Ready to throw in the towel with L&P clients

[ChicUnique]

I'm so fed up. I've been qualified for just over a year and am at my wits end with L&P clients. I've done extensions / overlays on some of my regular clients who can come back 4 weeks later with very little lifting, but I've had an influx of clients recently who I know are particularly rough on their hands, by their own admission but despite aftercare advice and me telling them they need to look after their nails they aren't indestructible etc, they are all coming back having 'lost' nails within a week expecting me to fix it. Im not a snob but these people aren't the type of clients i want to attract, It's really dragging me down, and I'm terrified they are going to damage my reputation, all of my gelish clients are happy and get anywhere from 2-4 weeks from theirs, they do all look after them. I just don't know what to do. I'm so tempted to remove acrylic from my service menu altogether. But the other half of me wants to be determined to master it. I've been to see my educator who has told me my technique is right. Hoping someone can cheer me up and tell me if its a good idea to remove acrylic from my price list or what to do

Xxx

 

[Claire@OBNMK]

What about upping the price a bit on your L&P, then that might deter those sort of clients (I know what you mean, you are not being a snob)
or
Remove it from your services for a little while and concentrate on the gels for the time being? maybe?

Do you have anything in your terms that states if they loose a nail after 24 or 48hrs then the repair would be chargeable?

x

or do you know of anyone (freind/family) who you can do a set on who is not hard on their nails, you could do it for a vastley reduced price or for free, and see how they get on with them, bit like a test.

 

[Maz101]

Unfortunately we all get clients like this, the saying is so true, you can drag a horse t water, but you can't force it to drink, I would say all repairs from 1/6/13 will be chargeable as an extra to infills mand maybe that will make them look after them more carefully.

I had a client that's been driving me mad, she has a skin condition Andre told her to wear gloves, solar oil etc etc and come back severe 10/14 days max it does she no, she even happily says I don't like wearing gloves to wash up, so I eventually said after doing repairs etc and having a greenie, if you don't do it, I will have to stop doing your nails. Her nails are improving and last visit was one repair break and infills only, so seems to be working, sometimes we have to be firm.

All your ther clients are happy do don't let it get you down (hugs)

 

[ChicUnique]

Thanks ladies. I know I'm charging far too little for my acrylics,but they aren't up to scratch, still working on getting my time down, im about 2 hours just now amd ,y smile lines need improving, its catch 22
I have 2 ladies that currently are regular for their acrylics one does look after them, one doesn't take great care of them, but she is honest and I respect her for that, she knows they would last longer if she cared for them, but she would still change them every fortnight regardless. I think I might take them off my pricelist just now and work away in the background with the girls that do get them without changing their price, and ask a couple of family members to just cover the cost of the materials and practice on them too. Ill try and save up for another couple of courses or one to one sessions with acrylic and re introduce them later.

All my other clients are happy with the service they get, well they don't complain and they all come back it's just the acrylic, when I get a new booking my heart sinks a little.

I have a couple booked in this week, I'm dreading it already. Xx

 

[smoothie88]

I'm so fed up. I've been qualified for just over a year and am at my wits end with L&P clients. I've done extensions / overlays on some of my regular clients who can come back 4 weeks later with very little lifting, but I've had an influx of clients recently who I know are particularly rough on their hands, by their own admission but despite aftercare advice and me telling them they need to look after their nails they aren't indestructible etc, they are all coming back having 'lost' nails within a week expecting me to fix it. Im not a snob but these people aren't the type of clients i want to attract, It's really dragging me down, and I'm terrified they are going to damage my reputation, all of my gelish clients are happy and get anywhere from 2-4 weeks from theirs, they do all look after them. I just don't know what to do. I'm so tempted to remove acrylic from my service menu altogether. But the other half of me wants to be determined to master it. I've been to see my educator who has told me my technique is right. Hoping someone can cheer me up and tell me if its a good idea to remove acrylic from my price list or what to do

Xxx

Have sent you a pm chum x

 

[pure]

If you know that you can produce good nails you should be charging accordingly - and definitely charge for all repairs. People tend to look after them better if they know its going to cost them! Just out of interest what do you charge for a full set/rebalance?

If you normally enjoy offering L&P as a service don't let a couple of careless clients put you off :hug:

 

[souz]

how much are you charging and which products are you using ?x

 

[ChicUnique]

I had a chat with a family member/ fellow geek so I'm feeling a bit better, I'm currently charging £30 for a full set, £20-25 for infills depending on if they come 2 or 3 weeks after.

I'm putting my prices up in the hope that people will look after them better.

 

[c bare sticks]

I usually find that shortly after dealing with someone who has had nails that don't do very well, someone will come in who will have done really well with them and make you reassure you that what you do is good and you have nothing to worry about. Try and drum it into people what's expected when they have false nails on and tell them about your other clients that have them on and have no problems. It will soon make them realise its their own wrong doing and not yours. Put pictures up on face book perhaps with a comment saying. . This is my lovely lady bla blas nails after 2 weeks. . Still going strong! . .maybe they will see it and think twice next time

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek

 

[Mobile Manicure]

As my name states, I am mobile and I had to remove acrylic from my service menu. I was also charging £30 for a full set but the headache some of my less than careful clients caused me almost made me shut up shop altogether. Being mobile they expected to to rush around at the drop of a hat to fix one nail. I could have quite easily spent a full day doing repairs and only making £15. Take products and petrol (not to mention set up time) out of that equation and I'm on a major loss. It wouldn't be so bad if I was sitting behind a table in a salon all day but for mobile it just wasn't working out.

I'm now only offering natural nail manicures, pedicures and Gelish and am completely booked up for 2 weeks. No more stupid calls asking me to come round and fix one nail!

 

[ChicUnique]

Thank you all for your advice and experience, I really appreciate it. Xxx

 

[geeg]

I don't think I would ever remove a service I can perform well from my menu. How would you ever improve on anything without continuing to do the service?

If you are worried about clients complaints, then you should be realistic and realise that you are always going to get some who will do that. Learning how to deal with moans and whinges well is as important as doing the nails well.

 

[souz]

Ladies, i understand your frustrations with L+P but it is a skill that is not learnt overnight. Trust me i know!! I spent years hating when people would ask for L+P but i carried on and yes looking back it would have been easy to give it up! I did stop doing them for a while but i practised and then i got myself some proper training.

I went to Justine Crick, cnd educator and told her how i felt! She said i can help you and i believed her. I booked in for some 121. She broke the system down for me, explained it al, even drew pictures for mel and finally it made sense where i had been going wrong. Now i am starting to build up L+P clients, i had one a few weeks ago with the most bitten nails i have EVER seen, i did a full set of extensions on her (no nervousness or dread!) and guess what...2 weeks later they are still on! Im actually in shock myself to be honest as they were so bitten.

What I am trying to say is go back to the drawing board so to speak and get some more training. Until someone else watches you and sees what you are doing wrong you may never change.

 

[ChicUnique]

Thank you geeg and souz. Shall take your advice on board. I'm usually such a determined person guess I was having a down day yesterday. I want to add on more treatments....but not until I master L&P! And i will.
I've never had any complaints until recently, so it's a shock to the system lol. I asked the girl yesterday that said she had one lifting if she had been following the aftercare and oiling them and wearing gloves etc, not using them as tools and when she was free to get booked in for a repair... She didn't reply.
I did another set of extensions last night the girl was over the moon with them, and said she would be back for her infill appointment in 2 weeks time as she wants to keep them up.