How to refuse a client politely?

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meme

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Mar 19, 2008
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Hi! all.

I really want to refuse giving a treatment to one of my regular clients.
She works at an opposite unit of our salon.
I want to make sure I won't get on her nerve as she's our neighbor and also she's got a hot temper.

She's one of those typical clients who don't listen to you.

I fed up fighting with her nails and her behaviour.
I had enough.
I regret I've been too soft to her and giving her what she wanted.

However, I still want to leave her one last option "next time IF she comes, soak her unrealistically lo-----ng nails off, give her good manicure and do NNO".

My question is, when you refused to give your difficult clients treatments what they want, what was thier reaction like? and how did you deal with them? Have you succeeded to convince them?

I know I have to face to her professionaly and explain to her all once again.
But I know she won't listen to me.
At the same time, I want to see her having healthy nails back!!!
Dilemma!!

Should I just send her back to a local NSS?:lol::lol::lol:
She still owes me some money, though.

Meg
 
Treat her the way you would want someone to treat you in the same position, for instance, if your hair was massively damaged from over-perming and colouring, you would want your hairdresser to tell you the truth, offer you suggestions and stick to her guns knowing what is professionally right for you and her as a professional hairdresser.

I've had to refuse clients enhancements, they haven't liked it, but I tell them the truth and that is 'in my professional opinion and based on my training and knowledge this is not right for you - these are your options but if you want to go ahead with something I don't recommend then I'm sorry I can't do it for you in good conscience'. I've been lucky in that they have appreciated my honestly and understood what I'm telling them is in their best interest not necessarily mine as actually I''m losing money, but I'm keeping my integrity which is worth more.

Remember, you are the professional, you are trained and skilled, believe in yourself and your opinions, and stick to them :hug:
 
Hi! all.

I really want to refuse giving a treatment to one of my regular clients.
She works at an opposite unit of our salon.
I want to make sure I won't get on her nerve as she's our neighbor and also she's got a hot temper.

She's one of those typical clients who don't listen to you.

I fed up fighting with her nails and her behaviour.
I had enough.
I regret I've been too soft to her and giving her what she wanted.

However, I still want to leave her one last option "next time IF she comes, soak her unrealistically lo-----ng nails off, give her good manicure and do NNO".

My question is, when you refused to give your difficult clients treatments what they want, what was thier reaction like? and how did you deal with them? Have you succeeded to convince them?

I know I have to face to her professionaly and explain to her all once again.
But I know she won't listen to me.
At the same time, I want to see her having healthy nails back!!!
Dilemma!!

Should I just send her back to a local NSS?:lol::lol::lol:
She still owes me some money, though.

Meg


Hi Meg, not an easy one really, as she is also a neighbor. First of all stop being soft:) off course we have to do as our clients ask however we can tackfully say "in my professional opinion I would recommend xxxx and my reason being xxxxx."
Why not suggest in your professional opinion shortening the length of her nails just a little and work with her - make it your game plan to win her over, while still working within your boundries and not take it personally.
If you are having to do extra work on her enhancements over and above what you would normally do then explain this to your client and charge accordingly.
I personally would not send her to an NSS or any other client. A client is a client and money in the bag, plus she is regular. If you price accordingly to the work you have to do and remain professional, most of the time the client will choose between 2 options (a) see it your way and continue with your services (b) find another tech that will met her requirements.
Often I have found the "hard" clients become the most loyal, it all comes down to understanding.
:hug:
 
Ha, Trinity you bet me to it, I was in the reply to thread and the phone rang.
good advice:)
 
"in my professional opinion I would recommend xxxx and my reason being xxxxx."
Why not suggest in your professional opinion shortening the length of her nails just a little and work with her - make it your game plan to win her over, while still working within your boundries and not take it personally.
If you are having to do extra work on her enhancements over and above what you would normally do then explain this to your client and charge accordingly.
:hug:

Thank you.
That's exactry what I've been doing to her.
She screams when I try to file down her nails short.

Now she peels off her enhancement before her appointment to save her time and money for soaking off or buffing off the lifting parts.

I managed to grow half the length of her nail back healthily but she screwed it up.

One of her worst behavior is she disappears to her unit to do her work in the middle of the treatment.
Of course I had a word with her so many times.
I even put a walk in client when she does that and made her wait.
.....then, she comes back the next day for the rest.

She comes to me because she likes my nail art, she said she can't find any salons who does those.
And of course it's convenient for her location wise.

Tbh, I don't want her.
I'm not happy with my work at all.
 
To be honest, I would bite my lip and think of the money.
You are running a business, and she is a paying client. although if she owes you money then you need to sort that out quicksmart.

You will always get clients who want there nails longer than you advise. So they wear them too long and break one, you warned them, just make sure you charge them for the repair. It is a all business at the end of the day.

I had a client who insisted she wanted a soak off and new set every 6 weeks. she got a new set 1 3 week reblalnce and then a soak off and new set. I told her this was not good for her nails, she told me it was what she wanted and it was her money !
She was a very strong minded and pernickity client, but she recommended me to loads of her work colleaugues and friends, and followed all my other advice to use cuticle oil etc to the letter.
So I just sucked it up and got on with it.

Sometimes you just have to!
 

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