Lunarstorm
Well-Known Member
Hi Geeks,
At Christmas, I gave a number of Gift Certificates out to local primary schools for them to give out as raffle prizes. I did this to promote myself and my new business.
Here comes the problem, yesterday, one of the raffle winners contacted me to redeem the Gift Certificate for a Luxary Spa Manicure for her daugther. Upon enquiring about the daugther age and any health issues, I found out that the daugther has cerebral palsy. As I do not know much about this condition, I rang my insurer to see if I could carry out the treatment. I was pretty sure they would say yes, as long as I had a letter from her GP or Hospital consultant. They did confirm what I already thought and informed me that without a GP's/ Consultants letter, I would not be insured to carry out the treatment on the 17 year old daugther. Also although the daugther is 17, I would still need her mother to give me written parental consent.
I rang the mother back and informed her of the information I had been given by my insurer and understandibly she was not very happy about it. I did my best to explain that unless she got a medical consent letter, that I could not proform the treatment, even though I would like to. The mother tried the "but she has had her nails done before and I never had any of this" and " it's always been fine before and this seems very extrem just for nails".
Once again I explained that all nail tachicians SHOULD ask the same questions and that most insurers would require a doctors letter. I stuck to what I know was the right and professional thing to do and refused to treat her daugther without the letters I needed. I also said I would still happily honor the Gift certificate if she wished to use it herself or give it to someone else. I told the lady that for me, this was a bad situation to be in as I had given this Gift Certificate to the school and that I really did not want to have to refuse treatment but as the situation stood, I was left no choice and could not risk proforming the treatment without vaild insurance.
The woman told me she would just go back to the lady she had used before, as she did not have this problem with her.
I know I have done the right thing but by god do I feel bad and I would have loved to have pampered this 17 year old.
I've been trying to think of a way to "make things right" and wondered if it would be a nice goodwill jester to put together a basket or something with nail related products, to the retail value of the Gift Certificate ? or should I just leave it ?
I'm also concerned about the negative impact this situation could have on my reputation. I am only just starting to get my name noticed and if this lady desides to bad mouth me, it really could do some damage.
Any advice on how to, A) honor my comment and B) smooth things over, so there is no bad feelings would be extremly appershated.
Sam xxx
At Christmas, I gave a number of Gift Certificates out to local primary schools for them to give out as raffle prizes. I did this to promote myself and my new business.
Here comes the problem, yesterday, one of the raffle winners contacted me to redeem the Gift Certificate for a Luxary Spa Manicure for her daugther. Upon enquiring about the daugther age and any health issues, I found out that the daugther has cerebral palsy. As I do not know much about this condition, I rang my insurer to see if I could carry out the treatment. I was pretty sure they would say yes, as long as I had a letter from her GP or Hospital consultant. They did confirm what I already thought and informed me that without a GP's/ Consultants letter, I would not be insured to carry out the treatment on the 17 year old daugther. Also although the daugther is 17, I would still need her mother to give me written parental consent.
I rang the mother back and informed her of the information I had been given by my insurer and understandibly she was not very happy about it. I did my best to explain that unless she got a medical consent letter, that I could not proform the treatment, even though I would like to. The mother tried the "but she has had her nails done before and I never had any of this" and " it's always been fine before and this seems very extrem just for nails".
Once again I explained that all nail tachicians SHOULD ask the same questions and that most insurers would require a doctors letter. I stuck to what I know was the right and professional thing to do and refused to treat her daugther without the letters I needed. I also said I would still happily honor the Gift certificate if she wished to use it herself or give it to someone else. I told the lady that for me, this was a bad situation to be in as I had given this Gift Certificate to the school and that I really did not want to have to refuse treatment but as the situation stood, I was left no choice and could not risk proforming the treatment without vaild insurance.
The woman told me she would just go back to the lady she had used before, as she did not have this problem with her.
I know I have done the right thing but by god do I feel bad and I would have loved to have pampered this 17 year old.
I've been trying to think of a way to "make things right" and wondered if it would be a nice goodwill jester to put together a basket or something with nail related products, to the retail value of the Gift Certificate ? or should I just leave it ?
I'm also concerned about the negative impact this situation could have on my reputation. I am only just starting to get my name noticed and if this lady desides to bad mouth me, it really could do some damage.
Any advice on how to, A) honor my comment and B) smooth things over, so there is no bad feelings would be extremly appershated.
Sam xxx