L&P times

[jillznailz]

Hi geeks, I need your advice please, I'm just starting back up in the nail buisness after having a couple of years break, I am going mobile and have been getting a few customers and everyone is happy with my nails, however I decided to check out the local salons to check out of my prices are ok and if my work is up to standard. The salons I've been to have told me I'm way to slow at doing my L&P and said customers would not sit that long, it's taking me 2 hours so maybe I could get faster, however the girls at the salon are doing L&P in 1hour for £20 with nail art-I could never do this, the nails they have done have been finished to such a bad standard that I would have failed my course if I had created those nails yet everyone is saying how great they are. I feel completely disheartened, for me my overall finish of the nail is more important than the time yet it feels like customers don't care about that. What are your L&P times and am I to slow?, I feel like such a failer at the moment as I thought I was doing so well. Your advice would be much appreciated, thank you x

 

[Rhyanna]

Hi geeks, I need your advice please, I'm just starting back up in the nail buisness after having a couple of years break, I am going mobile and have been getting a few customers and everyone is happy with my nails, however I decided to check out the local salons to check out of my prices are ok and if my work is up to standard. The salons I've been to have told me I'm way to slow at doing my L&P and said customers would not sit that long, it's taking me 2 hours so maybe I could get faster, however the girls at the salon are doing L&P in 1hour for £20 with nail art-I could never do this, the nails they have done have been finished to such a bad standard that I would have failed my course if I had created those nails yet everyone is saying how great they are. I feel completely disheartened, for me my overall finish of the nail is more important than the time yet it feels like customers don't care about that. What are your L&P times and am I to slow?, I feel like such a failer at the moment as I thought I was doing so well. Your advice would be much appreciated, thank you x

Firstly Jill,
By no means do you sound like a failure

While it's good to have an idea of what other salons are offering in your area, I wouldnt too much compare yourself to other salons, especially since you mentioned the quality of the work you've seen is poor. I've also seen lots of salons around my area, both NSS and standard salons which although they may be fast, the quality of work suffers for it too.
I would more concentrate on your quality of work, finished product and building rapport with your clients and then when you can, try and improve your times just a bit...but dont pressure yourself too much. Because from what you're saying, the main thing is your clients are happy and like your work, that's why they're coming back to you. If they were concerned about your times or price, they wouldnt come back to you, or they'd complain.
Also if you're just getting back into nails and dont do nails all day every day either, you wont be as fast as perhaps you'd like but that I think will come.
It's not like you're taking 3 hours....just keep the client talking and they wont be watching the clock
I do other beauty services other than Nails and dont do it full-time, so I still take around 1 1/2 hours for refills but I know if I pushed myself my quality of work would suffer. A) I dont want that outcome, and B) I dont want my client to feel rushed at all.

Don't be disheartened, it sounds like you're clients are happy and that's the main thing, the rest of it will come.

All the best!

 

[jillznailz]

Thank you for your words of incurragement, I keep my clients talking and once I've finished they love the nails and feel like a million dollars, I've got clients that have had these 1hr services yet still come back to me due to the fact I take longer, they love the fact I'm using top quality products on them and they get a longer pamper time rather than feeling like a factory chicken being pushed along a conveyer belt. My shellac im finding I have to drag that out to an hour because they get so wrapped up in everything they don't want me to go, my image has always been to create natural enhancements not what I call fake claws. It's hard when you have a vision like this yet the city centre salons are saying it's not what they want and not what the customers want, I have been completely shocked doing my research to find so many bad nails, so many people using shellac wrongly or using other products and saying it's the same as shellac. Maybe I inspect nails a little harsh being trained in that field, but I do my nails with the veiw that they should be finished to a standard I would be happy to wear myself and it's a complete blow to be told I'm not good enough it's better to be rubbish but fast, I know I should just concentrate on doing my own thing but you can't help but compare yourself to others, so thank you for your advice it's really helped me wake up this morning with the attitude of stick with it x

 

[xnailsbylisax]

Of course the salons will tell you that! They're not gonna welcome competition with open arms & they will more than likely feel abit threatened by your work. To me, it says it all in your post. Would you rather sit an hour & leave with shoddy nails or would you rather sit an extra hour, have a personalised treatment tailored to you & leave with lovely nails? I know which i'd prefer.

Also, it takes me 2 hours to do a full set with nail art. I have plenty of clients more than happy to sit for that amount of time. This is a pic of a set i did yesterday & these took me 2 hours. Ok i could be quicker, but why rush?



She loved them & didn't once moan about it taking 2 hours. Hth x

 

[jillznailz]

Those nails are lovely, I would be so happy to sit for 2hours in order to have those, well done. My boyfriend is also a salon manager and has told me people won't sit that long, yet I hate his salon and refuse to go their for treatments and refuse to work their as I don't like the approach they have and I'm trying so hard to create a good name for myself, I don't want to find myself feeling under pressure and cutting corners. I guess different people have different views on what they want, this thread has just confirmed to me I need to forget what others are doing and just keep believing in myself, thank you x

 

[Maz101]

The standard nvq time for clear l&p over tips no polish or art is 1hr 30 minutes, I take with art etc etc around 1hr 45/2hrs, depending what art etc and my clients are all happy to come to me and sit that long as they know, good nails and no damage.

Your time is fine especially as have been out the loop for a while and prob as you get more client you'll speed up, don't be disheartend your doing fine.

Quality is always better over quantity when come to good and bad nails.

 

[sugarnails]

The standard nvq time for clear l&p over tips no polish or art is 1hr 30 minutes, I take with art etc etc around 1hr 45/2hrs, depending what art etc and my clients are all happy to come to me and sit that long as they know, good nails and no damage.

Your time is fine especially as have been out the loop for a while and prob as you get more client you'll speed up, don't be disheartend your doing fine.

Quality is always better over quantity when come to good and bad nails.

I feel the pressure too as you day especially as I am just starting out with acrylics again and the factory salons push them out in 40 minutes who I am
surrounded by. I guess I just have to take different approach and offer quality
not quantity but I feel pressured when they sometimes make the comment
that where they go takes them an hour. I always face a nervous wait hoping
my acrylics last though for taking all that time haha. I get so nervous waiting
in case of breaks , lifting .

 

[Missksf]

I wouldn't feel the pressure of timings the more you do it the quicker you naturally get.. I would say 2hrs for nails and art is fairly reasonable .. These took 3hrs and my client was more than happy to sit there ignore what other people are doing your the number 1 opinion in your life and profession

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[411]

I have customer not coming back because I take too long.
I take 2-3 hours for full set with nail art.

I don't have any l&p clients so I can't even practice to be quick.
I'm also very particular with prep, procedure & final outcome that's why I take long.

 

[Rhyanna]

Thank you for your words of incurragement, I keep my clients talking and once I've finished they love the nails and feel like a million dollars, I've got clients that have had these 1hr services yet still come back to me due to the fact I take longer, they love the fact I'm using top quality products on them and they get a longer pamper time rather than feeling like a factory chicken being pushed along a conveyer belt. My shellac im finding I have to drag that out to an hour because they get so wrapped up in everything they don't want me to go, my image has always been to create natural enhancements not what I call fake claws. It's hard when you have a vision like this yet the city centre salons are saying it's not what they want and not what the customers want, I have been completely shocked doing my research to find so many bad nails, so many people using shellac wrongly or using other products and saying it's the same as shellac. Maybe I inspect nails a little harsh being trained in that field, but I do my nails with the veiw that they should be finished to a standard I would be happy to wear myself and it's a complete blow to be told I'm not good enough it's better to be rubbish but fast, I know I should just concentrate on doing my own thing but you can't help but compare yourself to others, so thank you for your advice it's really helped me wake up this morning with the attitude of stick with it x

You're most welcome, anytime
I agree with your posts after too about quality and not pushing the time because youre trying to keep up with others. At the end of the day you, as we all are, are responsible for our standard of work and if that takes longer than other salons, so be it but at least at the end of the day you can hold your head high knowing you have done the best you can and your clients will be happy. I'm the same as you in the way I only do nails to a standard I would want on myself.
Yesterday I just went to the shops quickly and walked passed an NSS and was horrified at the blatant state of uncleanliness and presentation of the shop. Yes the salon was full of clients but I shudder to think the risk the clients are knowingly or unknowingly putting themselves at health wise, all for the sake of saving a few bucks. Apologies if this sounds a bit rude but in my opinion, there are 2 types of clients, ones who all they care about is price and the others who instead appreciate quality and are willing to pay for that. They're the type of clients I want to keep, not the ones who all they care about is price. I've found the ones who just care about price don't tend to become loyal clients anyway.
Last night when I was out to dinner with a friend she kindly said to me,
"I was talking to 2 of my friends who I know are your clients too and we all said how much we like that you take care with hygiene and that you're professional, it gives us confidence that's why we come to see you rather than the other salons."
I was chuffed because it's those things they remember and notice, treatment time wasn't even mentioned.

I think sometimes even though we can initially get disheartened comparing ourselves to other salons, it can be turned into a positive in that talking to others (such as on here) you'll be encouraged that we all pretty much feel the same. It's good to hear other views but the main thing is we all just want to be the best beauty therapists possible.

*hugs* x

 

[Rhyanna]

Of course the salons will tell you that! They're not gonna welcome competition with open arms & they will more than likely feel abit threatened by your work. To me, it says it all in your post. Would you rather sit an hour & leave with shoddy nails or would you rather sit an extra hour, have a personalised treatment tailored to you & leave with lovely nails? I know which i'd prefer.

Also, it takes me 2 hours to do a full set with nail art. I have plenty of clients more than happy to sit for that amount of time. This is a pic of a set i did yesterday & these took me 2 hours. Ok i could be quicker, but why rush?

View attachment 63895

She loved them & didn't once moan about it taking 2 hours. Hth x

I love the nail art, soooooo cute! The norts and crosses are excellent, I might have to add that to my nail art collection

 

[xnailsbylisax]

I love the nail art, soooooo cute! The norts and crosses are excellent, I might have to add that to my nail art collection

Aww thankyou it was my 1st attempt at them. My client saw a pic on tumblr & wanted them doing i do like them though x

 

[fluffy26]

I don't know why everybody seems to get so hung up on treatment time, I think maybe these NSS salons are having an impact in some respect because I know in the past when I've doubted myself for timings I think about these salons pushing out a set in an hour or less, but let's face it, the work is shoddy, the products are inferior, the hygiene leaves A LOT to be desired, & the "forever french" white tips are airbrushed on so that it chips in days! yet these salons seem busy, for me it's the price that draws people in. I have been a nail tech & beauty therapist (full time self employed) since 1998 & I still take anywhere between 1-2 hours for a full set with art & (proper) pink and white application. So never doubt yourself or your work, & why are we comparing ourselves to these NSS anyway when their standards & quality of work is of no significance to us, trust in yourself & what you do, good luck!!!x


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