To be a good business women

[beautybemine15]

Hi everyone i am currently working in a salon 50/50 basis as a trial to see how i cope. But altho i get a lot of encouragement from the owner and staff i still feel like i am stuck in my tortose shell .And i feel becuase of this my clients are walking over me like a door mat! Last week i had a client comeback to me after having my nails on for 3weeks! the nails looked as tho she had been picking at them and they did not have the same polish that i appiled . I told the client i dont give refunds and the payments are final and that she should have been back for infills a week ago. I offered the client a repair at a discounted price.A removal at a discounted price and i even offered her a voucher to the value of the nails to comeback and have another treatment. None of these things she wanted!The client left cameback the next day and brought her sister along they both ganged up me into a corner whilst i had another client waiting down stairs they were threatening me with trading standards putting down my work my products which are crystal nails and really giving me a hard time .In the end i gave in and gave the refund .Which i know is a silly thing to do .But at the time i got so sick of this client and her sister that i gave in and told them not to come back:irked:. The owner who am in part business with has told me in the decent terms that i am too soft and need to toughen up. I totally agree with everything i have been told. But where do i start how do i find my inner strength to tell these clients where to go! It is hard i have never been in this type of role as being in full control of complaints.I love what am doing and dont want to give up . Does anyone know how you get your self confidence to tackle clients like this .Can this be taught you or can you only find this ability for yourself?:o How do you get the confidence to stand on your own two feet and be a business women in full control?

 

[persianista]

Sounds like a horrible experience.

Basically you learn to stop being a people pleaser all the time. We want our clients to be happy, to rec us to others, but sadly there are times when people have a different agenda. The person who regrets spending money on hair/nails for a night out, needing that money for a gas bill etc. they make up spurious excuses to try and get a refund.
Eventually you learn to spot them, but it's quite shocking the first time it happens to you.

In terms of standing your ground, threaten the police. I have called the police on occasion, when I've been threatened, people cannot come into a shop and basically intimidate you, it's called robbery.

Put this behind you now, and focus on building clients. Do not, and I repeat not, offer discounts to tricky clients. It makes them like bees around a honeypot, as they sense your eagerness to please.


Kittens,Bunnies and Puppies

 

[Jazzy101]

Hi Beauty, You sound really lovely, but unfortunately yes you are being walked over... Although it doesn't look like it was too easy so you must have done a bit of soul searching previously. I would now google 'how to be assertive' And beleive me it is ok to be assertive. Its not a bad thing, it doesn't make you bad, and its something that you definately need as not just a business woman, but as a woman. We can sometimes avoid conflict like the plague.

I am a registered nurse and midwife and as a student I really had to learn to become assertive, I had to grow a thick skin and learn to that it was ok to stick up for myself or the bullies would come crawling out of the wood work and make a beeline... they can smell your fear of conflict LOL... Advocating for women and patients was my job, and that was easy. I had to learn how to advocate for myself and protect my own rights, I had to learn to become confident. You are confident in your product, your skill and your self. Just know that it is perfectly fine to stand your ground and be assertive.

Be strong, use strong (not aggressive) words, and stay in control emotionally. Leave them no doubt as to what you mean, and when you are finished and you can see that there is no point negotiating with the person then walk away. Even as a newbie I know that 3 weeks is way past the point of getting a refund for nails, I know this as a customer and so did they.

x

 

[Sayanigirl]

Hi everyone i am currently working in a salon 50/50 basis as a trial to see how i cope. But altho i get a lot of encouragement from the owner and staff i still feel like i am stuck in my tortose shell .And i feel becuase of this my clients are walking over me like a door mat! Last week i had a client comeback to me after having my nails on for 3weeks! the nails looked as tho she had been picking at them and they did not have the same polish that i appiled . I told the client i dont give refunds and the payments are final and that she should have been back for infills a week ago. I offered the client a repair at a discounted price.A removal at a discounted price and i even offered her a voucher to the value of the nails to comeback and have another treatment. None of these things she wanted!The client left cameback the next day and brought her sister along they both ganged up me into a corner whilst i had another client waiting down stairs they were threatening me with trading standards putting down my work my products which are crystal nails and really giving me a hard time .In the end i gave in and gave the refund .Which i know is a silly thing to do .But at the time i got so sick of this client and her sister that i gave in and told them not to come back:irked:. The owner who am in part business with has told me in the decent terms that i am too soft and need to toughen up. I totally agree with everything i have been told. But where do i start how do i find my inner strength to tell these clients where to go! It is hard i have never been in this type of role as being in full control of complaints.I love what am doing and dont want to give up . Does anyone know how you get your self confidence to tackle clients like this .Can this be taught you or can you only find this ability for yourself?:o How do you get the confidence to stand on your own two feet and be a business women in full control?

I'm in same position so will keep an eye on thread . I'm a biggggg softie . Anybody can walk over me . I know that but that's me .thats why I'm scare to work outside . I Been with my hubby's family 18 years . My all confidence have died . I dread the day it happen to me ...

 

[beautybemine15]

Does anyone know where i could get a nail salon policy template from?

 

[Annemarie]

They must be flippin joking wanting a refund on nails after 3 weeks. For goodness sake. There not made of steel. Talk about trying your luck.

 

[Mobile Manicure]

Well she got lucky didn't she?

I would give every new and existing client an aftercare sheet and have a section explaining refund policy, especially pointing out that infills need to be done within 2 weeks at the most. Any repairs after that duration will be charged at full price. In fact, I would point out that repairs will only be complimentary within the first week after a personal assessment and at the salons own discretion.

Have two copies, keep one on file with their signature at the bottom to prove they've read it.

 

[Rinn]

I think we were all like this when we started out but you live and learn.
You do toughen up when you've been suckered a few times.

Good luck with the business.

 

[geeg]

As I always say when this question comes up ..... BE PREPARED.

How would you have handled this situation differently and got a successful outcome? What would you have liked to have said? Write it down and be prepared for the next 'chancer' who fancies their luck. It is only because you were not prepared that you weakened and gave in to them.

My answer ..."I can see These nails have been interfered with ... Picked, and you have changed the colour since they were done. There are no refunds on nails that have been tampered with nor after 3 weeks of wear."

End of discussion. It's a clear concise statement and brooks no argument. Any further harassment and call the police.

 

[beautybemine15]

As I always say when this question comes up ..... BE PREPARED.

How would you have handled this situation differently and got a successful outcome? What would you have liked to have said? Write it down and be prepared for the next 'chancer' who fancies their luck. It is only because you were not prepared that you weakened and gave in to them.

My answer ..."I can see These nails have been interfered with ... Picked, and you have changed the colour since they were done. There are no refunds on nails that have been tampered with nor after 3 weeks of wear."

End of discussion. It's a clear concise statement and brooks no argument. Any further harassment and call the police.

I was thinking i would be prepared but i guess i forgot about the ''reality'' side of things.I think if i had known i would have just walked away from the client and her sister because i just keep repeating myself saying that i dont give refunds and i think thats where i gave in i should have said no and walked away. But hey next time i will thank you everyone for your advise:o

 

[annmariehowie]

Talking about refunds..... anyone any experience of where a client complains and is offered either a discount on a future treatment or a corrective treatment by salon owner and verbally the owner has told all the therapists that they are liable to meet this cost. It is a very small salon, not a chain who can afford these things. Salon owner says therapists are professionally trained in the particular treatment and the client definitely has grounds for complaint.....would love some feedback.