Holiday/Sickness Cover???

[Karen]

Hi All,

Next week I finish my Nail Tech course and at the begining of August after I've completed my Creative Foundation and am using Creative products I plan to go mobile part-time.

The one thing that worries me is holiday's or sickness. I'm not often ill, but you never now when you're going to get hit with flu or something. At the moment I do three friends nails and when I go on holiday I see them all the week before I leave and then as soon as I return. What worries me is when I have more clients it will be impossible for me to see them all the week before I leave. Illness also worries me as I'd hate to cancel someone especailly if it's for a special occassion.

I have couple of friends who are practising nails who live fairly near me who I could call apon, but they won't be using Creative products.

What do other Nail Techs do when they go on holiday???

Kx

 

[Debs]

You will be able to juggle your clients around to fit them all in, after all, you usually have plenty of notice with holiday dates.
As for being off sick, you`ll have your clients telephone numbers, ring them and explain, most people fall poorly occasionally and if you have a good rapport with your clients they will be understanding. I bet they`d do the same if they were poorly.
Most of them will be ok about rescheduling, there will only be one or two that maybe are urgent and then they will have to go elsewhere, but they will return next time because they like the service you provide

 

[Karen]

Thanks Debs,

I guess I'm worry a little too much.

I won't have too many clients anyway as I'll only be doing three evenings a week I'm guessing my book will be full once I have six regular customers!

I think your reply was the one I was expecting!!!

Cheers,

Karen

 

[geeg]

Holidays!!! Time off for sickness??

I never had a holiday for 7 years and never had the time to be sick ... I am serious.

When you enter a service industry ... that is what it is about ... service and our commitment to our clients is vocational in nature. I was there for them if they needed me no matter what time or inconvenience to me and I built my business on those ethics.

I'm not criticizing you, Karen, because your circumstances may be different to my own, but 3 evenings a week is not really offering a service and it won't help you to build your clientele easily because if they need you and you are not there for them other than those 3 days, they will go somewhere else. Part-timers help to fill the chairs in MY salon because we are there all the time. It is something to think about.

I committed myself totally to my salon (s) and we were (still are) phenomenally successful because of it. I have many nail technician friends who waited years to commit themselves and to leave the 'other' job and without exception, they all said they wished they had done it sooner.

My husband stood by me with total support and we took odd days off together or mini weekends occasionally and luckily my 5 children were not babies .... I wish you all the best luck, you know that, but you are entering a business that if successful will take over yours and your family's life ... it will also provide a good lifestyle for you in return.

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

Well Holidays are something I remember fondly lol
My last Holiday was now 3 1/2 years ago..........
We work full time 5 days a week.............
We close for business over the Christmas period...................Because the Tanning shop does, as for being of sick, luckly enough that doesn't happen very often. So thats 14 days a year......................

But we compromise.......................Long weekends and it helps having Faye, bless her, if one is off the other will fill in.................
So there is a lot to be said for a mother & daughter team..............

But I understand your concern, but why worry, wait till it happens............
As you work part-time your hours are shorter, and you have the chance to re schedule probably to one of the days that you usualy have off...
If and when it happens call clients, explain and offer the soonest appointment, thats all you can really do.........
Love Ruth xxx

Yes Gigi , the lifestyle aint bad now is it.............

 

[nailtech]

I have to agree with Geeg & Ruth. I didn't have a holiday the whole time I owned my salon, but I live by the sea & in the Spring & Summer, Sunday & Monday were my holiday LOL!!! But sick, me, never. I'm not someone who gets ill very often but there was this one time...... needless to say I needed something to help me thru the day as I couldn't keep anything down! Luckily that was a Saturday so I had 2 days to recover.

And if you go & work in a salon, forget lunch LOL, I used to eat mine in the car on the way home LOL!

Its like Gigi says, its a service industry.....

Karen (another one)

 

[Karen]

Hello ladies,

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my post. I realise you are all very hard working and are very successful in your businesses. I admire you all.

I have a full time day job that I enjoy and for various reasons cannot give up at the moment.

I took up nails as a challenge and something completely different to my usual day job. This year I've concerntrated on doing the best training I can afford and practising my skills.

As I will only be working part-time (three evenings and a Saturday morning) as a Nail Technician I understand my client list is not going to be very big. But actually, I'll be very pleased to have a small client list who I will be able to give all my attention to.

I'm lucky enough to travel more often than most and it's something I enjoy. If I keep my client list small I hope to be able to work around my travel. It's interesting to hear how other people cope.

I love nails and for the moment am happy for it to be a small part of my life. Who knows perhaps one day that will change. That's what I like about nails - it means something different to each person.

Thank you all for your replies you are what makes this board a great place.

Kx