Omg...what is wrong with the world today??

[fairynice]

I just thought I would share an experience I had with a client a few days ago.

I work mobile doing nail enhancements and I have gained a fussy client who used to use NSS..... I can cope with that, I just bite my lip...
Anyway, the other nite I did her a great deal by doing a set of design sculpts for the normal price of tip and overlay.
During the appointment her husband had made me a coffee which as I didn't want to put on my little table so I asked if I could put on the floor.....well, I knocked it over....it was cleaned up and apologies were given and all was forgiven.
Well, the next day I had a text....
she wanted me to contact my insurance company as she wasn't sure the stain would come out of her carpet which she had only had a year...it was a brown mix...not cream....but she said the nails were great.
Well I sent a empathatic text back saying I apologised and would get someone to clean her carpet before Xmas....she then replied saying that she had already contacted a company that was charging her £57 + vat!!!
I then replied saying the insurance company would want to see the stain before paying for cleaning if they were to pay out....she then said she would pay it out of her baby's benefits and I could do some FREE sets of nails to cover the cost!!!!!
I said I couldn't do this and was very sorry but it would have to go through my insurance company.....Her reply then was not to worry, she would pay it, her nails were great and I had done her a good deal so she was happy.....have a nice xmas.....????!!!!???!!!
She has since tried phoning me and texting me saying she has a bottle of wine and card for me for xmas....I am just avoiding her as I don't feel I should entertain a client like that....what do you guys think??? I am feeling guilty about avoiding her....
Sorry it was a long one, just thought I oughtto share as it seems everyone is out there to make a buck on ppl!!!!:irked:

 

[RAQUEL]

ummm they OFFERED you the coffee!!!! their resonsibilty me thinks!!!! the joys of mobile!!! if her mate had come round for a coffee and spilled it what she sue her??? accidents happen.. get the 1001 carpet cleaner out or pop round with the vax.. works wonders.. keep smiling only another 35 sets before xmas!!!

 

[becki x]

She tried and it didn't work :!:

Allthough it would sit a little uneasy with me i would just get over it hun :hug:

 

[RedAdmiral]

Maybe her husband put pressure on her to contact you - it happens all the time you tell one person and they give their two pennith then it snowballs round getting worse and worse! She prob genuinely likes her nails and doesnt give two hoots bout the carpet as she knows the insurance will say get professional cleaners and if that doesnt work THEN they'll pay out. My cousin spilt red 'festive' wax on her cream shag and it was ages before the insurance paid out. Dont be worrying text her happy christmas and chalk it up to experience, dont avoid her tho.

 

[beautyathome]

i agree text her wish her a happy xmas, keep her as a client but if she tries something like this again then i wouldn't entertain her anymore. It happens to us all and we all make mistakes.

 

[nailzoo]

Don't text her .... phone her and say "what a kerfuffle", glad you got the stain out blah blah blah. I'm so happy you liked the nails".

Keep it light, you have done nothing wrong, the coffee was an accident, and they wanted it fixed before insurance could check it out ..... the are the facts, don't feel guilty about it .....shyte happens.

 

[suzie49]

TBH I thnk the wine and the card are a little peace offering, if I were you I would accept gracefully.
She likes her nails and doesnt want to lose you, you dont want to lose a client over a silly thing that seems to have blown over, if she tries something on again then you know she's going to be a PITA. Then drop her as a client lol....xxxxx

 

[fairynice]

Surely she has over stepped the line by doing what she did?? To have to sit opposite her again to do a set of nails and be comfortable would be a hard task. I don't hold it against her as such I just feel a line has been crossed....I don't need to keep any client like that???!!!

 

[Martin Duffy]

I agree with the others - even if you don't want her as a client, it's better to smile sweetly & leave things on a positive note, it then ensures she's not going to start badmouthing you to other people.

I suspect that as is often the case the husband has had his hand in this - whenever my female clients tell me about times they have complained about things it always seems to involve "I wasn't going to say/do anything but my husband said I ought to"!!! As others have said, the gift is probably to try & smooth things over because she liked her nails & wants them done by you again.

 

[Zo Zo]

I would be mortified if I had caused damage to a clients carpet and for £57 + vat I would not have put in a claim, I would have just paid it. The fact that they made you a coffee does not mean it's their fault you spilt it. We have to take responsibility sometimes, even if it's hard to swallow. I personally would have offered there and then to pay for the cleaning.

Also, I don't think the insurance company would have sent a loss adjuster for such a small claim, it is simply not worth their while.

You say you undercharged her for her nails, but that is a completely separate matter. Out of interest, why did you?

 

[Lynne Baker]

ummm they OFFERED you the coffee!!!! their resonsibilty me thinks!!!!

The OP already said it was she who had knocked over the coffee, rather than the person who gave it to her.
This is just one of the reasons we have insurance, isn't it?

 

[Mrs Geek]

I just thought I would share an experience I had with a client a few days ago.

I work mobile doing nail enhancements and I have gained a fussy client who used to use NSS..... I can cope with that, I just bite my lip...
Anyway, the other nite I did her a great deal by doing a set of design sculpts for the normal price of tip and overlay.
During the appointment her husband had made me a coffee which as I didn't want to put on my little table so I asked if I could put on the floor.....well, I knocked it over....it was cleaned up and apologies were given and all was forgiven.
Well, the next day I had a text....
she wanted me to contact my insurance company as she wasn't sure the stain would come out of her carpet which she had only had a year...it was a brown mix...not cream....but she said the nails were great.
Well I sent a empathatic text back saying I apologised and would get someone to clean her carpet before Xmas....she then replied saying that she had already contacted a company that was charging her £57 + vat!!!
I then replied saying the insurance company would want to see the stain before paying for cleaning if they were to pay out....she then said she would pay it out of her baby's benefits and I could do some FREE sets of nails to cover the cost!!!!!
I said I couldn't do this and was very sorry but it would have to go through my insurance company.....Her reply then was not to worry, she would pay it, her nails were great and I had done her a good deal so she was happy.....have a nice xmas.....????!!!!???!!!
She has since tried phoning me and texting me saying she has a bottle of wine and card for me for xmas....I am just avoiding her as I don't feel I should entertain a client like that....what do you guys think??? I am feeling guilty about avoiding her....
Sorry it was a long one, just thought I oughtto share as it seems everyone is out there to make a buck on ppl!!!!:irked:

Anna I can't believe she has said anything about a spilled coffee. You can EASILY get it out of the carpet - a tiny bit of fairy l does it perfectly! She told you that you could put the coffee on the floor thus making it her responsibility! She is trying to pull a fast one! :!:

 

[bombini]

Well its your call, but Im wondering why it wasn't sorted out there and then ? What exactly was it cleaned up with?

If it had been me then I personally would of tried to clean it up and if it was still stained after I would of hotfooted it to supermarket to get some carpet shampoo (assuming they hadn't got any) that way I would of known before Id left if it was going to have to be professionally cleaned.

I would pop round to collect your present AND to inspect the 'stain' if its still there then I guess you will have to pay for cleaning, if it isn't then you've caught her out !

 

[Lucia Etch]

Your coffee spill reminded me of this:

The past:

Early summer 2008 I gave one of my regular clients a pedicure and a nail rebalance.
Everything went well. She was my last client that day.
I couldn’t wait to go home.
I received the phone call the early the next day.
She said that after leaving my salon she rear ended another car.
She claimed that since she had just received her pedicure, and her feet were slippery in the salon provided pedicure slippers. Her foot slipped off the brake peddle, upon coming to a sudden stop.

I finish my pedicures, (using a clean towel) by removing excess lotion and oil.
(Did I do remove the excess, that day?)

My response was, probably, “Woman you walked to car with out slipping”. Anyway, I was so nervous, thinking all those, (what if) thoughts.
I asked, or she mentioned again it during a follow-up appointment.

It’s it the past. What else could I have done?

I guess, being in the position we are in, We should cover all bases.
The before, during and after.

And the just in case (what if) the before, during and after.

Thank-fully she keeps a standing appointment. I want to ask her if she’s had her car repaired, but I just try not to think about it.
If it’s truly in the past, why do I worry about it now?
I need to just let it go.
For me, easier said than done.
It’s in the past.
If she finds this post she would probably want to kick my butt.
It is what it is.:hug:
Who is more wrong?
I would not want my liablity insurance being used for something not related/done in the business.:irked:

 

[1999judy]

I'd go round...get the bottle of wine and take some carpet cleaner with me and ask her would she like me to remove the stain.

 

['chelle]

I agree with Mrs Geek, a coffee stain in a carpet is no big deal, I live with three of the clumsiest people you could ever meet and coffee spills are a daily event in my house, tell her to watch Kim and Aggie they'll tell her how to get it out!!!

I suspect the husband has put pressure on her to see if they can get a free carpet out of it, and when she's realised she wont get anywhere she's offered the wine as a peacemaker. I would accept graciously, wish her a happy xmas etc, and forget about the incident. Former NSS client or not, she's a client and she sounds like a lady who could be a regular client too, in the current financial climate you really need to hang on to your regulars! Dont forget also that if you ignore her she may think you are feeling guilty and it might come across to her that you feel you are in the wrong, you dont want her telling her family and friends anything like this.

Chalk this one up to experience, and politely decline offers of drinks when on the job in future!:green:

 

[fairynice]

Anna I can't believe she has said anything about a spilled coffee. You can EASILY get it out of the carpet - a tiny bit of fairy l does it perfectly! She told you that you could put the coffee on the floor thus making it her responsibility! She is trying to pull a fast one! :!:

That's as I thought Sam, Thanks x:hug:

 

[fairynice]

Don't text her .... phone her and say "what a kerfuffle", glad you got the stain out blah blah blah. I'm so happy you liked the nails".

Keep it light, you have done nothing wrong, the coffee was an accident, and they wanted it fixed before insurance could check it out ..... the are the facts, don't feel guilty about it .....shyte happens.

Exactly as you say Carl....I was very sympathetic with her and said all the above....I just don't want to do her as a client anymore but am not sure how to put it politely hence my avoidance.....x

 

[Sara Evans]

I think she liked your nails and wanted more for free!!

My friends at work tell me, beware of people bearing gifts!!

I think it may be her that feels guilty and is trying to make it up.

I'd just smile, say thanks and refuse a drink next time if offered, while checking the floor for the dreaded stain!!
:lol:

 

[tigi]

well hon ( and i say this with a hug) it sounds like you have made up your mind about this client, if you truely dont want her as a client is your right of course, then you need to have a plan. one plan could be to just get it over and call her, thank her for her kind gift but tell her that there is no need for her to do that and you now feel uncomfortable coming by as you will terrified of spilling things and you dont think you will do a good job for her.

Tell her you wish her all the very best for the new year, give her the number of another nail tech and leave it at that.

Its not what i would do, But i am not you.


It was an accident, you didnt do it on purpose and you offered to make good. dont worry about it anymore.

tigi