New Nightmare Customer !!

[Jodbird]

:evil: I just want to have a bit of a rant and to also see if you think I did the right thing.
I had a new client call the other day and book an appointment for a full set of lashes and also a manicure and Gelicure Treatment so all in all about 3 & 1/2 - 4 hour appointment.
She text 15 minutes before her appointment and said she would have to cancel as her little boy was ill, fair enough nothing you can do when you child is ill, so I text back saying not to worry get her little boy sorted and call me to re arrange.
She called the next day and asked me to book her in for Monday she asked for 4pm even though I do not work until 6.30pm due to child care issue myself I agreed and organised for my little boy to go to his grand parents.
This was today about an hour before her appointment she text me to say she was only going to have her lashes done as she now could not afford to have her nails done as he mum was charging her for looking after her little boy while she was having her lashes done. I thought ok just do the lashes then better than nothing. She then text 10 minutes before her appointment at 4pm and said she was at the hairdressers and has decided to have a colour so she will now not get to me til 5pm a whole hour later than her appointment time !!
I was a bit put out by this as I have arranged child care just for her to come early and now she is going to be an hour late, she knows her appointment was for 3 1/2 hours so thought this was ok.
After I had composed myself I called her and she did not answer so I text her back and advised as she let me know earlier that she was no longer having her nails done, that I had one of my regular clients book in so now I could do her no later than 4.15 thought I would give her 15 minutes to get to me.
She text me back saying she was sorry but could not make it and she would give me a call to re arrange, I text back advising that I work from 6.30pm on Mondays and that the rest of the week I have clients booked in so may struggle to fit her lashes and nails in on the same day but to give me a call and I would see what I could do. (However I am hoping she does not call back) We all need clients and new business but how far should you go to accomadate them.
Did I do the right thing, I just have this funny feeling about her, and feel she was just messing me around. Your thoughts please.
Rant over

 

[jacquelineanna]

We can't afford to have clients like this.

Your instincts are correct and you did the right thing.

I suggest if she calls again, and if you want to re-book her, you do not go outside of your normal hours and you advise her she will have to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure her appointment.

Her appointment is not confirmed until you receive the deposit and if another client wants her slot I would erase her and give it to client number 2.

She will probably decline once you mention a deposit and that is not really going to be a loss - trust me.

Jacqui xx

 

[bloomingnails]

I think you did right thing, well done you for being firm!

Lilian

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using SalonGeek

 

[gr8nailz]

I think with all the back-and-forth she put you through, you had to be firm. If she's to be your client in the future, you have to draw the line somewhere or she'll contine this behavior.

If she chooses not to book with you, you can fill that appointment slot with a reliable client who won't jerk you around. Nothing lost.

Good for you!

 

[Rinn]

you were right. firm but not rude.

 

[Elaine143a]

defo take non-refundable deposit before booking her in again.

 

[stephanie_87]

How ridiculous, she hasn't got the money to have her nails done that she has been pre booked with you but all of a sudden has the money to have a last minute colour, ignorant woman. Some people seriously put themselves upon a pedestal, do they not realise we have better things to do than fanny around accommodating their every need. You definitely did the right thing

 

[Tomme]

Omg how expensive are you?!?! I always thought having a colour would be more than anything nail related unless you were putting real diamonds on them.

I take a 50% deposit for anything over £40, maybe you should do this too or anything over a hour.

If she were my client she would now have been sent 2 invoices for what she had booked for the full price.

I'm altering my t&c's to put in that even if a offer is on, cancelations will incur a full price charge.
And I may sound really nasty, but her child was I'll, still no excuse her mother can't look after him, I would still send a bill if he was dying as I still have to make money.

End of it all, sack the SOB
or tell herthat due to the cancelations and more so the late cancelations all treatments must be paid at booking, and is non refundable xoxo

 

[misseden]

you sound very professional and friendly. i would avoid her at all costs next time i think!:wink2:

 

[OBIC]

Tbh i think she can't afford to have any treatments but is one of these people that really wants the treatments. Basically that equals someone that will just mess you around to the last minute while they try and figure out how they are going to pay for it and find the money.

As you and somebody said we all need clients but personally life is too short for the stress of them winding us up!

I have a lovely client who has been coming to me for about a year and a half now. She often falls off the radar occasionally and then reappears She would love a spraytan weekly if she could but really cant afford it. I often wonder if her and her kids are going without things some weeks just so she can have a tan but that isn't our decision to make i guess whether she should really be having it!

 

[Jodbird]

Thanks for the replies guys, Needless to say the said client has not called to rebook thank god.
I know I did the right thing now, I will start to think about deposit's for new clients especially if booking more than one treatment.

 

[MeToYouNails]

I had 'similar' issues last year and thanks to the helpful advice I got back from all you wonderful Geeks I now have a 50% non refundable deposit for all treatments over £60 for ALL new clients.
So far nobody has minded paying it.
I don't do it for my regulars, as life sometimes gets in the way of nails and I don't feel I should punish them for canceling/rescheduling/making a double appointments into single ones.
After all the business they have given me and the very rare occasions I have had to cancel/move them, it's all about providing the service and being flexible.

 

[missmichelleb]

You poor thing!! its such a waste of your time and so frustrating!!
I had the exaxt same thing with a client of mine recently. It got to the point where i had to call it a day, i explained everything professionally and the reasons why i couldnt continue taking her apts etc, and the result- her telling me that I was rude!!! Bloody cheek!!
You dont need time wasters sweet, xx:hug:

 

[topcuts]

STOP TEXTING!!! Too easy for people to bail out, offer personal diatribe that really isnt your problem. Every time she texts you, CALL her back. It makes it a bit harder to muck you around if she knows she has to speak to you. I hate texts for business purposes anyway.

 

[Tomme]

I always call, I even say on my fb page if they want to txt, they can and I will call back at my next available chance xoxo

 

[BotoxBoy]

You bent over backwards for her and she clearly has no idea how much thought you out into your business and clients. You should be commended and ditch her. Say unfortunately you have no further appointments for her.

 

[Zeroprojection]

Definitely avoid texting at all costs, I always call back if i can as people find it very hard to lie when they have to make it up on the spot on the phone. Texting gives people too much of a chance to think up some tall tale and text it back.
people find it so easy to lie to a faceless phone screen.
I always take deposits on colours when i do mobile because i go the day before to do a skin test so i can get the deposit then, works out great but if people are coming to you then maybe ring the day before to "confirm" appointments e.g. make sure they havent forgotten and if they cant afford it or dont have time then they can admit it then so you still have time to fill their slot (lol slot )

 

[Jodbird]

I did call her back but she did not answer so as I did not want her to come an hour later than her appointment I had no choice but to text.
I hate text's for business purposes, I even get new clients text me for their 1st appointment, I don't get it why can people no longer pick up the phone and talk to people. I always ring them as normally they ask loads of questions, it's a lot quicker to call then keep sending texts.