Clients doing own nails

[Choochy Face]

I put a thread a while agin about client purchasing her own Gelish kit etc she has now sent me a picture of her French
And also saying her daughter very pleased as she done hers aswell
Now texted me asking about things on my price list wonder if she going to start up

 

[Wooshka]

Just simply ignore any requests for info and if you can't ignore then politely say that as a professional tech who is fully trained and uses professional only products, you are not able to divulge information like that.

 

[Choochy Face]

Thank you I am bit of a softy thanks

 

[harlsdiesel2]

I put a thread a while agin about client purchasing her own Gelish kit etc she has now sent me a picture of her French
And also saying her daughter very pleased as she done hers aswell
Now texted me asking about things on my price list wonder if she going to start up

Oh no what a nightmare why do people think they can just buy a kit and start up without getting proper training.i know lots of people who have bought gelish kits that's why I love shellac as it can only be purchased by professionals.

 

[blossom]

I put a thread a while agin about client purchasing her own Gelish kit etc she has now sent me a picture of her French
And also saying her daughter very pleased as she done hers aswell
Now texted me asking about things on my price list wonder if she going to start up

I think that sounds very likely from what you say.

Just because she has put it on, though, doesn't mean it will last and doesn't mean she won't damage her own/other people's nails.

People think it's easy because a true professional will always make something look easy, that's the whole point. Agree with Wooshka. You must protect your business, don't help her out with info and let her bungle along on her own ... she isn't trained and won't have insurance therefore sooner or later is going to trip herself up and land flat on her face

 

[cabby]

Just tell her to do as you did. Do the training then her trainer can answer all her questions xxxx

 

[aayspa]

Oooh people like this really annoy me!

We haven't been to college and sooo many courses for nothing. We do them coz we are professionals and want to provide the best service and then along comes the general public that just buys some cheap and nasty kit online and away they go. Grrrr!

I really want to post something about these people on my fb page to warn clients to check who they are using but not sure how to put it nicely lol.

Many of my clients have been saying their friends or daughters etc have bought a kit. I just tell them they won't be covered by the law to perform treatments without insurance as you can't get insurance without being trained by a professional. Simple.

 

[OBIC]

I put a thread a while agin about client purchasing her own Gelish kit etc she has now sent me a picture of her French
And also saying her daughter very pleased as she done hers aswell
Now texted me asking about things on my price list wonder if she going to start up

Really a picture. Can we have a nosey?!

I had a client do this too. She is a client for massage so didn't usually do her nails anyhow but is still annoying when it is purchased so easily over the web. Actually she asked at the local nail salon and the guy said he'd sell her a bottle of shellac for £35! Eventually she bought it off that well know website on the web.

I could be wrong but think ultimately people will become bored with the prospect of doing their own nails. I can't imagine they would even consider removing them properly and it will be no time before they have disgusting, dry, cracked, unhealthy nails from picking them permanently!

 

[sjmand]

I have heard this happen so much I'm very sheepish now when discussing suppliers, costs etc

 

[linzi]

Direct her to your place of training. If she's serious, then she'll be absolutely delighted that you've helped her and you may make a friend of her... and if she's not, she'll baulk at any possible training price and she'll only ever attract the type of 'clients' that you don't want.

My model for my brisa (conversion) training said when she came out, I think me and my friend could go and half the cost there and it wouldn't be too expensive and then we could do other peoples nails. I just smiled ever-so-sweetly at her, knowing that she'd never do it

In real life, there is no way she'd a) pay the money for a decent course and b) opt for the decent course! It sounds awful to say, but she was thinking of this as just an easy way to make money, rather than an actual job.

Clients these days - proper clients, not your mate whose nails you do over the kitchen table and a vino or two - KNOW what they want. They want good nails that will last as they should, look beautiful for the duration and NOT ruin their own natural nails.

I gained a new client recently who had been going to her friend for the past few years. When shellac was released, she was delighted - nail polish didn't last well on her and the thought of having perfect nails for 2 weeks was attractive to her. However, the person did no cuticle work, no nail prep and then, when the nails were in the lamp, she had to wiggle both her thumbs (it was a four-finger lamp) from side to side to make sure that the UV 'caught' it all Needless to say, the nails chipped and peeled in no time - I think her record was 2 days :/

She paid me almost double what she'd been giving her friend and said she wouldn't go back - it was done "completely differently... properly" she said.

Really a picture. Can we have a nosey?!

We don't post picures of others' work, and we certainly don't critique unless specifically asked to :o

 

[FloJo]

Yep this type of situation can be annoying!! I'm mobile and I get things like "oh I might start doing what you do!!!" I just smile sweetly, nod in agreement and grit my teeth!! The training, the hours of practice, the investment, the hours, the patience - people don't see that stuff that goes on in the background.

If they choose not to invest in products and training then their time in business will be short lived anyway. If they choose to do it properly then ok - it will still be a few months before they're up to scratch at least and in that case they should find a whole new respect for you and feel embarrassed at their initial "its easy" thoughts! Haha!

 

[mrsmac]

I'm wondering if ill be painted in a bad light if I reveal my story... I have been getting bio sculpture for years and I simply adore my technician. So about a month ago I took the plunge and asked her about the industry and about my love for doing manis/pedis and polishing my own nails and that of my daughters.

After some great advice I decided to go ahead and enrolled in an accredited course. My tech has been super supportive and even offered me a work experience placement and training in bio as she is an accredited trainer.

I hope that this was the right way to go about it, having said that I would never have dreamed of asking her about what she charges ( even though I know) or asking her to critique a DIY job!

 

[gr8nailz]

Oooooooo, this burns my bisquits, Choochy!

So you did her nails, she paid very close attention to the process, bought "the kit" figuring she could do it herself and she has the cajones to contact you and ask for your PROFESSIONAL advice?

My darling Choochy, my professional advice to her would be: BECOME A PROFESSIONAL YOURSELF

 

[Vanilla Pod]

I agree with everyone, tell her to do training and then she can be a professional herself, unfortunately QVC with Red Carpet Manicure and such like are to blame, and so are all the videos people post on You Tube - everyone thinks they can have a go :hug:

 

[pinkeedee]

One of my clients told me at her last appointment that the girls she works with had asked her if she wanted to club together with them and buy their own gel kit so they could all do their own nails in their lunchtimes!?!? Thankfully my client was horrified at the thought and refused, she said she enjoys the pampering

 

[411]

I had a colleague who used to get shellac done, then when I opened in dec 2012, she's been wanting to come to me ( not booked appointment yet!)

Then after Xmas she told me her hubby bought her a shellac kit!
I tried explaining to her you cannot buy it unless your qualified & trained.
And if your buying it, it won't be the
genuine product. She kept going on and saying no it is, bottles have
CND on it etc.

I couldn't be asked to explain more just left it at that.

 

[syncage]

Playing Devils advocate for a moment here.... We do not have a right to client loyalty. The fact is that people can paint there own nails competently, these products are available without qualifications (albeit illegally) and for some other will be more convenient to do there nails themselves.

If we want to keep clients like these we have to offer exceptional service, people skills listening to them, giving them that little bit of luxury and pampering, added extras they can't do themselves (artwork, quick removal, hand massage, fixing a broken nail) and the basic doing an a+++++ paint job.

If they want the professional service and attention they you will earn their loyalty if they just want there nails painted (or that is all you're offering) you can't really be offended if they find a cheaper an more convenient way to achieve that.

 

[geeg]

There are salon people and there are 'do your own at home' people.

I don't get rattled; I don't get bothered; I don't get offended or enraged; I don't even think about it ... I just GET ON with the job.

Such hypocrisy! How many nail techs became interested because they first had their own nails done? Maybe not so blatant as to ask for critique from your former nail tech :lol: I think that's just a classic case of ignorance. But we don't belong to an enclosed order! And what we do is not exclusive or beyond the capabilities of others to do. I just sit back and have a laugh at the results and the ignorance of what they are actually using. :lol: hello ... do I see a few people scratching the red blotches on their hands??

 

[Vanilla Pod]

I also agree with the above post, that all the walk in gel poilish salons / arch angelz etc, have made the manicure a paint on stand alone treatment.
I cant remember the last time I went and had a nice hand massage whilst having these treatments, its usually a 10 second splat of cream and a bit of a hand massage, no time to actually relax.

Maybe we are all wanting and offering quick treatments to try to earn money we forget that actually beauty/nail treatments did used to be luxurious:hug:

 

[Nailz73]

i agree.. clients like these go away do their own and then realise its not as simple as painting on a polish and waiting for it to dry, they experience service breakdown, and inevitably end up coming back for that professional service..

my ladies dont mind paying my prices, most have said .. how the hell you have the patience to do this, i cant even paint my nails neat ... i always give a tiny bit extra, always pay attention to pep and prep, and a nice mini hand massage with lotion or creme gives that tiny edge to the service..

have had a few client being nosey, and also saying that they have seen gelish, shellac on ebay, and is that where i buy from lol.. shock horror..

i think we will always get a client or 2 that will want to try it out.. i have one lady who is very interested in becoming a nail technician eventually, has always had an interest, and we have discussed the right way to go about this..

i have also had a lady who had her nails done a few times and then bought gel from ebay to do her own.. !!

Sarah