Nightmare! Really Fed Up! Did I Muck Up!

[jospurs]

Hi
I need a rant!

I am probably a little niave as I havent been qualified for long but I was offered a free room in a office block. The lady who organises their social events rang me after I dropped some leaflets in. She said she would send an internal email letting everyone know I was going to be there last thursday.

Anyway the night before I had a phone call from a lady saying she needed refills and could I do them at 12pm so I agreed. This was my only appointment for that day. On the thursaday morning just before I was going out the door another lady rang and said could she have a manicure at 1pm, I said no as i knew the refills would take me a long time, I told her 2pm but she said she had a meeting at 2pm. As I was so amazed and chuffed to get a phone call I said I could fit her in about 1:30pm, that only gave me 1 1/2 hours for refill. I prayed the the technician that had done the ladies refills before I had made a good job so I would have little to do and I could do them in a hour and a half ( what an idiot I am!)

when the lady came in for the refills I looked at her french tips and realized she needed a rebalance instead,(there was no lifting and they looked quite good) I told her this and she said just do the best you can, not only was a rebalance needed but her thumb was cut down very short so stupidly I decided to use a form and sculpture it ( I have only ever done one before and I couldnt get the form on properly) I thought I got the form in the right place and carried on the procedure.

Anyway with the prep, acrylic and power completed I just needed to paint on the white tip ( never done this before either) and I just couldnt get the smile line right. It was now 1.30pm and the next client was knocking on the door for her manicure. I said I was running a bit late and would be 5 or 10 minutes. I tried the smile line again but by now I was rushing. The lady having the refiills asked me if it would be easier to just paint them one colour. I said yes.

The lady waiting for manicure knocked on the door again and I told her I was jusst finishing. I explained to the lady with the refills that if I knew she needed a rebalance then I would allow more time, she said it wasnt my fault and left. I charged her £15 and told her I would do a full set for a discounted price when she wanted them ( she tipped me £5.00).

The lady due for the manicure then came in, I apologised for the delay and she said she had about 20 minutes for a manicure before her meeting, she asked me to do an overlay on her thumb that had a slight split as she didnt want to snag it. I proceded with her manicure and she had really horrible brown nails with deep ridges, I filed them into shape, while she kept looking at her watch which was quite off putting. I didnt do anything about her ridges and asked if she wanted polish, I did her cuticle too. I said if the acrylic on her thumb nail did not hold that I would be there on monday and I would do it again free of charge.

When I go home the lady that organised the room emailed me and said I had to give her a list of people I had done so she could check to see if they were happy. I sent her the names of the people and heard nothing else. I did a new lady yesterday, full set of french tips and they looked really nice but took me 2 1/2 hours.

Today I have had a email from the lady that organised the room saying that the clients were not happy and I can no longer use the room, I am not sure why but can see I mucked up in some ways but if they have to go to her with every whim and not me then it's not worth it anyway.
I am going to ring her tomorrow as I really want to know who's unhappy as I would offer to fix anything they are not happy with.

Sorry to go on but I wanted to tell the whole story and get your advice, comments etc

I'm not giving up but I do feel like a bad tech, I should never of booked so close togther and should not have did the sculpture without practice.

Rant over and out!

Jo x

 

[geeg]

Oh dear .. nightmare for you but not all your fault. You were trying to be obliging but one rule in business is not to be late for your clients. So ... you should have advised the first client that you could not do more than the time alloted for what she had booked. Then the problem with the other lady would never have happened.

ANYWAY ... I also think it is very silly of the woman in charge (so to speak) to not give you at least 3 months to settle in .. and i think you should ask for that. I can see she holds all the cards, but I would make her feel bad and ask for a 3 month period to prove yourself and if at the end of that either of you wants to back out then so be it. I think she is being a bit hasty in her judgement of you.

 

[Mrs Geek]

Just out of interest, why didn't you book the manicure lady who had the meeting at 2:00 in, before the other women who wanted a re-balance? It sounds like you could have a good thing there but you gotta be disciplined and organised and NOT promise what you can't do. Say I am busy or choose a time that is best for you.

You need to be much quicker too and I appreciate that you are not long into it but you may have bitten off too much. I would use PopIts more in a situation like this too... purely for speed.

Just imagine the business you could do if all the women knew you could do full sets in 30-40 minutes!! :idea:

 

[lilacm]

I don't know what kind of setup you have at the office but maybe it would be an idea to just offer shorter treatments such as mini manicures & pedicures and then if people do ask for enhancements you could do them mobile??

Its just that surely most people in the office won't have the time for longer treatments so you could fit more people in this way and get a reputation going first.

I agree that you need to go back to the organiser and state your side of the story and ask for at least a month to prove yourself.

I understand why you tried to squeeze the manicure client in though, i have been doing beauty and nails for 10 years now and still squeeze in appointments wherever i can every day which does result in me running late every now and again (eek!) I find it incredibly hard to say no especially when you are working for yourself!

The most important thing is to not let this get you down and to learn from it and move on. Its all experience afterall.

 

[jospurs]

Hi Gigi

Thanks for tidying my post! I was rambling on a bit and I really do appreciate advice from you as it means so much. I think I am trying to run before I can walk.

I could not book the lady in before the refills Samantha as she called at 11:30am as I was going out of the door. Lesson learnt! Do not be book what I can't do! Never again and I will be getting my Popits very soon.

Jo x

 

[Mrs Geek]

Hi Gigi

Thanks for tidying my post! I was rambling on a bit and I really do appreciate advice from you as it means so much. I think I am trying to run before I can walk.

I could not book the lady in before the refills Samantha as she called at 11:30am as I was going out of the door. Lesson learnt! Do not be book what I can't do! Never again and I will be getting my Popits very soon.

Jo x

Ahh well I can understand your need to make her happy... it's what we all want to do but I think you need to sit and totally exactly what you can and can't do. Make it work for you and then it will work for everyone!! :hug:

I agree with Geeg though... the women should give you a fiar trail. Get in there and stand your ground! :hug:

 

[jospurs]

Hi Lilacm

There is already a lady that does manicure and pedicure so I was suprised that the organiser let me offer that service. I also wonder how the offie workers expected to get their nails done in their lunch hour? and I did explain that a full set takes me just over 2 1/2 hours.

Jo x

 

[geeg]

Hi Lilacm

There is already a lady that does manicure and pedicure so I was suprised that the organiser let me offer that service. I also wonder how the offie workers expected to get their nails done in their lunch hour? and I did explain that a full set takes me just over 2 1/2 hours.

Jo x

Man alive this place is made for the PopIt service.

 

[jospurs]

I have been a member of many forum boards and this is THE BEST EVER! Everyone is so helpful and friendly! I have just had a quick peek at the chat room and there are people in there! OMG but if I go in i'm scared I won't come out for a long time! LOL
3am on a Monday morning is doing no good for my looks! or getting my son up for school.

JO x

 

[lilacm]

Oh, that's odd then. Could it be that the other tech felt you were stepping on her toes??? Anyway it sounds like a great place to work if you get to have a lunch break for over 2 hours!! Maybe you should contact a few other offices and see if they have space for you but your time will improve loads soon anyway i'm sure.

 

[jospurs]

Yeah thats what Im thinking tomorrow, im going to ring and find out, will let you all know.

At the end of the day you don't need people putting you down and making you feel like c**P. I live in a small town they have 2 options really chop shop or 1 other nail bar. I want to offer a luxury exclusive service not quick job in and out.

Jo x

 

[Wandawump]

I wouldn't stress over your times, the more clients you do, the quicker you will get. Just remember to never opt for speed over quality

 

[jospurs]

What a cheeky!

After reading the email from this horrible lady, I spoke to her on the phone today and she said the clients were not happy because the service was rushed. I explained to her that if the first client had told me she needed a rebalance rather then refills then I would of booked her more time, she also said that the managing director had a massage in the room afterwards and did'nt like the smell!

Anyway she spoke to the 3rd client who had full french tips and she said she was very happy with them. The stupid woman sent me this email

"Well Joanne
I have had good feedback from *********(ladies name) she is very happy so after talking to my manager she has suggested you come in again & see how you get on?
Hope that is ok for you?"

What a cheeky, I have told up to stick the room! If I wanted someone breathing down my neck then I would go back to work full time.


Jo x