Refunds!

[Laurachicgeek]

I done a clients nails 2 weeks ago and she complained that some nails cracked and some had fallen off. Out of good will I took all the nails off and re done them for free! I'm mobile so I drove to her house. Later that day I announced I was no longer doing nails. This was because I don't feel confident yet doing them professionally and had complaints from the last 5 people. Which I explained its a new product to me so any problems let me no. The people before them absolutely loved the nails so I have kept them but am no longer offering nail extensions. Anyway client who I re done the nails for free now wants a full or half a refund!!! I said no because I'd already done 2 sets of nails for the price of 1 now she's saying that's not good enough.
What would you do in this situation please???? I'm worried she's gona ruin my business by telling people I'm rubbish!!! I do all sorts of services that I am very confident in waxing, massage, manicures pedicures eyebrow and lash tinting!!! All these I can do and that's all I'm offering from here on in!
So worried now! What would you do?
Many thanks
Laura

 

[mobilemartine]

Why is it now she wants a full refund on the second set have u seen the nails ? Personally I would only refund if I looked at the nails first hope this helps didn't want to read and run

 

[Laurachicgeek]

She wants the refund coz she says her nails are no good and I said I will no longer be doing them anymore! I told her any problems take them off and go elsewhere as I will not be providing this as a service anymore. Now she wants a refund!!!

 

[thinkpink2008]

Ask to see the nails before you offer anything, maybe offer to remove and tidy the nails but I wouldn't refund if I was you, stand your ground, it may be she's trying it on as she knows you've decided not to carry on with it as you don't have the confidence yet.
Can I ask what products you are sing and what you charged her if you don't mind? X

 

[Laurachicgeek]

I used angel beauty dip and go. I charged £20 for the service. A few of my clients love it and are staying with me. I was allergic to the normal liquid and powder format so used these as they had no strong chemicals. They were at Olympia beauty and I think there good products but only on certain people!

 

[Laurachicgeek]

I stupidly told her last week that a couple of other people had the same thing happen to there's and now that's why I'm stopping doing it.
I wish I never said anything now and just not told her why! She's now using that against me saying that I knew this would happen to her nails so why re do them? Just give me a refund! The thing is there are clients that do like the nails and I will continue with them but no one else!
I think she is trying it on!

 

[EmJZ]

sounds like she just wants free nails. If you want to get rid of her, offer refund but only if she comes to you to have them removed first. That way you get to see if there actually is something wrong with the replacement set you gave her. If she truely isn't happy with them she will come back and let you remove them in order to get her refund. If she's out to get a free service she won't want to let you see her nails. In that case, she can go to another tech and have them replaced.

 

[souz]

didnt want to read and run, sorry you have been having problems. I see that you have done beauty but what nail courses have you done?? what nail products are you using?

 

['chelle]

Tell her to bog off!! Sorry that's a bit tongue in cheek perhaps but its the attitude you have to keep in the back of your mind when you do a job like ours because there will always be customers who try it on for a freebie and some of them have great "lack of confidence radar" and will take full advantage of you if they think you can. Did she have problems with the second set of nails too? She cant have a free replacement then ask for her money back aswell it just doesnt work like that.

Dont let this put you off doing nails, lots of techs lose their confidence when they get a customer like this but you have to realise that every single tech has had a customer like this, you really only need to worry if a significant % of your customers are complaining because this would suggest your work is to blame, but if its just the one client then its more likely the clients problem, not yours.

 

[emsyj]

But it sounds as though you haven't even seen the problem that she's now complaining about - you need to see them. If you have done her 2 sets of sub standard nails then yes, you should refund her. It's not 'trying it on' if you've done 2 sets and neither were done properly and she doesn't want to pay. Replacing a poor set with another poor set (which you may have done) doesn't make it all okay and doesn't mean that she is not entitled to a refund.

 

[tanfastic]

Hi Hun, I had a similar problem a while back and I did not feel very confident with the application ( due to various reasons, have a little search on my older posts) but was asked for a refund after a fortnight too. I had very helpful advice form Geeg and I will pass this on to you lovey, If you feel that you may have been to blame, get in touch and sort something out. If you no longer want the aggravation of nails offer her a gift voucher to the value so she can have a treatment that you are confident in offering. She would appreciate the gesture and when you do a fabulous job, she will remember you being more than fair so would probably recommend you, Geeg told me if I was not happy with the application I ought to either offer to re-do free of charge or refund if all else fails. Be fair to your clients and they will ( mostly) be fair to you. My client was over the moon when I offered to re-do free of charge in time for her hols, so alls well that ends well. Her nails were great second time around so no problems there. Good luck and remember to listen to your conscience. When in business we have responsibility to be fair to ourselves but mostly to be fair to our clients.

Keep practicing with your new product and it wont be long before you are fabulous at it. Let me know how it went.

Here is the link to my old post
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/192231-client-taking-advantage.html

 

[paulag]

I personally would give the customer a refund if she is not happy with the service she received. Sometimes its not worth the stress level it will cause you. You should keep doing nails though and charge a reduced rate until your confidence returns, which it will in no time at all. x

 

[SMRGxo]

I was in the same situation a couple months ago but was hair extensions! At the 3 months (recommended time for hair extensions to be removed) my client asked for a refund as she was not happy with the hair because it was so dry and had all matted, as any extensionist would know the extensions only matt if not looked after. I offered her a free cut and blowdry and she then asked for a refund as she was not happy! I know she's bad mouthed me but I wouldn't give in, people like that are out to get what they can for free! I wouldn't worry too much as your loyal clients would stick up for you x

 

[LouBaby]

After 2 weeks I'd tell her 'no sorry' end of! I have been in your shoes and had clients with 100% grey hair calling me after 2 weeks saying the colour has washed off the roots, and was obvious it was regrowth.

If I had a 'bad' set of nails I'd tell my tech that day or few days after. She's trying to pull a fast one.

Keep your chin up xxxxx