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ellishairbeauty

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Birmingham
I tried to search for a thread in which i could ask how to deal with certain clients, personalities or questions that they ask, how to stay strong and confident but also keep the custom and please them.
Over the years ive always thought to myself did i handle that correctly?
Could i worded that better?


This week i had a lady come she sat in the chair and said "my hairdresser is moving away so to be honest i dont want to be here, ive seen ur photos they seem ok" then proceeded to badger me all week via txt and facebook messenger asking the formulas i was going to use, telling me her old hairdresser said i cant use any bleach, i rolled with it untill the day before her appointment, i put on a before and after of a lady whos hair was yellow blonde and i toned it to an ash blonde. She inbox messeged me and said if you do my hair like that i will not pay, its still yellow i dont know how the lady didnt complain ( it was my mom and it was virtually white, her hair was yellow and she wanted it toned out)

Being self employed you always want to be pulling customers in yes? But would that £60 really be worth it?
What would you say?
I proceeded to say, i think were both on 2 different levels and whatever im going to do i dont think you will like and cancelled her!
I look back now and think im trying to build my business not turn people away?
But i know for sure she just didnt want to be there?

Another example....

When i started i was obvioisly quite (im in a converted conservatory)
My regulars are great and a great laugh....
When the colour was developing i would sit and have a coffee with them and have a natter. Over the last 8 or 9 months business has picked up. So while the colour is developing i will get a cut and blow in or a gents cut, thus not being able to sit and chat.
Regulars have expressed they arent happy as they feel the experience isnt as personal as before, they feel like its a conveyer belt..... in this situation what would you do? Turn down new people and more money to sit and chat with customer or potentially lose customers that hav paid your bills for the last 6 years???

Being self employed i hav nobody to bounce off or ask opinions sorry for the essay!

Also when retailing products some customers are putting the product into amazon after the transaction and telling me im over charging by a few quid (obviously putting my own commision on, literally i only put a few quid on each product) how do you cope with amazon and ebay in regards to retailing? Whats your answer?

Theres a few other things but the essay is long enough! Haha.

X


Kind Regards, Ellis :)
 
First of all... i think you were right to turn the client away. She probably wouldve caused more hassle and money.... secondly, how can your clients complain that you're teeating them like you're running conveyer belt? You're running a business at the end of the day, as long as you're not rushing these clients...

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I think because your aware that someone has said something about your business, you've just taken it to heart. Little switchy comments like that do get to you, but likewise your running a business and you should allocate what is right for you.

I trust my gut instinct on high maintenance clients now and i rather not endorse that kind of need to know behaviour of rudeness. Just let the professional get on with their job! xoxo
 
First of all... i think you were right to turn the client away. She probably wouldve caused more hassle and money.... secondly, how can your clients complain that you're teeating them like you're running conveyer belt? You're running a business at the end of the day, as long as you're not rushing these clients...

Sent from my SM-G900F using SalonGeek mobile app


I have certain clients that I prefer not to book other services in their development time as I have sensed they got a bit irritated so I leave it free but they are regular big spending clients so would rather try and keep them happy than risk losing them but most clients don't bat an eyelid and are happy with a cuppa, their phones and a magazine to keep them entertained and enjoy a bit of time to themselves. A lot of the time they end up chatting to the other client too. If your clients complain about you double booking you can always inform those clients that you can give them an individual appointment but would have to charge a bit more to make up for not doing anyone in between. You could call it a VIP appointment!
Regarding the retail, they can't guarantee the products they buy off amazon are genuine plus they have the inconvenience of having to pay for delivery or not know when it will arrive. It's up to you what you charge just reply they are not obliged to buy it from you if they can get a better deal elsewhere!
 
If a client is irritated because you are doing a cut and blow dry on someone else whilst their colour is on it's too bad really.

I would be surprised if they could find another salon prepared to sit with them whilst their colour takes ... that's crazy.

If you choose to do that for whatever reason, and your business can absorb the potential loss then it's not a problem.

If you do not want to do it - because it does not make good business sense - then don't do it.

x
 
This is new to me as I worked in a very high paced salon before going self employed so only ever knew a conveyer system, recently my (quiet village salon) has picked up a lot I've gone from 1 or 2 spaced out appointments a day to 4-7 squeezed in now, I had 2 calls on Friday from regulars asking to be "squeezed in" and I told them I couldn't do it because I was fully booked, they took it really badly, I was so surprised! Reading this post tho has opened my eyes a bit, maybe the quiet salon was the reason they liked coming :/
 
Thank u all!
I feel loads better knowing you would of done the same with the high maintanance girl!
I love the idea of a VIP appointment!
Your advice/experience is extremely helpful to me. I feel great i have a 2 week waiting list but then feel crap knowing my customers will be irritated with me for not sitting and chattting. Working in salons in the past, thats the norm, put a colour on, bag on head, drink and a mag walk to the next section to start something else!

I also didnt even think about the products from amazon and ebay could potentially b tampered with!
Fabulous response to the little ebayers out there!

Thanks!

I also have customers who are annoyed that in summer and around xmas have 2 week waiting list as they are used to giving me 1 days notice before. I seriously cannot do anything about that. I only have 1 pair of hands and so many hours in the day. I used to stay over or start early, starting at 8am and finishing at 10pm 6 days a week but had to cut it down a bit as i was always tired and started becoming slower in my work. I now do 10am -7pm on a tue, wed and thur and 9 - 5 on a fri and sat and am back to speedy, happy ellis. You do have to think of yourself especially when your only going home to fill out record cards, answer 1 million txts for appointments and maybe a shower n something to eat is i can be bothered haha!

Thanks again!



Kind Regards, Ellis :)
 
Re retail. I have never been asked about a disparity in my prices and those on Amazon or eBay, but if I was I would simply say that I charge the retail price dictated by the company. With some suppliers your retailing of products is dependent on you charging the correct price. You are also doing a consultation for products for your clientele so you're better placed to recommend products than someone on Amazon or eBay. They also don't have your over heads.

You are not overcharging, people on these sites are under charging.

Vic x

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Maybe in your vip appontment include nice biscuits and tea and a mini head massage when washing? We things like this will keep them super happy x
 
I also have customers who are annoyed that in summer and around xmas have 2 week waiting list as they are used to giving me 1 days notice before. I seriously cannot do anything about that. I only have 1 pair of hands and so many hours in the day. I used to stay over or start early, starting at 8am and finishing at 10pm 6 days a week but had to cut it down a bit as i was always tired and started becoming slower in my work. I now do 10am -7pm on a tue, wed and thur and 9 - 5 on a fri and sat and am back to speedy, happy ellis. You do have to think of yourself especially when your only going home to fill out record cards, answer 1 million txts for appointments and maybe a shower n something to eat is i can be bothered haha!

Do you prebook? Especially a few months prior to the holidays, offering to prebook the clients so that they dont have to worry about their appointments is usually a HUGE selling point to clients. If they are worried about not getting in on certain dates, then they should prebook after their appointments.
 
I have a few clients that like to have me for themselves so I go in early for those (nails) before the hairdressers arrive.

Do you do nails? This would be an ideal opportunity to sell them a manicure whilst their colour is taking. Even just a paraffin bath or extra moisture treatment like heated mitts. Painting toenails? Or how about brows? Tinting and/or waxing will fill out that time too. This ensures that you are giving them your full attention without losing out on earnings.

You could also argue that booking people in-between is keeping the prices low for them. I love the VIP idea.
 
Re retail. I have never been asked about a disparity in my prices and those on Amazon or eBay, but if I was I would simply say that I charge the retail price dictated by the company. With some suppliers your retailing of products is dependent on you charging the correct price. You are also doing a consultation for products for your clientele so you're better placed to recommend products than someone on Amazon or eBay. They also don't have your over heads.

You are not overcharging, people on these sites are under charging.

Vic x

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

Yes thats a great responce. We are the pros and with our expertise have chosen that particular product for you and your hair. And 4 years in college to train to have this knowlegde deserves a few pennies ontop!

Kind Regards, Ellis :)
 
Do you prebook? Especially a few months prior to the holidays, offering to prebook the clients so that they dont have to worry about their appointments is usually a HUGE selling point to clients. If they are worried about not getting in on certain dates, then they should prebook after their appointments.

Yes i have a black board in my treatment room and have put on it they must pre book summer appointments to avoid didappointment. Thanks!

Kind Regards, Ellis :)
 
I have a few clients that like to have me for themselves so I go in early for those (nails) before the hairdressers arrive.

Do you do nails? This would be an ideal opportunity to sell them a manicure whilst their colour is taking. Even just a paraffin bath or extra moisture treatment like heated mitts. Painting toenails? Or how about brows? Tinting and/or waxing will fill out that time too. This ensures that you are giving them your full attention without losing out on earnings.

You could also argue that booking people in-between is keeping the prices low for them. I love the VIP idea.

Yes great idea! Like you say even just an eyebrow shape would keep some monies up!
Yes ur right, getting a cut and blowdry in when the colour is developing is keeping the prices low for them, something i would never of thought of myself! Thank you.

Kind Regards, Ellis :)
 
Instead of starting a new thread i was just wondering your opinion on this.
I have a new lady who used to go to the salon, get her hair cut then her colour put on then go home and wash it off on the alocated time given by the hairdresser. I dont know why i feel uneasy about this but i do? Does anyone else do this or have done in the past? Im guessing there will be a problem with insurance in this instance?
TIA

Kind Regards, Ellis :)
 
Ive never heard of sending a client home to wash colour off herself that sounds very unprofessional and I think it would make your insurance m invalid to her if something did go wrong and she was trying to make a claim,
 
I know a mobile hairdresser who did this. Put the colour on or foils in and say to the client "wash it off at 2pm (for example)" then leave having charged top whack for the service. If you had deep conditioning treatments she would arrive hand you a pot of product with instruction to place it on your hair and go about your day for an hour, then leave. Needless to say a lot of her clients stopped using her.
It's none of my business how someone runs their business but I definitely wouldn't do it myself, I would want to know how it came out for a start. Finish it with a nice blow dry etc. it's not a complete service if you don't even remove product yourself (or have an apprentice do it, for those in a salon).
 
They do it so they don't have to pay full price, it's quite common round our way (I don't personally allow it)
 
I've never heard of that with clients and I certainly would not take on a client that wanted to leave with product still on hair.

The only time I do that is with a friend who is also a stylist. I'll touch up roots and she washes and does the anti-oxy at home. But I would never do with a normal client. I could only imagine all of the misshaps that would happen.:eek:
 
Yea i just thought i dont like the sound of this! I think ill have to pass up on that lady thanks for the feedback! X

Kind Regards, Ellis :)
 

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