hellllp! My first complaint!?

[emily22]

Hi, really really need some advice...
Out of all the clients ive done ive now had my first complanit! I did a manicure for a lady this morning, it was paid for by her friend for her birthday. She was really pleased when id finished and even gave me a box of chocs to say thanks! I said there was no need but she insisted and said it was 4 xmas!
Anyway, getting to the point... She has rang me this evening to tell me the polish has all smudged. She wasnt happy and asked me why it had come off, i esxplained that I didnt know why as it has never hapened to me before but it could be that it was knocked or smudged on something.
She said she didnmt do it and it was half an hour after id painted them that it happened - when she went to the toilet. - I remineded her that i told her at the time that the polish needed time to dry solid - it was touch dry but still soft and could be easily dented so to be careful.
BEFORE id left she'd gone into the kitchen and was opening packs of bread in the kitchen with no care to her nails at all!

She was not impressed at all on the phone so i advised her o remove the remaining polish with a non-acteone remover. 'oh and thats it'she said - so i replied with saying 'yes, im very sorry but im not able to come round this evening to look at them so the best she can do is to remove the polish.

Have i done the right thing do you think?
I really cant gop round there now and i get the impression that she will complain no matter what..

This is a woman who had a mancure paid for her at a salon from her firned beofre and compalined it wasnt good enough - she told me all about it when i got there this morning. She also asked me to file the surface of her nail to make it thinnner - i refused and explained why - she does it herslef and has ruined her nail.

 

[bombini]

This has happened to me before and I am still baffled as to how people seriously don't realise polish doesn't dry instantly, surely they must have used polish at some point in their life !

Years ago I had a lady in for a file and polish and less than 5 mins after she'd got back to her room (was in hotel) she called up to say they'd all smudged and couldn't understand why ?! I was livid she claimed I had told her the quick dry drops id applied would set them rock instantly, I refused to do it again so the manager did it instead. That was the first time in my life I had ever met anyone that thought polish dried solid instantly, I still laugh now when I think about her ! lol

 

[geeg]

Does anyone actually take responsibility for their own actions any more??

If she had sat with her hands tied to the table would they have smudged?? Hello? No!

They smudged because she smudged them ... end of! Madre de dios!!

Of course you did the right thing. You can't turn out to go to someones house to repaint their nails when THEY have smudged them!! Her responsibility was to keep them out of harms way for at least an hour after painting.

Do you know ...the mind boggles.

 

[emily22]

awww, thank you! Ive been soooo panicking over this! I know its not my fault but still wasnt sure whether i should have offered to repaint them as a gesture of goodwill - but imo she will do exactly the same again!

 

[geeg]

awww, thank you! Ive been soooo panicking over this! I know its not my fault but still wasnt sure whether i should have offered to repaint them as a gesture of goodwill - but imo she will do exactly the same again!

ç

You start that game, dear, and you will always be doing it.

I don't know why they think they can get away with it ... they think it because we let them. Don't.

NO ... where is her good will? She should have not used her hands for a certain amount of time 8every woman in the world knows this) and she CHOSE to use them. SHE CHOSE TO USE THEM.

 

[nailzandbeauty]

Here here SHE CHOSE TO USE THEM!!!! xx

 

[chantell simone]

the nerve of some people

why must you run to her rescue simply because she couldn't keep still and understand that her nails are not dry properly

emily it was not your fault, some people just don't listen

 

[hippy-chick]

I'm not a nail tech, but I had a pedicure done and took flip flops with me.

On climbing some steps to go for a coffee with my sister, I knocked (I knocked) my toes against the stairs and deeply smudged 2 of the nails.
Now I did the knocking NOT the nail tech, so therefore I took responsibilty for my clumsiness.

Thats why we live in a World where we have to get people to sign disclaimers because clients deny all knowledge of being told anything. Do we now have to get clients to sign a form to say that they understand that their nails are NOT dry but only touch dry before they leave a salon?

 

[stampy]

If the knocking/smudging had occured while I was still in the house, with my equipment out, I think I would have repainted the nails that needed it out of goodwill but once you leave and the client has said they are satisfied, the responsibility lies with them in my opinion! You have handled it well, these things are sent to try us!! x

 

[roLLerGirL]

You would think it would go without saying, it is common sense that you need to be careful after nail polish is applied.... but..... if you use a product they don't know much about & they think it's a miracle dryer, they might think it's ok.

Maybe you should say a little script at the end of your manicures, eg, "I've put quick dry on however this dries the top layer only - please, still be careful not to knock or smudge your nails for at least an hour so all layers can set properly."

This way you are both on the same page & they don't have much room to complain.

 

[Angelgirl_19]

I totallly agree that clients just don't listen to the advice you give them & expect polish to try in seconds with some miracle product i sometimes have clients saying dont you have a spray that dries them instantly & thats when i say your welcome to wait in the reception area but your nails will only be surface dry so best to becareful with them for at least an hour to ensure your free of dents/smudging, that way your're covered and it isnt your fault if a client decides to go home and do housework after you've polished their nails.
Which is what one of my clients did and phoned the next day and my boss said we'll re polish them free of charge for her but that just made me feel bad for something i shuldnt of taken responsibility for. What also annoys me is when you have a manicure straight after @ clients just want to stay sitting at the manicure station like their the only ones that are in your salon wanting to have their nails done.
Its quite tricky though cos if you dont repolish their nails then will you lose their custom forever and one person can do alot of damage the reputation of your salon?