Did I handle this right? Advice please

[chazz!!]

Hi I run a small beauty salon that is a hairdresser I rent the space off the hair salon owner
Today I had a client booked in at 10.45 for a pedicure and wax this treatment takes about an hour and 15 mins to do my client showed up at 11.05 so 20mins late so I explained that unfortunately because she is so late that I will only be able to do some of the treatment myself and my qualified junior therapist will have to do the rest as I have someone booked in at 12 so I don't have enough time to do the treatment before they are due in.

She said she wanted only me to do it and that its not her fault she's late and as she is a regular client I should make an exception, I then explained that although it is not her fault it is not fair for me to make my next client wait 20mins longer for her treatment evan tho she arrived on time and that she is also a loyal regular client.

She then said she would only have the leg wax done then if I couldn't do the pedicure myself I said I'm very sorry but if you refuse to have the pedicure treatment done by the other therapist I will still have to charge the whole amount as I had waisted time waiting for her to come when I could of had other clients booked in earning money instead of just standing their waiting for her. A pedicure costs £35 so evan tho I had been waiting around to do the treatment and given my time up I would have been down £35 for the day

Well she blow her top that I suggested she pay for a treatment she had not had so I explained that she was paying for my time that she had still taken up evan tho she was not their for the treatment and that she had been offered to still have the treatment by the other therapist just not me. Anyways I could not please her so in the end I did the treatment and my other lady's treatment was started by my junior then i took over (tho I don't think it was fair she had a less qualified member of staff as she was on time for her treatment.)

After the lady left she then rang the salon to speak to the owner saying I was rude, DO YOU THINK I WAS WRONG DO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE JUST LET IT GO AND LOST OUT ON THE £35. She said she would not be back to use any services hair or beauty so of course the hair side of thinks think iv lost them a client to, which I feel really band about. My lady also blamed my pregnancy and said it must be the baby as I not normally like this but shes not normally late so I haven't had to deal with this before.

I think as she was late she should of expected my kind offer to have it done by my other therapist as it was after all her fault

 

[umvemve]

Good grief! Don't think you did anything wrong, except I wouldn't have done her treatment.

 

[jojo@tranquil]

Don't stress about it, she was late you gave her another option, and she still got her way. I honestly think some clients just think you sit and wait all day for just them and you don't need to make a living.
A few months ago a lady was in for a pedicure she had her feet soaked and scrubed, then her husband rang in an emergency and she had to leave without having rest of treatment, she said could we ring to settle up. I called next day and she said she only had a leg wax not the pedicure in the end. I said I am going to have to charge you for the pedicure but as goodwill if she came in over the next couple days we could do an express pedi to finish off.
She never came, but called the following month for a pedicure, had the whole thing done then said she had already paid ! I just let it go but shouldn't have I know that.
Do we really need inconsiderate clients.
Xx

 

[jacquelineanna]

I would have advised her that I could still do the treatment but the pedicure would be cut down so no hard skin and no massage ... cuticles cut file and paint and wax.

You could send her a nice card and just say you are really sorry it turned out this way. That you are viewing the same problem from different perspectives. That you wish her well and should she wish to come back to you at anytime you would be very happy to see her.

That's it really my lovely x

 

[squidgernetball]

I would have adapted the treatment to fit into the time, and charged her the full amount. Unfortunately a lot of clients think we are their personal servant, and no-one else will do!

 

[smallandcute]

This is where you need to state your salon policy really clearly and stick to it. In your treatmrnt brochere, website and in your salon. I would out something like

Cancellation policy- if you need to cancel or change your treatment please ensure the salon is notifed up to 24hrs before your treatment otherwise you will be charged x amount for your treatment

Late policy- if you know your going to be late please ensure that you contact us as soon as possible. Please be aware full treatment may not be available due to you being late and thus you may have your treatment shortened or conducted by another therapist. If full treatment isnt carried out you will still be charged full price.

Choose your policy and stick to it. If your client doesnt like it then its no loss really. Dont worry you didnt do anything wrong and i most certainly take the pregnancy remark lying down either! Now that shes gone a nice loyal client can replace her so look on the positive x

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[chazz!!]

Hi thanks all I do have a cancellation policy that states a 50% cancellation fee if cancelled less than 24 hours in advance.

But nothing on being late I will do a poster and I nether really thought the client would be in the salon when she cancelled her treatment so it didn't occur to me to put something up about that.

I had a £50 facial not show up yesterday so I think I may have been a tad touchy Iv left that person a message to call back to re book.

I don't think I would of said she would have to pay if it hadn't been for the fact that someone could still do it if no one had been available then I prob would have let it go and just done what I could in the time. But I was annoyed that she turned down my other therapist and was late and didn't want to pay full price, was all a but much I got a bit annoyed.

 

[Rinn]

Maybe it depends on where your salon is but I know a cancellation policy wouldn't work where I am. If I was to try and charge someone for a treatment they hadn't had because they were late/didn't show up I would have no clients ....

I think in every situation you need to use your discretion and while I know clients would drive you mad at the best of times , we would be very lonely without them , with lots of bills to pay..

I agree with Jacuelineanna, I would just cut back on what her treatment involved and charge her full price...

 

[Beautyandme]

Am I right in thinking that even if you state on your paperwork/website that a charge will be applied should they cancel/no show.

You cant legally make them pay ?

 

[chazz!!]

She didn't want me to cut back she wanted it all done and wouldn't allow me help from another member of staff I have never enforced my cancelation policy but felt as she wasn't taking any of the solutions I asked her to have the other therapist or still pay as she had still taken up the time I have turned other people away today aswell so could have filled the spot.

 

[chazz!!]

I would like to point out she did in fact have her treatments so was not charged for something she didn't have I did it in the end and was late for my next client. X

 

[Beautyandme]

I think you handled the situation aswell as you could. Hindsight is a great thing, I really wouldn't worry about it too much. Sleep on it and see how you feel tomorrow.

 

[chazz!!]

Am I right in thinking that even if you state on your paperwork/website that a charge will be applied should they cancel/no show.

You cant legally make them pay ?

I think you can take them to court but would cost you more than the treatment so not worth it. X

 

[SugarMama]

I think you handled it very well. Taking into account everyone's advice, it really depends on your area. In many salons where I am you can't even make an appointment without putting a credit card on file. No shows and late cancellations are charged full price but almost every place does this so it's expected and clients are used to it. I still get an occasional no show but it's very very rare. However, if the salon"culture" where you are isn't as strict, then you may need to be more lenient.

 

[chazz!!]

I have posted this on mums net to and omg everyone thinks I'm an evil salon owner and that they have never heard of anyone being charged for lateness and that they would expect to pay there dentist but not a beautician.

 

[jacquelineanna]

I have posted this on mums net

Oh gosh, why would you do that?

to and omg everyone thinks I'm an evil salon owner and that they have never heard of anyone being charged for lateness and that they would expect to pay there dentist but not a beautician.

This is the reason I do not have a cancellation poliy which involves charging clients.

My policy for people who cancel more than twice on the day of appointment is that they must make all future appointments on the day

And if they don't arrive for their appointment and don't even bother to call me then they should use the services of another salon.

Nothing is set hard and fast though and common sense must prevail when dealing with clients.

xx

 

[chazz!!]

I didn't ask her to pay as it salon policy as such I just felt in this circumstance, she had turned up, she was late, I was waiting, she was unwilling to change therapist or book, she wanted to make me late for another client all these thing got be a bit annoyed.

Also she was late because she was having her nail exstentions done at the nss salon down the road as they are cheaper if was annoyed that they would get payed and I would of still given up my time and not be payed it was a heat of moment decision and I do think I could have let just let it go but in the moment I didn't as I was angry as her piss taking like I'm just their for fun I'm 7 months pregnant I have things to pay for I would have rather been at home sorting baby stuff than just stood their like a lemon waiting for her.

 

[chazz!!]

I have posted this on mums net

Oh gosh, why would you do that?

to and omg everyone thinks I'm an evil salon owner and that they have never heard of anyone being charged for lateness and that they would expect to pay there dentist but not a beautician.

This is the reason I do not have a cancellation poliy which involves charging clients.

My policy for people who cancel more than twice on the day of appointment is that they must make all future appointments on the day

And if they don't arrive for their appointment and don't even bother to call me then they should use the services of another salon.

Nothing is set hard and fast though and common sense must prevail when dealing with clients.

xx

What on earth are you doing up so salon geek at 5 am, x x x

 

[skingeek78]

I have posted this on mums net to and omg everyone thinks I'm an evil salon owner and that they have never heard of anyone being charged for lateness and that they would expect to pay there dentist but not a beautician.

They would expect to pay the dentist but not their beautician? Goodness people never fail to astound me !! Vile. I worked in a dental/medical clinic and all of our fees for no shows and cancellation within 24 hrs were all the same !!
Btw I agree that I would have had to cut her treatment time down or not be able to do her treatment, I have never made anyone pay for the treatment they should have had, I mainly do micropigmentation treatments and if they don't arrive on time they have to be rescheduled, luckily it doesn't happen often at all. but if that is your salon policy then she should respect that. she sounds pretty unreasonable though :-(

 

[chazz!!]

I had offered to do her treatment cut down she wanted me to do the full treatment I said I could not do that but my
other therapist could she said she only wanted me I said it was not possible to have it all done with me and if she didn't want the other therapist to do some of it that's fine but I would still be charging full price for waisting my time. This was said in nicer words.