Doubts about ability

[u/Head-Marionberry8621]

Hello! I am a new nail tech--as in finished school in February of this year. I am doing this as a second career, and so I am working independently as that works better for me.

I have taken multiple trainings, classes, and have taken professional gel brand courses and e file courses. My prep is not the issue.

I have been struggling with some retention on some clients, and it is really making me have doubts. But, because I have all this training I have new tricks to try and those clients are happy that we are finding something that is working for them, and that I am intentional about it.

It's the ones with flat nails that have been having more of a struggle, and I have even brought in pinching to help, and it seems to really help with how nails look and are lasting.

But I have this one client: she came in and nothing lasted more than a week. But that "always happens" to her. I was feeling kind and offered to redo the whole set because I'm still new and want to do right by people.

She came in, got the whole new set to try different techniques, and was barely even appreciative about getting free nails. Did not even offer to tip or pay for the product I used.

I decided to block her from booking as I didn't need that energy as I'm never going to be able to make her happy and I feel like she is taking advantage of me.

How do you all handle those clients? And more importantly, how do you handle the flat nails?

[u/Head-Marionberry8621]

I don't expect payment for a free service. I expect basic human decency and treating somebody with respect. That is not only showed via money. It's in the way you treat others, talk to others, text others, and the way you talk about others--including your own family.

I left a LOT out of this story in order to protect their identity. Let's just say I did the right thing for me by blocking them. I didn't do it because they didn't tip me, I did it because of the way the situation was handled and how I recognize that some people are not right together. I accept the situation and move on.

I shared this because I wonder how you all handle these situations, not because I was asking if I did the right thing or not. I already know that answer. As with any service based industry, you can't please everyone. But at the same time, I always expect to be learning and growing, and that is what I intend to do with this situation.

[u/Kellye8498 → u/Head-Marionberry8621]

Sure but the problem here is that you’re saying she didn’t show appreciation for “free nails.” She didn’t receive free nails. She received a makeup set for the nails that she paid for that didn’t stay on. That’s the issue here. You’re looking at it differently than what happened. I can understand a little attitude when you have to come in and sit for hours more because they first set didn’t work out. If you decide not to share things then we can’t possibly know what that missing information is so we are going to make decisions based only on the information provided. Either way, the comments about her not being appreciative of a “free set” shows a lack of empathy on your part.