because of quality or anything like that.
Those who had complaining are Mothers or Housewife. The want to have their 2 hours out of the House. I am self-employed but I don't need to life of the money I make. I set my appointments in 2 Hour intervals and they are happy. And if I have a busy day with 6 - 7 customers a Day I don't hear complaints when i just need 45 min - 1,25 hours ( depending on the Nail Art)

But when you have a tight schedule you really need to stick to it. Just listen what they have to say ( goes in to one ear and out to the other) and keep doing your work and when you are done you are done.
My opinion is: The people are free to go wherever they want. And if someone is rude with no reason I tell them they have to go. Yes I am a service provider but I am not a doormat where they can wipe their problems of. I rather make less money then get treat rude. And my customers know my opinion