My first unhappy client!!!

[Rose143]

Hi Peeps,

I was working at the salon yersterday and this lady came in for a rebalance but Denise (my boss) had warned me and said she has ski jump nails because she'd been to a "chop shop" so she told me to be careful to not make the nails too thick when doing zone 2 and forming the apex which I kept in mind.

She walks in and shows me theses dreadful nails, they looked like steps the were worse than ski jump nails!!!! I cannot believe the state of her nails, I spent about 40 minutes trying to file the old product down, it was just too thick. She wanted to know if she could soak them off (after being 15 minutes late) and I said to her that I didn't mind working late to sort out her nails then she said she was pushed for time. So I suggested that we soak them off the next time she comes in.

She had three broken ones which were too short to put tips on so I sculpted them, they came out really nice. I did my 150% best on all of them, I was not happy with them at the end but they looked wearable for what I was given to work with. I said to her when I had finished, have a look and see if you're happy with them, she said Rose I am not entirley happy with these to be honest. I apologised profusely and asked her which ones she wasn't happy with, but my heart sunk and I felt really bad and I knew better when I started that they needed soaking off but she was late!!! I explained to her that her nails are slanted and she complained about the sculpted ones looking fresher than the rest and all her nails did not look the same.

Denise said to the lady that she would have done the same as me and just played around with the shape and re applied the pinks and whites to two thumbs and that was all she could do. The client left happy (I think) after booking in for a soak off next time. Denise said she felt so bad for me because the nails I was given to work on were someone elses work before but she said I will learn from these experiences. She was really nice about it and told me not to worry too much, she said that she has seen my work and knows what I am capable of doing! Then she filled me in with some horror stories of her own!

I came home in tears last night, I felt really down and really useless, next time I am gonna stress to the client what I feel is best for her and it's her fault if she doesn't take my advice!!

Sorry for complaining but I had to get I off my chest!!!!

xxxx

 

[sam1]

Don't be so hard on yourself, as your boss said you did the best you could with someone elses work.Sometimes some people think your a magician! So chinup and don't feel so bad.

 

[Bagpuss]

Hiya....

Hey your not alone ... i am sure we have had or still have our share of unhappy clients....i have one going on now...she used to go to the nss salons with mma...then she stared to come to me as i was closer....she would break 2-3 nails every fortnight...this was driving me mad. I watched her once at the school one day...she was chatting to another mum and flicking her nails and had them in her mouth. So when i saw her next i told her...she just said she used to do the same with the nss nails and they where ok. After weeks of never having a full set on she took them off and said she was going back to the nss place as they never broke. I felt really c**p and it dented my confidence (for a while) but mine never break nor do many of my other clients so she can go back there for all i care.

You said you put 150% into her nails....what more can anyone ask....try not to feel bad...just think when she comes back for the soak off you can dazzle her with your own work from start to finish and i bet she will love em.

You are upset because you care and thats nothing to feel bad about...if you wasn't bothered by what she said and just shrugged ya shoulders then i would be worried.

keep doing what your doing and don't worry..she re-booked didn't she...cant have not liked them that much. xxxxx

 

[Rose143]

My God Angie, what a horrible experience for you, you're a very strong person for accepting the outcome.

I suppose it took me by surprise really because all my clients always comment on the fantastic job I do. Oh well .....

 

[jnail]

"I came home in tears last night, I felt really down and really useless, next time I am gonna stress to the client what I feel is best for her and it's her fault if she doesn't take my advice!!"


I think you've solved your problem for future TIMES such as these.

Good to hear your boss backed you up.
And agreed you had a job and a half to do.xoxoxoxoxoxox

Stick to your guns.

Its difficult enough when the client has already put you under pressure
by being late. Then repairs- on top of that nails that do require a bit of
tweaking.

Do as much as you can with in the time you have.
Reinforce the importance of the clients input into the maitainence you
perform on their nails.

To give her the Perfect Nails she desires,
It takes Time.
If clients can afford you that in the future.
You can SHINE with each & every service you perform.

Cheer Up. xoxoxoxoxoxox
IMO.What more could you have done?
hTh
XX J XX

 

[Just Jo]

Rose you did everything you could .... sometimes there is no pleasing! I am really pleased though that your boss backed you up here ... that must of helped a little, (not a lot lol - sorry thats my age showing and why oh why did paul daniels pop into my head at that point?? scarey!!)

It is soooo disheartening when you have done all you can in the time you have and no matter what you always see something that you could tweak or redo as you are finishing (well i do anyway lol) and I think that it is hard when a client comes with well battered nails and a couple of broken ones and you do a couple of gorgeous new sculpts and then they compare to the rest ... as much as I try I aint been able to make a silk purse out of sows ears yet! I guess we learn so much more with more and more experience.
You advised her and she chose differently ... that was her decision!

You are a professional and I do understand why you got upset, but dont let it keep you down hun. Onwards and Upwards :hug: :hug: for ya

Take care Rose
Jo xxx

 

[Tavinailtech]

I too have been just were you are, i get the clients that no one wants and i am suspose to make them look like..."my nails..lol" But my boss is not so kind as yours, so at least you have that in your seat. I have done more ski jump, nail bitters and fan shaped nails, then i ever thought possible!! akkkkk!! I wish just a few of my clients had some normal nails. But i take it with a grain of salt, and as one geek said too me....it's a challange!! and ya gota love each challange!! (ya, i just keep saying that over and over)..lol
tomorrow is another day!
Jackie

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Rose my little geeky friend I felt so bad for you. Some people really take the biscuit. I bet they looked a damned sight better after you had finished than when you started.

Don't get too down heartened, you have learnt from it and will be prepared next time. And sadly it won't be your last complaint either. I know when I used to get complaints it would kill me for days aferwards. But I have learnt not to let it get to me. I know this may sound bad but at the end of the day they are only nails, it's not as though she has lost the use of her hands!!!!! They can be fixed, reshaped, reapplied etc etc etc. Yes it's pants if you don't feel like you got it right first time, but she hardly helped with being late. But if you are applying to a set that was put on elsewhere you should advise them that your product may be a different colour to the one they have on.

Like you say, next time be in control of the client, advise her of what you think is the right course of action, and if they choose to ignore your advice then that's their mistake not yours.

Chin up hunnybunch and Max sends lots of sloppies xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[PLAOH]

Hi Rose,

Don't be so hard on yourself :hug: How are you suppose to make nails look wonderful when they are so naff to start with I think some customers have unrealistic expectations ie, come in with bitten sore nails, wanting the nails they see in the magazines or expecting a set of nails to last 4 weeks between appointments without any aftercare on their part.

This morning I did my first ever wedding. A bride and 8 bridemaids, express manicure and polish. I wasn't overly happy with them as the bride had already picked an enamel from the chemist, cheap and nasty and she wouldn't be persuaded to have a Creative or Orly enamel. This enamel was like applying tippex, but the bride was happy and she knew in advance that I wasn't happy with the quality of the enamel.

The point is, although I wasn't 100% happy, I did the best I could with what I was supplied.

The fact that you are conscientious shows that you are a good nail technician. Chin up, keep going and if in doubt get slaughtered tonight

Lou x

 

[Rose143]

Thank you everybody who replied to this thread, I really do feel alot better just reading your great advice and your experiences as well.

I suppose I had a hard time dealing with it because I expect alot from myself!!! Especially since the salon I work for has such a good reputation.

I am so glad that you guys understood, and I love you all for help and support, as always :hug:

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