One week sick and scared of losing customers

[josheardown]

I'm self employed and have been working from home for 2 years. I'm busy and have a good repeat client base. In 2 years I have only had one day off work due to sickness; however I am now 17 weeks pregnant and have been diagnosed with a kidney infection. I've been instructed by my doc and midwife to take at least the rest of the week off work and have complete rest as the infection can cause risk to my baby. To be honest I feel so rotten I can barely get out of bed, so I did I was told and I've cancelled all appointments tues-sat. I let clients know and told them I would be in touch to see if they would like to rearrange or book a future appointment. I'm really scared about losing my customers as most treatments I do are things that need maintaining like lashes, waxing and nails. But at the same time I've had a proper reality check and realise it's time I put me and my baby's health first. Most of my clients were very kind and understanding. However since making the calls I have had several texts asking me to recommend alternative salons to get their treatments done.... I just can't help but feel upset and worried by this, I guess I start to see my clients as friends but they're not and I'm scared they're annoyed at being let down and now wont come back to me.

Is the decent thing to make recommendations of where else they should go? Also, what are your geeks experiences/advice about time off sick in this industry/self employed. Thanks geeks xx

 

[AMO]

Oh honey,

Sorry to hear you are not well but congratulations on your pregnancy.
It will be so worth it and you do need to look after yourself and your baby.

You sound like a lovely person and that's one of the biggest client clinchers there is.
Is there actually anyone you would recommend? If so then make sure your clients know you should be good to go very shortly and you hope they will come back next time but in the mean time xxxxxx is good.

I'm sure the majority will come back(they may not even be able to get an appt to suit before you are fit again) if they are regulars! One treatment elsewhere shouldn't hurt.

Keep your chin and feet up.

Xxx

 

[Beautygirl1977]

Hi, that's a shame your feeling poorly. Well it's a bit different but I'm taking a month off when I get married and I'm going to recommend the salon I go to for my beauty. I wouldn't worry too much as if they are happy with you they'll come back. I presume you'll be taking time off when baby gets here? What's your plan then? I don't think you should stress too much. Concentrate on getting yourself better. X

 

[eternalscot]

I dunno never been off in 16 years( touch wood)! When I was pregnant and dumped so going through it alone I still worked to 10pm it was very hard work! When I was late and enduced I came home and done my clients in between and after a c section back to work in six days, doctors tell you to do lots of things, but some of us need the money. To be honest we can pace ourselves and still push ourselves to book clients in. I needed the money to pay my mortgage, car, bugaboo pram, cots you name it!

Some clients will not stay loyal if you take lots of time off. This comes with being self employed, we cannot indulge ourselves like some employees from the public sector do.

Very sorry if this isn't what you want to hear, hope you get well soon and baby is fine.

 

[sarah_clancy]

I'm self employed and have been working from home for 2 years. I'm busy and have a good repeat client base. In 2 years I have only had one day off work due to sickness; however I am now 17 weeks pregnant and have been diagnosed with a kidney infection. I've been instructed by my doc and midwife to take at least the rest of the week off work and have complete rest as the infection can cause risk to my baby. To be honest I feel so rotten I can barely get out of bed, so I did I was told and I've cancelled all appointments tues-sat. I let clients know and told them I would be in touch to see if they would like to rearrange or book a future appointment. I'm really scared about losing my customers as most treatments I do are things that need maintaining like lashes, waxing and nails. But at the same time I've had a proper reality check and realise it's time I put me and my baby's health first. Most of my clients were very kind and understanding. However since making the calls I have had several texts asking me to recommend alternative salons to get their treatments done.... I just can't help but feel upset and worried by this, I guess I start to see my clients as friends but they're not and I'm scared they're annoyed at being let down and now wont come back to me.

Is the decent thing to make recommendations of where else they should go? Also, what are your geeks experiences/advice about time off sick in this industry/self employed. Thanks geeks xx

Your health and your baby's health is much more important then your clients treatment, please take it easy
If they are loyal clients and worth having then they WILL come back, what's 1 week.... You could be worse if you don't rest up.

Id recommend a pricey salon for them ;-) xx

 

[eternalscot]

Yes ofcourse take it easy, but don't expect to end up wealthy with a booked filled up there after. These are the difficult choices self employed people take everyday. If you husband or partner is bringing in enough and money for your mortgage etc is not a priority take as much time as you like, you can always build up again when your ready after the baby. Babies when working is bloody hard and you cannot have the baby there screaming while your clients are being done you need a babysitter, they come for attention and relaxation, not to listen to screaming kids. My son was in a nursery from three months.

 

[skander1983]

I dunno never been off in 16 years( touch wood)! When I was pregnant and dumped so going through it alone I still worked to 10pm it was very hard work! When I was late and enduced I came home and done my clients in between and after a c section back to work in six days, doctors tell you to do lots of things, but some of us need the money. To be honest we can pace ourselves and still push ourselves to book clients in. I needed the money to pay my mortgage, car, bugaboo pram, cots you name it!

Some clients will not stay loyal if you take lots of time off. This comes with being self employed, we cannot indulge ourselves like some employees from the public sector do.

Very sorry if this isn't what you want to hear, hope you get well soon and baby is fine.

Yours and your baby's health is the most important thing. Please take your doctor's advice and rest up, don't "pace yourself and push yourself to book clients in"

Take care of yourself and your lovely baby x

 

[zm85]

I'm self employed and have been working from home for 2 years. I'm busy and have a good repeat client base. In 2 years I have only had one day off work due to sickness; however I am now 17 weeks pregnant and have been diagnosed with a kidney infection. I've been instructed by my doc and midwife to take at least the rest of the week off work and have complete rest as the infection can cause risk to my baby. To be honest I feel so rotten I can barely get out of bed, so I did I was told and I've cancelled all appointments tues-sat. I let clients know and told them I would be in touch to see if they would like to rearrange or book a future appointment. I'm really scared about losing my customers as most treatments I do are things that need maintaining like lashes, waxing and nails. But at the same time I've had a proper reality check and realise it's time I put me and my baby's health first. Most of my clients were very kind and understanding. However since making the calls I have had several texts asking me to recommend alternative salons to get their treatments done.... I just can't help but feel upset and worried by this, I guess I start to see my clients as friends but they're not and I'm scared they're annoyed at being let down and now wont come back to me.

Is the decent thing to make recommendations of where else they should go? Also, what are your geeks experiences/advice about time off sick in this industry/self employed. Thanks geeks xx

Your baby and health is more important right now so its good you realise this and are following medical advice. It's only for a week I'm sure your clients understand so don't take it to heart. Surely they can wait for an appointment the following week? A weeks rest for you will make a big difference and overloading yourself when you need rest won't do you any favours and unfortunately won't get you any extra thanks from your clients even if you were to somehow manage to keep their appointments!
I'm 34 weeks now but stopped working early on due to moving so this was part if the reason as i wasn't able to keep on their business anyway, I recommended a beauty salon to them all which some used and others chose to stay with me right up until I moved!

 

[eternalscot]

Everyone is saying put your feet up and take a rest, I agree. Your business does take a bashing though if your off frequently or take indulgent maternity leave ( it is not essential you won't die, it just lovely if you can and you not worried about bills). My takings went down £14k the year i gave birth, due to stopping working so late (like no later than 7pm I was very tired!). Let's get real some clients will go somewhere else and do not return, the ones you do when struggling in and never let them down, you will have forever and they will be grateful. I'm lucky enough to do some treatment clients cannot get elsewhere easily, so they have no choice but to wait, but for waxing and tan, don't bet on it. That is the choice self employed people take. I also moved house at 8 months pregnant alone, and continued working, why do you need time off when moving?, hire a removal company get your stuff in and a clean up, job done! Time off is nice but not always essential.

 

[lynn amber]

Well I was off for 4 wks last year suddenly after being diagnosed with leukemia APL. I returned to work 3 day after being discharged from hospital ,went back 4 days a week whilst getting chemotherapy 2 days a wk and yes I lost clients those who have no flexibility at all even under these circumstances,one client even asked me to do her on my one day off at this time I said no but still felt guilty think I actualy cryed at this point I think some people don't see there hairdresser/therapist as a real person

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[zm85]

Everyone is saying put your feet up and take a rest, I agree. Your business does take a bashing though if your off frequently or take indulgent maternity leave ( it is not essential you won't die, it just lovely if you can and you not worried about bills). My takings went down £14k the year i gave birth, due to stopping working so late (like no later than 7pm I was very tired!). Let's get real some clients will go somewhere else and do not return, the ones you do when struggling in and never let them down, you will have forever and they will be grateful. I'm lucky enough to do some treatment clients cannot get elsewhere easily, so they have no choice but to wait, but for waxing and tan, don't bet on it. That is the choice self employed people take. I also moved house at 8 months pregnant alone, and continued working, why do you need time off when moving?, hire a removal company get your stuff in and a clean up, job done! Time off is nice but not always essential.

Eternalscot i moved to a different place altogether so i wasn't exactly going to travel for hours to my old clients! So in my case I had to give the business up and it seemed pointless trying to establish myself in the new area so close to baby coming when I can just start up again after baby is here. That's what maternity pay is for youre entitled to time off!!

 

[happyfeet]

Awww lovey keep smiling. Shame some of your clients dont realise that you dont need to be recommending other salons when youre feeling poorly but thats another issue.

Take heed of your doctors advice- what's important is you and bubbas health first and foremost. Don't be a hero honey- take care of you. Its 1 week and you need to get better. Your alternative is you work this week run the risk of becoming more poorly and have to have longer off- health reasons aside that wouldnt make great business senses lovey.

Get well soon honey, try not to worry (that won't help you health wise either) and congratulations on your pregnancy.

Love n hugs x x x

 

[josheardown]

Hi geek, thanks so much for your helpful responses, very much appreciated xx

Well I'm starting to feel better now, although am still off work. Am glad I decided to take the time off as my kidney infection turned out to be something more sinister, so it's been a bit of a rollercoster. But I'm starting to feel better, and baby seems to be unscathed too, tough little babber! :o) Thanks so much for your get well wishes and for your congrats wishes, really kind. Am feeling so relieved and starting to get a bit excited now. We have been through alot and waited along times for this baby so I'm very pleased all is ok so far :o

It was really interesting and insightful to read your experiences relating to this subject. I do think as self employed therapists the issue of illness, grievance (and even hols for that matter) are fair bit more difficult to deal with than in other industries for various reason. Lynn Amber, I agree that some clients don't seem to treat us as human. Is it something we just get use to and become immune to? For instance (and I'm sure you geeks have got alot worse examples than this) - a response from one lady (a former work colleague in a different industry): " What?! Well you best let me know when you will be able to do my lashes, one eye is really quite sparse now". Umm... hang on let me just unhook the drip and I'll be over in 10! Although from the sound of some of you tough nuts, you may well have just done that! Lol. But joking aside, I'm not taking it to heart, my clients on the whole are really nice and it probably is difficult to identify with something that's seemingly detached from their own life.

Thanks again for taking the time to console a crazy preggie lady or even just to give me a kick up the proverbial! The balance of views has been gratefully and thoughtfully received xx

 

[lynn amber]

Hope your back on your feet soon :-D

Sent from my LT18i using SalonGeek

 

[zm85]

Glad to hear you're feeling better it really does make a difference to take it easy don't feel guilty about putting your health and baby first! It sounds like you've been through a rough time
Hugs and love to you and your long awaited baby