What to say to somebody complaining?

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rachirv

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2010
Messages
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Location
cumbria
Hello!
So I did a girl a full set of acrylics for her prom last Friday.
She was happy with them, left happy Etc.
Now on Saturday, 8 days later, I had a day off, and she came into the salon with her mum to complain that 8 had just 'fell off'.
So I gave her a call and she's not answering so I have left a message for her to call me back.
Now I know that nails do not just 'fall off' and without seeing them, I can't assess wether there is any obvious damage to the nails that would indicate they have been pulled off. I am just wondering what do you say to clients in this case? I don't want to sound rude and make out that her daughter is lying. I also don't want to offer a refund as I know my work is good. Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks :)
 
As she's a prom girl means she's I school she's more than likely picked at them and they've come away gradually over the week as acrylics don't just fall off your fingers and she properly didn't want to tell her mom shed picked at them!
 
First of all, there are no refunds in our line of work...EVER. Second, you're right, nails don't just fall off. Since you know you did a good job putting that set of nails on her, what did she do to them then?

Sounds like the prom is over and she no longer needs or wants the nails but she'd like the money back all the same. She probably returned the dress she wore to the prom, too! LOL

If she's never had enhancements or hasn't had them in a while, could be why she's destroyed them. Not your circus...not your monkey.

If she's not returning your calls, don't worry about it. If she does eventually call back remember, you know you did a good job putting those nails on her so:


  1. She's not entitled to a refund
  2. She's not entitled to a free set
  3. She's not entitled to a reduced set
If she wants to be a total cow about it, give her the business card of a nail you hate. :wink2:
 
Relax, she probably won't call you back & was probably trying to push her luck
 
So her mum rang back. And said that's there's no damage to the nail. My boss whose a hairdresser said she had seen them and that they didn't look damaged neither. She said that maybe I should try using the capital primer pen instead! I was like no I will stick to my cnd one thank you! So because my boss said there was no damage I was doubting myself. Her mum is also a regular of my bosses and told me to be nice to her!
So when her mum ring back, I told her that it is almost u heard of for nails to just ping off but if she came in and showed me them then I'd assess the situation.
Anyways, she came In last night and there is damage to her nails in the middle. She said they were lifting along the sidewalks and then just pinged off. So I explained that really she should if come In at the first sign of lifting and I could of sorted it there without her picking them all off. I felt so bad though and had got it into my head that it was my fault coz of what my boss said that I've told her to come in on Friday and il redo them. Her mum was been a bit snotty and I've only been renting my station for 6 months so I don't want people to bad mouth me. We are a small town and word gets around quickly. I just feel really deflated now and I'm petrified of redoing them incase there is lifting again x
 
I think in our time we always come across clients like this. They want perfectly manicured nails that are as hard as, well nails, and they want it for tuppence aswell.

I would take a deep breath, and just think of it as any old appointment. But make sure you drum into her the importance of aftercare, and even slight 'picking' can ruin them. If there is any sign of lifting again to send you a picture to assess what's going wrong.

Good luck! X
 
So her mum rang back. And said that's there's no damage to the nail. My boss whose a hairdresser said she had seen them and that they didn't look damaged neither. She said that maybe I should try using the capital primer pen instead! I was like no I will stick to my cnd one thank you! So because my boss said there was no damage I was doubting myself. Her mum is also a regular of my bosses and told me to be nice to her!
So when her mum ring back, I told her that it is almost u heard of for nails to just ping off but if she came in and showed me them then I'd assess the situation.
Anyways, she came In last night and there is damage to her nails in the middle. She said they were lifting along the sidewalks and then just pinged off. So I explained that really she should if come In at the first sign of lifting and I could of sorted it there without her picking them all off. I felt so bad though and had got it into my head that it was my fault coz of what my boss said that I've told her to come in on Friday and il redo them. Her mum was been a bit snotty and I've only been renting my station for 6 months so I don't want people to bad mouth me. We are a small town and word gets around quickly. I just feel really deflated now and I'm petrified of redoing them incase there is lifting again x

If she suffered from premature lifting & 8 'pinged off', why on earth would she want another set doin if they think you are to blame? I smell a rat.

If your boss is scared of loosing the Mum as a client just because of the daughter, tell her to do nails instead. You're the nail tech, you're the one who trained, you know yourself you did good work & you know the daughter more than likely picked away at them. I would put your foot down & stick to your guns x
 
If you are paying rent she is NOT your boss. You are your own boss. I would def not re do free of charge, if she picked the first set off , she will most def pick the second set off. What then ? a full refund after 2 sets of nails. You are only delaying the invent able. It is hard working for your self , but you have to stand your ground or everyone will take advantage of you. I would ring the girl and explain that perhaps she is not suitable for your enhancements and recommend she goes else where.
 
definitely trying her luck!!! then after 2 weeks of having them on this time around she may be like "oh they've started lifting again" but how many free sets can you give her? it makes me laugh how ppl expect things to last forever and like someone else said, want to pay hardly anything for it! x
 
Valid points here:


  1. You're a booth renter; therefore, YOU ARE YOUR OWN BOSS.
  2. Why would she want you to do her nails again if you did such a poor job the first time?
Since you are your own boss, the first thing you need to learn to do is say NO or you'll put yourself right out of business.
 
This is one of the reasons why every pro tech MUST have policies and have client sign when you do your client consult.

I agree totally with gr*nailz, there is no such thing as a refund in our industry, we are a service industry.........if we call the plumber out to fix the leaking tap and it's still leaking after he has fixed it, do we ring and ask for refund? No, we ring and say it's still leaking can you come look again please and depending on the problem, the plumber will charge for another service call and items used or not charge cause it was his fault it still wasn't fixed but he doesn't refund our money from his first visit for his service or products used does he? No, so why should we?

I have always had this subject covered in my policies and explained fully that I provide a service and there are no refunds on services unless I deem it fit to give one but I don't, if something goes wrong, I offer discount on new set or if they don't want new set then it's removal as I will not allow any client to walk around with my work on her fingers and bad mouth me but I never a fully refund.

Too many techs are not confident, if you are not confident in your own work, then don't do it. To be in this business and to be successful you must be confident and have a back bone or your business will go belly up before it gets to have a full belly:)

You have now told this girl to come back in for new set, you now must do this new set but please get yourself a policy written up where you cover yourself and have her sign it when you do your consult and make sure she knows she can not do this again.
If you make this clear (in a nice way) she will not be able to blab to everyone that you are a free ride.
Also, as some others have said, if you rent a booth/space, you are your own boss and this hair dresser lady can not tell you how to run your business, please remember this as this will help you gain more confidence in the future. I'm sure you wouldn't get involved in any of her client problems and I reckon she would be mortified if you did and if you told her to give refunds/keep client happy for your sake, so keep all this this in mind and you have a better chance at success.

Good luck, keep us posted as to how this turns out.
 
I think u have done the right thing but you must tell the girl when she comes in that if there is any problems within the first week she must return and you will advise/fix ( I offer free repairs within a week of there appointments although this almost never happens ) otherwise she is on her own as u can't keep doing free sets. If you are confident in ur work u should be fine. As for renting a space and being ur own boss, well it's true I guess you are ur own boss and u set ur own prices etc but the lady who owns the salon has the power to take that space from u if she doesn't like u or you cause her problems, loose her customers etc. I think you need to have a good relationship with her but not let her dictate to you. It's a fine line I think and you are prob right not to rock the boat too much. As with all things in life the trick Is to keep a even keel
Xxx
 
Just a little update everyone.
She was booked in for the Friday to have her nails redone. She rang on the Wednesday to cancel.
I was relieved to be honest and I actually hope she doesn't come back. Although to be honest if she did, she would have to pay! I'm not having her choose when she wants her appointment. She had a problem, she should of had them fixed when I offered her the appointments. Thinks she's just after a fast one!
 
Just a little update everyone.
She was booked in for the Friday to have her nails redone. She rang on the Wednesday to cancel.
I was relieved to be honest and I actually hope she doesn't come back. Although to be honest if she did, she would have to pay! I'm not having her choose when she wants her appointment. She had a problem, she should of had them fixed when I offered her the appointments. Thinks she's just after a fast one!

She is waiting for the next occasion she needs nails..

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app
 
This is where you, as a nail professional, must draw a line. She doesn't have an open-ended invitation to a free set of nails whenever the h#ll she feels like booking in for her next big event. You made a reasonable accommodation and she cancelled. Game Over.

In my opinion, your obligation to her is done. She missed her opportunity.
 

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