Urgent help needed re lifting nails

[Ophala]

Hi guys, I'll try to make this as short as possible.

Basically I received a voicemail from my salon manager today (I'm self employed) whilst at my other job in retail. She said she needed me to call urgently about a client who's going mad because her acrylic nails have lifted.

I can't use my phone at work but managed to text back and say who is the client, what is wrong etc? She replied saying the client was really angry and demanding I re-do her nails tomorrow (wednesday), but I only work Thurs, Fri and Sat there. She said the client could come in at 2 tomorrow.

I got permission from my manager at the retail store to ring and sort it out and explained I couldn't do them until Thursday, my salon manager said it looked bad on the salon etc but she would ring client.

Apparently the client wants her nails soaked off and her money back - what do I do?

I'm not very experienced in nails to know whether it's my application or bad after care by the client as to how they've lasted (it's been a week and a half since I applied the nails).

Please can I have your advice as to what to say to the client? Whether you would give money back etc and how to deal with the manager if she makes a fuss about me not going in on my day off when I already have plans....

Many thanks!!

 

[Beautification]

A week and a half to 2 weeks is about normal for lifting to start to occur isn't it geeks, or ave i made that up???

 

[*sarah*]

I'd be wanting to see then first, I think it's unfair the manager is just goin on what the client says and not you the professional!
Was the client a nail biter? Did you do full prep and applicatin as normal? have you ever had any problems like this before?

I had a client today saying that she had lifting and the growth was massive (nothing I could do about growth of own nails lol) but it transpired she has been doing up a pub, decorating heavy lifting, and wait for it trying to open cans of paint with her nails............... she thought as she was wearing gloves it would not damage them but I advised that she would still be putting pressure on her enhancements "using her jewels as tools"

xx

 

[*sarah*]

A week and a half to 2 weeks is about normal for lifting to start to occur isn't it geeks, or ave i made that up???

Some clients have no lifting, I think it depends on what they do with their nails tbh, but I would'nt expect lifting till 2-2 &1/2 weeks but if a nail biter or very fast growing nails combined with what they do with their nails I'd say its possible xx

 

[Ophala]

Some clients have lifting within a week, others nothing after 2. I don't have that many acrylic clients though to compare it to.

I can't remember the client exactly until I look at her consultation card when I go into the salon but I'm sure she said she doesn't wear gloves to wash up etc even though I explained the importance.

Could certain oils or handcreams she's used affect lifting?

I carry out prep as well as I know to and squeak the nails and apply primer before application.

How can I know if it's me or her and whether to refund her or not?

 

[*sarah*]

If you are quite new to L & P, it is hard to know if its you or the client to start with, I felt like this to, pretty sure it was someone on here that helped me realise it was not me as I do everything as I was taught, no cutting corners, dry prep etc (on new clients as I know some folk do this on regular clients but I personally do wet prep everytime)
And over the years have built up my confidence in my work,
So the only person that can answer if it was you or the client is you really hth xx

 

[xAnnaBannAx]

Lifting isnt ''normal'' but as a very general rule...lifting & problems within the first week could well be a fault of the technician...which could be from improper prep to product application or even not finishing the nail properly. After the first week if problems start to occur then it is more than likely that the client is not looking after her nails as she should. You say some of your clients have lifting in the first week... you need to look at your prep routine and your application technique to ensure you are doing them correctly as even if your clients arent wearing gloves for washing up etc I still wouldnt expect their nails to lift within the first week unless they were really bashing their hands about ( and lets face it..how many people do actualy wear gloves everytime they wash up!) Or as mentioned above...if they were a nail biter for example then you could probably expect problems in the first week.

I would probably say to her that Im really sorry she has experienced problems with her nails, unfortunately the soonest you can see her is Thursday (hopefully she will have calmed down a bit by then) you will of course take a look at them and take it from there.

When she comes in...ask her to have a seat, ask her if she would like a cuppa, then sit down and say in your nicest smiliest friendliest voice lol ''im really glad you have come back in, I was thinking we could have a bit of a chat & try to find out why you have had problems with your nails as you was surprised to hear they had lifted, then if its ok with you I would like to repair them and try again.''
If she says no I want my money back! say im really sorry but I wont be able to give you a refund, you would be happy to repair them & if she experiences problems again then you will of course remove them for her, alternatively you can remove them today.

I would definately not refund.. look at the nails and ask questions...when did the lifting start? how has she been looking after them? during the initial consultation did you ask her what she does for a living? does she have any sports or hobbies? horse riders for example are extremely hard on their nails...go over the consultation again..these things will give an indication as to how much she uses/abuses her hands and nails.

Im not saying this is the right thing to do but it is probably what I would do.

As for your manager...well surely you already have an agreement and she knows that you can only go in thursday, friday and saturday...if she agreed to this in the first place then why is she complaining? You could be working there monday to saturday and that still wouldnt mean you could see this girl on wednesday if you had appointments booked up solid.

God luck hope you get it sorted!

 

[geeg]

A week and a half to 2 weeks is about normal for lifting to start to occur isn't it geeks, or ave i made that up???

Think you've made it up! :green: Lifting shouldn't 'normally' start to occur at any particular time and it shouldn't be taken for granted that it will occur at all. Who'd have their nails done at all if lifting was common after a week and a half?

I agree with Anna's excellent post ...

nail techs and clients should be partners in the nail service (especially when one is new) and work together to find solutions to problems.

Thoroughly assess the nails and the degree of lifting and then I would make the offers that Anna has mentioned to the lady and diffuse the situation by being agreeable with her. If she is determined to be disagreeable and adamant about a refund and nothing else will do then, if she has a genuine cause for complaint, I would give it to her and have done with it as lifting at this early stage in your career is most likely technician error.

 

[Beautification]

Sorry, seems i have mis informed you i was getting lifting confued with growth, was late when i replied i think..LOL
Although the majority of my sets i've been into a salon and had put on have lifted after about 10 days but if you see the state of my natural nails you'd see why..

I hope you manage to solve this problem and maybe the approach you take to solve it this time will help you in the future if you ever have the same problems again.

xxx

 

[Bagpuss]

I had a convo with another nail tech once who said "you can tell when nails need an infill cos they start lifting".....i sometimes think that "some" nail techs use this quote as a excuse for lifting....almost passing the buck onto how long the client has left it...."ohh they look like that because they need infills"...its rubbish IMO....my clients come every 3-4 weeks and don't get lifting...apart from 1 lady and that is something she is doing...:lol:

 

[geeg]

I had a convo with another nail tech once who said "you can tell when nails need an infill cos they start lifting".....i sometimes think that "some" nail techs use this quote as a excuse for lifting....almost passing the buck onto how long the client has left it...."ohh they look like that because they need infills"...its rubbish IMO....my clients come every 3-4 weeks and don't get lifting...apart from 1 lady and that is something she is doing...:lol:

I think I would say that enhancements are more prone to lifting once the nails grow out of balance, but it certainly doesn't mean that they will lift.

I agree that many technicians do use late maintenance as a 'reason'/excuse for lifting and all manner of other problems and it can be true but then again, it very well may not be. It is certainly not a 'given' that nails will lift so many days after application.

Really it depends on the activity level of the client and the care and consideration she gives to her enhancements when they are in need of maintenance.

Maintenance should be viewed as a preventative service not a corrective service. We should be always looking to prevent future problems from occurring, at the rebalance not correcting millions of problems such as breakages and lifting etc.

 

[nailzoo]

A week and a half to 2 weeks is about normal for lifting to start to occur isn't it geeks, or ave i made that up???

If nails are not too long and not too off balance, then they shouldn't lift.

If my nails lifted after even 2 weeks, I would have to question my own abilities, many of my clients go 3 weeks with no lift at all.

To comment and even think nails are supposed to lift at all would be "making it up", I'd like to know where you heard this, or did you just "make it up" ?

 

[zcook]

Im not sure that its down to the application in some cases.

I have some clients who go 4 weeks (against my recommendation) with no lifting, and others who's nails lift after just 1 week, they are usually the pickers. I have a 3 week lady who mucks out twice a day and fills water buckets and hay nets, another 3 week lady who goes boxing!! yet half of my clients will always have the tiniest bit of lifting or 1 oe 2 in particular which will lift a little more than others.

It is not my application as this never varies, I have a full book and use good products so if one clients lifts more than another I would have to say its the client who is isnt getting on the with enhancement rather than a problem with your enhancement, although without speaking to the client or seeing how you do your application it would be a very difficult question to answer correctly.

Good luck, but dont give her her money back, you always get one!!