"Guaranteeing" Gel (soak off) Manicures

[LadyGray]

Hi all,

I have a quick query you might be able to help me with.

I recently started a large thread asking loads of questions about starting up as mobile and I want to thank everyone for the advice given as I've booked my first two clients and am just starting out.

My question is that I think most Gel Polish (soak off) polishes last about the same amount of time right? Approximately 2-3 weeks. I'm using Gelez and so far it seems great but I've only used on myself. What I'm wondering is this, what do you do if a client comes back to you before the two weeks are up with chipping?

I'm assuming if it's in the first day or two you would remove and redo? But what if it was 8 days old? Do you see what I mean? Where do you draw the line and how do you cover this in your consultation (if you do?).

I hope that makes some sense and all being well no one will have any chipping and if they do they will confess to grouting with their nails or some such horror, but if they claim they've looked after them properly and they've still chipped, at what point do you say, well it's quite old, chipping is a possiblity I'm afraid...and how does that tally with you selling a manicure that lasts two weeks?

Thanks in advance,

Charlie

 

[geeg]

You are selling a manicure that lasts longer than polish! You are not selling a fixed time frame.

You can't guarantee something if you don't know what the client is going to do with it.

On my Shellac aftercare sheet I explain that any damage repairs will be paid for. I don't damage their polish they do.

Normal wear and tear and your gel should last at least 2 weeks if you have applied correctly. I know I apply correctly so damage is down to the client.

 

[LadyGray]

Thanks Geeg, I realised that wasn't quite the right term but didn't know how else to explain.

I suppose I'm just worrying that as I'm so new to this that if it did start chipping, there might be a chance it was my fault (although to date no probs, but not done anyone else yet!) so am probably just overly concerned about covering myself and all eventualities. I'm not as sure of myself as you are because I'm just not as experienced. I am sure I am applying correctly though so I will take your advice and charge for all repairs. Thanks.

 

[geeg]

Thanks Geej, I realised that wasn't quite the right term but didn't know how else to explain.

I suppose I'm just worrying that as I'm so new to this that if it did start chipping, there might be a chance it was my fault (although to date no probs, but not done anyone else yet!) so am probably just overly concerned about covering myself and all eventualities. I'm not as sure of myself as you are because I'm just not as experienced. I am sure I am applying correctly though so I will take your advice and charge for all repairs. Thanks.

I know you are not sure yet and I understand that. One of the reasons that having clear aftercare advise sheets is that they leave nothing unsaid and they sometimes say things in writing that you would find hard to say in person. Once clients have read the sheet, there is no argument.

For example .. If you do an ordinary manicure and polish, 9 times out of ten clients will mark or dent at least one or 2 of the nails you did perfectly, within the first hour!! Do they whinge and moan at YOU for this? No. And why? Because somewhere in the recesses of their minds, they take responsibility for the damage .. They know they did it.

Well it is the same for a gel polish. For sure the gel is dry when they leave, but a client can still mar the gel if they don't take some care of them at home. If they do mar the gel, they have to be told that they must take responsibility for that damage. You did not do the damage and no nail coating is indestructible as we all know, including the clients. They just hope for a free re-do if they complain but if you give in and do it for them they will never take the blame on themselves and you will have a giant mill stone around your neck.
Hth

 

[LadyGray]

Thank you, that all makes perfect sense and it does really help!

 

[JERSEY JOCK]

I never guarantee a length of time they will last, I always say UP TO therefore no client complaints, as time goes on the clients get more chuffed with themselves when they get longer.............:Love:

 

[LadyGray]

Thank you! All advice taken on board and ready to be added to websites and aftercare leaflets etc.

 

[Bella mia]

You are selling a manicure that lasts longer than polish! You are not selling a fixed time frame.

You can't guarantee something if you don't know what the client is going to do with it.

On my Shellac aftercare sheet I explain that any damage repairs will be paid for. I don't damage their polish they do.

Normal wear and tear and your gel should last at least 2 weeks if you have applied correctly. I know I apply correctly so damage is down to the client.

well said geeg!!:Love:

 

[WaxGirl]

good advice Geeg - so basically I think some of us may need to have more confidence in our work

I've only had one client come back with a problem - and I was really surprised as normally at the end of 3 weeks she comes back and everything is near perfect

so as I was working on the 2 damaged nails, after asking questions and being reassured by her that she had been extremely careful, I noticed her other nails look very sharp at the edges.... I asked her why & it turns out she had filed them down (I talk clients carefully through aftercare) & this was the reason why her 2 nails that I was fixing were damaged!

so my next thing to work on is developing an aftercare sheet!! defo!