Clients arriving really early

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I sometimes have clients coming an hour or more early and then going mental because I can't take them straight away!! It makes me really angry! Don't book a time then come at a different one it messes up my schedule!
I also have clients that come 2-3 hours late and just saunter in thinking it's fine.
I've started just saying they will have to rebook if they are too late.
Does my head in hahaha
 
I get this too and it's really awkward but I do have another chair in my room so if they are just a few minutes early it's ok but I do feel like they are encroaching on the other clients time. The thing I really worry about is if someone comes early when I'm doing a Brazilian or if it's a new client and I take longer to do it than usual for some reason. It hasn't happened yet and I do obviously book out a longer time for that type of treatment just in case. The thing that annoys me more is one client books for nails then nearly every time she asks if I can "quickly" do her toes too! I have done it when I have time but I feel under pressure and I could have been having a break between the next client. It's all money though...
 
I generally work by myself so I leave the front door locked. And even if I am running right on schedule a client showing up 5/10 min early throws me off b/c I have to stop what I am doing to let them in or I am in the middle of resetting the room. Or they want to add more services. Had that happen yesterday. I had a 25 min gap which was used for the service (instead of my lunch) and the next client showed up 10 min early.

I leave them in my reception area with my thousands of dollars of retail product, but it still feels weird.
 
I own a salon and have clients turn up early all the time, usually its not a problem, someone offers them a drink and they will just sit and read a mag, however I have one client, an older lady who insists on a 9 o clock appointment and is normally sat in her car waiting for me to turn up and open! She will come in and say "don't mind me" however it does my head in as it puts you under pressure when you are getting sorted for the day. I don't want to be rude and I'm guessing she's a little lonely, I have tried getting her to have a later appointment but she won't have any of it!! grrrrrr
 
I do kind of agree with the comment earlier about kind of encouraging it if you let it happen. I would turn people away with children or if too early. I'd still be polite and friendly but if it put them out a bit they wouldn't do it again?

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Put a sign up at the door saying something like,

Please could all clients arrive at their scheduled times, in order that any previous client has their relaxing treatment uninterrupted.

I will answer the door as soon as the next client is due and I have set my room up for their arrival.

Many thanks for being so helpful and considerate. X
 
I don't see many clients these days & most of them are on time so I don't really get inconvenienced. However, a few months ago, 1 client got her appointment time wrong & was 30 mins early. I had another client due in so told her she'd have to wait in her car. My next client was only for an eyebrow wax so I wouldn't have been long & could have seen her ahead of time.

Anyway, she came back a bit later & told me she'd gone to the local shop to kill some time. As she was waiting to pay for whatever it was she bought, someone in front of her bought a scratch card so she did too. The jammy so & so one £1000!! If she hadn't been early she wouldn't have bought it as she doesn't go past the shop either direction to get to mine.
 
House beauty, you could put a sign up saying, unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover me to accommodate children, probably better to put it on your website or facebook business page, before they bring them.

I had a girl for her first nail appointment with me, and she brought her 3 year old and 10 month old baby. I frowned on it and during her soak off the baby first started grizzling then just cried louder and louder until he was inconsolable. She was so embarrassed and said she will never bring them again. She's a regular now, as I give her an 8pm appointments so she can come over when the hubby is home and kids are in bed.
 
I also have had this issue with clients rolling in 40mins before their booking. I have sent those a letter stating to arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before your appointment to ensure they do not interrupt the client prior to them. It has worked but have had the occasional client sarcastically comment am I not too early as it is 4 minutes before my booked appointment! The most annoying ones are those that bring their friends along and then expect them to be able to wait in a room in your home so as they don't disturb them during their treatment!!! I say no now as insurance doesn't cover this. I've worked from my home for over 10 yrs and have many outrageous stories of clients expectations that I could bore you with!

I have one client who brings a friend to every appointment. Her first appointment I said no as the room is small but now she brings the friend to the door as if to say, she's not sitting in the car.

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I have one client who brings a friend to every appointment. Her first appointment I said no as the room is small but now she brings the friend to the door as if to say, she's not sitting in the car.

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If this kept happening I would honestly tell her that unfortunately I would no longer be able to accommodate her as a client. She is obviously pushing you and disrespecting you and enjoying that she can continually get away with it, because hey, you need HER money so what are you possibly going to do about it right? I don't put up with that kind of bull and I especially wouldn't in my own home.
Seriously, the next time she shows up with a friend at you're door just say "Bounce b*tch" and shut the door in her face. (ok maybe more professionally).
It's up to you to decide if your rules are actual rules you enforce or completely pointless lip service. Your clients will only get away with as much as you let them get away with.

And while no I'm not running my own nail business yet I AM a night manager at a nice hotel and I will lay the hammer down on entire big money groups when they act a fool past my tolerance point. I don't care HOW much money a person is putting out, you mess me about and you will find yourself put in your *$$.
 
I own a salon and have clients turn up early all the time, usually its not a problem, someone offers them a drink and they will just sit and read a mag, however I have one client, an older lady who insists on a 9 o clock appointment and is normally sat in her car waiting for me to turn up and open! She will come in and say "don't mind me" however it does my head in as it puts you under pressure when you are getting sorted for the day. I don't want to be rude and I'm guessing she's a little lonely, I have tried getting her to have a later appointment but she won't have any of it!! grrrrrr

LOL I have one of these too!

I just roll with it now think she likes the chat and to see who coming and going into the salon
 
So nice to read through everybody's replies and how you all feel and cope with things.

The friend scenario can go both ways I guess - although I 100% agree that it is a bit weird to have a friend and family sitting in on a spray tan!! I only do nails, so its a bit different, and I have found that when a friend sits in, (sometimes 2 friends), I find that I actually work quicker because they're all chatting together and I am not required to answer all the time, and also that on the majority of occasions the friend or friends come back and have their nails done!

To the lady who was having the grief with the kids . . . . I think you should get that "no children" sign up. Fast.
 
I had 4 appointments in today and they were all about 40 minutes early!
I can understand 10-15 mins that doesn't bother me I an sometimes quite grateful as it gives me a wee break once I have done them before my next client.
But 40 minutes is taking the p**s in my opinion. Fair enough if they popped in to see if I had anyone in and to see if they could take then early, but no, full on face like a slapped arse huffing and puffing because they had to sit in the reception and wait.
In sorry but you booked an appointment for a specific time, I'm not going to keep free for an hour before in case you decide to come early.
It makes my blood boil sometimes when they are nasty about it. They are the ones running off schedule not me!! Why should I get grief for it!!
Sorry for the rant but my god who comes almost an hour early for an app and then go mental because I can't take then.
I need a bath and a large vodka hahaha :p xxx
 
I'm sitting here now waiting for my 7:15 client who is now 15 mins late. I've texted her to see if she's coming and no reply. Sooooo annoying. Got someone else at 8 that I could have done now!! Worked all day then picked up 3 kids from school, worked again on laptop, walked dogs, fed kids, bathed kids, put little one to bed in time for this client and no sign. I saw her at school this morning and she said see you tonight!! Fuming...
 

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