New Types of Salons invading OZ!!

[lovenails1]

Is it just me or is this the slowest Xmas ever!! The only thing I can put it down to is that in Adelaide, Australia we have had a huge influx of a new type of Nail Salon to hit all our major Shopping Centre. These salons have about 10 nail techs each , all asians, all going crazy flat out doing nails for really cheap prices. At least half of what all us other girls charge, we cant compete. The only good thing is that these techs are using cheap products and are not the friendliest to the clients, not speaking english often and being very rough and rushed. I have been told that 99% of these Techs have not been trained either, which isnt good for our industry. I have had a few new clients recently telling me that they will never go to one of these salons again, they are much more impressed with my services/skills etc. Have any other countries/towns etc been swarmed with these type of salons or is it only Oz?? PS this isnt a dig at these Techs just because they Asian, its the professionalism that Im talking about etc. :irked:

 

[rosenails]

Is it just me or is this the slowest Xmas ever!! The only thing I can put it down to is that in Adelaide, Australia we have had a huge influx of a new type of Nail Salon to hit all our major Shopping Centre. These salons have about 10 nail techs each , all asians, all going crazy flat out doing nails for really cheap prices. At least half of what all us other girls charge, we cant compete. The only good thing is that these techs are using cheap products and are not the friendliest to the clients, not speaking english often and being very rough and rushed. I have been told that 99% of these Techs have not been trained either, which isnt good for our industry. I have had a few new clients recently telling me that they will never go to one of these salons again, they are much more impressed with my services/skills etc. Have any other countries/towns etc been swarmed with these type of salons or is it only Oz?? PS this isnt a dig at these Techs just because they Asian, its the professionalism that Im talking about etc. :irked:

Im Asian but Im not using cheap stuff. I know what they are using. I've seen that product before. They used fast setting acrylic and they're cheap. I know that feeling, I have down my price just to get customers but I will put it back again next year. I reckon people go there to have their nails done because it's very cheap and do a quick job. You could only try to educate your customers and do a good job and of course they will come back to you. PS not only ASIAN use a cheap stuff..........

 

[Rachel Mary]

I dont think she was putting down Asians at all it was the salon in discussion:irked: . I know who you are talking about, this franchise salon is everywhere. I had heard the staff are not allowed to talk to you my educator went there once and she tried to engage the girl in coversation but she would not answer, but she was talking to her colleagues and snickering (my educator couldnt understand what as it was in their native language) I have heard people rave about their prices cause they are cheap for a salon. What product is it they are using? Whenever I walk past these salons they are always packed.!!

 

[IllumeGirl]

dont sweat too much about it as they are definitley in a different class. make a point of offering wonderful work and top quality service, dont try to compete price wise. they always look busy as they have a large walkby clientele, but i'll bet they dont have a good client retention rate- thats the sign of a good nail tech! and yes we have been swarmed by these salons in west aus the past year. unfortunatley for us they have found a niche in the market for the uneducated to just pop in on a whim and have a set slapped on in record time, i am yet to see a client with a half decent set of nails from these places, let alone without e-file burns. its a shame that these salons are asian as some of the best nail techs in the world are japanese girls, it all comes down to a sweat shop mentality with very poor training, something that could happen with any culture i guess. i have seen plenty of awful nails from other salons, its unfortunate that these girls dont have access to decent training and are all lumped together in these places,lol.

 

[Rachel Mary]

If i remember rightly, these girls are not given training like we all received, they are trained by the Franchise themselves. They do not use any files only a drill.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Hun it's what we in the UK call a Non Standard Salon (NSS) and in the States they call a chop shop (far better description IMO!). The general public are very uneducated about what makes a great looking nail and what makes a great tech / salon. They just see the price and assume that WE are ripping them off.

Advertise the fact that your techniques wil not damage the natural nail through proper procedures, no friction burning, no nicking the skin with the file. Show that you offer first class customer service, excellent sanitation procedures, consultation, after care etc. People are just widsing up to the fact over here about the damage these places are doing, not only to clients nails, but to the industry as a whole as people assume that having your nails done is purely a painful experience. But we know it shouldn't be.

However on the flip side, they are doing some good too, they are making nails accessible to all. Once people have had long nails they love them. Now what you need to do is educate your public that they need to go to a tech that is concerned about the health of the natural nail as they are applying a set of enhancements.

Don't lower your prices, make these ruddy NSS places raise their flipping standards.
(and hun we all know you aren't having a dig at Asians, thre have been a few threads about this and sadly all the NSS are run by Asians. Some of them produce lovely work, just a shame they use poor standards to get there. Likewise there are some non NSS places that are CRAPOLA too, I passed my local nail bar the other morning and it was FILTHY, I mean disgustingly filthy. And it was first thing on a Monday so you could hadly say it was the end of a busy day and they hadn't had a chance to clear up. I wouldn't go in there for love nor money either!)

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Nearly forgot! remember there are cheap hair salons and some that manage to charge extortionate prices, but they sit side by side on the High Street with no problems. But to charge the higher prices you have to go the extra mile. Nice surroundings, first class customer service making your client feel like the most imortant person in the world etc etc etc. And trust me these ARE the clients you want.

We make money on infils not the sets so we need to attract loyal clinets, not those that are just about the cheapest price. Let the cheap skates go to the NSS, you stick to your guns and attract the loyal ones who appreciate you as much as you appreciate them and will be with you for years to come!

 

[nailzoo]

lovenails, i'm in Sydney and they are all over the place here too, i fight them with knowledge and skill, let them keep their less than hygenic salons, less than skilled techniques, banned products, lack of ability to converse and cheap prices.
Keep up your good work and don't stoop to their tactics, your work should speak for itself.
After their clients have been burnt by drills, snapped a few nails off through the nail bed and had a few toenails fall out, they will either never have nails done again OR go to a decent tech like yourself

 

[rosenails]

No brand name on either liquid and powders and they use big brushes.

 

[*JOANNE*]

they usually use the one ball method thats why they use big brushes...one ball just wack it on the use an efile to get the shape. in and out with in half an hour and ruined nail plates for the privelage..

 

[sam1]

I,m in Canberra which isn't really that big and we have at least 6 or 7 of these places all sprang up about 18months to 2 yrs ago lots of people going there, now I'm lucky to see one person in there and most will visit once and never return, thanks to them my business has boomed I don't do any advertisng people see my nails on others and wonder why don't theirs look the same, my clients then explain what I've explained to them(mma etc) and then I get a phone call from a new client! So keep spreading the word and educate your clients and hopefully these places will become redundant.I wish you guys were up my way I could have spread some work around I've had to turn people away as I'm booked till mid Jan!
Sam

 

[grafxgal]

I'm pretty sure about which salons you are talking about and we have them here too. It looks like the one nearest me is desperate for work, they've dropped their price by about $20 a fullset...... looks pretty empty to me when I walk past.

 

[Lady H]

Nearly forgot! remember there are cheap hair salons and some that manage to charge extortionate prices, but they sit side by side on the High Street with no problems. But to charge the higher prices you have to go the extra mile. Nice surroundings, first class customer service making your client feel like the most imortant person in the world etc etc etc. And trust me these ARE the clients you want.

We make money on infils not the sets so we need to attract loyal clinets, not those that are just about the cheapest price. Let the cheap skates go to the NSS, you stick to your guns and attract the loyal ones who appreciate you as much as you appreciate them and will be with you for years to come!

good point sassy, I used to pay £20 to get my hair done, coloured and cut, mobile, but I moved and a salon was recommended - I now pay £70 for the same service but the standard is miles better, the salons lovely and it is a Tigi Boutique, they give you their full attention and treat you nicely, take their time but the end result is fantastic, Also my hair is in so much better condition as they use better products - its no different to these nail places, people will learn the hard way, but gthey WILL learn.

 

[Twice-as-nice]

Hi, I agree with all these comments, really you should not be afraid of any competition good or bad, believe in yourself and work hard to produce the best you can, use your people skills .

A few months ago I had the thought concerning these establishments......

BULL IN A CHINA SHOP!!! I will leave you to think about that.

Harry

 

[thatsnoicenailz]

Well I think I know what salon's you guys are talking about, they arn't very "professional" are they???

I don't have any in my town, I think the closest is 5 hours drive away but i have still had clients in for infills who had their nails done on holidays.

One girl came in wanting an infill, so I completed my consultation, checked who did the original work (she told me another local salon) so i started prep then when i was removing the shine off the infill area on her pinkie with a koala file, i did two strokes over the surface and BLOOD started pouring out from her nail bed! I freaked out and questioned her further on where her nails were orignially done. She then told me she went to one of these "chop shops" in Brisbane, she then went to a local salon here for an infill and then now to me for another infill.

they had filed through her nail plate right onto the nail bed. She asked for gels, from what she explained to me it sounds like she has had L+P instead as she didn't put her hand under a lamp, wasn't sprayed with an activation spray or anything like that. So firstly they damaged her nail plate and secondly they lied and ripped her off!!!!!! Then when she went to another local salon for an infill on her "gels" they told her she was getting gels and again applied l+p!!!! The local salon is a hairdresser/nail salon and I know the owner and hairdresser personally as I used to go there to gtet my nails and hair done, but as soon as I became qualified they got cranky at me for opening up!!!!!

there was something about these new salons on A Current Affair or Today Tonight a month or so ago, I missed it but apparently it was really good against warning consumers against them!!!!!

 

[Rachel Mary]

Oh my god, thru her nail plate!! How did the poor woman not feel that or get a severe infection!! Some places need to be shut down because they most definitely are not Professonail sorry I mean professional!! Lucky she came to you. What ended up happening with her?
xxx

 

[thatsnoicenailz]

Oh my god, thru her nail plate!! How did the poor woman not feel that or get a severe infection!! Some places need to be shut down because they most definitely are not Professonail sorry I mean professional!! Lucky she came to you. What ended up happening with her?

I think she was embarressed about going there or must have already been told the dangers because she didn't want to tell me that she had been there.

She said after i got it out of her that it was EXTREMLY painful...I was like NO SH!T!!!!!!!

I soaked off all the nails and reapplied GEL not l+p to all of the nails except the incredibly damaged pinki, all were in quite bad shape but I was really careful with the file as I was now aware of how bad the damage was.

She wasn't happy that I refused to apply anything to the damaged pinki as she felt funny having one not done, but she did understand why i couldn't apply anything.

Her nail is healing quite nicely and she is a repeat client so with a little TLC we should be able to apply gel to the damaged nail in no time!

 

[Rachel Mary]

Good on you Danielle. Bet there are heaps of things like that have happened to poor unsuspecting people putting their hands in salons like that.
xxxx

 

[avivajoy]

Despite my best efforts a good friend of mine goes to a NSS and is really chuffed with the work :cry: . If we were in the same country then I would forbid it and do her nails myself but..... She said that she has gel nails done an I asked how they did it and she said witha liquid and powder but no UV light. Hmmm. I thought to myself. I asked her several times if she was sure and she said yes, I enquired wherever I could about this "new" gel product that doesnt need curing but now I see the light (no pun intended). I am sooooo naive, if they said it was gel then why would they lie. I am sooooo stupid!!!! :o It was clear l&p! (yes, I know youve all worked that one out by now)

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I had a client from an NSS. She said she had been having gel as they say gel is kinder to your nails - hmph like they care about the state of the nails!! Turns out she'd been having l&P too, and the cheeky buggers had only charged her an extra £10 for infills each time as she was having "gel". My god why don't trading standards get onto these people? It's such a con.