How to deal with price challenges
By Sophie Nutt | 27 December 2018 | Expert Advice, Feature
No two days are the same in the life of a nail pro, which sometimes throws up some awkward occurrences. One common incident is when a client questions the price of a manicure; but how do you handle such a query once the treatment has been completed?
Kelley Colley, of Lavish Nails, experienced a similar situation…
“A client once questioned the price of a manicure, as I had charged extra for nail art. As it was an ombré effect, she didn’t think it was fair to add any extra charge as ‘it’s only another gel polish’, regardless of the fact that it takes a lot longer and I used more tools to achieve the look than a standard gel polish overlay. It was very embarrassing.”
Rachel Gribble, Salon System educator, advises…
“Nail art is an add-on to a standard treatment and can require further training and special equipment not only to learn the basics but also to keep it up with trends. For these reasons, creating nail art implies an additional charge. Even if this sounds obvious to nail techs and everyone else in the industry, a lot of clients might not realise it. They might not understand the preparation behind high quality nail art and therefore not expect an additional charge.
“To avoid any misunderstanding, this should be clearly stated on the price list and it should be discussed during the consultation before any treatment commences. I recommend always specifying the additional charges, explaining why they are applied and what the client will get for that higher price.
“If this hasn’t been made clear to the client beforehand, then the technician is at fault: to resolve the issue, I would recommend not charging for any extras. It would be a lesson learnt on how to always be transparent and clear during the consultation with the client, so that both client and tech have a positive experience.”
Get more advice from industry experts surrounding everyday situations in the December issue of the magazine!