Confidence knocked

[Sheer Bliss]

Thinking of giving in. Been doing nails for a couple of months now. No complaints in the past but a client today has knocked me for six. Started fine but after 20 mins she said I seemed nervous. I asked if she wanted to end treatment and she said she did and she stormed out. Really feel I can't do this.

 

[Sparkle*Nail]

how many times have you performed nail services? and has this happened before?
i bet it's something like 1 in 100.
possibly the client was feeling uneasy and pre occupied and it's always easier to take attention away from them and blame you. please don't worry, but if you do feel nervous just remember practice makes perfect. i was so nervous initially and still am to a degree, so to get going I volunteered my services at a drop in centre so I was used to so many people. hope youre ok xxx

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

Yeh dont give up. I think everyone one has had "Odd" clients. If there have not been any other issues with other clients then dont worry. Put it down to experience.

I did my first gel toes yesterday and I was really nervous (Dont like feet), but I just put my "Happy face" mask on and got down to it.

 

[pure]

Confidence comes with experience and you're still very early on in your career so please don't worry, it will come
Until them you have to learn to hide it, so even if you're shaking inside make sure you're smiling and looking confident on the outside.

Was there a particular aspect of the service you were nervous about?

 

[geeg]

Thinking of giving in. Been doing nails for a couple of months now. No complaints in the past but a client today has knocked me for six. Started fine but after 20 mins she said I seemed nervous. I asked if she wanted to end treatment and she said she did and she stormed out. Really feel I can't do this.

No complaints for two months form anyone ... why should you feel nervous? Do you feel nervous? If you do then clients will sense that. Two months is not long to have been offering service ... how many regular clients do you have?

Your confidence will grow as you get stuck in and do more. You are goiing to get complaints when dealing with the public and rather than let that knock you for six, you need to learn how to cope with those complaints. There isn't a nail technician alive who does not get moans or complaints from the odd few ...

I wouldn't have asked if the client wanted to end the service. I would have said ... "I'm a bit new at this but so far my clients have all been pleased with the finished result I have made ... but yes I am always a little nervous which is my nature as I am anxious to please everyone. Are you happy for me to continue?" I think if you had said something like that rather than giving her a sort of ultimatum, she would not have stormed out on you.

Take heart .. these things come to test us and try us and make us stronger .. not to make us give up. The first time it happens is always the worst and we take it to heart a bit as you have done .. onwards and upwards , the next time you will be prepared and will be less sensitive to it. It will be all in a days work eventually.

In the meantime, try and control your nerves with some nice slow deep breathing before the client arrives and while you are doing it imagine the whole service going perfectly and how you want it to go from start to finish, and it will.

 

[Sheer Bliss]

Didn't feel nervous at all. Did plenty of practice before starting to offer nails as well as my other treatments. I went through everything in my mind before hand as I like to be well prepared. Afterwards I did a mental checklist to see where I may have gone wrong and all was in place. Got another 2 sets to do today so it's paint a smile on and carry on.

 

[geeg]

Didn't feel nervous at all. Did plenty of practice before starting to offer nails as well as my other treatments. I went through everything in my mind before hand as I like to be well prepared. Afterwards I did a mental checklist to see where I may have gone wrong and all was in place. Got another 2 sets to do today so it's paint a smile on and carry on.

Why didn't you just tell her that you weren't nervous at all then, and ask her what was making her feel that you were?

Just interested to know why you would go straight into asking her if she wanted to leave after her saying that? And if you asked her if wanted to finish the treatment why would it knock your confidence if she decided that she did? .. you were the one who gave her the choice?

I would have said .. I'm not at all nervous, but I'm sorry if something I am doing is making you feel I am ... is there something I can do to make you feel more comfortable?

Was there a tone in the way you asked if she wanted to end the service that made her react in such a strong way?

 

[mini4mum]

Sheer Bliss, we all at some point (however experienced) suffer from a lack of confidence. We question ourselves, what did I do wrong? Could I have done something better? But do you know what, if we didn't have these confidence crashes we would never learn from our 'mistakes' and grow stronger in our ability. My EA has always said to me "smile & fake it 'till you make it". :hugs:

 

[rachelt73]

My EA has always said to me "smile & fake it 'till you make it". :hugs:

Love this, it's going to be my new motto for those self-doubt days

 

[georgieboo]

I'm sure the reason she left was nothing to do with the service you were providing - As mentioned before some clients can just be a little 'odd'.

I see it every day where I work now (admittedly I do not yet work in the beauty industry) but I still get lots of bizzarre and sometimes very very odd customers indeed. Don't let it get you down if you have done 2 months with no complaints then chances are you are doing absolutely fine! She probably does this every time she goes to the hairdressers or whenever she goes out for a meal - She may just be one of those people that likes to complain or make a scene (maybe she was hoping for you to knock some money off the service by saying you were inexperienced, who knows!)

Don't let it get you down, at least now if you ever have a customer like this again (or she returns!) you will know how to handle it xx

 

[Sheer Bliss]

Thank you all. Been long stressful week and it just takes 1 person to tip balance.

 

[Belle Vie]

I'm sorry you're feeling bad after this, some people...well some people are just a bit odd. Half of this job is skill in the work we do, the other half is people skills and knowing how to handle uncomfortable situations I'm sure that every one of us has felt nervous or uncomfortable at one time or another but that's no good reason to give in, we just have to learn how to handle people. There are times you might need skin like a Rhino and others where your clients sing your praises so much it gets embarrassing. Give yourself time and you'll learn to deal with both.

Put some lippy on and get back to work! xx

 

[jhgiorgi]

Don't give up. You will always get someone who's not happy. I've been hairdressing for over 20 years and have learnt that be honest with the client and know that you'll not please everyone all of the time. There will be far more people who will be pleased with your work than not.

 

[jacquelineanna]

Thinking of giving in. Been doing nails for a couple of months now. No complaints in the past but a client today has knocked me for six. Started fine but after 20 mins she said I seemed nervous. I asked if she wanted to end treatment and she said she did and she stormed out. Really feel I can't do this.

This all seems strange and doesn't really make any sense.