ReBalance - Client Argument

[ClaireyCanary]

So this morning I had a call from a regular client who has been seeing me for about 4 months now. She herself is a mobile hairdresser and does another one of my clients hair.

She rang to tell me that she was with this client and was completely shocked to hear that this client had recieved a soak off of liquid and powder, Mani.Q colour applied and an eyebrow wax for £24, when her rebalance the previous day had cost her £24.

She went on to explain that the other client had been in the salon for 30 minutes longer than her and so surely her rebalance should of been cheaper :s

I explained to her that a rebalance costs more than infills due to extra time and extra product use. I also explained that I never charge for a soak off of enhancements if nail treatments are to be carried out within the same treatment. I just charge for that nail treatment.

She then went on to tell me that my price increases were ridiculous, I told her that all prices increased on average £2-£3 and that this was due to the VAT rise and also because my rental rate had increased, I explained that all clients were given a months notice of the price increase.

She then went on to tell me that as a mobile hairdresser she only had to raise her prices by £1 and doesnt see why I should raise my prices any more than that. She also stated that she has been to the local supplier to review how much my products cost and said that they are extremely cheap and I must be laughing at them all with the amount of money I am making. I kindly explained that I do not purchase my products from the local sallys suppliers, I purchase mine from Blackpool and that they are a fair price to pay, I feel that my prices are fair, and I do not laugh at my clients when I look at my profit margin, (to be honest Iv moved back home with my parents and am taking a second job in the evenings to bring in more cash)

I explained that I was sorry to hear that the client was unhappy but there is nothing I can do to change the matter. She replied that was just fine, I can remove all her pending appointments and expect all my clients whom have their hair done by her to do the same within the next few weeks as they will all be outraged to hear what a mockery I am making of them all.

Well I was quite happy to rub her out of my books after the way she spoke to me and proud I had kept my cool, but thinking back now should I have reacted differently?

Should I of offered her money back? Should I of charged for the soak off? Am I right to charge more for a re-balance?

How would you of reacted to this client?

Please bare in mind that prices in my area may be different to prices in yours, in my town I know of only one other technician that offers a re-balance, others just soak off and start again.

Cheers Geeks hope you can settle my mind and will be interested to hear your opinions.

xxx

 

[gemsie1983]

Well thats not very supportive of a fellow professional is it!

Get rid of her and leave it at that. If she wants to bad mouth you let her clients that respect you won't listen and it will just sound like sour grapes!

Never let ANYONE dictate how YOU run your business. Your prices are what you set and they are not a starting point for negotiation!

 

[mrsfrancis]

That it awful, I'm so sorry to hear that, that's not nice and rightly said not very supportive.
I think you did very well..
Just these pointers,
1. Soaking off doesn't take much product at all so that isn't fair for her too even compare a rebalance to a soak off, also it doesn't take much of you physical time.
2. Depending on what type of manicure it was ie; full manicure or a titivation for 15 minutes LOL, that can't be compared either and also an eye brow wax can range from £4 to £15 now a days.
So instead of her researching your product lines she should have research the differences between treatments and service not just the price structure.

All in all, be proud of the fact that it was the PRICE she was unhappy with and not the SERVICE, if you keep giving money back to clients you will be second guessing your work, and that isn't healthy for any growing therapist no matter what you do.

Personally I think you did the right thing and have set the standard for your business.
Well done I say


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek
Rheah Francis
CND Education Ambassador Midlands

 

[chocolatepickle]

I think you are perfectly right! How dare she try to dictate to you how to run your business.
How she chooses to run her business is entirely up to her and nothing to do with yours.
I bet you wouldnt dream of going to the wholesale to check out the prices of her products! So unproffessional!
Dont contact her yourself but if you do hear from her again and she's off on one again point out that slander against your business is illegal.
Good job your rid of her!

 

[angel fingers]

she knew what the price of her treatment was and she accepted that. she must have thought it was worth it or she wouldnt be a repeat client.
what the other client had done was completely different and they cant be compared.

however i would personally charge £5 to soak off l/p before another treatment.
i charge £10 if its l/p that someone else has applied.
but that decision is yours to make for your business.

i believe you handled the situation well and there is not much more you can do. if your clients are happy with your service they will return regardless of what the hairdressers opinion is. if she is a professional she should understand that clients are not paying for product and time alone, but for skill too.

 

[SJK]

I think you handled the situation correctly, but you must be absolutely fuming with the woman. If she is a geek, and she recognises herself from this description, shame on you!

 

[VHunter]

You handled her better than I would have.
I likely would have put her in her place and quite soundly too.

But in all honesty, it's really NONE OF HER BUSINESS A) what another client pays for different services vs what she paid for hers B) what you pay for your products C) what you pay for rent etc..

Basically, what I'm telling you is that you did NOT owe her any sort of explanation other than "she did not get the same services as you and the pricing differs" PERIOD. No more than that. ESPECIALLY since she was so gosh darned rude about it all.

You don't have to explain that vat increased etc. AND if YOU decided that YOU want a raise in your hourly rate, you can raise prices due to that too and that also is NONE of her business.

Phooey on her and the stinky horse she rode in on.
Ignore her. She's not worth it.

:hug:

 

[wendy malley]

I doubt as a nail tech you would tell a hairdresser how to run her buisness as it isn't your field. Clearly she knows nothing about yours but things like this make you feel so bad don't they :hug:. I agree you are well rid of her and I doubt she has enough influence to get your clients to cancel just because they are her clients too. Perhaps they will be sick of her bitchie ways and stay with you and leave her instead. VHunter has made me laugh with the stinky horse bit but I think a broom stick would suit her better x

 

[Pooh8bear]

Speaking as a hairdresser & a nail tech it seems a very strange way to speak to you..does she charge differently for someone with thicker/thinner hair or if she cuts 5cm or 8cm off a client.
Would she put the hair on scales & charge each client by weight. I don't think so!!!!!

I have had the odd male client jokingly ask if I do discount for the fact that they haven't got much hair left... but then I say I charge a finder's fee instead.

Maybe she was suffering from PMT.

Ignore her & stand by your prices & ways you charge for things.x

 

[xhoniebunnyx]

OMG!

She was out of order!

As a mobile hairdresser, nail tech, spraytanner etc, I have had to research prices and costs in my area thoroughly before deciding on what to charge my clients. Even after all of this leg work I still worry i'm under/over charging and find it a nightmare to put prices up.

This woman had no business calling you and talking to you this way, let alone being calculated and looking up the prices of your products! As a fellow professional she should've considered your overheads (rent etc) and the fact that you have TRAINED to do this. Clients pay for our SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE and TIME not to mention the products and overheads too.

I feel terrible for you and would've taken a confrontation like this badly myself, but you have handled it very well and are the better person.

As for bad mouthing you to other clients, as was said before, active slander of your business is illegal and should be treated as such. She obviously has not thought about if the shoe was on the other foot!!

Good luck and good riddence to her.... stick to your prices.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[femmefan]

Speaking as a hairdresser & a nail tech it seems a very strange way to speak to you..does she charge differently for someone with thicker/thinner hair or if she cuts 5cm or 8cm off a client.
Would she put the hair on scales & charge each client by weight. I don't think so!!!!!

I have had the odd male client jokingly ask if I do discount for the fact that they haven't got much hair left... but then I say I charge a finder's fee instead.

Maybe she was suffering from PMT.

Ignore her & stand by your prices & ways you charge for things.x

Love it :lol: