Need a rant!

[411]

Hey geeks

I'm so angry with a client, I'm gona explode.

I work in recruitment so when I met a customer, we got talking self emp and I mentioned I have my home salon.

He told his wife who came to me 2 weeks ago. He does a lot of charity events, where I could advertise and promote, so good contact. She's Professional woman.

Had shellac done on really dry and bitten skin around cuticles.
3 days later she text me saying one nail has chipped, so I asked her how? No proper reply. She then booked her daughter in for shellac. Asked me if I can fix her nail at the same time. I said if I have time I'll do it.

Done her daughters, fixed her two nails. She asked do I owe you anything I said coz it's a first I won't charge you.

She text me yesterday, to re-arrange her appointment she had on the 17.10.13, because her nails have grown and they are chipping. I saw the pictures and asked her have you been using solar oil, washing up gloves etc, she goes definitely. She goes I'm desperate and need her nails done.

I already had appointments booked, so I gave her few options one being Sunday, she said she can't do Sunday.
I then asked her what about today around 5.30pm. (I thought I'd start a bit early to fit her in) she couldn't do that either as she only gets back from work at 6.10pm. She was off yesterday and wanted to be fitted in I told her I'm fully booked for the evening.
I then text her and asked her what's the earliest time she can do today (I text her twice last night) So that I could juggle things around and try and fit her in.

No response till 3pm this afternoon asking me is there availability this evening! I politely said to her I didn't hear back from you yesterday, so try and fit you in, so now all my appointments are confirmed I cannot fit you in. She said she's sure she text me, then said for some reason my messages where going to her sons ph!
I don't even have her sons number!
I'm thinking even if for some mysterious reason they went to his phone you would have read them coz you just told me they went to his phone!!

So then she goes what now! I said next availability is Tuesday next week.
Then she goes "no point having them done then my nails look horrible"!

I was so shocked and annoyed at her response!

I'm angry and feel guilty at the same time thinking I'm building my clients so should have seen her some how.
At the same time thinking I don't want problem clients like this. You wouldn't do this for a dr or dentist appointment, so why because it's a nail salon!

Just because she lives around the corner she thinks she can come anytime!

These are the pictures she sent

 

[Shiv9mbs]

Aww hon, don't apologise... This is the very place to let off steam!
It looks like to me anyway that her ring nail broke therefore causing it to chip.
They are in no way 'horrible'.

If I were you I'd 'blacklist' this client and not be that available as she's obviously an awkward customer that expects up to drop everything just because she asks.



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[Conny]

Hey geeks

I'm so angry with a client, I'm gona explode.

'cut'

These are the pictures she sent View attachment 45004View attachment 45005

She should have used her Solar Oil, these nails havent been oiled enough and for sure she's not wearing gloves when she should, because the free edge is worn and not chipped if you ask me.

I have an older Shellac client, that isn't using Solar Oil, i see her every 2 weeks and her nails look like this after 2 weeks. Perfectly 'normal' wear for an older clients refusing to oil as she should and doing a lot of hand work or refusing to wear gloves...

 

[411]

Here's another picture!

 

[ShannonU]

When you are building clients it is always a good idea to accommodate but you have tried and she didn't reply. I don't think there is really any reason to become angry about this. She doesn't seem angry with you (how I've read it) and maybe she's just a bit scattered right now. I also don't think she's saying your work was terrible, she just isn't happy with how they look now that they've grown and chipped. She's brought her daughter to you and wants to come back so she clearly likes your work.

I'm sure she knows you've tried to fit her in where you could. It happens. I would take a breathe and calm down and try to approach the situation with an open mind. My clients know that I book weeks in advance and if there is a quick fix needed then sometimes I stay late or fit in quickly between clients but sometimes they do have to wait and they understand mostly.

 

[ch-ela]

Are you still building your business or can you afford to let this client go?
Her daughter has been to you and you said that her husband could be useful to your business, maybe she didn't anticipate that her nails would grow so fast. She might become a 2 week client rather than 3 week one. I used to have my nails done every two weeks because they grow really fast and I didn't like the regrowth look.
They don't look too good in the pictures, and she may not have followed the aftercare. Some people need a few reminders before they "get it".
How valuable is she to you? If it were me, I would fit her in somehow.

 

[411]

That's the first question I asked her you using solar oil and gloves? She was adamant she was!

Yes blacklisting is an option with this one!

 

[ShannonU]

As for the comment about blacklisting--remember this is an open forum and we shouldn't really be promoting this sort of thing. Yes, some clients can be difficult and some we would like to part ways with and some we do part ways with but at the same time I don't think this woman is being unreasonable and that seems pretty extreme when she is just trying to find a suitable appt time.

She is obviously unaware that you also book up quickly and is also maybe not following aftercare all that perfectly but that's about 80% of clients.

Her nails look fine and she does seem to be taking care of them other than not oiling. She could be a very good client and offer you many referrals once she becomes a regular.

I have one client who always comes every 2 weeks because to her the regrowth does look "terrible". She is not saying I am terrible.

The nature of this industry is that our work is our personal expression so we can often take things far too personally I think. I'm guilty of it as well. Hence why I said proceed with an open mind in my previous post.

 

[411]

This is why I'm feeling guilty!
That I'm trying to build my business, and I did try.

I've tried to accommodate her, but she seems to think I'll drop everything for her. Because the first appointment she had with me it was a cancellation so I booked her in.
Next time I still accommodated her at short notice, because her daughter had a award ceremony. So she seems to think ill do last min.

If she had contacted me yesterday and said what time she can come I would have juggled things around today, even start earlier than I normally do.

But I have bookings, so I couldn't cancel these as they were booked in 2 weeks ago.

I've still told her if there's a cancellation she will be the first one I contact.

Am I being unreasonable here?

 

[ShannonU]

This is why I'm feeling guilty!
That I'm trying to build my business, and I did try.

I've tried to accommodate her, but she seems to think I'll drop everything for her. Because the first appointment she had with me it was a cancellation so I booked her in.
Next time I still accommodated her at short notice, because her daughter had a award ceremony. So she seems to think ill do last min.

If she had contacted me yesterday and said what time she can come I would have juggled things around today, even start earlier than I normally do.

But I have bookings, so I couldn't cancel these as they were booked in 2 weeks ago.

I've still told her if there's a cancellation she will be the first one I contact.

Am I being unreasonable here?

Unfortunately a lot of clients think we can fit them in quicker than we actually can. And it's not just in this industry. It's common in any customer service industry. Just approach politely and offer her a time and if she can't take it then work on another time and if nothing works then at least you know you've tried. No reason to feel guilty.

 

[411]

Ok so I've given her 2 options which she couldn't do. That's when I told her next availability is Tuesday and if there's a cancellation I will let her know.

That's when she said " no point getting them done then"

 

[ShannonU]

Ok so I've given her 2 options which she couldn't do. That's when I told her next availability is Tuesday and if there's a cancellation I will let her know.

That's when she said " no point getting them done then"

Just another bit of advice but with new clients I always talk to them on the phone regarding booking appointment. It reduces the risk of reading too far into text messages on both sides. She may be frustrated now because she may have read too much into your texts also. But as you have said, you offered her what you could. She declined. So ask if she'd like her original appt still and then be done with it.

 

[loveday]

I really don't agree with the way this client has acted, but I think we all rely too much on texting these days. It only takes a few minutes to call and chat to a client or leave an answer phone message. That way clients can't give the usual 'I never received your text' excuse. X

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[411]

Yes I agree it should have been dealt with by phone call not text.

When she text me yesterday I was at work and we are not allowed to use our mobile phones. Just about managed to text her so she don't feel that I've ignored her text. Then when I text her about what time she is available she didn't respond for quiet a few hours so I assumed she couldn't make it today.
And I had clients all evening yesterday, so had she responded I would have quickly called her to arrange a time and day.

Today she text me and I was at work so couldn't call her, but I text her when I could.

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

I really don't agree with the way this client has acted, but I think we all rely too much on texting these days. It only takes a few minutes to call and chat to a client or leave an answer phone message. That way clients can't give the usual 'I never received your text' excuse. X

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Yes but thats if the client ever picks up the bloody phone! lol

I've had similar recently, there was a problem, dunno if it was my fault or hers but i changed my mind and offered to do her chipped nails for free.

Text her about twice, then tried to phone her 3 times different times of day (didn't pick up), then 2 days later she text me saying when can she come in, i said sunday (I dont work sundays but would do this for her), 2 days later she didn't confirm, yay or nay, so i rang on the sunday, her daughter picked up the phone and turns out she went away for the weekend! So there is me waiting for her to come round and it transpires that she's not even in the area!!

So her daughter says she'll ring me on the monday to re-arrange, it's now Thursday and still nothing

I think I've done my bit, short of going round her house (which i'm not going to do) I can do no more.

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

BTW i must add nearly all of my clients get back to me sharpish, within a few hours, it's just one or two.

But if i had a free slot and i knew they were desperate I would phone & text and just hope i get through.

 

[xXxCaZxXx]

My advice to you would be learn every possible reason for shellac to "go wrong". Learn the reasons and also learn the results ie what the nails look like when oil hasn't been used, deet is in products ect. This way the next time you have a difficult client YOU can be confident in why it has happened and YOU can tell them what they've done wrong. As in "oh this only ever happens when solar oil isn't being used correctly". Very few people answer back when they know they've been caught out, however if you ask instead of telling the (have you been using solar oil?) they think they can get away with it.

Xxxx

 

[411]

Thank you for all your advice and responses, I'll take it as a learning curve and do things differently.