Expired voucher

[MissLB]

So I gave out some vouchers to a client of mine back in February for a mothers day raffle she was doing I organised a special prize of a mothers day package which included a luxury gelish mani or pedi or a standard polish luxury mani and pedi.

I did put an expiry date of the end of April on it which I told my client who was doing the raffle and its clear to see on the voucher too. The voucher had a treatment limit on it of £25 should the person for some reason not want it that particular treatment.

Not heard anything from one of them up and until yesterday wanting to book her daughter in but for acrylics instead of gelish. And asked if she could pay the difference I said yes. But then looked through my records and noted the expiry date on those particular vouchers. I text the client back and asked her of the voucher was still in date.

She called me today saying no it wasn't in date but normally vouchers have a year on them and didn't look for it even though she should have. She then said my daughter really wants her nails doing can I be cheeky and ask if you would give
me a discount on them? I've said I'll get back to her as I was driving at the time.

I'm interested to know what your thoughts are and what u would do?

 

[izzidoll]

I would honour the voucher as goodwill gesture, I know it is out of date, but it is a new client with the daughter, and if the mother is impressed she could also become a regular client and referr you to her friends.
It sometimes pays to look at the big picture, and play the long game.

 

[ClaireJones]

Or can go other way. Lady found voucher & thought " can get nails done cheaper " you honor it & don't come back , lost out on money. But either way you have to risk it x

 

[Sam81]

I wouldn't honour a voucher that far out of date, a couple of weeks maybe but not over 3 months. I think it's pretty cheeky to ask for a discount too! I would just say I'm sorry but the vouchers had short expiry dates on them as they were prizes rather than paid for gift vouchers. It's not your fault they didn't check the date so why should you end up out of pocket? At most I'd maybe give 10% discount as a goodwill gesture but that's only because I'm soft really

 

[DaisyMayLoves]

I wouldn't do it. If she's asking for further discount on her raffle prize chances are she's not going to give you much business after the nails. We have a time limit on our vouchers but state if someone has a genuine reason they can extend them by 1 month only while still in date. I think this is fair enough.

 

[MissLB]

Well this is it she could see the treatment limit on the voucher as she quoted it, and told me that apparently my client hadn't told her about the limit but on my vouchers they are visible.

She told me her daughter is going to London and is wanting the nails for that as it is a special occasion.

I'm in 2 minds

 

[MissOwen]

Well this is it she could see the treatment limit on the voucher as she quoted it, and told me that apparently my client hadn't told her about the limit but on my vouchers they are visible.

She told me her daughter is going to London and is wanting the nails for that as it is a special occasion.

I'm in 2 minds

Its ultimately your business and your choice. It depends how busy your are and how much you are willing to risk for 2 potential new customers and any referrals that could come through them.

Personally, i agree with Izzi, and would honour the voucher. Play up the fact that as a goodwill gesture, you are willing to do it for her and her daughter on this special occasion.

 

[JuicyLucy]

If I sold the vouchers i.e. I'd taken the money, then I would honour them after the expiry date. However, you gave these away, in this case I would not honour them. I might give them a discount as a goodwill gesture.

 

[bobbyrazz]

I would. Like said before if they like what you do then you have potentially got 2 new clients.

 

[Kellyltaylor88]

I would not honour the whole voucher but i would give discount as others have said they may be potential new clients

 

[thinkpink2008]

So I gave out some vouchers to a client of mine back in February for a mothers day raffle she was doing I organised a special prize of a mothers day package which included a luxury gelish mani or pedi or a standard polish luxury mani and pedi.

I did put an expiry date of the end of April on it which I told my client who was doing the raffle and its clear to see on the voucher too. The voucher had a treatment limit on it of £25 should the person for some reason not want it that particular treatment.

Not heard anything from one of them up and until yesterday wanting to book her daughter in but for acrylics instead of gelish. And asked if she could pay the difference I said yes. But then looked through my records and noted the expiry date on those particular vouchers. I text the client back and asked her of the voucher was still in date.

She called me today saying no it wasn't in date but normally vouchers have a year on them and didn't look for it even though she should have. She then said my daughter really wants her nails doing can I be cheeky and ask if you would give
me a discount on them? I've said I'll get back to her as I was driving at the time.

I'm interested to know what your thoughts are and what u would do?

Does she mean can you give a discount if she cant use the voucher? Maybe say as a goodwill gesture you will honour 50% of voucher value? X

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

 

['chelle]

I would honour the voucher. You were going to provide the treatment for free if the voucher had been used within the date, so it's not any more detrimental to you to honour the voucher now, and you may well have two new clients out of it. Everyone else is right though, if you honour the voucher they might just be after a freeby on this occasion and might never come again, but the operative word there is MIGHT!! If you dont honour the voucher you can guarantee that there's two customers you'll never see again, but honour the voucher and you may well have bagged yourself a couple of regulars. If your appointment book is full with a 3 month waiting list and you can afford to turn away the potential to gain a new client then fair enough if you want to refuse to honour the voucher, but by giving away £25 worth of treatments on one occasion you might have made yourself hundreds in profit by proving to the client that your customer service skills are good if you agree to honour the voucher, and it also gives you the opportunity to show her how good your skills as a tech are.

 

[MsHoneyB]

I wouldn't honour it. Yes you budgeted out the free treatment of £25.00 but the voucher expired you lost nothing & neither have they. The only thing I would say is if you have a vibe that you will get more custom from it then go with your gut. Otherwise at best I would offer them the treatment that they want and as a goodwill gesture take 25% off or maybe a 3rd off but no more. If they are not happy with that then let them go elsewhere & pay full price.
It irritates me that in the beauty industry Jo public think we she knock money off left right & centre - if the voucher was for any other retailer of goods or service and it expired that would be the end of it!

 

[pinkeedee]

I would honour the voucher as goodwill gesture, I know it is out of date, but it is a new client with the daughter, and if the mother is impressed she could also become a regular client and referr you to her friends.
It sometimes pays to look at the big picture, and play the long game.

I agree, i recently donated a £20.00 voucher to a charity and the lady that won it came for her nails doing and gave me a £10.00 tip. She then rebooked and her friend also booked in with me when she saw her nails and now her friends daughter has booked in. So from one little voucher i now have three lovely new clients.
So my advice would be take the voucher and show her how fab you are!!!

 

[frizlinmay]

I had a similar thing yesterday, client rang up to say that her voucher ran out at end of August but that she was going on holiday and could she use it when she got back, I assumed she meant the usual fortnight but thought I would double check....no shes off for 6 months! The cheek of some people is beyond belief, the voucher itself has 6 months on it but I got the usual ' well vouchers normally last a year' story but news flash mine don't! Know full well that if said client walked into M & S and said same she be laughed out of the store, why do people think they can take the wee wee with us just because we are a beauty salon! Phew rant over just wish people had a little more respect!!

 

[mobilemartine]

I had this last year a voucher expired 3 months prior I honoured it and found out she had been given it from the original owner as it had expired she wasn't cheeky enough to use it after being so nice I was a bit put out but thought hey ho might get a regular from it but no never seen them again ;( x

 

[MissLB]

Well I didn't honour the actual voucher. The woman understood the voucher had expired but had asked in this instance if I would be willing to do a discount on the enhancements.

I got in touch with my client who i gave the vouchers to for the mothers day event as she is a regular client, an she informed me that she informed all winners that the vouchers had short expiry dates as they were specifically for mothers day, found out the woman who has recently been in touch about the expired one, is a nurse in the NHS therefore couldnt have the nails anyway.

I am booked up 4 weeks in advance at a time and have been since earlier this year I offered the vouchers as a good will gesture to my regular lady for her regular business. The other woman who won the other voucher got in touch straight away and is now a fairly regular client.

In the end I offered the woman a 20% discount for her daughters acrylics but she declined.

So safe to assume it was a one off appointment.

But hey ho u win some u lose some.

Thanks for ur input appreciate it x