New customer not happy with nails

[Sameeel]

Ok this is my second disaster and i feel like plop..... I live in small village and have a home based salon doing mainly nails (i sculpt).....
Had a new client this morning who normally has UV Gel tip overlays.... her nails were a mess from them anyway.... i do acrylic sculpts so explained this to her difference etc.... and she was happy with that.

So i extended her nail bed as she wanted really long nails, i asked her several times if she was ok with the length etc before she paid and left, as i always do.

Hour later and facebook message, broke nail and not happy with them as mishapen... I asked where mishapen and offered for her to show me for me to sort them, file the length and repair broken....
She replies tbh just not happy with them.....
I explain i dont want an unhappy client so offer to go to her home instead and fix what she feels is not right with them.... NO Response....

Feel like crying, firstly i thought she would struggle with the length and secondly I dont want my reputation rubbishing.... There is amobile tech in village also and she slated her nails to me and i just dont want the same...

Im not for offering a refund as ive not been able to judge if her nails warrant this, which i certainly dont feel they would, In fact i was very happy with them...

 

[Emily S]

I wouldn't offer a refund full stop. You've offered to repair and take a look, that's enough!

How long have you been doing nails for, unless she's trying it on, it seems odd that she's broken one already.

 

[tanfastic]

There is amobile tech in village also and she slated her nails to me and i just dont want the same...
QUOTE]

Sorry it's not nice when this happens but usually if they are slating someone else off to you, they will more likely do the same to you elsewhwere.

I would not refund, you offered to repair and help her out. Some people are never happy no matter how much you offer them.

You worked hard and she was happy when she left, you offered to repair a breakage ( even if it really was because she wanted them too long) she cant aske for her money back now. Give her what she paid for and move on. I would always be fully booked if she ever returned for more nails

Good luck

 

[AcidPerm]

Sorry, but how is this a disaster?

Ok, so you have one moany client. You already thought that she might not cope with the length and bingo, she's already broken a nail.

You've offered to fix it and she's not taken up the offer, so what more can you do? Some people love to complain and whinge, regardless of reality.

If you feel that your work was of a good standard then just concentrate your efforts on the remainder of your clients who are perfectly happy with your work.

If this is seriously getting you down, how will you cope with a real life disaster?

Try and get some perspective on this in terms of the feedback from the majority of your clients and then it won't seem so bad.

Chin up...and big smiles.

 

[Sameeel]

Shes now saying doesnt like the shape (long and square her request) and they are too thin and chipping but doesnt want me to put them right....

I asked serveral times was she sure about length etc (i always do with all clients) and she said yes, i always have them this long, she did say they feel thinner than the UV Gel tips she normally has and are they strong, so i said yes they are strong but obviously will break if too long, get banged, caught in drawers etc.....

Your responses have helped loads, i know she is likely to bad mouth me but i have a good and happy client base and realise you cant please everyone.... if i had done them thicker she would still have moaned saying they were too thick

Thankyou everyone

Oh she hasnt asked for a refund, but i feel like telling her to come for one and have the acetone at the ready to soak them off before giving her her money back but that wont stop the bad mouthing... Grrrr!

 

[mixnmatch1]

It sounds like she is trying it on to me,i had someone once say to me they liked their nails only to message 10 minutes later saying they were not happy with them,i offered to soak off which was turned down.
I would offer to soak them off if she is not happy with them but you can't offer a refund because she said she was happy when she left.
Do not doubt yourself,you cant please everyone all of the time and dont worry about bad mouthing you either its not worth your energy

 

[tanfastic]

She might be used to badly applied extensions which are normally really thick and clunky. I find clients often seem surprised at how natural their nails look and feel when I do them compared to ones they have had in the past. Maybe she just needs educating and shown how pretty false nails can actually be.

Chip up, I would also insist on removing them all before giving money back...giggle. No money, no nails.

Am I being wicked?

 

[Sameeel]

Oh believe me the nails will get soaked if she sniffs out a refund:twisted:

She is used to the tip glue on as close to cuticle area as possible... I said i would sculpt so she wouldnt end up with dumpy clumpy looking nails.... maybe thats where i went wrong

 

[EmJZ]

I think she was just trying to see what response she'd get if she complained...hoping for a refund without giving up her new nails. I think you've handled it perfectly and would soak off if you decide to give out refund (although I wouldn't )

I have a client that started to come to me after the local NSS shut down. She insisted that my nails wouldn't last long because they didn't feel like there was anything on her nails. Low and behold 2-1/2 weeks later she's in for a fill and thrilled that she didn't have to have huge nails to have strong nails

 

[beautybemine15]

out with the drill:twisted:

 

[Harlequin]

Not that this is completely relevant but the one time I had sculptures done the pinky nail broke on my night out. Was my fault it broke, I was in the pub...but I went to the salon the next day and asked if they would fix it and afterwards I tried to pay and they refused to take any money for it. Pleasantly surprised by it but walked away with a full set of nails regardless!

If this customer was THAT upset about it breaking she would have come back and asked for it to be fixed, if she wants the nails to all match and look good she would have accepted your offer. Even a free repair on one nail would be better than having to sit and get them all soaked off I would have thought.

If she is a genuine customer she'll take the repair offer, you've gone above and beyond offering to come to her as you are home based. it's in her hands now I think! And if she slates you to other folk...well, so? You'll have other loyal clients and better experiences to come

 

[Sameeel]

Ive been and soaked them off..... no chipped mishapen cracked whatever nails.... they were as perfect as when she left, bar 2 that had miraculously pinged off.....

I feel happy that i offered the best solution in the end.... bar my time and used product Grrrrr.... and hopfully with my good reputation intact!...

I have learnt my lesson, do not take on new clients on Friday 13th LOL

 

[mixnmatch1]

Glad you got it sorted,did she ask for a refund?

 

[Sameeel]

Glad you got it sorted,did she ask for a refund?

No i said i felt the only solution was for me to remove them and then refund, she said she would soak off herself with nail polish remover.... I said the refund was only if i soak off as i didnt want to be accused then of nail damage, her nails are already really wrecked from her prising tips off (from previous tech) ....

Oh but this is the best bit..... she was not happy with them because of the C curve...... Sheeeesh, I tell ya, obviously happy with flat nails....
Thos C curves were the CAPITAL C i tell ya..... :lick:

 

[Floss26]

Well done hun, glad you got it sorted before the weekend. Very large glass of wine now in order I think? :wink2:

 

[Sameeel]

Well done hun, glad you got it sorted before the weekend. Very large glass of wine now in order I think? :wink2:

Oh yess.... ive just sent husband to the shop for a bottle.... I tell you, some people love bad nails.... My C Curves caused her to prise off 2 nails..... AMAZING.... this is what happens when the industry gets flooded with bad techs and people like the nails....Crikey! Its very dis-heartening really, you cant have nails the length she wanted flat, then she would surely have had problems.... but she moans about the C curve but looking at pics of her previous nails on good old FB she likes sort of nails that cause much discussion on these threads,,, The £10 stumpets :?:

I just hope with my handling and explanation of the correct shaped nails has educated her )

 

[Harlequin]

Oh yess.... ive just sent husband to the shop for a bottle.... I tell you, some people love bad nails.... My C Curves caused her to prise off 2 nails..... AMAZING.... this is what happens when the industry gets flooded with bad techs and people like the nails....Crikey! Its very dis-heartening really, you cant have nails the length she wanted flat, then she would surely have had problems.... but she moans about the C curve but looking at pics of her previous nails on good old FB she likes sort of nails that cause much discussion on these threads,,, The £10 stumpets :?:

I just hope with my handling and explanation of the correct shaped nails has educated her )

Sculptures aren't my strong point tbh, if you can get a gorgeous set of nails with sculptures then good on you I say lol. People will always be prepared to go cheap for cement like nails than pay £25+ for a decent set. What can you do?

 

[Sameeel]

Yes, it turned out she was happy with the length, the smile lines but not the natural feeling nails and the C-Curve.... ... what can you do??... like I said i hope with my explanation of the nails I might just have educated her. .. she may go back to stumpets and think, Wow, my hands looked so much more feminine with the longer nailbed, super smile lines and killer C-Curve....

I can live in hope eh