Disgusting client - eek, what would you do?

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flashlash

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Location
hampton, Middlesex
Hello out there!

Last week I had my first real problem with a mobile client and want to prevent it in future. I'm even considering not doing mobile to 'cold' clients unless they have been to me first or have come directly through someone else. I'm a bit confused because quite a lot of my business comes through the internet.

I had a lady ring who sounded a bit loopy but she was very local so I thought why not. She had had a leg operation and had been in hospital for 10 weeks. This did not phase me however as I have done clients with new knees, hips etc and painted in all sorts of funny positions!

I had driven past her house and thought it looked a little run down so I was nervous - mainly about her not paying me for my work. Anyway I went.....

She answered the door. She was probably only 60 but looked 80 which is fine but she was unkempt (not so great). She had no TEETH in and apologised for this. She was on a walking frame and her house was filthy with plates piled high in the kitchen and the sink full of food and plates. Her carpet was covered in hairs and crumbs and goodness only knows what!

Anyway, she wanted a mani and pedi and said a chiropodist had been out to her and charged her £45 for 20 mins and they only cut her toe nails. Poor woman - what a rip off! I felt sorry for her and did say on seeing her revolting feet that she did need a medical pedicure but I would do my best!

Honestly, I started with her BLACK feet and was dry wretching scrubbing the grey thick sludgy skin from her feet which was just falling all over the place. Her nails had been cut and her cuticles weren't too bad but the soles of her feet were so disgusting - I couldn't eat my dinner that night! I then had kneel in all the sludge because she couldn't get in a position which I could paint in otherwise - yuk!!!!!!

Her hands weren't much better....long yellow tallons with thick black goodness knows what underneath them.

She went out before I painted her fingers to go to the loo. I started loading up my car and when I went into the hall there she was sitting on a commode! So you see.....I hope I've painted you quite a vivid picture?!

I did feel sorry for her though, she had no family and was living in squalor due to the fact that she was immobile and didn't have enough help.

Anyway I painted her toes and fingernails a stunning red. She splodged her toes almost immediately by turning her feet over on their sides and insisted on answering her phone half way through fingernail paint job, when she put her hand down, it had hairs and crumbs attached to the paint. I was tearing my hair out. I fixed her toes quickly and her fingers but pretty sure they would have looked awful within minutes.

She also had a weird lodger who lurked about and he kept mentioning sex and things - not in a leery way but did just keep bringing it up which could have been more sinister I suppose.

I felt traumatised.....all that for £40. It really wasn't worth it.

But what do you do? Do you vet your clients for mobile work? If so, how? Do you ever feel unsafe? It's really put me off doing mobile work. The thing I often find is that there is not enough light - I always ask for good light but it's amazing what people think is good light. I do take a light but you need it both sides at times. Once I practically had to do a Minx pedi in the dark - she had just moved in and didn't even have a bulb in the central ceiling light so in the end I was just using my small lamp. Minx by braile!

Just wondering how everyone else does it? I never do lashes mobile because I like more controllable surroundings but I'm beginning to think that way about my other treatments too!

For now, I've put that clients name in my phone and if she calls again it says DANGER!!

From a very traumatised Flashlash!:rolleyes:
 
I did mobile work for about 10 years and had the odd unusual experience but overall they are very rare. Obviously you will not be returning to this client but you also had the choice to say no when you arrived. Just because someone has booked you doesn't mean you have to work in these conditions.

I would mark it down to experience and learn from it. If you arrive anywhere else that is not suitable to work in then just say so and leave. It is not worth the anguish my darling :D
 
Oh dear, poor old soul and not nice for you either hun.
My original plan was to do mobile but by the time I'd finished training I'd changed my mind. I am making a lovely nail room in a downstairs spare room at home. I will do mobile visits is somebody requests but generally I'd rather them come to my salon.
I think you have every right to not go ahead with the treatment if like in your situation you feel uncomfortable :hug:
 
Omg hun. This is awful! You did well not to walk out down to it being unhygenic.

I had a new person ask me for an appointment she was happy to come to me, but she lived nearly half an hour away and would have to pass through 2 towns with numerous good nail salons to get here lol. She hadn't been referred by anyone then bombarded me with emails and facebook messages. I had a horrible gut feeling and cancelled her. Bad I know but i had never felt so scared about a client before so I trusted my instincts.

I think that's key, trust your instincts. I'm not mobile and that's why, I think I'm too scared lol. Hope you don't have to experience anything like that again xx
 
Oh dear, not nice but these things happen sometimes. I had a toothless wonder who didn't apologise but was just pleased that she couldn't bite her nails any longer. Decided to get acrylics on the worst nails, years of biting made them so dificult to work on, the the kids started knocking on the neighbors doors asking for scrap metal to sell for money to buy a Staffie off facebook.

Apparently the previous tech who went there let them down a few times and cancelled their appointments. I wonder why.HA Ha

I wanted to get out of there ASAP, and will never again stick it out. I will do what Shedunlop recommended, refuse and leave. Life is too short to waste on these experiences. We want nice memories not ones that put us off our dinner.

Good luck
 
eeekkk!
I already have a foot phobia, I can’t stand looking at pictures of nice feet’s even hahaha
I’m happy not a mobile tech. that’s not common in my country at all .
I wonder don’t U have any protection at all? Being in a strangers house and all, not even a jar of pepper??

Brave lassies those mobile techs!!
 
You did your good deed for the month there i believe. But, sometimes its just good business to not do business. I think the deal breaker for me would have been the lurker making comments about sex.
If he is her caregiver he's being neglectful at the least. If he's a son, or relative he's being neglectful at the least again.
It was very nice of you to give her the empathy you did but i would advise you not to put yourself in that situation again, the living conditions alone could be harmful let alone the lurker.
Your a very giving person, i hope you build a more upscale clientele as you certainly deserve it!!
 
Oh no what a shame 😝😝. I went mobile briefly. I never experienced anything like that but didn't really like the thought of the unknown going to someone new. For that reason I decided to set up from home. I've also had to learn to be quite strict with people. If for whatever reason I don't feel comfortable with the sound of someone then I just say no sorry I'm too busy.

I hope you don't have to experience that again 😃
 
Hello out there!

Last week I had my first real problem with a mobile client and want to prevent it in future. I'm even considering not doing mobile to 'cold' clients unless they have been to me first or have come directly through someone else. I'm a bit confused because quite a lot of my business comes through the internet.

I had a lady ring who sounded a bit loopy but she was very local so I thought why not. She had had a leg operation and had been in hospital for 10 weeks. This did not phase me however as I have done clients with new knees, hips etc and painted in all sorts of funny positions!

I had driven past her house and thought it looked a little run down so I was nervous - mainly about her not paying me for my work. Anyway I went.....

She answered the door. She was probably only 60 but looked 80 which is fine but she was unkempt (not so great). She had no TEETH in and apologised for this. She was on a walking frame and her house was filthy with plates piled high in the kitchen and the sink full of food and plates. Her carpet was covered in hairs and crumbs and goodness only knows what!

Anyway, she wanted a mani and pedi and said a chiropodist had been out to her and charged her £45 for 20 mins and they only cut her toe nails. Poor woman - what a rip off! I felt sorry for her and did say on seeing her revolting feet that she did need a medical pedicure but I would do my best!

Honestly, I started with her BLACK feet and was dry wretching scrubbing the grey thick sludgy skin from her feet which was just falling all over the place. Her nails had been cut and her cuticles weren't too bad but the soles of her feet were so disgusting - I couldn't eat my dinner that night! I then had kneel in all the sludge because she couldn't get in a position which I could paint in otherwise - yuk!!!!!!

Her hands weren't much better....long yellow tallons with thick black goodness knows what underneath them.

She went out before I painted her fingers to go to the loo. I started loading up my car and when I went into the hall there she was sitting on a commode! So you see.....I hope I've painted you quite a vivid picture?!

I did feel sorry for her though, she had no family and was living in squalor due to the fact that she was immobile and didn't have enough help.

Anyway I painted her toes and fingernails a stunning red. She splodged her toes almost immediately by turning her feet over on their sides and insisted on answering her phone half way through fingernail paint job, when she put her hand down, it had hairs and crumbs attached to the paint. I was tearing my hair out. I fixed her toes quickly and her fingers but pretty sure they would have looked awful within minutes.

She also had a weird lodger who lurked about and he kept mentioning sex and things - not in a leery way but did just keep bringing it up which could have been more sinister I suppose.

I felt traumatised.....all that for £40. It really wasn't worth it.

But what do you do? Do you vet your clients for mobile work? If so, how? Do you ever feel unsafe? It's really put me off doing mobile work. The thing I often find is that there is not enough light - I always ask for good light but it's amazing what people think is good light. I do take a light but you need it both sides at times. Once I practically had to do a Minx pedi in the dark - she had just moved in and didn't even have a bulb in the central ceiling light so in the end I was just using my small lamp. Minx by braile!

Just wondering how everyone else does it? I never do lashes mobile because I like more controllable surroundings but I'm beginning to think that way about my other treatments too!

For now, I've put that clients name in my phone and if she calls again it says DANGER!!

From a very traumatised Flashlash!:rolleyes:

Just a different take on this...if she is recovering from an op, and is older and vulnerable...have you considered calling your local social work department to inform them that you are concerned about a member of the community's welfare?

Not my place I know. But...if I found someone in that state by themselves I'd be concerned about their health and wellbeing and want to speak to someone to alert them taht a vulnerable person might need help. The fact that she apologised to you several times shows that she is embarrassed but clearly isn't able to take care of herself.

Chalk it up to experience and don't go back. But if it were me I would certainly find someone to report it to...but thats just me and I would hate to think of my mother or grandmother being in that state :(
 
If working mobile you really have to follow your instincts.

I've been working mobile for a couple of years now and you do start to pick up on the alarm bells. If you get one ringing, cancel and move on! Its not worth the money to go somewhere that makes you uncomfortable or scared.

The loopy sounding woman would probably have been enough for me to be fully booked :biggrin: but the fact that her house looked run down enough to make you nervous would have sealed it for me. Trust your gut xxxxx
 
I've been mobile for 10 years and have only ever had 2 "experiences".

The first one was a man calling on behalf if his elderly mother. She apparently needed a pedicure. When I showed up a few days later mother answered the door in her slippers. No teeth. Loopy. Must be a common denominator. I filled the foot spa, put it at her feet and took her slippers off. Oh my goodness. Ever seen bear's claws? Well that was it. Curled right over and black. I refused to to treat her. No way were those feet going in my spa.

I left a note for her son explaining that he should seek medical attention for his mother.

The next lovely experience was a house which reeked of urine. It was so bad, I couldn't breathe. I don't know why I did the treatment, but I did. I think I was skint at the time. Her feet weren't too bad at all but she must have had a severe bladder problem.

Serves me right for leaflet dropping! :sad:
 
I have had to stop somebody trying & spark up a fag in one hand whilst I was doing the other hand. I also went to a house once and saw something in my nail tips box, it was a flea. So glad I'm in a salon now. Although the state of feet and toenails doesn't actually get any better! Lol x
 
Just a different take on this...if she is recovering from an op, and is older and vulnerable...have you considered calling your local social work department to inform them that you are concerned about a member of the community's welfare?

Not my place I know. But...if I found someone in that state by themselves I'd be concerned about their health and wellbeing and want to speak to someone to alert them taht a vulnerable person might need help. The fact that she apologised to you several times shows that she is embarrassed but clearly isn't able to take care of herself.

Chalk it up to experience and don't go back. But if it were me I would certainly find someone to report it to...but thats just me and I would hate to think of my mother or grandmother being in that state :(

Couldnt agree more, this is exactly what I was going to say.

With regards to being mobile, I'm salon based now but in my mobile days I have been to two "how clean is your house" candidates, and I'm afraid, like you, I was too polite to refuse to work there. Having said that I've toughened up a bit with regards to dealing with clients these days and I certainly would decline to work under those conditions in the future. Dont be afraid of offending anyone, you can word it delicately, and even if that still offends, its a client you dont want anyway!

Regarding the pedicure, I take my hat off to you!! I would have refused to do it, and told her she needs to see a chiropodist (a proper one this time!!), but thats just me and feet. I've actually stopped offering a "wet" pedi these days because I find most times that people book a pedi when what they want is a chiropodist.

Dont let your experience put you off mobile work, I can honestly say in several years I only had three bad experiences, and had I been a bit tougher I could have avoided working in those circumstances completely. When you arrive at a house, make your assessment, go with your gut feeling, and if you dont feel right being there, politely decline to do the treatment.
 
Just a different take on this...if she is recovering from an op, and is older and vulnerable...have you considered calling your local social work department to inform them that you are concerned about a member of the community's welfare?

Not my place I know. But...if I found someone in that state by themselves I'd be concerned about their health and wellbeing and want to speak to someone to alert them taht a vulnerable person might need help. The fact that she apologised to you several times shows that she is embarrassed but clearly isn't able to take care of herself.

Chalk it up to experience and don't go back. But if it were me I would certainly find someone to report it to...but thats just me and I would hate to think of my mother or grandmother being in that state :(

Yep, poor old woman and now being plastered all over the internet. So sad. :sad:
 
Sorry to hear that. I was mobile for a short time but due to a recent car accident I have decided I want to be based at a salon. When I went to do a couple of spray tan appointments when I first started, the houses were awful. Smoking, pet hair, flies everywhere...yuck. It did put me off for a short while and I wondered what I had got myself into. I just started to think not everyone's house is dirty and messy. Our situations are different but try not let it put you off. Mobile work can be very enjoyable :hug:
 
I think you made a lot of assumptions. Just because her house was run down, it does not mean that she would not pay.
What does it matter if she looks 20 years older than she is and that she had no teeth in??
This lady is obviously in dire need of some help and compassion.
I am absolutely flabbergasted by this post!

 
I feel the same as you Angelina, think it's totally uncalled for. I don't see how you feel you have the right to judge her house etc..she might be unable to keep it clean
 
I have to agree with Angelina. I think a bit more respect wouldn't go a miss.

She probably has the lodger there to help her pay her way.

Maybe she has no family?

I always take a large bath sheet towel in case I have to kneel down. At the end of the day this lady paid for a service and ok she needed it.

You can't assume things. Perhaps here teeth are uncomfortable and sore? Perhaps she has no one to care for her? Perhaps after long in hospital her lodger had made a huge mess and she wasn't physically fit enough to tidy up! maybe after being in hospital, where she may have been bored, felt lonely and isolated she wanted to cheer herself up and feel better?

My grandmother (now dead) was lucky enough that we all helped her but his forbid we weren't there I would hope when she called someone to provide a service they would do just that and suck it up! You don't know the back sorry. And whilst you feel sorry for her I think she wanted a service not pity.
 
I have had to stop somebody trying & spark up a fag in one hand whilst I was doing the other hand. I also went to a house once and saw something in my nail tips box, it was a flea. So glad I'm in a salon now. Although the state of feet and toenails doesn't actually get any better! Lol x

pmsl x
 
You poor thing... And her i guess. The things we do hey xx

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