That dreaded conversation

[alexnailnewbie]

Hi Geeks,
I am just wondering how you all handle clients when they have broken a nail or it has came off or chipped.
Ive had 3 different clients now that when their nail has broken and they think the repairs are free!!!
Any help with how to have the 'well that will be £xx.xx 'conversation please

 

[Wooshka]

This is what salon policies are for.
When the client first comes to you, you give them a copy of your salon policies (which should include costs of repairs etc and if and when they apply or don't) and if they come back with a break/chip etc that is clearly their fault, then you hold your head high, refer to your salon policies and say "that repair will be XXX thank you".

No need to feel bad about it, you are there to earn a living and do a job.
If a client ripped a hole in a pair of pants and took it to a repair place, they wouldn't even question having to pay for the repair, so why question it when it's a product on their nails?!?!

If you don't show confidence and that you are firm in sticking to you policies, then of course you will be taken for a ride, so show your clients you mean business and you will get paid for the work you do.

Way too many techs are scared of clients and it's time this was changed

 

[BeautyPrincessH]

Hi Geeks,
I am just wondering how you all handle clients when they have broken a nail or it has came off or chipped.
Ive had 3 different clients now that when their nail has broken and they think the repairs are free!!!
Any help with how to have the 'well that will be £xx.xx 'conversation please

Hi

I work from home and my policy is that any chips/breakages after one week are chargeable.

Within one week I put right and chat about their lifestyle and make sure they are following/aware of aftercare.

That's all you can do really

X

 

[alexnailnewbie]

Wooshka, On my client consultation form it says any breakages, or repairs must be paid for. Do you think i should make a separate sheet for polices?
I also think you are right i need to be more firm and just say 'that's just how it is this is my bread and butter not a hobby'
BeautyPrincessH, Do you find your clients taking the mickey of your policy as i have said this to a few of mine and had phone calls after 5 days saying oh this nail has 'fallen off' when you can tell by the stress on the nail it has been prized off

 

[JuicyLucy]

The best way to stop nails breaking is to charge for repairs :biggrin:. Clients will be more careful if they have to pay.

 

[Wooshka]

Wooshka, On my client consultation form it says any breakages, or repairs must be paid for. Do you think i should make a separate sheet for polices?
I also think you are right i need to be more firm and just say 'that's just how it is this is my bread and butter not a hobby'
BeautyPrincessH, Do you find your clients taking the mickey of your policy as i have said this to a few of mine and had phone calls after 5 days saying oh this nail has 'fallen off' when you can tell by the stress on the nail it has been prized off

It's up to you but I have my client consult form, this is where I write services, colors, problems etc down each visit and on the first visit, yes the client fills it out for personal/medical info etc and signs and yes, in this is my salon policies but then it's put away in my filing system till next appt, so I can not expect my clients to remember them or get a full understanding of them after one quick read.
This is why I have a separate policy sheet (as well after care advice) that I give to all new clients and ask them to take it home and have a read so they understand what my salon policies are at all times.
I also have what I feel is the most important policies written up on the wall behind me, so the clients can see them every time they are in for a service.
I have found it works well and from the second my clients walk in to my little home salon, they know I mean business and just because I am a home based salon, I am no pushover

As already mentioned, repairs become less of an issue once the client(s) know they have to pay, they tend to take much better care of their nails/enhancements once they know that the tech is not going to keep fixing for free and repairs are something I do very little of and I feel it's because I stand my ground and the clients know what to expect.

I had all my policies checked out legally before handing them out/putting up on wall etc, so I knew I wasn't doing anything illegal and I knew if I did get a client who wanted to play hard ball, then I knew I could stand my ground.
I don't make it obvious to my clients that I will automatically give a free repair and if I do so happen to feel a repair should be free, I only offer this with in 48hrs of the service being done, after that all repairs are paid for unless I say so basically
I hope that all makes sense

 

[geeg]

Juicy Lucy is right.

You certainly never justify why or what you charge to a client! This is my bread & butter? I would never say anything like that to a client.

Repairs are chargeable from day one in our business. As far as I'm concerned if clients break a nail I know one thing for certain ... I did not break the nail.

 

[Wooshka]

Geeg and Juicy Lucy are totally right and I should have said what they have said.
It is just a given that you don't justify your prices to the client, if they don't want to pay or don't like my policies, then fine, go somewhere else, cause I don't want a client like that anyway.

I will add, I have not given away any free repairs since I can remember, I feel I have worded my policies well enough that doesn't make me seem like a hard core biatch who doesn't care but also doesn't make me seem like a push over that will give away freebies.
It's always up to my discretion and funnily enough, my discretion always says it's the client that caused the break/chip etc, it wasn't me who used my nails as tools, it was them, so why should I pay for it
I have my policy there for if there is ever a time when I'm having a full on blonde moment and 5 hrs later after the client has left, I realise I forgot to apply primer or something stupid like that and if that client was to call and say that particular nail is lifting or broken etc, then I know I'm the guilty one for causing it and I would offer repair for free......but by geez, I would never let that client know it was my fault I would just let them think I'm doing something extra nice by fixing it for free and remind them of their aftercare sheet and to not use their nails as tools etc.

Always remember, give a client a inch and they will take a mile
There is another thread on here at the moment about a tech who lowered her price all cause a client questioned if the original price was correct.
Why lower yourself/prices just cause a client questions something???
Crazy, crazy, crazy in my book you may as well put a sign up saying "come to me for all your nail needs, cause I am a pushover and you'll never pay the full advertised price"

 

[souz]

all prices for everything including repairs, nail art, extra art, additives, glitter everything should be in black and white on your price list then there is no confusion and no need for awkward conversations xx

 

[Little Angel]

We do a minimum service charge for breakages, its £5 so they have have up to two breaks fixed. Its a 15 min slot so needs to be charged for. I do find that clients are a lot more careful once they have paid once

 

[alexnailnewbie]

Thank you everyone for your reply's, i know you are all right i have to be firm and make sure my polices and prices are written down for all to see, i will now add this information to my aftercare leaflets. My partner is always saying 'don't do things for free because people will just assume you will always give them a freebie'
I am very new to the nail industry and it is obvious i still have a lot to learn. Thank you again for all of your advice it is very much appreciated

 

[alexnailnewbie]

Sorry this is cheeky but could someone please send me a copy of their polices to look at please. I am having difficulty putting it down on paper without it sounding rude.

 

[411]

I had a client who contacted me after 10 days, who said there was a fuzzie/hair on the side of her nail, and she peeled it off! When I asked her 3 times if it was hair or fuzzie she avoided the question and said its her fault she didn't use gloves!
Then she said she peeled a few more off. I took pictures of her nails and always check nails before client leaves and ask if they are happy.

She's a loyal client and has bought me quiet a few clients. So I told her I would have fixed it if it was a day or two later only on that one nail, but 10 days later,that's a no go.

I'd like a copy of t & c if anyone has got some, I'm struggling to word mine.

 

[Beas nails]

I have just started a very similar thread I didn't realise this was on here!!! I have had several people take the Micky with touch ups etc and want to protect myself wit terms n conditions, I would also love a copy to go by if any one wouldn't mind sharing?!

 

[LoveBeauty1]

Hi , I have had a lady come back for 3 repairs (3 appointments) and at first she paid £3 then refused to pay the 2nd time and forgot her purse the 3rd time
Could I be cheeky and get a copy of a policy?

 

[geeg]

I think you all need to grow a pair and start taking charge of your clients instead of them taking charge of you! What's with this 'policy'...?? You telling me you cannot let your clients know without a 'policy statement, what your terms and conditions are? Blimey! Shocked.com

 

[dudeymel]

Could someone please send me a copy of the policy too. I think its best that each person tells the client in a few that makes them feel comfortable and if a client takes it home with them its a great reminder on aftercare aswell xx

 

[Wooshka]

I feel every good business should have policies/T&C's, it is what protects that business from fools.

Of course on the clients first visit, I run through the basics of my polices then let them know I have a copy for them to take home to read at their pleasure and I let them know in a nice way that the policies are there to help things run smoothly for both them and me.

If I didn't have my policies (or T&C's or whatever someone wants to call them) then I would feel like I was a push over and I feel my job would be much harder having to deal with difficult clients cause I would be sort of winging it each time a problem came up.
This way I'm fair to everyone, everyone knows where they stand and I'm yet to have a client to object or feel they are not acceptable.

I based my policies around problems that I was seeing over and over again here on SG and I am the type to prevent a problem before it begins, so I learned from others mistakes and figured I would do it right in the first place and set down my salon policies from day dot and it has paid off big time, with me not having problem clients.

Every business we pretty much walk into has policies or T&C's, they might not be told to you every time or be that obvious, but they are there.
I consider myself a business and I will do whatever it takes to protect that business (and me) and I feel my policies are part of that protection.

 

[geeg]

I feel every good business should have policies/T&C's, it is what protects that business from fools.

Of course on the clients first visit, I run through the basics of my polices then let them know I have a copy for them to take home to read at their pleasure and I let them know in a nice way that the policies are there to help things run smoothly for both them and me.

If I didn't have my policies (or T&C's or whatever someone wants to call them) then I would feel like I was a push over and I feel my job would be much harder having to deal with difficult clients cause I would be sort of winging it each time a problem came up.
This way I'm fair to everyone, everyone knows where they stand and I'm yet to have a client to object or feel they are not acceptable.

I based my policies around problems that I was seeing over and over again here on SG and I am the type to prevent a problem before it begins, so I learned from others mistakes and figured I would do it right in the first place and set down my salon policies from day dot and it has paid off big time, with me not having problem clients.

Every business we pretty much walk into has policies or T&C's, they might not be told to you every time or be that obvious, but they are there.
I consider myself a business and I will do whatever it takes to protect that business w(and me) and I feel my policies are part of that protection.

I know I know what you say of course makes great business sense and i am not knocking it, but the original thread question was how to handle a client who has chipped or broken a nail ? and in my opinion how you handle that is not with a policy statement. Sure you should have one and its there for the client to see, or should be, on the CRC or something similar, but how you handle it is face to face with the client and a new technician needs to know how to do that .... And it is not only one of the most scary and daunting aspects for a new technician but one of the things that actually can put people off continuing in the field of nails for good.

When these situations arise, you must learn to ask the simple magic question I have been telling students for years in the vein of ... "Oh dear, what a shame how did you do that?" (Note, how did YOU do that). Or, "oh dear, it's so annoying when you do that to a nail isn't it?" Nothing serious, just a simple question that lets the client know that you know they did it not you. They then usually follow up with the saga of how they broke the nail. Bingo, sorted. You tell them there is a minimum 5.00 charge to repair the break and they get it fixed or they don't. Which ever, they don't usually come in whining about breakages again, or expecting a free service. A policy in place helps to reinforce that if needed.

 

[ChelseaNails]

I know I know what you say of course makes great business sense and i am not knocking it, but the original thread question was how to handle a client who has chipped or broken a nail ? and in my opinion how you handle that is not with a policy statement. Sure you should have one and its there for the client to see, or should be, on the CRC or something similar, but how you handle it is face to face with the client and a new technician needs to know how to do that .... And it is not only one of the most scary and daunting aspects for a new technician but one of the things that actually can put people off continuing in the field of nails for good.

When these situations arise, you must learn to ask the simple magic question I have been telling students for years in he vein of ... "Oh dear, what a shame how did you do that?" (Note, how did YOU do that). Or, "oh dear, it's so annoying when you do that to a nail isn't it?" Nothing serious, just a simple question that lets the client know that you know they did it not you. They then usually follow up with the saga of how they broke the nail. Bingo, sorted. You tell them there is a minimum 5.00 charge to repair the break and they get it fixed or they don't. Which ever, they don't usually come in whining about breakages again, or expecting a free service. A policy in place helps to reinforce that if needed.

I'm with Geeg on this one.. as usual

Nothing heavy just 'oh no! How did you manage that?!' Or 'tut, what happened here then?' All with a sympathetic look and a smile, listen, do the job, that's £x please
I charge 10% of a new set for one nail - that way I can just explain it to them if they ask - which they never do.

Obviously you do what works for you, I guess because I'm younger than all my clients I just stay sweet, I think people find it hard to get nasty with someone so little haha