Unhappy client - how do I bounce back?

[squidgie]

Hi all,

I just wanted to share what happened to me today, as to be honest it has really knocked my already fragile confidence...

I was following up a client who had acrylic enhancements a couple of weeks back. I texted her to ask how she was getting on with them, and this is what she said:

"I got them taken off, to be honest I wasn't happy with them, they were very thick, and bits didn't even have any acrylic on. It also took the professional 3 hours to soak them off as they were that thick, and that was with pure acetone! Sorry but I won't be using you again."

I was mortified but when I thought about it I really couldn't match up what she was saying with how I remember leaving them. I certainly can't imagine them being so thick that they needed a 3 hour soak off!!!!! At the time she said she was happy with them, and she was a recommendation from another client.

I texted back:

"I am sorry to hear that you are not pleased with them. I have not had a complaint before about nails being too thick. I would have been happy to redo/repair/soak off for you if you had let me know" (as we discussed on the day I did them)

How do I bounce back? Did i say the right thing? :cry:

Deena


ps I have attached a pic of my own enhancements (forgive the splodgy flowers, I was trying out a new art pen) taken about 4 weeks after me applying. Though it isnt the client's nails, it shows what my enhancements turn out like. Are they really that bad?

 

[brittone05]

You did say the right thing - without knowing there was a problem what were you to do?

did this lady book her maintenance app at the time? Perhaps she was wanting to get out of it or has found a cheaper tech who she thinks will give her something different?

Honestly hun don't worry - a good client is one who talks to you, lets you know if there is a problem and gives you chance to resolve it. Not one who runs off and moans behind your back.

Chin up hun :hug: xxx

 

[jacquelineanna]

I think you answered it in just the right way.

You should leave her now and put her to the back of your mind.

If they were really that bad I would have expected her to come back to you to complain not go somewhere else.

Why would you go somewhere else and pay again.. it doesn't make sense.

You have said there is no way they would have taken three hours to just soak off!!! So maybe the rest of her 'story' to you was just that - a story.

You know when a treatment hasn't gone well and if you were happy with the nails when she left then you have got to keep faith in yourself ok my lovely.

Jacqui xx

 

[honeymummy]

Think shes hinting for a fee set!!

well, she said she liked them at the time, im sure if they were thick, she would of said.

Dont worry about her, yes you said the right thing and are very professional in dealing with her.

 

[Miss Sylk]

Youre nails look good after 4 weeks you say? with no infills? What acrylic do you use? I know it takes ages to soak off the acrylic from the "chain nail bars" that is like cement, do you use similar to that?

Theyre not thick in the pic. She just may have had different expectations, depends what shes had before hun, you can do an amazing set and if someone is no used to that shape/style etc they may not like them, personal preference.

Bounce back by saying to yourself "you can please everyone"

 

[squidgie]

I use CND products, sorry, forgot to say. The ones in the pic were 4 weeks without infills. I finally thought I had cracked it with the application.....
One thing I forgot to mention, the client is pregnant. Surely that wouldn't have made such a difference?

Deena

 

[cro-mari]

There will always be someone who is overwhelmed, someone who is happy, someone not so happy and someone who will not like your work. Thats that. But once you get your confidence straight up, and when you are able to see yourself objectively - where are your strong or not so strong points, you'll be able to deal with all those reactions more calmly.

I've done good nails, I've done great nails, I've done horrible nails, and the most important thing is - to be able to recognize it, deal with it, keep your confidence, work on your skills, always strive to be better. And then, even if someone criticizes your work, you'll be able to learn from it. Maybe they will point you that you really are doing something not so good (I'm not reffering to this situation). Or you'll just forget about it and won't feel bad as you do now :Love:

 

[angel fingers]

I strongly doubt it was a professional with pure acetone removing them if they took that long to get off.

 

[squidgie]

That's what I thought to be honest - even the shovels I created whilst I was training only took 20 mins to soak off!

 

[Sher16]

Hi hun
I agree with everyone else who has commented
-they cant possibly have taken 3hr to remove
-she poss after freebie
The nails in the pic dont look thick, and esp after 4 wks. For every one of these occasions there will be hundreds of happy customers.
I have recently gone mobile after years of doing friends, family, friends of friends etc...i have a lady who is part of a group who i do all nails for (partners work mates wives) anyhow she normally goes to a thai nail bar in town who charge double what i charge, i did her nails 3 weeks ago - i thought i did a good job as good as normal, they had some nail art on dried flowers on 2 fingers and some little delicate swirls round the flowers - anyway - she has asked another client of mine who she knows, if she knows what product i use as the thai nail bar will only infill if they know what i used - my other client asked if she was not happy and she said that she loved them, they are still on but were getting infilled after 3 wks - ive since txt her to follow up and shes told me she loved them and txt me a pic after 3 wk wear and never mentioned infill. I am baffled!!!! She went yesterday to get the rebalance done. I was quite upset - not sad, but worried I did something wrong but friends who also work in beauty and nails have told me you win some you lose some and cant keep them all happy unfortunately!!! I kind of wish this lady had hated them - id have a reason she doesnt want to come back to me at least!!!
Keep your chin up :o)
Em x

 

[BuffyFileSlayer]

It sounds to me that she soaked them off herself, hence the 3 hours (probably rounded up!) and her telling you it was in 'pure acetone' she knows that because she probably bought it herself! (Does a nail tech say "I'm just going to soak off your extensions in pure acetone" ?) IMHO x

 

[violet1]

Oh bless you. It's horrible isn't it?! Try not to let it worry you. There will ALWAYS be one person who is not happy. Like the others said put her to the back of your mind and move on x

 

[Wooshka]

The first big flaw in this clients story is when she said 'it took a professional 3 hrs to soak them off'
Ummmmmm no, she could not have gone to a professional because the first thing a professional knows to do is to take down any bulk before soaking off, this reduces the time rapidly and CND products even if not debulked do not take 3 hrs to soak off.

Yep, you win some and you lose some, in this case darl it sounds like you are the winner, cause none of us need clients like this.
Like it has already been mentioned, a good client will talk to you first if they have any problems, not behave like she has.

So chin up, move on and have more faith in your workmanship, from the pic you have given, your nails look fine, the only thing I can see is your whites are a bit uneven but this is not a 'too thick" issue.
If she didn't want thick nails maybe she should be looking at a Shellac service instead.

 

[Missy G]

My god theres just no pleasing some people ,Ive just had a couple of clients moaning my nails are too thin...now if Id done them too thick theyd still be moaning..in fact I had a bad week last week with one client being a pain really picky..when infact she dont look after her nails and made it feel it was my fault...and a one off client expecting me to stay till silly oclock at night ..I really felt Id had enough..untill Monday I went to a fairly newesh client who I see every 4 weeks,shes a nurse and her hands are always in water...after 4 weeks all her nails were still in tact..and we also found something we had in common, and i really enjoyd my visit with her...so all my thoughts of last week were in the past and i was feeling happier....Chin up ,you always get one at some point you just gotta learn how to deal with them.

 

[helkat]

I've done good nails, I've done great nails, I've done horrible nails, and the most important thing is - to be able to recognize it, deal with it, keep your confidence, work on your skills, always strive to be better.:Love:

Well said.... It took me 2 years to get to the point where I was happy with the nails I produced and even now I have some days where I am not 100% happy. I now have WAY less issues than I used to... hang in there... the cranky clients will soon fizzle away and you will be left with a clientele of amazing, wonderful ladies... if I get bitches in my salon, I count myself lucky it they don't come back... haha

 

[Lanni221375]

ive had this happen to me from a client who had been with me from the start! im now 4 years in the business and by god you get the chancers!
my client hadnt booked in for her usual maintenence appointments which was unusual as she was a regular, never missed her appointments!

i texted her asking if all was ok, and i got a mouthful of abuse back about how my acrylic had ruined her nails! totally baffled, hurt and upset i texted her back asking if she could come in to see me, and i would look at them, survey the 'damage' and decide from there. she never showed.

i later found out that she had taken to going to a USA Nail Bar who use MMA in their acrylic! stuffs like chewing gum! :irked:
so she never came back to me for her nails doing, and ive overheard her raving to other about how great these walk in nail bars are. im sorry but you only get what you pay for!

i agree that your nails look lovely after 4 weeks of wear and tear, they dont look thick! chin up hunni, shes not worth having as a client anyway, some people arent worth knowing!! good luck xxxx