Home beauty room - what to do when clients arrive early?

[Winnie2013]

Hi geeks, just after a little advice. I very recently set my little room up which is going very well? I have a large client base from my previous employer which I was able to take with me as they stopped offering my specialist area. So I am pretty new to a lot of things regarding working from home.

My biggest worry is what do I do if I am still with a client and I am either running late or my next client arrives early? I have been giving myself a 15 minute buffer between treatments but I've had a few clients late after getting a little lost and then one lady arrived 15 minutes early the other day, and I really don't know what to say or do. I'd invite them to take a seat in the lounge but when my husband is home this makes things difficult/awkward, is it rude to ask people to wait in their car? I mean if I am running late then I will offer up my lounge but if a client is very early it almost irritates me more then a client that is late.

What do/would you do?

 

[virtues2011]

I am the same, but, I leave an hour in between clients to clean up, for extra chats as they always want to ask a question or tell me something, for a cup of tea for me! to sit down etc. I have nowhere for them to go if they arrive early but because of my timings I never have that problem, but then I will never work back to back and not many of my services are under £50

 

[Balance Andover]

Have it in your terms and conditions that people arrive on time (not early and not late).

I've had people knocking on the door at 9.35 am who are my first 10am appointment, they assume they can knock as is your home.

 

[MissLease]

Could you put a chair outside of the door with some magazines and things? I don't know if space will allow for this? If not then just send a polite notice out stating that unfortunately you don't have space to accommodate early arrivers with being a home salon, and would clients kindly mind waiting in the car until their appointment time.

 

[Redduck]

I allow 30 minutes between clients - that allows for them to be a few minutes early or late and to re-book. It gives me plenty of time to set up for the next treatment. When a new client books I explain I have no waiting room so not to be early as I wouldn't want them to get wet / hot / cold waiting outside.

 

[Quiche]

I'm glad you've asked this as I also have this problem.

Last week a client arrived 20 minutes earlier and I was still drying my hair!

I currently leave 30 minutes between clients but am turning away a lot of business so would like to reduce it.

I am thinking about putting a note on my door and inviting them to take a seat in my hall but I'm not sure if I want someone sitting in my house unattended.

I have put a note on my website and I advice clients not to turn up early but this still doesn't stop them!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[J33XSS]

I have a porch so when clients book I tell them to let themselves into the porch (I keep the internal door from the porch to the house locked) and I will be with them as soon as I'm ready. It works well... If you have a porch! x

 

[ADiva1]

Tell them to wait in their car!

Fair enough if they are coming to you for the first time and they arrived early due to not knowing where they are going.

However, I do find it really annoying when client arrive early. Sometimes you are getting a quick bite to eat or in the op's case, drying your hair.

Just tell them when they book, don't arrive too early.

Someone was 40 mins early and I marched her back into her car.:grr:

 

[Josie34]

Hi geeks, just after a little advice. I very recently set my little room up which is going very well? I have a large client base from my previous employer which I was able to take with me as they stopped offering my specialist area. So I am pretty new to a lot of things regarding working from home.

My biggest worry is what do I do if I am still with a client and I am either running late or my next client arrives early? I have been giving myself a 15 minute buffer between treatments but I've had a few clients late after getting a little lost and then one lady arrived 15 minutes early the other day, and I really don't know what to say or do. I'd invite them to take a seat in the lounge but when my husband is home this makes things difficult/awkward, is it rude to ask people to wait in their car? I mean if I am running late then I will offer up my lounge but if a client is very early it almost irritates me more then a client that is late.

What do/would you do?

I leave an hour between clients.

 

[Meira]

I usually try to leave a gap of at least half an hour but have also experienced first client of the day turning up 20 mins early and I was otherwise engaged lol! so actually ignored the first time she rang the bell and when I let her in I asked if she could in future come at her actual appointment time. (She walks to me so no car for her to wait in). Some evenings when I have booked clients back to back I have had to ask them to wait in the car 5 mins as I wouldn't be comfortable letting them sit in the house either.

 

[Winnie2013]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I think I'll pop something in my terms and conditions, I'm going to do a FAQ page to the website as lots people are having trouble finding me (there is a pin pointed map that you can click on for directions on the site though) and are parking in my neighbours drive (despite there being a clear instruction on turning right just before my house to park in a marked bay) so I'll put something there about arriving at the appropriate time. X

 

[perfect10kb]

Ok here is my take .


I too work from home and have done for the past 15+ years so have had my fair share of early / late arrivals .

For those of you that are allowing an hour between clients unless it actually takes you an hour to set up for the next clients then this is costing you money

I would gently point out to people when they book the importance of being on time ( not late or early ) . Explain that as you work alone you may not be able to interrupt the current treatment to answer the door .ect ect And for those that are late explain that you MAY not be able to give them their full treatment as it makes you late for all your other clients for that day .


Why not print up a polite notice to stick on the front door.

Something along the lines of

Dear Client . I am working with a client at the moment and am unable to answer the door . Should you arrive early can I kindly ask that you wait in your car until your appointment time so that I do not have to interrupt the treatment of my present client

Thank you for your understanding

Something along those lines


x

 

[nicole333]

There was another thread about this recently and I think someone made a little plaque with a poem to put next to their front door. It got the message across nicely. It might be worth doing a thread search to see if it comes up, although I find Google to be much better for searching for threads on here.

 

[J33XSS]

I leave an hour between clients.

Wow, an hour is a long time to leave between clients! I'd only be able to get half the clients done that I do in a day if I left an hour between them! x

 

[waxandpolish]

I have a little sign that I hang on front door "Shhhhh .... Treatment in progress. Please take a seat in the hall if you are early. Deliveries - to neighbour." Works fine - I leave a pile of books and magazines for them to read. I have hard floors so would hear if they started wandering around the house.

 

[alpina]

I've recently gone back to working from home after closing my salon and some clients are still in the habit of arriving early. I have a verandah set up with table and chairs, mini fridge and kettle. I have a sign on my door (my room has its own entrance from outside). One side of the sign says "I am currently with another client. If you are waiting for your appointment, please help yourself to the tea, coffee and cold drinks. I will be with you shortly."

I can flip the sign over to the other side which says "Air-conditioning. Please come in."

This works really well, clients know whether to come on in or to wait until they see someone else leaving.

 

[80's Girl]

I've recently gone back to working from home after closing my salon and some clients are still in the habit of arriving early. I have a verandah set up with table and chairs, mini fridge and kettle. I have a sign on my door (my room has its own entrance from outside). One side of the sign says "I am currently with another client. If you are waiting for your appointment, please help yourself to the tea, coffee and cold drinks. I will be with you shortly."

I can flip the sign over to the other side which says "Air-conditioning. Please come in."

This works really well, clients know whether to come on in or to wait until they see someone else leaving.

Your home salon set-up sounds lovely!