So mad at my client!!!!

[Scratchers]

Hello everyone,

Now before i tell about the last 7 weeks with a client of mine i would like you all to know, that i will NEVER do it again and i can't believe i was stupid enough to trust her!!

So i have learnt from my mistake and now i am going to off load!!!

I HAD (yes had not have) a clinet who had been coming to me from day 1 about 4 years ago, she was a regular never any problems with her she always came every 2 weeks on the dot never cancelled or didn't show up, the perfect client really, until now!!

7 weeks ago she came in and had a rebalance with me and also bought some products total of £53, she'd been going through a rough time lately and always found that she could talk to me about.

Once i had finished her appointment i went to take her payment and she couldn't find her purse, she got so upset and she was in such a state i said 'don't worry go and find your purse and ring me to let me know you have found it and then drop the cheque in tomorrow.

STUPID KIRSTY STUPID KIRSTY STUPID KIRSTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have since been trying to text and phone her for 7 weeks to get payment, i made contact a few times and she said she was ill then she was due for her re-balance so i said bring it in rhen she never showed then she rebooked and then cancelled at the last minute i gave her my address weeks ago so she could send the cheque it never arrived and it has been like this for the while 7 weeks!!

So i decided to leave a voicemail as i knew she would not pick the phone up to talk to me, i left a message saying 'Hi **** its Kirsty just wondered if you could ring me urgently as i have not yet recieved payment for your treatment and products, and unfortunatly i will have to take things further if we can't sort this out'
Not rude or unreasonable i thought don't know about you guys?

So that was 11am and i then recieve a text from her saying 'i got your message Kirsty i have sent a cheque for £53 again as you stated. i asked you for your bank details to transfer the money but did not get them, i've now had to pay £12 to cancel another cheque! in all the time i have been a client payment has never been an issueand i have sent payment twice, i've been working away so it hasn't been convient to drop it in, don't start with the threats Kirsty it won't work on me!'

Well i was so angry by this reply i went out my way to help her and she has made it out like i am over reacting????

So i sent one back as i just can't help myself!! i replied with, 'i wasn't threatening you, it has been 7 weeks i have been waiting for payments and not only that but i am out of pocket as i paid for your products out of my own money! It would have been nice if you could have let me know that you couldn't make payment as we could of sorted somethimg out but instead it looks like you have been avoiding me!'

I know that i probably shouldn't have text back but she made me so angry if it were the other way round i would have gone out my way to take the cheque in and been very grateful that the person was nice enough to do that for me, i think it makes it worse that she was one of my favourite clients as i feel betrayed.

Don't Ever make the same mistake i did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chameleon]

That is totally unacceptable behaviour from your client kirsty.

I think you have been professional in waiting for your payment,after all it is your business you are providing.

sending you a hug:hug:

 

[butterfly100]

If i`m honest in that situation I would probably have done exactly the same!!!
Sounds like she is angry with herself for letting it go that long and is taking it out on you so she doesn`t lose face......Live and learn eh! xxx

 

[purpleivy]

Small Claims court? Doesn't look like she has a leg to stand on. If you had received cheques they would show as being banked.

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

Kirsty Dont be hard on yourself hun,
She was in the wrong you know that, you were professional, and tbh you didnt say anything untrue or nasty in the last text,
dont worry hun,
you have done nothing wrong, and you deserve your money xx
You havent been stupid at all you had no reason not to trust this woman after the amount of time you have known her, and she has never given you reason to,

Its all a learning curve isnt it, think of it that way , and hope that the cheque does arrive xxxx:hug:

 

[Beautyandme]

Oh, what a shame. Is there no way around it, where you could get your money back and still continue to have her as a client. Or is it too late now?

hope it sorts its self out.

 

[Lellipop]

Kirsty you had no reason to doubt that this client wasn't going to pay you and why wouldnt you she has been what sounds like the prefect client up until now. I believe that she has made up the excuse about sending payments etc to try and cover the fact that after 7 weeks she still hasn't paid you and infact it sounds like she has been avoiding you If she is a regular client who has never missed her appointments that why would she go 7 weeks without having her nails done........ Because she is guilty, you did the right thing Kirsty :hug:

 

[Scratchers]

I think it is too late unfortunatley thanks girls you've made me feel loads better, the thing is and i'm no blowing my own trumpet here but she has seen me buil up my business and been through all the hard time aswell with me and i just feel so hurt and angry now and i think now it has gone to far as i don't trust her as a client and it will be very awkward if she did come back to me xx:hug:xx

 

[littlegrohl]

I think it is too late unfortunatley thanks girls you've made me feel loads better, the thing is and i'm no blowing my own trumpet here but she has seen me buil up my business and been through all the hard time aswell with me and i just feel so hurt and angry now and i think now it has gone to far as i don't trust her as a client and it will be very awkward if she did come back to me xx:hug:xx

wow not only have you been betrayed by a client, but it seems you have been betrayed by a friend! We all know that this job can sometimes get personal.. I have a client that i adore.. and look forward to doing her nails..she is such fun and has been with me since the beginning...she has seen my highs and lows and vice versa.. I would be devastated if i lost her.. unfortunately i agree.. if it had been just anyone, doing her nails again wouldnt be an issue as you can keep it professional, but when a friend betrays you.. then feelings are involved! You handled yourself really well mate.. better then i would have.. :hug:

 

[IllumeGirl]

:hug: Kirsty, you get the last laugh..she will have a hard time finding a good enough tech again..hopefully she will pop into the local nss for a cheap set,lol. She will be kicking herself..i would never do her nails again..she would have "forgotten her purse" deliberately..what a self centred person...i have had a stupid woman do that to me twice in a row.:irked:

 

[minky]

Hi Kirsty
If she is the sort of woman who let 7 weeks go by without paying you it was bound to happen sooner or later,
how could anyone do this and then try twist it back on to you:irked:
the absolute cheekiness of her

I agree with the fact that someone said earlier that she feels shamed about it and is just taking the heat off herself by being on the defensive,

Take no notice, and don't you worry I think you have been more than tolerant about this ,
but she has not acted in a true honest manner ,
would you go through the small claims ?
as you work hard for your wages
I'm sure someone on here can help you with small claims procedure if you decided too pursue the matter .
but you know it might be better to just forget it to get shut of her

let us know what happens ,
x minky

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Kirsty I've been there too, pretty much the exact situation too!

Long standing client, one of my faves, went to pay and "oh dear I seem to have forgotten my purse". Same thing as you, no money and no correspondence from her - if she had just text me to say she hadn't forgotten I would have been happier. Then I found out she had been in a bad car accident and so payment was delayed further, and of course I couldn't then chase her for it could I?

When she was out of hospital she phoned me to rebook and I said, of course don't forget you still owe me £60 from last time. She got all shirty and said "I KNOW I DO DON'T WORRY I SAID I'LL PAY IT" I think I was more upset by that attitude that there was no sorry for the delay, just that I was bad to ask for the money I was owed from about 2 months before. So I got my money in the end, but I just didn't feel the same towards her after that, I felt I had been mistreated and shown a lack of respect.

we're nail techs after all ... not debt collectors.

 

[Urban Geek]

I think we all experience this sort of thing at some point in business. Don't dwell on it too much and don't torture yourself either for trying to get paid for services you gave. As has been said, the client is the biggest loser here as she will not find anyone else to do her nails as well very easy. You will find many clients to replace her. It is also a lesson to us all to keep that bit of distance.

Since she was such a long standing and faithfully client for so long however and is obviously going through a bad time as you say, I would move on. If she pays up good and well but I wouldn't take any further action in this instance except refuse any request for a future appointment. :hug:

 

[dee]

i had this prob with one of my regulars , always had been the perfect client then decided she didnt have enough money one day !
well it took me weeks of texts and being plain blunt even threatening to charge her interest daily ! she soon gave me the dosh after that , but now i make sure she has the cash upfront :green:

 

[PLAOH]

You had no reason not to trust her, however, this a good reminder to us all that they are just clients...no matter how long they have been with us, or how friendly you find them.

Don't be so hard on yourself, we've all done it.:hug:

 

[Gelly]

Just a quicky from someone who has not had this happen yet........

If you have done the treatment and then they discover that they have nothing to pay you with............
Other than trust their honesty, (regular or new) what exactly can you do?? Hold them hostage!!?

This is a serious question btw, I'm not being sarcastic........


Kirsty,
It's really quite sad that this has happend to you. I think that I would try to move on and mend my relationship with this client.
I understand that she was having a rough time which it seems she might have taken out on you.
I do think that sometimes when people develop relationships like this, that they can take them for granted.

Most people treat those closest to them with less care and respect than they would a stranger....... because we know or hope that we care enough about each other to forgive and move on....... You know, like how teenage girls treat their mum's - because we know they love us no matter what!!

You might be like her Mum to her!! She shares her life and secrets with you...... maybe she went too far this time...... but Mum would forgive her!!

Maybe she just took your kindness and understanding for granted.
She forgot or put it off, but thought 'oh Kirsty won't mind - It's me - and we're mates'.
The reality of - No love, your also client and I have a business to run and a family to feed - is a bit upsetting for some (bursts their, I'm special bubble)

So far, your contact has been through messages - either voice or text.
I don't believe that you should walk away from this untill you two have spoken face to face. Virtual communication has allot to answer for! (IMO)

You have seen each other every two weeks for what must seem like forever, so you must understand each others body language and expressions..... get together and try to sort this out.

 

[Scratchers]

Just a quicky from someone who has not had this happen yet........

If you have done the treatment and then they discover that they have nothing to pay you with............
Other than trust their honesty, (regular or new) what exactly can you do?? Hold them hostage!!?

This is a serious question btw, I'm not being sarcastic........


Kirsty,
It's really quite sad that this has happend to you. I think that I would try to move on and mend my relationship with this client.
I understand that she was having a rough time which it seems she might have taken out on you.
I do think that sometimes when people develop relationships like this, that they can take them for granted.

Most people treat those closest to them with less care and respect than they would a stranger....... because we know or hope that we care enough about each other to forgive and move on....... You know, like how teenage girls treat their mum's - because we know they love us no matter what!!

You might be like her Mum to her!! She shares her life and secrets with you...... maybe she went too far this time...... but Mum would forgive her!!

Maybe she just took your kindness and understanding for granted.
She forgot or put it off, but thought 'oh Kirsty won't mind - It's me - and we're mates'.
The reality of - No love, your also client and I have a business to run and a family to feed - is a bit upsetting for some (bursts their, I'm special bubble)

So far, your contact has been through messages - either voice or text.
I don't believe that you should walk away from this untill you two have spoken face to face. Virtual communication has allot to answer for! (IMO)

You have seen each other every two weeks for what must seem like forever, so you must understand each others body language and expressions..... get together and try to sort this out.

Thanks hun for such good advice, and everyone that has posted as well, i have now calmed down and decided to just leave it where is was as i didn't want it to make it any harder for us, she has text today syaing ' i'm not avoiding you and i have sent 2 payments now but this new job has been hectic so i've been all over the place and staying away most weeks, sorry if i've not been in contact more'

I replied with 'I know that you are working away alot with your new job hun but i didn't know where i stood as it had been so long that i hadn't heard from you, you have been a good client and i don't want to fall out maybe if you could pop in to the salon we could have a chat and sort it out?'

I just don't know anymore, the more i think about it the more i convince myself i over reacted but i do still think she is in the wrong as well :grr:

 

[Urban Geek]

The bottom line is that the responsibility lay with the client to make sure she paid you for your services. You still haven't received payment so you are quite justified to be annoyed. Remember you have nothing to apologise for or feel guilty about. Your client was the one in the wrong and it is for her to apologise.

Hopefully she will pop in to see you and it can be sorted amicably and you keep a client and she continues getting nail services by a great tech x:hug:

 

[Scratchers]

The bottom line is that the responsibility lay with the client to make sure she paid you for your services. You still haven't received payment so you are quite justified to be annoyed. Remember you have nothing to apologise for or feel guilty about. Your client was the one in the wrong and it is for her to apologise.

Hopefully she will pop in to see you and it can be sorted amicably and you keep a client and she continues getting nail services by a great tech x:hug:

thanks so much chris xx:hug:xx

 

[Emma Bagnall]

first of all i dont think your stupid.... i think we just expect to be treated the way in which we would treat others... ie if i forgot my purse, i would go and get it and return asap to pay and if i couldnt find my purse i would borrow the money from a friend or relative.... a few weeks back, i had a woman and her 2 teenage daughters come into the salon for spray tans... when she came to pay her card was declined and she had no other method of payment, to save embarrasing her infront of a busy saturday afternoon clientelle i agreed for her to return before we closed at 4pm to pay by cash, she said she would go and get the money from her husband. anyway she never returned, i waited till half five for her, i rang and left messages on her answer machine and called to her house but no one would answer. i tried to report it to the police as theft, but it would be my word against hers... luckily i took a £15.00 deposit (standard at my salon) which covered the cost of the solution, but still had to pay wages to the member of staff who performed the tans, and i wasted an hour and a half of my saturday afternoon waiting for her to return... BUT YOU LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES! BUT DOESNT IT MAKE YOU MAD.....