How to deal with common tricky client types
By Sophie Nutt | 05 April 2018 | Expert Advice, Feature
In the perfect world, ‘the customer is always right’, but sometimes you can be faced with a situation you don’t know how to handle. We asked the experts about the most common tricky client types to look out for and how to manage concerns…
The late client
Anna Germaine, director at The Edge Nails and Beauty, says…
“If you have a client that is repeatedly late, then you have to make a stand. If she or he is more than 10 minutes late for their next appointment then explain that you are sorry but they will have to rebook. Explain that you have a responsibility to your other clients as they have children to collect from school, for example, and to fit them in would cause your subsequent appointments to run late. After this, there’s a good chance they’ll be on time for future appointments!”
The complaining client
Kirsty Bridgeman, head of beauty at Westrow Skipton, says…
“When someone makes a complaint that they haven’t enjoyed a treatment or suffered poor customer service, for example, its good to offer them an opportunity to come back and achieve a free treatment or service, rather than giving them the treatment they’ve just had received for free. By getting them to revisit, you can re-establush their perception of your business. Take note of their existing comments and make sure everything is perfect the second time around, paying attention to detail. If there was an issue regarding service, make sure that it is the owner or a senior member of staff present on their next visit. Protect your staff and remember that it doesn’t matter how is at fault as Lon as the situation is dealt with quickly and effectively.”
The late paying client
Lisa Dunlop, head of education, Cuccio Europe, says…
“There are some great card machines out there now – SumUp is a fantastic new and cheap payment tool, which means you never have to miss another payment from a client. However, if they are repeat offenders that don’t pay on time, then perhaps it is time that they found another nail technician to carry out their treatments. It seems harsh, but the stress it causes to you and your business is not always worth it.”
To read about more common tricky client types and expert advice on how to manage them, check out the April 2018 issue of Scratch – head here to get your hands on a copy!
