Customer loses a nail?

[Chantel<3]

Hey, Bit of a dilemma.. What would you do in my situation..
I recently qualified in September in nail technology level 2, also qualified in NSI acrylic services.
On Monday a customer came and wanted pink tips, with silver glitter sprinkled across the smile line and her ring fingers cover in gems.
It was a picture she found on the Internet of the nails so I advertised the picture and I had a few customers book in for them.
The woman came and I said I could do them no problem.
Whilst doing the treatment the lady was slating a lot of salons & mobile nail techs (some of them I know) and was saying every time she has her nails done they always come off within a few days & when they come off she gives the nail techs 'what for' sort of speak. I think she was saying this to possibly scare me into thinking if any of the nails I had done came off she would 'give me what for' too.
I do nails from my home and did think to myself if that is coming across as a threat how dare you in my own home...
However I did my usual procedure file, cutical work, light buff, nail pure, apply tip, blend, apply primer, cut nails down & shape, apply acrylic (clear on tip, sheer pink on natural nail) file & buff off excess, base coat & top coat.. Then glitter etc. How I was taugh & how I always do other clients. Every customer I have had has been happy with the outcome. A couple have come back for a nail repair a few days after as 1 has come off or broken which is understandable obviously this can happen.
I charge only £2 for a nail repair. Also I must state I did a 1 day offer on the nails I did on my complaining customer & they were only £20!!!! I had 2 other clients after her who was very pleased with them & still are now.
So this morning I got a txt 'one of my nails have come off' (during her treatment she also told me she worked from home on a computer typing a lot all day so I explained to type with her finger pads & not her nails as this can break or loosen them)(also explaind my aftercare that when cleaning wear gloves.. Etc etc) so I replied with ok I'm busy today would you like to come tomorrow for a nail repair only £1!! (Yes I knocked a pound off as she only came Monday).. I got no reply. Later on (about 15mins ago) another txt 'now 3 nails have come off!!' I replied saying 'I don't want this to come across the wrong way but have you possibly been typing with the nails or texting with them as this can loosen them like I said. Like I said earlya you're welcome to come for a nail repair at £1 each nail' the reply I got was 'No i not been doing that. I treat them same as all my other nails and they have always lasted. Im not paying 3 for 3 nails repairin that have fallen off after only a few daysZ i will leave them' so I replied with 'I don't repair nails for free as the stuff I use isn't cheap and the nails I did for you should have been more than £20. Iv done another set of them after you the same day & they're fine too, I'm sorry it's happened and if you would like to remove me as a friend or anything then fair enough. Thanks for coming anyway.'
Was I right to do this?
The other customers Iv had since Iv all txt & asked how they're finding my nails & are pleased' (abit of me didn't want to txt incase I got the same issue again but I did)
Was I right in doing this? What would you do..

 

[Chantel<3]

Remove me as a friend as she txt me over Facebook. Also she was slating nail techs saying none have ever lasted but in her txt she said they had.. Makes me think more it was a threat in saying 'she gives them what for'

 

[Chantel<3]

She's just wrote on her Facebook status 'been at the gym all day.. Lifting weights is hard' hmm.. Maybe she hasn't picked or broken them during typing.. Could have done it at the gym? And blaming my work.. Or they've genuinely come off.. Makes me wonder so much!

 

[Carley-Jones]

We all get awkward clients like that so the best thing is not to dwell on it. She doesn't seem the nicest person so do you really wanna be seeing her on a regular basis? Lol.
As long as you have happy clients and you know you did your best and use all best products, then don't worry or dwell on her

 

[Nishi85]

If other clients have been fine and you are confident in your work then chances are its her. Sometimes clients just do not listen to aftercare. You've offered to repair them for her or remove the rest and she hasn't accepted. Its up to her what she wants but looks like she is one if these difficult clients.

Don't get down about it. you've done what you should have x

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[Chantel<3]

Thanks for the reply geeks.It has got me rather mad. I had a feeling she would say they had come off and it was basically my fault & she hadn't done anything. Since she said what she said!
I know this isn't the right attitude in the industry but I hope she never returns. I feel sorry for the next person she does it to.
Thanks again xx

 

[salj]

'I don't repair nails for free as the stuff I use isn't cheap and the nails I did for you should have been more than £20. Iv done another set of them after you the same day & they're fine too, I'm sorry it's happened and if you would like to remove me as a friend or anything then fair enough. Thanks for coming anyway.'

Is this how you actually worded it??

I would be pretty annoyed if I got this reply as a customer!

 

[pinkfairy]

Is this how you actually worded it??

I would be pretty annoyed if I got this reply as a customer!

I have to agree, if I was your customer and got this reply I would not be happy. Perhaps it is something your customer has done that has made her nails come off but perhaps it is down to you, without seeing her how can you know?
You need to remain professional even if the client is making you mad for whatever reason, they could become loyal regulars and put a lot of business your way x

 

[LaurenSparkles]

Hi, I work in customer service as my other job and I can honestly say if one of us spoke to a customer in that way we would be given a written warning. From my point of view what you have written sounds down right disgusting (don't take offence) but if I had my hair done and it wasn't right and I got that reply id never use you again and make sure everyone else that I knew went was aware of how I was spoken too.

I know it's difficult, sometimes frustrating or upsetting but...

The customer is ALWAYS right!

And at the end of the day...there the people that pay your wages.

I'd try to work with her not against her xxx

 

[Chantel<3]

I'm going to be honest yes I did write it and word it like that. The customer replied with sware words which I had taken out as they were un appropriate to put onto SG.
But also the way people read what I have put will put their own attitude and tone to it on how they want it to sound.


The way Iv said it wasn't meaning to come across angry, mad or nasty. I say it how it is. Yes that might not be the right way but this is the way I am and if I don't get many customers then I don't. there was no tone, no attitude and wasn't intended to come across the way it has.
& that's your opinion if you think it's discussing..Iv learnt you get criticism or very truthful opinions on here that's why I asked 'was I wrong in doing that'


Another question..
Also I'd like to add when the client came she brought 2 friends.. Without warning and huffed and puffed when I asked her to remove her shoes before entering my home.. I didn't mention that as I thought it was irrelevant. But this is another question.. How would you react to that?
:-/

 

[Arty*Rox]

I'm going to be honest yes I did write it and word it like that. The customer replied with sware words which I had taken out as they were un appropriate to put onto SG.
But also the way people read what I have put will put their own attitude and tone to it on how they want it to sound.


The way Iv said it wasn't meaning to come across angry, mad or nasty. I say it how it is. Yes that might not be the right way but this is the way I am and if I don't get many customers then I don't. there was no tone, no attitude and wasn't intended to come across the way it has.
& that's your opinion if you think it's discussing..Iv learnt you get criticism or very truthful opinions on here that's why I asked 'was I wrong in doing that'


Another question..
Also I'd like to add when the client came she brought 2 friends.. Without warning and huffed and puffed when I asked her to remove her shoes before entering my home.. I didn't mention that as I thought it was irrelevant. But this is another question.. How would you react to that?
:-/

I wouldn't expect to take my shoes off if I walked into a salon, I'd probably ask you to get some rugs :irked:

 

[Chantel<3]

Not into a salon no but someone working from home and their 'salon' is in their home I would! I just think its respectful and polite into someone's home.. Not anyone else think that? :-/

 

[Arty*Rox]

If your running a business from home, then your home IS your salon, not the other way around.

 

[Chantel<3]

Iv been to home salons and always removed my shoes. However, each to their own.Thanks for your imput!

 

[CHarvey]

Sorry to butt in (I'm over from hair) but I have to say that the way you spoke to her was unprofessional, so it would seem is your attitude toward your clients!
As a former wearer of acrylics I can safely say that if I lost one after only 24 hours then I would be expecting you to put yourself out to make me happy. Regardless of your opinions of what sort of person she is etc I think you are letting your negative feelings toward her affect your professionalism.
If you had treated me that way not only would I be removing you from FB but I would be telling all my friends about the tech who did my nails and was rude and unhelpful when they fell off. Most business comes from word of mouth and in our trade you sometimes need to smile sweetly, appoligise profusely,and put yourself out to make sure that everything people say about you is positive. Not sure how long you have been in the business but if that's your attitude? Well I don't like to say

 

[Chantel<3]

She had her nails done Monday, and txt me today. It wasn't 24hrs if that was any confusion?And ok I must be wrong again.
Thanks for your comment

 

[CHarvey]

Still only 3 days..
I'm a hairdresser, mum of three, I spend loads of time on my PC, I lift weights and spend my days off cleaning and running after kids. Oh and I chew my nails! Only once have I lost a nail within first week and that was my fault (incident involving boob tape..don't ask) phoned the therapist fully expecting to have to pay and she came to me that night and fixed it for free before I went out! I recommended her to all my friends and still talk about my fantastic experience with her...just saying

 

[Chantel<3]

Still only 3 days..
I'm a hairdresser, mum of three, I spend loads of time on my PC, I lift weights and spend my days off cleaning and running after kids. Oh and I chew my nails! Only once have I lost a nail within first week and that was my fault (incident involving boob tape..don't ask) phoned the therapist fully expecting to have to pay and she came to me that night and fixed it for free before I went out! I recommended her to all my friends and still talk about my fantastic experience with her...just saying

'Fully expecting to pay'
Some nail techs do it for free & some don't.. Like I stated to her the products I use aren't cheap. Of course she would have loved some free nails but the way she was talking to me about all the other nails she's ever had on have come off.. Well does she brake them, bite them or something for them to brake. Does she try to pull a fast one hoping for some new nails for the weekend or is it all my fault? I asked her to come back for a repair. I would of been able to possibly tell if it was my doing or hers.
& glad your nail tech sorted them when you needed them doing.

 

[anca14]

If you only just qualified in Sept is probably your work tbh.
In our salon, we repair the nails free of charge within the first week but we rarely have anyone coming back for repairs.
Sorry dont want to upsat you. x

 

[manhattannails]

Sometimes stuff just happens! My own nails stay on 3 weeks normally! I did them last night I have been helping at my daughters school fete tonight and ripped one in half. I know its not the quality of nails but whatever it is if it was my customer I would repair it. Not cause I knew it was my fault as it probably wouldn't be but because within four days I would.

No to shoes off! If people are running around have sweaty feet and you ask them to take shoes off they will feel paranoid and actually you could loose customers I would say. Its something I think you have to put up with when working from home..unless it was a down pour! Rugs may be a good idea

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