Do you respond to clients on your day off?

[Mooey]

Do you respond to your clients on your day off? I have been for years and it's recently occurred to me... Does anyone else actually do this!? :lol: I always took the view that any business was good business so I responded to calls & texts on my days off or even holidays. Then I found myself getting annoyed that my days off were being interrupted and didn't really seem like days off in the end as I was spending so much time in front of my appointment book. So I tried to implement a new rule for myself, that was to leave all phone calls and texts on my days off and return them when I'm back at work but this never actually took off as I'd always find myself replying right away!

What do you do?

Curiosity killed the cat! :green:

 

[lozenja]

Sometimes if you dont reply straight away you might miss the business. So i guess it depends how busy you are. We all have days where we are at a wedding or somewhere that it would be rude to check our phone and normally all is good. You just have to be happy with the decision you make!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

 

[Gel lover]

I don't think a client could get annoyed if you didn't respond though!I wouldn't if I was a client

 

[pinkeedee]

I always respond if i can. I had a call this morning asking if i was open (sunday) i still answered even though its my day off.

 

[Rinn]

I get a lot of texts and FB messages and if they are on my day off or in the evening I say that I'll message/text them the next day when I'm in the salon with the book in front of me.

That works fine for me , I really don't mind , sure isn't it better that they are texting me and not the lady up the road....I get clients stopping me in the local shops etc too saying the like of 'o will you book me in for saturday for my nails, after lunch will do' and I'll be like 'ok ,I'll text you with a time later on'...
ofcourse it depends on where you live/work.....

 

[ChelseaNails]

I always respond on my day off, It takes about 2 minutes to make a booking! Lol x

 

[Mooey]

Thank you ladies I feel a bit better now! I was beginning to wonder if I was a mad workaholic recluse! :lol:

I always respond on my day off, It takes about 2 minutes to make a booking! Lol x

Lucky you, I've been doing bookings all morning! :lol:

 

[nailzoo]

I have a standard text message that I respond with, stating that salon hours are xxx-xxx, please contact during those hours, I'm also quite verbal complaining about clients (not them of course) not respecting my private time ..... they soon get the idea, ........ the busier you are, the more brazen you can be

 

[Victoriabar]

I was having my hair done at the salon I'm working in when a previous client of mine strolls in, pushes past the hairdresser (salon owner) and shoves her hands in my face...
Now the client can clearly see I'm having my hair done as I'm all coloured up and in a cape.

She says look at these, they've lasted a week (pushing them closer to my eyes)
After I took her hands in mine, apologised to the hairdresser for my rude client I then explained that clearly I'm not working right now BUT how could I help..
She'd had gel nails done a week previous (nsi balance and blended natural tips) and showed me 3 nails that were ripped at the side of the tips along the free edge, about 2-3mm, now I am a horrific picker and recognised these as the same damage I give myself or if I have been moving things around, heavy boxes/equipt at work etc and asked her what had happened to them..
She replied she had done nothing at all they just happened to be like that.. They were also coated in a lumpy clear and fat glitter varnish.. She told me she had to base coat them to keep the nail intact (??? Really) and then glitter polish to disguise the broken nails, I advised the breaks looked like self damage rather than service break down due to where they are and the size and also that the other 7 were fine... She then went in about how they were lifting at cuticle edge and she had to put base coat on to resell them.. After explaining what base coat is for and what it wouldn't do I offered to do a refill (could still see my edges intact in her nail but there was 2mm of growth) and buff off/remove breakages and repair those all for the cost of an infill.. She went ballistic saying they needed soaking off not buffing (love how clients know everything) and she was disappointed and refused to pay.. I explained that I too was disappointed as I'd never had nails break on their own before and that my offer for free removal of breakages and redo if she wanted to book in for an infill at same time or else her nails would look uneven.. She went off saying she was going back to work after a week off and wanted her nails sorted so maybe at the weekend...
This lady had told me in consultation that she couldn't keep acrylics on so was trying gel out - in the salon she was trying to say she'd had gels many times...

So on my day off I was still consulting, appeasing and trying to remain calm.. She is my first complaint BUT in the salon they knew she was a likely comeback due to other conversations about other places she'd been to.

I wasn't sure if what I said was right but the main thing was I kept my cool and dealt with her then and there, even looking like a caped up coloured haired loon

 

[nicole333]

Wow Victoria, some people are hard work!

I'm still building my business up, so accept that at the moment I am allowing it to take up much of my 'spare' time. I always answer if it is between the hours of 10.00 and 19.00 as those are my opening hours. I am flexible with my working days, so don't have a set day off and can't afford to do that right now anyway.
My other job is three days a week and can be over any days during the week, including weekends, as these are not set either. I try not to work when my husband is off as he is a shift worker too. It sounds like a juggling act, but it is working well right now.

 

[nailzoo]

I have a salon, not mobile, my diary is at work, so I can't possibly help clients on my days off, besides, my time is my time ....
All my clients know I accept cancellations, but not appointments via text, cancellations don't require a response.

I can save 5 text messages by one simple call during business hours with my diary in front of me ...

 

[Mooey]

I was having my hair done at the salon I'm working in when a previous client of mine strolls in, pushes past the hairdresser (salon owner) and shoves her hands in my face...
Now the client can clearly see I'm having my hair done as I'm all coloured up and in a cape.

She says look at these, they've lasted a week (pushing them closer to my eyes)
After I took her hands in mine, apologised to the hairdresser for my rude client I then explained that clearly I'm not working right now BUT how could I help..
She'd had gel nails done a week previous (nsi balance and blended natural tips) and showed me 3 nails that were ripped at the side of the tips along the free edge, about 2-3mm, now I am a horrific picker and recognised these as the same damage I give myself or if I have been moving things around, heavy boxes/equipt at work etc and asked her what had happened to them..
She replied she had done nothing at all they just happened to be like that.. They were also coated in a lumpy clear and fat glitter varnish.. She told me she had to base coat them to keep the nail intact (??? Really) and then glitter polish to disguise the broken nails, I advised the breaks looked like self damage rather than service break down due to where they are and the size and also that the other 7 were fine... She then went in about how they were lifting at cuticle edge and she had to put base coat on to resell them.. After explaining what base coat is for and what it wouldn't do I offered to do a refill (could still see my edges intact in her nail but there was 2mm of growth) and buff off/remove breakages and repair those all for the cost of an infill.. She went ballistic saying they needed soaking off not buffing (love how clients know everything) and she was disappointed and refused to pay.. I explained that I too was disappointed as I'd never had nails break on their own before and that my offer for free removal of breakages and redo if she wanted to book in for an infill at same time or else her nails would look uneven.. She went off saying she was going back to work after a week off and wanted her nails sorted so maybe at the weekend...
This lady had told me in consultation that she couldn't keep acrylics on so was trying gel out - in the salon she was trying to say she'd had gels many times...

So on my day off I was still consulting, appeasing and trying to remain calm.. She is my first complaint BUT in the salon they knew she was a likely comeback due to other conversations about other places she'd been to.

I wasn't sure if what I said was right but the main thing was I kept my cool and dealt with her then and there, even looking like a caped up coloured haired loon

What a nightmare! You poor thing. I really sympathise having had quite a similar situation myself, only with a Shellac chip and a client who wouldn't accept responsibility OR any compensation, she was adamant that a refund was the only solution (to which I did not agree) so she came in time & again causing a scene in the salon, shouting at me whilst I was with another client - it was an absolute nightmare honestly. I had offered to fix the chip, soak them off, redo the set, even another service but nothing was good enough for her. So glad that's passed now, this was about a year and a half ago now I thought it would never end! But I feel great that I stuck to my guns & didn't give in to refunding her, how demoralising!

But on another note, I too get clients approach me when I'm having my hair done in the salon wanting to book in for treatments! But that one doesn't bother me too much

 

[Lynne Baker]

Yes, we respond to every call and email, just as soon as we are able. This afternoon we've had a lady email with trade enquiries and we've phoned and emailed her back.
We're still trying to rebuild faith and confidence in the brand so we do go out of our way to offer the very best service possible.

 

[IndieGlow]

Hey, I always respond, sometimes even upto 11pm on facebook, I try to get people booked in if I can but have been thinking the same thing! Constantly working as its not just bookings its questions and "what's the best extensions to get" and "what is a weave/bonds/ rings" which means a huge explanation lol x

 

[Chiflada]

Sometimes if you dont reply straight away you might miss the business. So i guess it depends how busy you are. We all have days where we are at a wedding or somewhere that it would be rude to check our phone and normally all is good. You just have to be happy with the decision you make!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

I’ve been doing hair for over 25yrs.. my only day off is Sunday.. I will NEVER respond to a text on a Sunday; we are human, not robots…
if a client cannot respect my only day off to be with my family, they do not deserve my services.
No further explanation needed.

 

[Tracey xox]

I’m a mobile hairdresser for over 20 years,
If it’s a regular client I can very often be found texting them back at 9/10pm or Sundays, but if a new client texts out of my hours I very often wait until it’s a working day, but I do have an automatic respond on Fb/insta that says I may be with a client or day off and I will respond at earliest convenience,
I do worry that sometimes I’ll forget to respond so guess sometimes depends on how busy I am that day, plus I have 3 noisy kids so don’t want to be making calls to clients while they’re around lol
I would suggest if you feel pressure just wait until you’re working or save a little message you can reply with saying when it’s your day off?
I’m amazed at the amount of people who think I work on Sundays? Maybe that’s the new norm but certainly not for me!

 

[Alpenrose]

I don't mind - the amount of times I gained a loyal client by just replying quickly! I used to stick with just working hours to reply to messages but ofter, they end up telling me that they booked elsewhere because they didn't hear from me.

 

[RosieR]

I do respond as soon as I can, but obviously it is sometimes inconvenient if say I am not near to my diary. However, just bear in mind that if someone cancels your first appointment after your day off you don't have enough opportunity to fill the space. The appointment could have been offered to another client and would be annoying if they cancel first thing. ( I don't take deposits, never have so aren't starting now , btw)
I cannot be choosy as my business is so bad these days, I certainly aren't happy to lose out to another salon if they want to book elsewhere.
Occasionally there may be a cheeky request to do unsociable hours as they know I am desperate, but loyal clients are worth the odd inconvenience from time to time. Each to their own really.

 

[moonails]

I try to start responding at 9am and stop responding after about 6pm (depending on the urgency of course). The only day I don't respond at all is Sunday (again unless it's urgent).
If I'm on holiday like out of the country for example, I respond when I feel like it. If it's a new client, probably asap but if it's a regular, they already know I'm on holiday so I might take a few days.
Regardless, I will always read the messages when I see them, as like you said, curiousity and anxiety lol, but I may not respond straight away. x