My customer changed her mind after I did just one nail

[Gizmo100]

Im pretty upset by this - I had a new client come in today - had great nails obviously took care off them - I use Calgel so I explained she could have a colour or french polish - she opted for french polish - I offered her clear or pink with white and she opted for pink. I think its been said before but the Calgel french pink selection is not great but she opted for one of their very pale pinks with a little bit of sparkle - I did say why not do just clear but she insisted on the pink - well I did a layer of clear then two layers of pink an inbetween those did the white - to be honest the smile line looked great! Anyway she started looking at it at different angles and then said you know i dont like that - i thought it would look really white and really bright and noticeable! She said it didnt even look like she had her nails done - Im sorry but it looked very natural She does use the stick on french polish nails all the time and she said it probably because they are really bright she is used to that. So I offered her the colours of Calgel i have which are about 20 and after 5 minutes said she didnt like any of my colours so could she leave it and pay me for the time i had taken with her - I declined the offer of money (which now folk say im a fool for doing!) so removed the calgel from the nail for 15 mins thinking of polite converation for a leaving customer and she left - but me left behind fully deflated.

Has anyone had this before? I feel its a reflection on me but friends have said she is just a very fussy person that will not be pleased. Im pretty upset about it :cry:

 

[uniq12u]

Definitely don't take it personally. It just sounds like she didn't like the color. Had nothing to do with your abilities. If she is that fussy and picky you don't want those kind of clients anyway. You'll get someone better down the road!! :hug:

 

[Mieke]

Sometimes you get the odd overly picky customer which you can´t please regardless of what you would do. That´s just how it is and you should let it roll over your head and don´t get upset about. I have to say that if a customer wouldn´t want the service that she had booked in i would still charge her for that. maybe not the whole ammount but at least half of what a new set would cost or a natural nail overlay. She should have booked in a consultation time or booked up a time to get one nail done if she is that picky and/or insecure.

 

[shell28]

If she is that fussy and picky you don't want those kind of clients anyway. You'll get someone better down the road!! :hug:

Not always the case!! I had a very picky lady a few months back who has now turned in to a brilliant regular!! Sometimes clients are just very curious they know what they want and expect it. Dont take it to heart hun. Also she did offer to pay you for the time taken so just look at it that she was happy to pay.

 

[Gizmo100]

Thanks for your support I was going to stop doing nails after tomorrow is just really hard when you start out a business you take everything to heart If I was employed i wouldnt be this bad - I suppose its a learning curve and next time of they ask for the french manicure say it wont look as bright as stick on nails!!!! She did say she would come back for my spary tanning when I launch it next week so we will see if you becomes a client after all - its true though in previous occupations the worst clients have become good ones - we will see!! Thanks again :hug:

 

[uniq12u]

I didn't say always, and yes some do become clients. There will be times you have to decide if they are worth your time and effort if they get to be too picky and fussy. Sorry if that was misunderstood, I was trying to be supportive.

 

[Annie23]

I definately wouldnt take it personally, as said she offered to pay and she says she is coming back for a spray tan next week, so there is no confidence issues regarding your abilities. She was probably grateful that you was so patient and understanding, whats betting she's a bit embarrassed by her pickyness.

The clients happiness in your service must come first and I don't want to sound harsh but you need to try and toughen up a bit. Look at it as a little knock, learn from it and bounce back more experienced and stronger than before :hug: That way next time in similar circumstances you will be more prepared both professionally and mentally

anne xx

 

[LaceyHiggs]

- well I did a layer of clear then two layers of pink an inbetween those did the white -

hi there! im just wondering why you did the white inbetween the pink. i was always old to put any colour on first followed by white. unless your decorating with gems or 'flicks' the only thing really after the white is your top coat this will leve your white bright and stand out and looks lovely and clean. i wouldnt worry about this though, but you will find some of the pinks are slightly thicker making it harder to see the definition in the white. hpe this helps. keep going with it you will always get one that decides they dont like it half way through. good luck for the future xhth

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

You must pick yourself up and move on :hug:. I do understand how this has left you deflated, but some customers are really just overly picky and pedantic.

You definitely should have charged her for your time and product usage as she never pointed out that at any time you had not done your job correctly. Been caught off guard by her sudden departure would leave anyone flummoxed, but now for the future charge for service already given.

 

[geeg]

Picky clients are a part of business. They are paying and entitled to be picky. I feel it is too glib to say, "you don't want that kind of client anyway." Of course we want that kind and every kind of client we can get (apart from abusive ones) :lol:

If the client is paying then she is entitled to be as picky as she wants .. it was only the look of the polish she didn't like ... big deal! Why should she have something she does not like? As I see it, your biggest mistake here was to not charge her for the time you spent. That is not professional behaviour really.

You are either in business or you are not. In business you do not take situations like this as a personal affront; that is just silly! She didn't like a colour, she didn't say she didn't like you.

Imagine if you went into a clothing store and the sales person/buyer got upset and felt down every time someone took things back from the changing room that they didn't like??? Would they take that as a personal affront that you didn't like what they had purchased to sell?

Actually I admire the woman for not accepting something she did not like. Better than paying for it and then telling all her friends that she was not happy with the service she got. eh? Good point right?

How many women accept pain and damage when they go to cheap discount salons and then complain their nails were ruined and what do we all say?? "Why didn't you walk out? Why did you accept that service?" They should be able to walk out if they are not happy .. so should anyone.

 

[Beautification]

It would upset me but i think it's just one of those thing's she's never had it before and obvs had a different idea in her head, you should of deffo charged her for your time and the fact that you took them off aswell, not only was it your time it was your products aswell..
Just think if you'd of had someone walk in as you were about to start removing the ones you had done so far and she wanted a full set of extensions and a facial or something but you couldn't do it because the woman that wasn't paying naff all was there.. you'd of been kicking yourself after right??

Atleast she wasn't nasty.xx

 

[marion]

i learnt this lesson from geeg through this website many years ago. I also had a picky customer in with me yesterday.

It was the last client of the day, and i was feeling totally worn out after the busy day.

She walked in and before she sat down for her appointment, she said by the way, how much do you charge? i said sixty euro. her face was a little shocked and she said the girl around the corner charges 45 euro.

Well everyone will be so proud of me, cos i stuck that big fat smile on my face and said, yes i know, and its totally up to you if you would like to take some time to think about it.

Then the 'lady' said to ME, 'what should i do?' So big smile again... i say 'well i charge this much because im Good at what i do'.. and the lady around the corner charges less for her own reasons. And we all know you pay for what you get'

So of course she sat down.

We had a lovely chat and at the end of what i thought were a beautiful set of nails, she said oh i don't like that bump, which was the normal apex, so i against my better judgement i thinned them a little more. she still wanted them flatter..she wanted them flat! so i explained about strength etc.. even told her about bridges and why they are stronger with a curve...

Tried my best to keep my foot from kicking her shin under the table.. even kept smiling, even told her she had lovely teeth.

And thanks to eveything i have learnt from this site, and especially Geeg.. I said thats sixty euro please, and would you like to book in for your infil.

Hehe

 

[geeg]

Bravo .. even if you did have to work a little harder for it .... :hug:

 

[Elzbieta-nails]

Hi.
don't be sad , Did you take a pictures her nails? we can see Whot's happend?


i always show my customers view colour pink, view white colour, explain how look deep smile and normal smile, becouse this is big diffrence.Before when i started i showed view pictures with diffrence nails with french finish.

 

[minky]

Don't be surprised if she comes back again because you made a really good effort to accommodate her every wish
but as Geeg says make sure you charge her for any amount of work done at all....
In most hair salons if someone wants a teeny bit of hair cut off or a fringe or the back evened up a bit
one particular salon I worked in .... we had to tell clients that if we get our scissors out to cut the hair at all it will be charged as a trim ,
they either payed for a trim or waited until it grew all over ,
I must say that salon was most successful in their business
x minky

 

[Gizmo100]

Thanks for all you replies - i have taken it all on board - i need to toughen up a bit well a big bit lol! Even my friends said move on! I am much wiser now and next time I am charging thats where my mistake was but I was caught of guard - and didnt get a photo per another poster but nail was lovely its just it wasnt bright enough for the client - oh well. Thanks again!

 

[femmefan]

Most clients seem to have a clear idea of what 'French' is, but rarely have the same idea :lol: Mine fall into two clear categories, either bright white or natural white tips so this is something I aways discuss with a new client. If they want a bright white then I do the pink first, then white with clear topcoat. If they want a more natural white I do this first then pink over followed by clear. If they want it REALLY natural then I have a specially blended white which is much softer.

Regarding clients being picky, I once spent half an hour trying to get the left and right ring finger 'flicks' absolutely identical on one client. I didn't retain that client but her friend was so impressed that I hadn't strangled her that she booked me for her wedding. The first thing she said as she sat down was "I'd like some artwork please but don't worry, I promise you'll only need to do it once!" Lovely lady, she's now a loyal regular.

 

[redsadie]

Hi there

I think we all get 'picky' clients every once in a while, but don't let it get to you. As has been said, they are paying for a service, and if it's not quite right for them, then so be it.

I have a lady who never has acrylics, just a French polish. She has made a real effort to grow her nails so she can have this done. Now. I like to do a french with a pearly oyster pink I have, it's not so bright, gives the lovely effect of a French and personally I prefer it, but this particular lady absolutely loves the bright white 'fake' look that a white French gives.

I think it's horrible and tried everything I could to stop her from having it (I just think it looks like tip-ex on the tips of the nails :lol but at the end of the day it's her personal choice, and I'm sure she wouldn't have been happy if I hadmanaged to persuade her otherwise.

She pays me for the service and she is thrilled at the end, even though I really don't like it.

Like has been said too, she's coming back for a tan, so it isn't you she didn't like. It's just she had a vision and the reality wasn't what she thought it would be.

Keep going chick, it'll come right, just smile and charge accordingly