What should I do?

[suzanne20f]

As I had finished my clients brows, she got money from her purse and carried it out, following me to reception. She started talking about something and absentmindedly (I thought) put the money in her coat pocket and made off to leave. I said I don't think you've paid, she checked her purse and said she had as the £10 was gone from her purse. I knew she hadn't.
Later I messaged her saying the till did not tally up, and could she check her pockets and let me know.
She replied saying, she definitely paid me.
I started doubting myself so looked back on the cctv in reception where it clearly shows her putting the money back in her pocket.
It's not about the money now, it's more about her most likely having found it by now (happened 1 week ago) and not rightfully paying me for the service. What should I do now?

 

[Nettic]

I'd just contact her and say that as the tills didn't add up you had too look at the cctv and she didn't pay she placed her money back into her coat pocket, then just say it must have been due too the conversation at the time so if she could drop the money off at her earliest convenience. Don't give her the chance or ask her again. Just tell her but in the nicest way possible xxxx

 

[suzanne20f]

I don't want her to think I didn't trust her hence seeing the cctv, but at the same time, I obviously can't. She has been a client for about a year, either way, I won't do any other treatments for her.

 

[S&G Beauty Bar]

I think this could be a genuine mistake on her part, it'd be a shame to lose a client over £10.

It just needs to be approached in the right way. Something like:

Hiya I know we were distracted by the chatting. But as the tills were down I had to check the cctv. You did pop the £10 you meant to give me back in your jacket pocket. I'd appreciate this dropped in asap. Thank you

Well your till was down, good job you've got cctv to check. That's what it's there for. It's out of your control if she's offended, hopefully she won't be though. And you don't know your clients, they're not your friends so you don't owe it to them to trust them.

Maybe she hasn't worn that jacket since and doesn't realise there's £10 in there.

 

[suzanne20f]

Thank you. To be honest, I think she will be offended, that's the problem [emoji53]
I know it's only £10, but I'd messaged her asking her to check her pockets and she didn't come back to me, if she had checked them, she would've found it.

 

[nailpod]

How often does she come to you? Meaning is a tenner going to break you or worth loosing a client.

This happened to me too once but was over eft she forgot her one daughter came for a massage and paid for all their treatments she thought and it was short R200 but at the end of the day she spends over R1500 per month with me so I wrote it off as a "gift" bonus for client loyalty.

She is still today one of my best clients but had I pushed the issue she more likely would have gone elsewhere due to being embarrest.

So basically if she is a once off then yes I would message her but honestly it's such a small amount I wouldn't even bother. The stress and hassle is worse then the actual money.

 

[Verve Designs]

Imagine you confront the client, and she goes on Facebook suggesting that a business owner has accused her of theft (I'm playing devils advocate here!), imagine dozens of people see that on her timeline and make a negative, instant, decision about your and your business.

Do you think it'd cost more than £10 to repair that damage?

Morally, you're absolutely correct to be want to be paid for the service you provide. However, sometimes you have to bite the bullet and take a cold-hearted decision.

Put it down the experience and move on.

If it was £100 then I'd argue the toss....but a tenner? Especially when you're not absolutely sure it's not just a mistake.

 

[Nettic]

Imagine you confront the client, and she goes on Facebook suggesting that a business owner has accused her of theft (I'm playing devils advocate here!), imagine dozens of people see that on her timeline and make a negative, instant, decision about your and your business.

Do you think it'd cost more than £10 to repair that damage?

Morally, you're absolutely correct to be want to be paid for the service you provide. However, sometimes you have to bite the bullet and take a cold-hearted decision.

Put it down the experience and move on.

If it was £100 then I'd argue the toss....but a tenner? Especially when you're not absolutely sure it's not just a mistake.

So she's already said she couldn't do any more treatments on this client now so how would you suggest she tell her that without having too say what's happened. I'd tell her personally but obviously word it in a polite way if she wants too take too Facebook and slag off my company I would let her you will always have people having something too say about your business you just won't always get too hear about it.

 

[squidgernetball]

For the sake of £10 I'd suck it up and continue to treat her making sure she pays!

Vic x

 

[suzanne20f]

She only comes once every 2-3 months and it's always for brows at £10. I don't like dishonesty and that's what it's really about for me. the tenner means zilch.

 

[S&G Beauty Bar]

If you've already decided you're not going to have her as a customer then there's no harm in sending her a message, just to give her benefit of doubt.

I still think this could be a genuine mistake. She's hasn't ever tried not paying before, you could see she was distracted.

I know you told her to check her jacket, but that doesn't mean she did, as she really thought she'd paid you. She might not of worn that jacket since, or it could have fallen out.

She genuinely thinks she's paid you. So it's worth giving her a chance to rectify.

 

[Makeupandbeauty]

If it was me, I'd write it off but be on the ball the next time she came in for a treatment. Had I been in that situation I think I would have said laughingly "I did wonder why you put it in your pocket!" But as a professional business I would absolutely leave it and take it as a lesson learnt x