im so annoyed!!

[pinkshell_nails]

Hi guys,

Well today i had the misfortune of experiencing something i hoped i never would! Last week i applyed a set of nails to a nail biter who's nails were very short to say the least. I went through the whole procedure with her that she couldnt have them too long as she would be prone to losing one or more, and that because she bites her nails they will grow faster, therefore possibly her needing her infill/maintenece a little sooner than normal. Well she pinged off one nails, so i replaced it free of charge, and today she booked in as she had lost another. Well i asked her to take a seat and she said "actually i wanted to talk to you". So she then proceded to tell me that she wasnt happy with her nails, and she didnt want the one that had pinged off replaced, she wanted a refund! Shock horror!. Now i had a good look at her nails, and i have to say apart from slight lifting on one nail, i was really, really happy with them. They were natural tips with ezflow blue glitter on the tip, and they looked a squillion times better than when she first came in. I was really put on the spot, in the middle of a hectic day and i didnt know what to do? I went through the whole thing of, well they may lift a little due to her job, and also that i thougt they were too long for her, and that matter of fact i was really pleased with them and thought they were fine, but she wasnt having any of it and wanted a refund, so i begrudgingly gave her almost all of her money back. Now after thinking about it, i realise that this lady is now happily walking round with my nail enhancements on and my £25 in her pocket, and needless to say i am peeved off in a major way, what would you have done in my situation, i feel really naive and stupid, but mainly bloody annoyed with myself!

Michelle x

 

[The Beauty Zoo]

Poor you Michelle. :sad:

Try to take the positive out of this, learn by the mistake. It is so hard when you are faced with a situation like that and the client almost bullies you into giving her the money. It was not your fault that the nail came off and as you said there was only a small amount of lifting on one finger - YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME.

 

[mgloverfam]

I have had an experience like this too (and some other techs I know). Don't get taken advantage of! If a client tells you they are not happy, and want a refund....politely tell them that you will need to soak the nails off to give them a refund. Never let anyone walk around with your nails on and a full refund. And explain that to them...that it is not fair for them to want a full rerund, and still walk around with the nails on. No refund unless the nails are soaked of first! This is a more direct approach, but if you are non-confrontational, then let them have the refund and go on their merry way. It's like someone getting their nails done, and not paying for them. Ludicrous!

 

[Deb379]

I would have definitely said that they will have to be soaked off first if she kept on insisting they come off, afterall if you take an item of clothing back to the shop for a refund you don't keep the clothes!


Deb379

 

[TracyUK]

I have a nail tech friend who was in exactly the same position and did exactly the same as you so dont be so hard on yourself....and she was so mad with herself for ages afterwards for giving the refund! I told her to just learn from the experience and she has so it can't have been all bad eh! I would have asked her v politely to come back at a suitable time when you could give her your full attention, then offered a free removal and mini manicure...no refund at all! People find it very hard to argue with a friendly tech with a smile so keep calm no matter what you may feel inside.......then when she has gone lock your shop, pull down the shutters and scream and run up the walls lol only kidding :lol:

 

[Cameo Val]

So sorry to hear you have been the victim of a 'verbal mugging' cos thats what it is. When I was new to the business I had a similar situation. I was mobile at the time although very busy and I had gone out to this lady who lived quite a distance from my usual routes (and she knew this). I put her a full set on and took £25 in return. She was very happy with the nails when I left as she was a really bad nail biter and had admitted that she could not keep her nails out of her mouth. Anyway 2 days later she rang me to say 7 had come off and she was very dissapointed in my standard of work. Well this was the first complaint I had ever had and it really threw me. She was wanting me to come all the way out there and put another set on for free. Because of the distance I was reluctant to do this so said that seeing as I had not banked her cheque I would tear it up and leave it at that. I did not go back. Thinking about it later on though I was a bit miffed cos I think she totally screwed me over. None of my other customers had complained of nails coming off, it was obvious to me that she had bitten them off then wanted me to put them right without any further charge. I ended up loosing the£25 but I suppose it could have been worse, I could have done a free replacement set and she would probable have bitten them off as well. It knocked my confidence for a bit, but later I just put it down to a learning experience.

Val

 

[talented talons]

Thankfully i haven't dealt with this at all yet but relatively new to this myself so dare say it will happen. I would have done the same thing myself, mainly not being that confrontational and just wanting the client out of my way. It is something i often think about, how would i deal with this myself.

I hope i would do what the others on here have said and insist on a soak off as she can't possibly want sub standard nails left on her fingers. ( if that's what she thinks of them.) Sounds ok after the event, but i know what you must have thought when its sprung on you.

Put it down to experience, it will make you a better person and a better tech, good luck and chin up.

 

[mum]

Why should anyone demand a refund when they have recieved the 'goods' and used them? If the goods were faulty then that's a different story but in this case they obviously weren't.

If the client just didn't like them anymore, that's not a reason. If you return good to a shop, some will refund without question but they have the goods to re-sell. Most will only give a credit note. Why should a technician refund on perfectly acceptable goods. A free soak off should be the most on offer.

Stick to your guns and quote the Trades Description Act and suggest they get advice from the CAB.

 

[ALEX]

How annoying. I set up on my own last year in a tanning shop (September). In the November the exact happend to me. The girl complained that she just didnt like the look ov em! and she wanted her money back. This girl still makes my blood boil. She asked for natural looking extensions, which I did but I think she meant the french cause she complained the colour on the end didn't look right. In the end I gave her the money back. Since then this has never happened again, and my book is chocker so I have alot more confidence. If the same happened again I would have explained that there is no fault with the nails therefore she is not entiteld to a refund. It is tough and a horrible position to be in!

 

[vicky]

It makes me wonder if people like this do it for a living....I wonder how many other tech's she has done this too..!!

 

[geeg]

One thing we could all do to stop this kind of thing from happening is to state clearly somwhere on the salon pricelist that

"due to the nature and condition of bitten nails, the salon will offer no compensation for problems that may occur after the client leaves the salon".

Once this is clearly stated, you no longer need to be put in this position again.

 

[Bodacious]

Good clause there GiGi I was going to suggest something similar, Suely in the beauty industry due to the nature of the beast you can go demanding refunds if you dont like something that was done. I mean what if you ahda facial and you dont liek it, I have but I didnt ask for my money back I just put it down to experince of not to do it again.

Like a them park ride, you cant go on a rollorcoster knowing what it does and then get off say you wernt happy with the ride so can you have a refund!

Often it is as they are short of cash so they put you in a postion of good customer relations by putting you on the spot like that.

 

[Kellyc]

Hi just to add my bit, i actually have a client record card that i made up and on the bottom it says due to: then lists ie. nail biting, usuage of 'stick on' nails, another technicians work etc, i may experience diffulties for which i do not hold my technician responsible etc etc etc, and for instance last week i did a set which a previous technician did and they were terrible i got her to sign the form which she was more than willing to do, she has had a problem with one of the nails and i will be repairing it next week. I find this is very useful and also cannot necessarily hold you responsible, i know some clients may refuse to sign and that can not be helped. I probably too would have soaked them off before refunding the money but some things are easier said than done i guess, and luckily havent come across that situation (yet!) anyway just my input x

 

[cuticles]

Hi there - I think you now realise that you let the client with a refund and the nails. Add the extra clauses, and just stick to your guns next time.

Cathy

 

[Lellipop]

I remember a thread like this before. If the client won't have the nails removed, Then i think it was Sam who said, ask to look at the nails and quickley clip a couple off :twisted: They can't complain because they were not happy with them any way.

 

[The Beauty Zoo]

OMG Lesley, thats a bit drastic!!!! :lol:

You would have to be very quick - and then I think I would duck!!!!! Doing that could further antagonise an already delicate situation.

Great if you have the guts to do it though :twisted:

 

[makeupartistjennyb]

I know who fustrating this can be. You will learn from it and need to put it down to experience. Nail biters can be tricky customers, Ive had a couple myself. They dont like to tell you that they have been biting, picking, etc. Dont let it get you down. You will come out on top!

Jen

 

[Peter Pan]

hi all - this has happened to me before too. it was the ONLY complaint that i have ever had (thankfully). this clients MOTHER rang to say that the clients nails had FELL OFF (no chance). and this was 2 weeks after the set was applied.at the time i was still building my client base up so offered her a complimentary full set but the mother refused and said i was using crap products (i was using opi at the time). she then proceeded to tell me that she was going to the CAB and that i would be hearing from her.....fine i said, i look forward to it. when she hung up I rang a business solicitor for advice on this, i told them that i had offered to redo the nails free of charge but was refused. the solicitor told me that she didnt have a leg to stand on and that if she wanted to take it to court "let her" as it would end up costing her alot more than the set of nails. this woman rang back a few days later and said that she had indeed been to the CAB and that they had told her that she was entitled to a refund. which i replied (with a big grin and a feeling of victory) that i had also spoken to a solicitor about the problem..she went quiet at this point. and then hung up when i told her that the solicitor said i was well within my rights to refuse a refund and about taking it to court. justice afterall.........
dont let people like this must do the rounds, as about 3 weeks later someone just happened to mention this girls name and told me what she (more like her mother) had done to a salon down the road ....... and quess what......it was the same as what she had done to me.

 

[pinkshell_nails]

Hi everyone,

thank you all very much for all the help and advice you have given me, i understand now that i should have soaked them off first, before giving a refund, and i will definately be adding the clause that gigi quoted. Thanks guys, i feel a whole lot better.

Michelle xx