Need advice on how to handle this

[nails_4_U]

Well this is a bit of a long story so grab a cuppa...

I have seen a new beauty therapist advertising in town, thought great as we can never have enough (I only do nails). So a few weeks after she opened she books a shellac mani and pedi with me. Good stuff. Get to meet her and hopefully have someone who can do a good job with my brows lol.

Comes in for her mani n pedi. Seems lovely. Says she currently does bio sculpture but has no interest in nails so wants to stop doing them and focus on massage and facials.

Few days later one of my regular clients happens to mention she had met her and she had said she is getting in shellac and very cheekily bragged that she is going to get her nails done by someone to learn how to do it.

Well.... 2 + 2=4 right?

She was booked in for the next day so I went into the appt open minded that this could be town gossip. Well even a stupid person could of pinned it. Asking what I used to clean the nail, what I use to remove the sticky part, where do I get my products through ect. Asks for a glass of water and I just saw her looking at my ISP bottle scoping it out.

At the end of the appt I walked straight passed my diary with full intentions of not rebooking her. But she asks to rebook mani and pedi. Leans in and see i have times spare and just said I'll take those ones. Now im not really confrontational so i booked her in and sat there fuming at myself later.

Now I have questioned myself wether I went into the appt paranoid and things wernt the way I saw it but I'm sure that even if I wasn't pre warned I would of picked up something was suss.

What do I do???

 

[jacquelineanna]

If she wants to pay you to do her treatments whilst she observes you what should you do - say 'Get out of my salon you evil woman'?

No, of course not lol.

You Do Nothing.

When she comes for her next appointment, do her hands and feet, take her money, say have a nice day as you show her out of the door.

If she wants to make yet another appointment that's great.

She probably only has to do a Google search to find out the things she is asking you.

So why not get paid to tell her what is freely available with a phone call to the distributor.

Smile whilst doing your job but don't give away technique or process 'secrets'.

Jacqui xx

 

[Mobilenailsbfd]

I agree, she will only get the info elsewhere so why not pay you instead of someone else or get it for free? Book her in, take her cash lol. It is annoying, I would feel upset/used/angry myself but I can't stop anyone in my town doing nails so why not make money out of it x

 

[souz]

even if you told her exactly how you do them and point out what not to do would she really be able to do them without problems, probably not! would she know how to rectify and problems?probably not! would she know what she was doing wrong when they dont last? probably not! so i really wouldnt worry and as said take her money and do a really good job, smile and say see you next time......all the time knowing that when she does a bad job those clients will eventually come to you to rectify so more clients for you!!!!xx

 

[nails_4_U]

Thanks everyone. Just feel really betrayed but will just bite my tongue and keep doing treatments

 

[Aydie]

If that was me.I would ....
Do the treatments, but dont chat about work, chat about anything else !
Don't give her advice about how to do things, or what's good / bad.
Do not leave your appointment book out or her alone with your products.
Get out more products than needed... So she doesnt remember what the right stuff and needs to rebook !

 

['chelle]

Just do the job and smile. You cant learn everything you need to know by just watching someone else do it. For example how will she know what is too thick or too thin coverage, how will she know about capping? she's not doing herself any favours because she wont be offering a first rate service, and all you need to do is make sure that you advertise yourself as a FULLY QUALIFIED shellac tech, maybe put a bit of blurb in your advertising saying that clients should always check that their tech is qualified and using genuine products.

 

[PixieBeauty]

I agree with all of the above but wanted to reiterate the last point that you are a nail tech & have done the full training etc. I'd make sure all your clients know how amazingly qualified you are. If you are specialised as a nail tech (not BT) why not promote that & make sure you drop it in you think it's important to be a specialist in one area & that's how you know you provide the top service etc as you can concentrate on building your expertise etc.

Let her pay you along as she wants & DON'T be dragged into a price war if one starts Xx

 

[LaurenSparkles]

If that was me.I would ....
Do the treatments, but dont chat about work, chat about anything else !
Don't give her advice about how to do things, or what's good / bad.
Do not leave your appointment book out or her alone with your products.
Get out more products than needed... So she doesnt remember what the right stuff and needs to rebook !

Exactly what I'd do, good thinking xx

 

[jacquelineanna]

Thanks everyone. Just feel really betrayed but will just bite my tongue and keep doing treatments

I think most people have felt like this at one time or another my lovely.

Whether it is when someone pinches your idea off your web site, or steals your nail art designs etc ... it happens and we feel betrayed.

But let it be a fleeting feeling. If others don't have the imagination and have to take other peoples ideas, or they come into your salon under a false pretence ... you will know.

And more importantly, they will know.

Chin up and don't worry about other salons.

Worry about your own.

xxx

 

[Lush-Lash]

If she wants to pay you to do her treatments whilst she observes you what should you do - say 'Get out of my salon you evil woman'?

No, of course not lol.

You Do Nothing.

When she comes for her next appointment, do her hands and feet, take her money, say have a nice day as you show her out of the door.

If she wants to make yet another appointment that's great.

She probably only has to do a Google search to find out the things she is asking you.

So why not get paid to tell her what is freely available with a phone call to the distributor.

Smile whilst doing your job but don't give away technique or process 'secrets'.

Jacqui xx

I actually love you, lol

You always say what I'm thinking xx

 

[DivineByDesign]

This is a great thread. I have a girl that contacted me through Facebook for a shellac mani and pedi. When her message came through via email it showed her name as "******** nails" but when I clicked onto my fb page, it had changed to just her normal name. I was a little suspicious and looked through her pictures to find that while she has a full time job not in the nail/beauty industry, she offers acrylics nails and gel overlays. I'm rather suspicious of why she is coming to me when she does nails herself but she said she fancies a pampering as she can't do her own well and has heard a lot about shellac

I'm going to do what has been said on here and stop feeling wary about it, so thank you xx

 

[nails_4_U]

This is a great thread. I have a girl that contacted me through Facebook for a shellac mani and pedi. When her message came through via email it showed her name as "******** nails" but when I clicked onto my fb page, it had changed to just her normal name. I was a little suspicious and looked through her pictures to find that while she has a full time job not in the nail/beauty industry, she offers acrylics nails and gel overlays. I'm rather suspicious of why she is coming to me when she does nails herself but she said she fancies a pampering as she can't do her own well and has heard a lot about shellac

I'm going to do what has been said on here and stop feeling wary about it, so thank you xx

Glad to hear this thread has helped you too. I do know of therapists and techs who go to others for a pamper but I could never let anyone else do my nails lol. I'm too picky and would not relax

 

[jacquelineanna]

I actually love you, lol

You always say what I'm thinking xx

Hehehe, cyber twins! xxx

 

[Miss Sylk]

Id be tempted to chat things like.......

"you know what i find works really well? rubbing with acetone before applying base coat and thicker layers are always best for staying on longer"

 

[michelle6483]

Id be tempted to chat things like.......

"you know what i find works really well? rubbing with acetone before applying base coat and thicker layers are always best for staying on longer"

Lol I like that one. ;-)

 

[nails_4_U]

Id be tempted to chat things like.......

"you know what i find works really well? rubbing with acetone before applying base coat and thicker layers are always best for staying on longer"

Thought about telling her the ISP bottle was acetone. She will have service breakdowns after a few days... Mwah haha.

 

[R D Beauty]

Exactly what I'd do, good thinking xx

I like this I would do the same

 

[Wellyb]

I think that would be really silly! There is nothing better than a bit of competition, several salons in my area offer Shellac and some are cheaper than me, but my clients keep coming back to me. If you follow your procedures, have a nice environment and treat your clients with respect and offer a great service yours will stay with you to, you will always get the odd one or two trying the latest new thing/person but oar for the course in this industry. The good ones in turn tell others and bingo you have a great reliable client list.
Let her come, be flattered that she clearly thinks you are good at your job and wants to learn from you. If she already does bio sculpture she will pick up Shellac really easily, I know I did. But don't worry about it. If you get on with her it can be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off. Don't worry about what she might be doing concentrate on the good job you are doing and ways to keep you going from strength to strength. I had exactly the same happen to me a few years ago with Biosculpture and this was how I treated it.

 

[zm85]

For the price of the treatments she could've just booked the training!
I agree with everyone else tho still book her in even if she does have a hidden agenda you are making money! not all nail techs like to do their own nails I for one sometimes like to have them done and have tried out a few techs/therapist for beauty treatments in the past when i don't want to do my own. Some have been good others not so welcoming but maybe they feel threatened I now have a trusted (and trained) tech who I can swap treatments with -its a win win situation! Especially for things like spray tans, eyelash extensions and waxing all the things you cant do to yourself!