TPTW - How do we deal with difficult clients!

[Unique Nails09]

I just thought i'd post this thread as I was thinking about a situation with a client that occured a few weeks ago, and it actually tickles me when i think about what she said and how we deal with 'comments' from 'difficult' customers - to take offence or not!

My client has been coming to me for about twelve months, she's very outgoing and eccentric and is prone to talk sometimes about things which perhaps I'm not sure I want to hear (bedroom antics etc)

She came in the other week after going nearly five weeks inbetween appoontments for her backfills. She sat down and said 'I wasn't going to come today' (dramatic pause) 'because i'm NOT happy, the nails have lifted' (very slight lifting as one would expect, took about 2 secs per nail to blend in the lines, so you can see that this was a very small problem)

I explained that it is normal to have slight lifting after this length of time (she normally goes three weeks) Then she said 'WELL I THINK THEY LOOK LIKE CHEAP TACKY ONES FROM POUNDLAND!'

I must add, they did not look like this AT ALL! They looked pretty good to me, the whole salon heard - cue embarrasment. I simply laughed it off and explained that if she was unhappy with them, I would be happy to soak them off for her and she could go exlsewhere to make a comparison (the NSS down the road!), after that she quickly shut up and insisted I carry on, and after finishing her nails she was nearly falling off her chair exclaiming how beautiful they looked (near enough the same as before!). IMO she wanted some money knocking off, but saw I wasn't falling for it!

So is this the correct way, or is the customer always right?!!

 

[Kim Lawless]

She is obviously as nutty as a fruit cake, so I think you dealt with her in a kind and caring way, without making her look stupid.

Even if she is a bit crazy, don't let her get away with too much though and keep her in line. xxx

 

[nails2nails]

I think you need to becareful with this post..
It's one thing to ask a question about a certain client, but I fear that everyone is going to now give stories about how bad clients are!
What you have to remeber is that your clients and the joe public can also read what is put on this site.
Just a thought x

 

[persianista]

It sounds as tho you dealt with her really well. I don't deal with tricky clients very well, so I applaud people who do.

 

[geeg]

I see nothing wrong with your post and I think you handled it perfectly ... I would have said just the same and I have in the past with the same result.

If any clients are reading the original post they might learn a thing or two ... one to be realistic about their nails and maintenance schedule. Another is that clients should not take advantage of their enhancments and push them too far ... and finally if they have a complaint to handle it with some dignity and respect for their technician and the effect of what they say mighht have on other clients in the salon.

 

[JesseDavidNailDesign]

One thing I've learned about handling clients is you can't take their opinion of your skill personally. It's business, you both have an agenda. You want a new client, and they want a good service worth their time and money.

Of course, their satisfaction is essential to your success. But, you have to have your own standards and expectations. Eventually the things you're going to wish you did better, will be invisible to your clients.

I'm always cautious when I meet a new client, and all the sudden "I'm the best thing since sliced bread" like during the first appt, before they've really seen my skill and been able to really make that judgement. Because they'll turn on you just as fast. As you've seen. Don't "live and die" by their praise or criticism. You know when you've done a good job.

 

[VHunter]

I see nothing wrong with your post and I think you handled it perfectly ... I would have said just the same and I have in the past with the same result.

If any clients are reading the original post they might learn a thing or two ... one to be realistic about their nails and maintenance schedule. Another is that clients should not take advantage of their enhancments and push them too far ... and finally if they have a complaint to handle it with some dignity and respect for their technician and the effect of what they say mighht have on other clients in the salon.

Ditto
And it doesn't take a degree in rocket science to know that if you the consumer, are reading a forum full of nail techs, FOR nail techs, then you should expect to read some of the realities of our job: such as difficult clients, among other things.

No names were mentioned and no one was slandered.

While it is wise to be tactful etc... when discussing such issues... if we can't discuss these issues with our peers, then WHO ELSE are we to discuss them with??

If a consumer doesn't want to hear about the realities of our jobs, then they shouldn't read the threads that pertain only to techs and aren't relevant to them, and they should stay in the "consumers" section.

It's not that difficult.

Frankly... I think consumers SHOULD hear this side of things. Then MAYBE they'd show a little more respect and consideration for what we do.
AND some of them would learn that their technician is RIGHT (such as with regards to how often maintenance should be done), by seeing other technicians agree with each other and support each other on common issues.

It's all fine and dandy for me to advise my client that they really should have a rebalance/refill every 2-3 wks. But how do they know that my reasons are sound, and that I'm not trying to rip them off? They have to simply take my word for it. They're certainly not about to go and buy Doug's or Marian's or Gigi's books.......
BUT if they were on this forum, reading such threads... THEN they would see we are all of the same opinion and that these reasons are VALID.

Just one example of why we SHOULD share issues with each other here on the forums for the whole world to read.

 

[JesseDavidNailDesign]

It's all fine and dandy for me to advise my client that they really should have a rebalance/refill every 2-3 wks. But how do they know that my reasons are sound, and that I'm not trying to rip them off?

This is a really good point. I think most of the time when clients hear , "you should come back in two weeks" They think we just want a boost on our salary.

Not once did the OP state "And I only got paid from her once in 5 weeks" Her frustration was with all the extra work presented when nails are left for this long. And the client no longer feels good about the service.

 

[persianista]

I am not a nail geek, but a hair one. Are nail clients really unaware that their nails grow? Hair clients are not surpised that their colour has regrowth after a few weeks. Those that are I tell them that "hair grows, get over it". I would not expect to not have any nail attention for more than 2 weeks if I wanted my nails to look their best.

 

[JesseDavidNailDesign]

I am not a nail geek, but a hair one. Are nail clients really unaware that their nails grow? Hair clients are not surpised that their colour has regrowth after a few weeks. Those that are I tell them that "hair grows, get over it". I would not expect to not have any nail attention for more than 2 weeks if I wanted my nails to look their best.

The thing is with nails, visible re-growth isn't the only consequence, if the maintenance isn't kept up, there's lifting and cracks, which left unchecked, can lead to infections. And then clients think it's your fault. Because if they go to a careless salon, the nails will stay forever, because a groove has been carved into the nail with an efile for prep.

 

[VHunter]

The thing is with nails, visible re-growth isn't the only consequence, if the maintenance isn't kept up, there's lifting and cracks, which left unchecked, can lead to infections. And then clients think it's your fault.

Also, with hair... if someone is willing to go an extra couple of weeks with their roots showing, or their bangs too long... they won't suffer any 'real' issues per se, except that their hair doesn't look as nice. It's a vanity thing.

With nails that are grown out, etc.. there are 'real' issues.
Such as nails that are too long for a client's lifestyle will likely lift from being banged and walloped, cracking, chipping, BREAKING (which is painful). And any lift left unattended is an open invitation to greenies.
So, when nails are grown out; there is risk of pain (breaks) and infections (lift).

A hairdressing client won't get greenies on her scalp if she goes too long between colours.
I'm not saying it's less important (please don't get me wrong, I used to be a hairdresser).
What I'm saying is that the problems aren't as severe?

We can't really compare their two as they are very different services.
But I think consumers figure that because they can get their hair go longer between appointments, they can do the same for nails which is SO NOT the case.

And again, who's word but our own, can they rely upon?

 

[tracey louise]

i think this is a great thread.
i hate it when i get asked "how long will they last" as there is no difinitive answer to this because every client is different.
im still learning a lot and im not very experienced so when i have someone come back after a couple of weeks with maybe a few breakages,cracks lifting etc.. they have a great way of making me feel like its my fault so im still learning to stand my ground.
a lady who was new came to me and was happy when she left but then phoned 5 days later with a problem i corrected it for free but all she kept saying was that she had never had the problem before so i felt she wasnt happy with the nails,now more than a week later she has rebooked so now im thinking that maybe she was just testing me to see what she could get.
clients can be very tricky at times and therefore it can be hard for us as the professionals to try be and be just that for the situations they bring us,we just have to learn from it.