Keep Calm
“Remaining calm can be difficult I know; but speaking calmly really helps to ensure things don’t escalate further. It also helps highlight how unreasonable your customer's behaviour is. If they are doing all the shouting, and you’re responding in a calm manner I’ve found customers like this often get embarrassed and start to calm down so the matter can be resolved.”
Tribe founder, Lola Ricketts
Tick Tock
“Tardiness can cause major upheaval when you’re working in the beauty industry. And while there are some circumstances that would make someone late, but when a client has no good reason or regularly arrives late it’s always best to politely let them know that you are happy to wait but that you have to leave punctually so as not to eat into your next clients time. Once they arrive act normal and just remind them that you will have to leave on time and that next time if they are experiencing a delay it’s best to let you know ahead of time.”
Mobile nail tech, Farah Al Sasa, aka Nails By Fifi
Double Check
“I want all my clients to leave the salon happy with their service, so I start each appointment with a thorough consultation to gage their expectations, I then try to be as informative and realistic as possible with them, so they understand the different options available. This ensures clients don’t have unrealistic expectations. Then during the service, I check they are happy with the result after each step. It takes time to get used to doing this, but by asking along the way you are insuring they are satisfied before moving on to the next stage of the service.”
Manicurist, Jade Rukmin
Say No
“When starting out, you feel like you have to service every client that walks through the door. Which is good for building up a client base, but once you’re more comfortable and established, you have the right to refuse service if a client makes you feel uncomfortable . This is your job, your passion, so don’t let anybody dull your sparkle.”
Manicurist and educator, Chelsea Barker
Listen Up
“When you're a 'one-man band' and experiencing an issue with difficult customers, they often wish to speak to someone other than you. Since that request is impossible, let them know that you are the person they need to speak with and that you want to resolve the issues they have. Explain that to do that you are listening to them but share that in order for things to be resolved they will need to listen to you too.”
Tribe founder, Lola Ricketts
Money Talks
“Time wasters are a big issue in this business. This could be customers that enquire about bookings but then take days to respond, or customers that confirm a booking and then end up cancelling last minute. I find that the best way to avoid dealing with clients that take days to respond is to kindly advise that booking slots get reserved quickly therefor you are unable to hold any booking slots if they do not confirm in a timely manner and do not pay a non-refundable deposit. The deposit part of my booking system is also super important, this helps avoid clients cancelling last minute.”
Mobile nail tech, Farah Al Sasa, aka Nails By Fifi
Maintenance
“I also go through aftercare with my clients, I explain that there has to be some effort on their side for the best results. Washing up, manual labour, cleaning and not applying cuticle oil will not give them the longevity most clients are after. Plus, by having clear policies and an ironclad timeframe for free repairs is important, this helps to determine whether it was a fault of the tech or the clients, and ensures they do their part when it comes aftercare.”
Manicurist, Jade Rukmin
Thumb down
“In this digital age where reviews can really harm a business, it can feel devastating to get a bad review from an unreasonable customer. But there are steps you can take to get the review taken down or changed, and to share your side of the story. Firstly, give serious consideration to which platforms you use to capture reviews, and find out what their procedures are when it comes to contesting negative reviews. Third party review sites should investigate reviews when requested and while doing so the review should automatically be removed while being reviewed. However, if that doesn’t happen, reply to the review with your version of events, but do so respectfully and professionally. You can also contact the customer directly and ask if there is anything more you can do to help resolve the issue or make them happy (within reason).”
Tribe founder, Lola Ricketts