Clients not paying the full amount

[Violet Star]

Hi Geeks! Yesterday i done my first full set of nails im charging 15.00 at the moment as im still new with nails so this is like a training price.

So i done her nails and when it come to paying she said Oh is it 10.00 i said no its 15.00 for a full set she said ive only got 12.00 on me at the moment ill pay you the other 3.00 another time.

Its been on my mind and its really annoying me it took me 2 hours to do them with hard work and concerntration for just 12.00!

What can i do if someone does this to me again? I feel rude asking money up front before treatment

xx

 

[tracey louise]

i have friends that do things like this to me all the time but i still let them do it even though i know i shouldnt.
on this occasion the day before her next appointment you could txt her and say your just checking shes still ok for tomorow and remind her that she needs to bring the extra £3.
most clients would ask for a price or when they book you can tell them how much it will be and then ask them to pay you before you paint or finish there nails so they dont ruin them getting the money out.
things like this are always awkward but when you have regular clients you wont need to ask.x

 

[RedAdmiral]

Just make sure you remind her next time and make up leaflets and display your prices so its clear in black and white!

 

[Una]

It seems that I am a lucky person as I have never experienced such a situation with a client.

 

[kylieb]

Just ask them to pay before and tell them it's to avoid smudging the nails at the end. I always do it and they don't mind. Although at college they were dead against this but hey I don't do a lot of things in the way college taught me hee hee xxx

 

[thinkpink2008]

i agree with whats been said, i ask for payment before i paint and if the client doesn't have the cash there is a cash point over the road and i wait while they pop over, geniune clients always leave something, most leave their bags and just take cards with them
hth

 

[mollylolly]

:cry: I've had a couple of clients whereby at the end of the service the client has said they havn't got any cash and have forgotten their cheque book. I do always get the payment in the end, but it does make me mad.

I now always make sure that I text on the day prior to their visit, and when they arrive make a joke saying "Hope you've got your cheque book today".

Unfortunately, there are some people who have no respect for the fact that you are running a business and that this is your living.

If she has any decency, she will pop the £3.00 into you. If she doesn't then I personally wouldn't entertain her again if she phones you in a few weeks/months.

Don't be too disheartened, these clients are very few and far between and the good ones really do outweigh the bad ones.

Mollylolly

 

[roseblanc]

I've also been lucky enough to have never had this happen. My prices are literally inches from the clients face when in the shop and I have my rates on my website as well. The closest I've come to that is the client only being able to give me a cheque, normally I dont accept cheques but this client is a regular and a trustworthy one at that so I let her get away with it.

When she returns, just make sure to ask her for the remaning $3 that she owes you. I have receipts that I keep for all my clients as proof of payment that I write up as the client is paying me. You should do this that way if it happens again and they try to fight the issue, you have the proof at hand.

 

[shell28]

I know its hard hun but you must be tough and not let them walk over you! as she has done it once and you let her she will prob try again!! I really hate chancers

 

[carlyfaye24]

if this happened to me id be so embarassed and go straight to the bank and come back!!!
when ive done lashes at home before a regular client didnt have time to go to the bank before hand but she went there straight after and came back within 5 mins to pay me!!

if i was that customer that £3 would be playing on my mind! she couldnt do that at a petrol station!!! im pretty sure they would take something like her phone off her to make sure she came back!! it doent matter how little it is she still owes you that money and for £15 really she should leave you a nice tip if you did a good job!!

 

[Violet Star]

She was a young girl i dont really think she was bothered! Well she didnt seem sorry to me.

 

[PolishedAussie]

These type really annoy me...they are for the most part the ones that you do not want. If it was her first visit and that is how she has already treated you like this and not popped back with payment then it really isn't a good start.
To help in future I tend to set up a professional/business relationship.
* When they are new give them a consult form etc to fill out - creates a professional start to the relationship, clip board, pen etc.
* Wear a uniform - puts you in business frame of mind!! As well as them seeing you in the professional light!
* Try and keep a lot of chit chat to a professional level - yes we have to give some of ourselves but we also have to keep it bringing it back to business - professional care, treatments, aftercare, products available. I know sometimes we think we are just selling , but then there are times where people really want to know how to look after themselves and seriously want to improve nails, skin hair etc. Sometimes that is why they are there...professional advice and what to do at home to maintain (point of difference from chemist etc).
Also we have a duty of care to give our customers correct advice to ensure they don't have any issues with the treatment or reduce their likely hood of experiencing issues dues to treatment.
* Get a brochure to give with consult for with rules etc. Outline your rules of business - I called mine salon etiquette. It outlines hours, payments, turning up late - mine even has health and safety issues which states they may be refused treatments if they have health issues that are contra-indicated etc.
It sometimes is just the little things that makes it more business and less friendship like. I think in the beauty world things sometimes blend, there is a boundary that is very fine. At the end of the day, this is your living, and those few dollars over a year could mean having a holiday or not!!
I know I'd rather be jetting...

 

[hippy-chick]

its so hard as you don't want to seem as if you don't trust them.

I've had a few situations with new clients as they want to pay with their card, and I haven't got those facilities. I tell them that their is a cashpoint across the road and ALL of them have gone to it and come back, although I have a few palpitations until they come back.

A few times people have gone to write out a cheque and their isn't any left, I ask that they post me a cheque which they have.

I also mark it down on their record card if they are short of a couple of pounds.

Put this down to experience, and when she comes back, at the end remind her that she is owing £3 so say something like "Thanks, that will be £18", if she queries that remind her of the outstanding debt. If she can't pay, ask for something to be left, or ask for payment before she has the treatment, say its your new policy.

if I get my nails done I always ask if I can pay at the beginning anyway.

 

[nora525]

I am so sorry to hear this.... I know that in this area this can be very common....
You could take on a little technicue hairdressers do...
before starting the treatment adn doing the consultation, we say the price there and then, confirming with the client the full correct price and that they are ok with it.
I do know when people get to know you they kind of try to go under the fences, but my answer is, if you buy milk from the corner shop, do you still hackle the price?

 

[sknight]

Next time get your tip cutters out, snip the tips off and say "There, we're all straight now" LOL

Honestly though I have had this before and now I quote the price on the phone and take payment before the treatment.

 

[ADP]

Hi Geeks! Yesterday i done my first full set of nails im charging 15.00 at the moment as im still new with nails so this is like a training price.

So i done her nails and when it come to paying she said Oh is it 10.00 i said no its 15.00 for a full set she said ive only got 12.00 on me at the moment ill pay you the other 3.00 another time.

Its been on my mind and its really annoying me it took me 2 hours to do them with hard work and concerntration for just 12.00!

What can i do if someone does this to me again? I feel rude asking money up front before treatment

xx

Similar thing happened to me week before Easter...I did my friends FOC because she helps me out with my dogs etc...but her daughter wanted her doing, I said we'll see how they turn out, to how much I will charge, but will be @ £10.00 to £15.00....well, they turned out really well (I only recently passed my L&P course) and she was really impressed too, she said she would pay me on the Friday, but i told her i was going away for the weekend, and I've not heard a peep from her since !
Arrgh !

 

[rebelrebel]

I have had this happen to me just a couple of weeks ago, not with nail enhancements mind but with a girls pamper party where they had hair, nails, make up, tattoos done two of us went, 1 to play games and karaoke with the girls and myself to do the makeovers, we take photos and provide prizes and party bags too....plus the girls were quite hard work too!!!! didn't want to sing karaoke or play games:irked: so it was hard work for Chloe to try and get them doing anything.....so comes the end of the party and I had finishes packing my things away into my car and the husband appeared from nowhere writing a cheque asking who to make it payable to, the wife had dissapeared...never saw her again, not a thanks or anything bear in mind she found me on the internet and the price was stated in an email to her as well as being on my wedsite. I notice he had already written the price on the cheque for £60 instead of £85:irked: I told him it was £85 not £60 and he ripped th cheque up and wrote me another begrudgingly saying "well mywife told me it was £60" he never once looked up at me and she never came back...grrrrrrr for all we provided and the hard work it wouldn't have been worth while doing it and the didtance was a fair way too..... I kept saying all day "I cant believe that he tried to short change me £25!!!!"

I have had quite a few people try this too in the past so you need to make sure you check the money they give you before they leave.

I think if your lady rang again I would mention the £3 she owes you or if you don't hear from her again just put this one down to experience...and i'm sure you'll make sure it doesn't happen again we all have to learn to be hard, like someone previously said we have to not be over friendly with our clients, we are running businesses and we need to be firm.

 

[NoLimitNails]

This is a dilemma, and the asking the payment in advance seems like a good idea, but what about retaling? How do you sell your products if they have paid in advance? I think this makes it more difficult, how do you "paybefore" techs retail?
I'm sorry I cannot offer a solution, but luckily theres not a lot of those people out there!

 

[imogenrose12]

if i was that customer that £3 would be playing on my mind! she couldnt do that at a petrol station!!! im pretty sure they would take something like her phone off her to make sure she came back!! it doent matter how little it is she still owes you that money and for £15 really she should leave you a nice tip if you did a good job!!

I really agree with this.. I would make sure the client went to get the money she owed straight away. If she didnt.. i dont think i would deal with her again.

Everyone is right on saying to get payment before hand with nails.. great idea!

 

[CaraR]

I've luckily not had this happen to me yet, but I always send an appointment reminder text in advance and in it I always confirm the price.
Unfortunately there are some scammers out there but don't be too disheartened
Asking them to pay beforehand is a good suggestion too!