Question for mobile nail tech's

[PinkPotions]

I had a 1st time client on Wednesday night. She works with my sister so my sister had pretty much arranged the appointment and just confirmed the time to me.

It was at the girls house, i normally work from my home salon but made the exception for her since she was a friend of my sis.

Well........

When i got there the place was FILTHY i mean proper dirt everywhere, spiders everywhere. 3 kids sat on the floor covered in ketchup. The woman wasn't joking when she said welcome to madness! She then told me she didn't own a table so could i do her enhancements on the sofa and lean on a childs book! Then changed her mind and asked me to do them on the ketchup floor!

I really wanted to run but me being the pathetic sap i am ( & wanting to spare my sis embarassment at work) i got on the floor and did the nails making sure to clean the floor first and i went mad with my dissinfect. The woman kept stopping every few minutes to yell at the kids who were running round me then she'd get up and make a cup of tea....

It took me 2.5hrs in the end by the time she stopped moving. Plus my leg was killing (i had a bad accident a year ago and have major metal implants in my leg!). At the end i had to get her to help me off the floor, I wasn't happy with a couple of the nails and then she asked what took me so long to do them.

I bit my tongue and left sharp. I'm still seething.

So anyways, the question: Do you mobile techs have a folding table and chairs you carry with you incase the client doesn't have one or do you ask that when they make an appointment.

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

it sounds to me like it would be a good idea for you to invest in one!!! im not qualifed and working yet but i do have a fold up table and i have to say ...its flippin heavy! even one of them small cheap fold up side tables would be handy and easy to leave in your car incase that situation arises again.......which btw it probably will....i think i would have politely refused to do her nails and told her that she would have to come to me where you have everything you need and NO KIDS! lol
Its totally unsafe for children to be running about when your doing someones nails..what if they knocked one of your products over? or bumped into you while you were pushing he cuticles back or something? what if they grabbed something while you werent looking and put it in their mouth?
You need to start as you mean to go on and dont allow people to break your standards for health and safety and professionalism....you wont get any respect like that..you gotta be firm from the start cos now shes probably gonna expect you to do that again at some point...one things for sure....your never gonna forget your first client are you! lol :hug:

 

[luci106]

Hi me lovely it sounds as if you had a very hard time with your client and i feel for you so far i have been lucky with my clients. On the table front i have a great little table that i use for just about everything i got it from salons direct and it only cost £10 its basically a folding tv table - although i am now considering upgrading to a proper nail tech table as i only got this one when i first started out and didnt know how popular nail treatments would be so didnt want to shell out a lot - the only prob with this table is the size with enhancements you need a fair amount of kit but i have had no problems with it its handy and folds flat.

Keep smiling im sure with mobile you get good clients and bad just put it down to an experience you will laugh about it soon xxxxx

 

[PinkPotions]

it sounds to me like it would be a good idea for you to invest in one!!! im not qualifed and working yet but i do have a fold up table and i have to say ...its flippin heavy! even one of them small cheap fold up side tables would be handy and easy to leave in your car incase that situation arises again.......which btw it probably will....i think i would have politely refused to do her nails and told her that she would have to come to me where you have everything you need and NO KIDS! lol
Its totally unsafe for children to be running about when your doing someones nails..what if they knocked one of your products over? or bumped into you while you were pushing he cuticles back or something? what if they grabbed something while you werent looking and put it in their mouth?
You need to start as you mean to go on and dont allow people to break your standards for health and safety and professionalism....you wont get any respect like that..you gotta be firm from the start cos now shes probably gonna expect you to do that again at some point...one things for sure....your never gonna forget your first client are you! lol :hug:

Thanks hun. she wasn't my first client i've been doing nails for a wee while now quite happily from my home treatment room, i've even done a couple mobile on their dining table, It's just this is my first mobile nightmare. I guess it's my spoilt upbringing where i can't imagine houses being so messy or not having a table.

If anyone could recommend a folding nail station that would be fab!

 

[tonilee]

I tell you what I have used in the past and (almost) everyone has one, an ironing board!!! You can set it to te right height, its ust the right width its bleeding perfect and as I said almost everyone has one, I say almost as this client of your sounded like an extreme case!! lol

 

[Bagpuss]

working mobile is like a box of chocolates...you just never know what your gonna get....:lol:

I have a great little folding table i got from Argos...its white and in the camping section, about £12

But I work from home now as i hated all the interuptions...kids and lugging around.

Put it down to experience hun and if she wants another apt tell her to come to you.

We cant possibly be expected to work from the floor or the couch with a book to lean on...its ridiculous.

 

[worthit]

I had a 1st time client on Wednesday night. She works with my sister so my sister had pretty much arranged the appointment and just confirmed the time to me.

It was at the girls house, i normally work from my home salon but made the exception for her since she was a friend of my sis.

Well........

When i got there the place was FILTHY i mean proper dirt everywhere, spiders everywhere. 3 kids sat on the floor covered in ketchup. The woman wasn't joking when she said welcome to madness! She then told me she didn't own a table so could i do her enhancements on the sofa and lean on a childs book! Then changed her mind and asked me to do them on the ketchup floor!

I really wanted to run but me being the pathetic sap i am ( & wanting to spare my sis embarassment at work) i got on the floor and did the nails making sure to clean the floor first and i went mad with my dissinfect. The woman kept stopping every few minutes to yell at the kids who were running round me then she'd get up and make a cup of tea....

It took me 2.5hrs in the end by the time she stopped moving. Plus my leg was killing (i had a bad accident a year ago and have major metal implants in my leg!). At the end i had to get her to help me off the floor, I wasn't happy with a couple of the nails and then she asked what took me so long to do them.

I bit my tongue and left sharp. I'm still seething.

So anyways, the question: Do you mobile techs have a folding table and chairs you carry with you incase the client doesn't have one or do you ask that when they make an appointment.

Hi
This does sound familiar as i am mobile and yes the real world is that not everyone is like ourselves and the first time I went into someones house and saw the filth that people live in I was horrified but it's all part of the mobile thing I'm afraid not all houses are like it so you have to just grin and bear it I don't find it quite as shocking now I just turn a blind eye and thank god I don't have to live in this filth myself:irked:

As far as a table is concerned I get it a lot that people dont have tables, I just went to a client this week and I said as soon as I entered their house (filthy again) have you got a table and chairs? to which came the reply what sort? what do you say to that :lol: then I asked for chairs and again got a blank look but she then produced 1 chair and asked if I wanted another one (some people) so I have a fab table from the range and it's been an invalid investment and still is it was £14.99 it's really light and fits in the car lovely no hassle I find the proper nail stations really heavy and as a mobile tech you have enough to lug around so it is ideal doesn't have to be posh you just need something that does the job and this does and it's wide enough for all your stuff

As far as working on the floor or sofa BALANCING ON A BOOK I'm sorry I would've refused!!!! we are worth more than that but atleast it's experience for you and you have hopefully learnt from it and NEVER work on the floor again!

Good luck with it all:hug:

Kate x

 

[pips]

working mobile is like a box of chocolates...you just never know what your gonna get....:lol:

I have a great little folding table i got from Argos...its white and in the camping section, about £12

But I work from home now as i hated all the interuptions...kids and lugging around.

Put it down to experience hun and if she wants another apt tell her to come to you.

We cant possibly be expected to work from the floor or the couch with a book to lean on...its ridiculous.

Just make sure you say no children allowed as your insurance doesn't cover if there was to be an accident.

Most places dont allow children into the treatment area, only the waiting area

 

[Sals]

I always say "no kids" since I had a few nightmare appointments at the start. I have a folding picnic table which lives in the boot of my car. I only bring it out if the client doesn't have a suitable table for me to work at.

I think I got mine in Argos too, but can't really remember. The best thing about it is it is height adjustable so can fit in with the client's chairs.

 

[MrsR]

My first L&P job was a friend who had a low coffee table and that was it, plus 4 large dogs - I was on my knees leaning over the table and made a total mess and had to soak them off, I now have a mobile nail table - best thing I have ever bought and has since saved my knees.

 

[adelekeegan1]

Almost my very last mobile appointment was for a girl that was having a Spa pedi and a set of Brisa gels.

It took me 3 trips to get all my stuff in (including my mobile table) and she had a HUGE dog and a 9 month old baby who screamed in the same room for the entire visit.

Whilst I was doing her nails she had the high chair next to her and was feeding the baby banana yoghurt with whichever hand I wasn't working on. I had to keep waiting for her hands and cleaning off banana yoghurt each time.

Doing the pedicure was no better - the dog kept licking me and this was after I had cleared the sink of 6 weeks washing up to get some water.

I reeled out of there after 4 hours and made my decision to set up my home salon - NO KIDS, NO FOOD, NO PETS - bliss

 

[Carole.B]

OMG just starting out mobile, what am i letting myself in for..xx

 

[Skyblue]

These are the kind of things that are putting me off mobile

Filthy houses, dogs and kids running around.

I would much prefer to work from home but my business advisor thinks its best for me to try mobile :cry:

 

[Poshfloss]

Hi Hun,
I have to agree with Adele. I have had similar nightmare mobile treatments. Enough to make me realise no more. I am fortunate to have just set up a home salon, Not had many clients yet, but it has only been 2 weeks. I sent invitations and a discount voucher to all clients that I had built up when I rented space above a hairdressers.....another nightmare........she was using my beauty rooms for an extra marital affair!!!!!!!!!!! eeek !!!!!!!!! so I decided to leave.
Tables.......I bought a very good folding table, just the right size from Costo, but as I said didn't do mobile for very long. They have to smoke when you are doing nails, brats everywhere, need to put the dog in or out, I have never used so much sanitize spray as when I was mobile. My folding table I now use it now in my home salon as a side table for extras. But it was great when mobile and not too heavy.
Next time she asks, suggest a little nice time for herself away form the kids so that she can enjoy having her nails done, a little pampering time for her. Or just be too busy to fit her in.
Best of luck.
Lotsa luv x :hug:

 

[Upsy Daisy]

I used to work on peoples dining tables but found it a little awkward so got a great little table from somewhere like poundstretchers I think, it is a small wooden TV table which folds completely flat, fits in the car easily and isn't too heavy to carry. Think it cost about £7. I am thinking about getting a bigger table but the one I have has been great for starting out.

 

[suzie49]

Hi what a nightmare for you, I have been using a little picnic table I bought from Argos for about £12 was just the job to start with, but now I am getting busier I find its just that bit to wide I'm always having to tell the client to pass me her hands across lol..
So I bought a brand manicure table off Ebay cost about £60 including p&p and its great folds down and not to heave at all..xxxxx

 

[PinkPotions]

Thanks folks.

I love my home treatment room and I use it 90% of the time but there are times when i feel i need to go to a clients house or lose the business.

I am going to invest in a folding table and chairs but still keep my fingers crossed that no-one ever asks for a home visit again :lol:

 

[Jaffacake]

What a nightmare!! you reminded me of a nightmare manicure I had to do years ago when I did mobile nails! now, why did I decide nails were not for me??? ......... lol :green:

http://www.salongeek.com/chit-chat/12067-omg-what-nightmare-manicure.html

 

[Denny]

Hi

I used to work mobile years ago and I used a knitting machine table which was ideal, slim and light.