Do you offer clients refreshments?

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Oct 1, 2019
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Tamworth
Opening my little studio tomorrow I have two clients. My prices are low at the moment and I feel bad even charging my clients £15 because my work isn’t perfect. Now I’m not sure whether to offer refreshments or not as I know it’s another cost a long side my rent.

Thanks
 
Opening my little studio tomorrow I have two clients. My prices are low at the moment and I feel bad even charging my clients £15 because my work isn’t perfect. Now I’m not sure whether to offer refreshments or not as I know it’s another cost a long side my rent.

Thanks

Well I base the offer of a drink on a few factors (I’m mobile and work from home sometimes )
How booked and busy I am & what treatment they have booked in for, if for example it’s a quick eyebrow wax then I wouldn’t offer one. I wouldn’t over think it or make it a “thing” as some regulars will turn up expecting a drink every time!
 
Sometimes the length of the treatment if more than say over 1 hour , you could offer a drink. My clients are pretty much expecting a drink if I am honest, especially rushing straight from work say after school and they haven't had a drink since lunchtime.

The quick appointments are just over in a jiffy so there is no time for one anyway.

I offer mostly, because I work back to back and I need one myself. It can make a good ice breaker if the client is having a drink whilst filling in the initial consultation card.
If you can factor into your prices these little add ons. They do cost money and maybe you need to realise that your work and training should not be cheap. If your work was not all that good let's face it you would have no clients.
You say your work is not perfect...well perhaps it's not as bad as you imagine otherwise your diary would be empty.

Have a lovely start today with your new venture...and I hope your business goes well so good luck!
 
I always offer tea or coffee
 
As RosieR says, long appointments need to be offered a drink.
I offer for:
  • manicures
  • pedicures
  • facials
  • massages
  • packages over 90 mins

I have a tassimo machine which makes it really easy to offer a wide range of teas, coffee & hot chocolate. No more than 50 p a cup I think. Cost it in to your service. Lots of clients just want water.
In the hot weather I have a tray of iced water with lemon slices & glasses to serve to all if desired. They definitely appreciate this (and saves me making a hot drink!).

Edit:
I don't do hard gel or acrylic nails so no dust from the removal of these. Only dust from filing natural nails with their hand over disposable paper.
For clients having a shellac soak off, I use ProTip clips which allows them to hold a mug while soaking. Their drink is finished before I start removing the old gel and start prep.
 
Last edited:
Good question and over the years (16) I’ve pondered this

But I think the more comfortable you make people, and the better their overall experience, the more likely they are to return/recommend

Anything lying on the couch I don’t offer obv lol
 
I know it sounds petty of me but I’ve got some clients whose houses I have been going to for years and I HAVE NEVER EVER BEEN OFFERED A DRINK EVER!!! (Not even water and sometimes I’ve been there for hours!) so on the odd occasion they have come to me for their treatment I make sure I never offer them a drink!!
 
Ill be honest im terrible at remembering to offer drinks, but somehow always remember to offer my colour clients probably because they're here longer periods of time
 
No, nothing offered. I was taught the 3 ways to over-exposure are inhalation, ingestion and absorbtion. Dust and debris floating around will settle on the drinks/cups/etc and be ingested by the client.

There was a thread on it on here years and years ago, Doug Schoon was around on the site then and he advises against it for those exact reasons. In fact, hot drinks attract the particles more than cold.

Added to that I don't want clients moving their hands around when I'm doing their nails. They can't put them in the lamp without getting the polish all over the place, add in a mug/cup/etc. and it's got disaster written all over it.
 
Oh dear i just realised this was in the nail section [emoji23] sorry guys serious baby brain atm.
No i tend not to offer nail clients drinks as stated above id prefer they wernt moving about
 
I did initially but haven’t for some time.

I want both their hands on the table and don’t have breaks between appointments so I don’t have time to be making tea/coffee.

I do have a water dispenser but clients rarely ever use it but I drink 3L per day!
 
I do offer tea or coffee, but I serve it in those disposable coffee cups with lids, I buy everything in large quantities and of course write it off on taxes so it's not very expensive per client. I prefer the coffee cups with a lid because there can be some dust flying around. Not a lot since I invested in a rather expensive built in dust extractor, but still a little bit. It's not a huge cost (works out at around £0.10 per client perhaps) and they often say they appreciate it.
 
Christ on a bike!! 3 litres s day....I'd have to get a commode or move my desk to the loo :p ;):cool:

[emoji23][emoji23] you get used it and don’t go as often lol
 
When I first opened I offered drinks and had a little tea / coffee station. But the busier I got, the more I found it just added to the very little time that I had. And then those clients expected a drink every time.
So I slowly phased it out. I don't offer anything now (apart from water after long massages which I get whilst they're getting dressed), and I don't think its made any difference, I'm still busy.
 

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