I cannot believe this!

[Mobile Manicure]

I'm sorry but I really think you should have honoured the voucher. Not honouring it will do you more damage. If I was the lady who rang you I would have also been very rude on the phone once you told me you weren't honouring a voucher that was paid for. That money is in your account and you've done nothing for it. Feels a bit like theft to me and I think it's out of order. I wouldn't come up with silly threats about husband coming round but I wouldn't let it lie.

This lady will now not become your client, nor will anyone she knows as she will no doubt tell everyone about her expeience with you. (like I would do).

If you'd have honoured it you would have maybe gained a client and she could have recommended you to her friends.

I don't think she is a p*** taker. I just think she was a little late to use the voucher which had an unrealistic expiry date.

Sorry, but that's my opinion. No offence intended.

 

[Balance Andover]

3 If you honour expired vouchers all the time word will get around that your a push over and people will treat you like this.

On the contrary, I think people will not see you as a pushover, you will be known more for your flexibility towards your customers and your good customer relations.

 

[Mbzh]

I can totally understand your anger however I too would have honored the vouchers. My vouchers are valid for 6 months but to be honest if a client came in with a voucher that has expired even a year later I would still honor it because I took the money so might as well do the service...

 

[rippersroo]

BeautyloungeSW
I agree with you. There a few points here: what's the point of even putting an expiry if you don't stick to it?-though I would agree that there are exceptions!
You might aswell not put one!
The other thing is about top shop/other chain stores I don't think it matters you comparing yourselves to them-what you mean is you're as important and proper business as they are.
Im afraid I can't see it from the clients point of view as I would never dare go in somewhere with an out of date voucher! Rules are rules! The other thing is with clients ringing up wanting you to 'knock a bit off' or bring you're price down cos they think it's too expensive, no one would honor that (as in another post) you don't go in petrol station and say "too expensive can you knock £20 off"
Also if you ring back now and say you'll do it, it will look like her husband threat worked!x

 

[lilyloukatiekoo]

The previous thread which I started was a little different.
The lady in my case had asked for a refund after 12months.
I would have quite happily extended the voucher or let her pass it on to a friend

I called trading standards as I didn't know where I stood regarding giving her a full refund.

As it stands I have tried to call the client on a few occasions and have never had my calls returned.

 

[Littlegems1]

Hi, personally I think 3months is way to short in way of expiry dates, I feel that at least 12 months is fair.
I think that the voucher should be honoured as she has only had it for 6months.
We are a personal business and it's not cold and corporate as larger chains of retail, we get to know our clients instead of just serving them at a till.
I don't think this lady has ment to invoke her husband in a "I'm getting my husband on to you threat". Perhaps it's more from the point that he purchased the voucher and was present when he was/was not told of expiry dates and may just want to discuss further.
Whilst I agree that there is no exception for rudeness we are in the service industry and to a point just need to suck it up.
I've had all sorts of clients, happy, sad, miserable and lonely and you cannot get upset or annoyed when you come across this behaviour.
I think you have lost this client now so perhaps learn from it and move on.

 

[Verve Designs]

The previous thread which I started was a little different.
The lady in my case had asked for a refund after 12months.
I would have quite happily extended the voucher or let her pass it on to a friend

I called trading standards as I didn't know where I stood regarding giving her a full refund.

As it stands I have tried to call the client on a few occasions and have never had my calls returned.

This is what I'm saying about being ultra-strict when people are costing us money- not when they've "pre-paid" for a service where I think we ought to be firm.....but fair. I'm not sure its "self-entitlement", it's more like she thinks she's entitled to a service that someone has paid money for.

That of course, is your prerogative to decide.

To be really blunt, I think a 3 month expiry period is an argument waiting to happen. And it has (and that's just us lot! lol)

p.s Is she getting her husband to call up because he bought the voucher perhaps?

p.p.s As an aside, it's easy to fall into the trap (when we've had a hard day and you've perhaps had two or "interesting" clients), to think of the client relationship as "us against them", I know I feel like that myself sometimes. Even though 99% of my clients are utterly lovely- you do get the occasional one who's out to try your patience.

But then, in moments of clarity, I remind myself that at the end of the day they're paying my mortgage, and to some degree, you've gotta suck it up

 

[Carlalouise]

I have a 6 month expiry date on my vouchers but as of yet never stuck to it. However not all my vouchers are a monitory value, some people want vouchers for a specific treatment, I have had cases where the expiry date has gone by a year or so and this particular treatment is now a different price, I will then say "yes ok I will honor but you will have to pay the difference", they've always been happy that I'm letting them have the treatment and more than happy to pay the extra.

As far as someone phoning or coming into my salon with a gift voucher expired or not expired and asking for the money instead - well that would be a definite NO!!

 

[Mobile Manicure]

As a previous poster stated, its probably hubby who bought his wife the voucher as a gift. Poor hubby, his gift is down the toilet and you're rolling in his dough which you've done nothing for.

When he rings I would try and recover by asking where the voucher came from and then say you misunderstood, you thought it was a voucher which had been a charity donation so no one actually paid for it, but since this voucher was actually paid for and the money is in your account, you will honour it.

 

[Ellebelle]

I'm one if those customers that didn't think about the date of a voucher!
I bought one for hubby - a zombie apocalypse experience day from buy a gift. Com

It was a 10 month voucher and expired October last year. Totally my fault but I emailed them explaining I would be buying another so I can join him on the day and they have honored the voucher giving me another 3 months!!! Go buy a gift! They obviously didn't have to do this but they did and it's made a very happy repeat customer. It's easy to put vouchers aside, life is busy. It's nice when that is appreciated by businesses.

 

[Balance Andover]

BeautyloungeSW
I agree with you. There a few points here: what's the point of even putting an expiry if you don't stick to it?-though I would agree that there are exceptions!
You might aswell not put one!

Putting an expiry date encourages people to use it - which is the whole purpose of the gift in the first place.

 

[Verve Designs]

Putting an expiry date encourages people to use it - which is the whole purpose of the gift in the first place.

Exactly, it's a "sales trick" bluntly. In order to get you into somewhere to spend more money than the voucher was worth!

That's why massive companies sell vouchers, it's an opportunity to "up-sell" to a captive market, and then invite them back next time to spend even more money. They're not that bothered about the original voucher spend.

It's not an arbitrary value to penalise a potential client who hasn't complied with some made-up rules.

 

[dawncbn]

Putting an expiry date encourages people to use it - which is the whole purpose of the gift in the first place.

My gift vouchers are for 3 months. I don't see that's as a problem as is up to the individual salons rules. I make a point of highlighting the voucher is valid for 3 months at the time of purchase. I ask when they would like it to start from, ie hubby comes in on the 2nd, wife's birthday is the 13th, so I start it from then. Most people use within dates. I have honoured afterwards, but I sell the vouchers hoping they will be used within those dates.

Discounted voucher companies, sell with date limits. If people miss out on those and they are not honoured, salon doesn't get the money, voucher people keep the money and refuse to refund the person as out of date then salon looks like the baddie.
I do wonder about regulations with them!

 

[happyfeet]

I can see it from both sides. Whilst you've set out your terms on the certificate and whilst you have every right to enforce them, I also know if this was my business I would, as said previously, honour it. Sometimes we do have to just bend for the sake of our business and ultimately our own sanity lol. I don't believe clients have the final say on our business and I don't think you should be forced in to doing something through fear of someone bad mouthing you, but a gentle reminder that those are your terms, you will honour it on this occasion as a gesture of goodwill may not only solve your clients problem but will leave you feeling a little less frustrated. You've then made your point about your t&cs but you've also kept a client happy and in turn made your business run a little smoother.

Haha I could really argue this all ways round simply by saying that you do this for one you could be forced to do this for others, so I do understand and sympathise with your situation.

I guess with gift certificates from a clients point of view is you've had the money and there's been no treatment- money for nothing so to speak. But try and think of this, for want of a better word, less personally and more business minded. Yes I think I'd want to dig my heels in if a client was rude but perhaps look at the bigger picture lovely. Ultimately its up to you. Xxx

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Mad_4_Massage]

My vouchers have are valid from six months after purchess however we honor them if they are out of date but we tell the clients we are making an exception for them, they love it and come back because in their eyes weve gone the extra bit for them.

But we do also use the vouchers as deposits, eg if they cancel on the day or dont turn up the voucher becomes invalid and we tell all clients who use them that these are the rules.

The only two times weve never honored a vouched was three years after the purchess date and it was on a sunday the voucher was torn, when a voucher is used we tear them in half so any that are torn are invalid. When we checked the voucher book it turns out shed already came in and used the voucher, fished it out of the bin when the girl wasnt looking and tried to reuse it.

And the second time was a man who complained that he didnt want a dark skinned girl (use your imagination to figure out the work he said, amungst other racial slura) doing his treatment as "she might infect him" Voucher was out of date so we told him we would not honor it and he needed to leave or police would be called.

We do use the dates on them to encourage clients to keep booking back in xx

 

[BeautyLoungeSW]

Im quite sad about this post. I simply posted as i needed to get something off my chest to fellow biz owners who feel a little overwhelmed sometimes. Now, i feel like people are judging me for my salons rules and my decisions. I have never and will never be the type of person to take someones money and not perform a treatment unless like this situation the voucher is invalid. I feel like some of the replies and comments ive had on here have seemed to make me look like i am taking and not giving back. My clients are very very important to me and i would never treat them like a cash cow.
Virtues - it has nothing to do with being 'disappointed with you all saying you would honour the vouchers' whatsoever. I did say it was a rant and that's all it was.

 

[lucylocket]

Great thread as i was thiking about offering gift vouchers. I will intro them, but I will not put a date.

I would not want the bad feedback or the bad feeling.

If I were you - when/If the hubby calls you, I would actually ask to discuss this further BUT with the wife and reiterate the salon terms stated on all gift vouchers however as you can see how much the booking meant to her - that as a gesture of goodwill you will accept it. You never know - she may upgrade the value or I would certaily be pushing her to upgrade it to a more expensive treatment. If you retail i would try sell her a recommended aftercare product. She may even appreciate your New Year kindness and become a new long term customer!

Happy Days

 

[happyfeet]

Im quite sad about this post. I simply posted as i needed to get something off my chest to fellow biz owners who feel a little overwhelmed sometimes. Now, i feel like people are judging me for my salons rules and my decisions. I have never and will never be the type of person to take someones money and not perform a treatment unless like this situation the voucher is invalid. I feel like some of the replies and comments ive had on here have seemed to make me look like i am taking and not giving back. My clients are very very important to me and i would never treat them like a cash cow.
Virtues - it has nothing to do with being 'disappointed with you all saying you would honour the vouchers' whatsoever. I did say it was a rant and that's all it was.

Aw please don't feel like that lovey. I don't think for one minute that anyone was judging you or that they think you treat your clients as cash cows. Just saying it from their point of view what they would do and to offer their advice. My comment and how I understood everyone else's comments about money for nothing was just saying that perhaps that's how a client sees it. I'm sorry if you took my comments like that, really not my intention at all.

As I said your business, your rules ultimately. No doubt you're feeling rubbish that the client was rude to you when all you're doing is following your t&cs. Chin up missus. Have a nice evening. Xxxx

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[BeautyLoungeSW]

Thanks happy feet. I know it wasnt a personal thing at all its just that it is such a fine line between these things sometimes. Thanks for your reply hope u have a nice night too xx

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[squidgernetball]

Im quite sad about this post. I simply posted as i needed to get something off my chest to fellow biz owners who feel a little overwhelmed sometimes. Now, i feel like people are judging me for my salons rules and my decisions. I have never and will never be the type of person to take someones money and not perform a treatment unless like this situation the voucher is invalid. I feel like some of the replies and comments ive had on here have seemed to make me look like i am taking and not giving back. My clients are very very important to me and i would never treat them like a cash cow.
Virtues - it has nothing to do with being 'disappointed with you all saying you would honour the vouchers' whatsoever. I did say it was a rant and that's all it was.

Hi hon
I know it was a rant BUT your last line did say "do you think I dealt with it correctly?" so you are asking for responses. I totally believe that you should run your business as you want to, and it sounds like business is good, so you're definitely doing something right! The problem in this industry is that so often we work alone, or are managing somewhere on our own, so things seem very personal when people criticise our decisions - I had to lie down for a week when a client complained that I was putting my prices up!!!!!

Call her all the names under the sun, and have a good evening x