Excellent idea! Heather Lackey *How will you make a difference today?*
On Nov 23, 2012, at 7:19 PM, "Laura Merzetti" <la...@scratchmyback.ca> wrote: > I have a service called “Nail Makeover” that covers this situation exactly. > I charge a premium because I have to try to reshape those MMA nails into > something that looks like my work going out the door. > > Laura > > > From: nailtech@googlegroups.com [mailto:nailtech@googlegroups.com] On Behalf > Of Katherine Fahrig > Sent: November-23-12 5:36 PM > To: nailtech@googlegroups.com > Subject: Re: NailTech:: Re: What to say to clients who think that an NSS > salon nails are beautiful? Now - pricing structure? > > Oh, the gel chips off because I put it on too thin. Thanks, that helps. I > still need more time to thin down the NSS acrylic and use a concealer pink > gel and if I have to book an hour and a half I want to be paid for it. > > So this moves into a new topic. > > How do you all structure your prices? > > Do you ever charge for extra time or always just for the service? A question > for those who do charge extra for more work, How do you market your prices? > > I've heard of people charging based on how long it's been between services. > Anyone want to chime in on that method? > > Last part of my question, how do you determine your prices? > > These subjects have been discussed in the past, I think it needs to be > rehashed every now and again. > > Katherine Fahrig > Nails at Panache > Sent from my iPod > > On Nov 23, 2012, at 4:07 PM, "Laura Merzetti" <la...@scratchmyback.ca> wrote: > > Katherine I agree with you. The only way I’ve had any success with gel over > MMA is to really thin out the enhancement first – which as you know takes a > lot of time. I don’t even bother trying to soak it off anymore, waste of > time and acetone. Then I apply a liberal layer of gel over it. You can’t be > too thin (it chips off). The nails might end up a bit thicker than you would > normally do them, but in my experience they grow off and then you can just > keep rebalancing with gel. This method has worked successfully for me. > > Laura M. > > > From: nailtech@googlegroups.com [mailto:nailtech@googlegroups.com] On Behalf > Of Katherine Fahrig > Sent: November-23-12 2:55 PM > To: nailtech@googlegroups.com > Subject: Re: NailTech:: Re: What to say to clients who think that an NSS > salon nails are beautiful? > > I use Light Elegance gel. It just chips off cheep acrylic. Good brands like > CND, OPI, Entity, etc are not a problem as long as I use Protein Bond by > Young Nails between the acrylic and gel. That cheep NSS acrylic is nothing > like the name brands, it is ridiculous hard to file and ridiculous hard to > soak off and whatever (MMA?) is in it stops the gel from sticking to it. > Maybe if I just buffed the gel top coat, but didn't remove it, my gel would > stick, but, the nails are so thick and ugly shaped that I still don't want my > name on them if I can't reshape them, thin them out and properly balance the > apex. > > > > Some acrylic companies have gel top coat that is specially formulated to > adhere to their acrylic, but it is just a top coat, it is not strong enough > to be used as a fill product and most of them do not have a tacky layer so > they cannot be used as a base or primer to make the UV gel adhere to the > acrylic. > > Please, if anyone has found a way to get their gel to stick to cheep acrylic, > share the trick. > > Katherine > Nails at Panache > St. Louis, MO > Sent from my iPad > > On Nov 23, 2012, at 12:17 PM, Jill in Ky <jnai...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Your gel won't adhere over cheap acrylic? I'm not a gel tech, but am eager to > learn more about it, so can you explain to me the chemistry behind WHY it > won't adhere if you take the shine off the top of the old nail product? > > I'd really like to know because I thought you could use a camouflaging pink > gel to help hide the fill lines. If that's not the case, then maybe I need to > stick to acrylic where I can custom blend the powder to help hide other nail > techs fill lines. For all the gel techs out there, jump in to help instruct > me on this, ok? > > Jill W. > > On Thursday, November 22, 2012 5:57:24 PM UTC-6, Katherine Fahrig wrote: > I understand what you are saying and I agree in principal. However, in this > situation, that is not going to work. She wears a French Manicure, so the > yellow acrylic and fill lines show through my crystal clear gel product. > Additionally, my gel will not adhere to cheep NSS acrylic. So, the problem is > that the finished nails look horrible with the yellow ac and fill lines > showing AND they will not hold up. My gel will chip off the top of that NSS > ac in less than a week. I do not want my name on those nails. I do not want > her telling everyone that those yellow, fill lined and chipping nails are my > work. > > Back in the day, when I did acrylic nails, I had an opaque pink that I used > on clients who came to me with horrid yellow acrylic on their nails and I was > proud to have my name on my work because I could make the nails look good > despite the crappy product underneath. Even if I used an opaque pink gel, it > would still chip off the top of the NSS acrylic. The only thing I could do is > start doing acrylic nails again. Not going to happen for my own reasons, long > story that is a whole different thread. > > It's not an ego thing, it's a reputation thing. I will not put my name on > yellow, fill lined nails. That is not what my work looks like. I use top > quality products that do not yellow and correct (manufacturers) technique > that does not leave fill lines. I do not view a good work ethic as "ego". > > I get what you are saying, but, this situation is not about ego, it's about > my name on substandard work. I have other clients who get their nails done in > other states, one who gets her nails done in Vancouver, BC, I have no problem > doing their nails. No, the work is not as good as mine ( that part is ego ) > but they all use a quality gel and I can do my work with my gel over it and > with one appointment I can produce nails that deserve my name on them. I do > not bad mouth the other salon or manicurist, I like to hear about how things > are in the other city for my clients who live part time here and part time > there, it's a fun and exciting life that I can live vicariously through. It's > not about me having to convince anyone that I'm better than the other > manicurist. It doesn't matter, I do their nails when they are in STL and the > other manicurist does their nails when they are there. No competition, we are > actually working together, sharing the client. I'm cool with that. I'm not > cool with someone telling a client that they are getting gels when they are > getting acrylic and then the client expects me to make her yellow, fill lined > acrylic look like the clear, natural gel nails that I'm known for creating. > > I do not think that anyone should put their name on work that is beneath > them. Every single set of nails that walk out of my salon meet my standards > for quality, beauty and durability. That is customer service. That is a full > book of happy, satisfied clients. That is a reputation in this city that I am > the best. > > Belittling, berating or insulting a client, coworker, manicurist (licensed or > not) is not good customer service. Doing substandard work over a substandard > foundation in not good customer service. > > Katherine > Nails at Panache > St. Louis, MO > Sent from my iPad > > On Nov 22, 2012, at 11:03 AM, Jill in Ky <jna...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Katherine, I feel your pain & I hate when that happens! It is so frustrating, > but this is how I've learned to handle it after 25+ years in the business- it > all boils down to psychology: > > After I've tried to educate someone & they still aren't getting it, I stop > trying. For me, I can recognize the feeling of being defensive when it comes > on me & it serves no purpose. I have to reign in that emotion because > ultimately I do not want to alienate the client (no matter how stupid they > appear to be). My goal has to be focused on giving her the best possible > service in the time that she's booked. If that means filling over someone > else's crappy work, then I'll do my best to make it look right & create a > stable nail (ultimately it will be her new nail techs problem when her > acrylic starts to break down). Then I direct the conversation to something > else more pleasant, the hour goes fast, and then she pays me. It's not easy, > but I try to take my ego out of the equation. > > Think about it from the client's point of view......by YOU contradicting what > she's telling you & pointing out her new nail techs flaws, the client is > being made to feel like SHE made a poor choice in salons because she's > ignorant. No one want's to feel that way, including ourselves. So then the > client keeps talking about how beautiful & wonderful the new salon is & how > great their services are, because that's HER way of trying to convince YOU > that she DID make a good choice. She has a need for your approval, but she > doesn't realize that it hurts your feelings & puts you on the defensive, so > both of you get nowhere. It's frustrating on both sides because both peoples > egos are involved. > > Obviously, the other salon is exciting to her because it's new. She was > probably excited about your salon back when she became a new client, too. The > new tech probably strokes her ego in ways that you don't anymore, because we > all get familiar with long time clients & thus, the honeymoon phase goes out > the window. It's only natural that it will eventually happen with this new > salon, too. Then when you eventually see her she'll start to complain about > them. > > I wouldn't turn her away or insist that she soak off for a new full set, but > that's just me. I wouldn't want her to leave my salon with hard feelings > because SHE won't understand why after all these years YOU are giving her the > boot, plus she will tell everyone in town about how she was so rudely > dismissed as a long time client by you. And what if she doesn't have the > money in the budget to pay your prices for a full set? She'll be forced by > YOU to take her business elsewhere then. We're in business to make money & > HERS would be gone. What purpose would that serve? > > If she were my client, I'd mentally prepare myself for when she comes in > (keeping my body language relaxed- not on the defensive) bragging about her > new salon & then I'd just let her talk it out of her system. I'd keep my head > down, fixing those crappy nails so they look good, & occasionally at the > right points in the conversation, I'd interject the little words that will > mean so much to her.... "uh-huh" & "is that right?" & "no way!" & "you go, > girl!". I'd be taking my ego out of the conversation & using psychology to > make the client feel validated. Eventually, she'll run out of steam & you can > direct the conversation to other things that are important to HER. Aaaahhh, > the honeymoon phase is returning! > > It's a challenge in acting & psychology, but for me it's also satisfying when > it works because everyone leaves happy. One great thing about being in the > South is that you learn how to sugar coat phrases which have underlying > meanings. The best one to remember is "Well, bless your heart!", which sounds > very nice on the surface, & you can interject it into your next conversation > with her when she says what a great nail job her new tech did. But what you > really mean by that phrase is "Well, you are dumb as a rock"! > > Jill Wright > Event Coordinator & Nail Tech > www.nailtechevent.com > > > > > On Tuesday, November 6, 2012 1:55:18 PM UTC-6, Katherine Fahrig wrote: > Hey Techies, > > I have a client who used to be a regular gel client until she moved to > Florida last year. She now comes to me 3 or 4 times a year. It wasn't a > problem until this visit. She showed up with NSS, substandard, horrible > acrylic nails that are yellowing and have fill lines. She went on and on > about how she found a new salon that is so beautiful and the guy she goes to > is so up to date on all the latest things and does such beautiful work. I'm > looking at horrible, yellow, fill lines and acrylic ( she was told that it > was the new powder gel that they were using ) and I want to scream! I pointed > out the yellowing and the fill lines, she acknowledged them and then said > something about "taking it all off" for her fill. I told her that she would > have to soak them off for about an hour and then I would do a full set, for > the price of a full set. She said that they just pulled them off, no hour > wasted soaking them off. I had to keep my head down so she could not see the > horror on my face. > > What do you say to someone when presented with this kind of mess? I did not > have the time to soak them off and do a full set, so, I did not push her to > do so. I told her that it was acrylic on her nails and she said that it was > powder gel, didn't I know about it? I explained that it was not powder gel it > was acrylic and she still insisted that they said it was gel so it is gel. I > stopped short of telling her that they are lying rat finks because she went > on and on about how much she liked the salon and the "guy" who does her nails > and the conversation was quickly turning into an argument with my client > defending her "guy's" flat out lies! > > I'm still trying to get my hormones in balance so I could use some advice as > to what to say and what not to say. In general I do not bad mouth anyone > else's work, but, what do I do when someone is lying their but off and the > client believes them over me? I have certificates on the wall that prove my > advanced education and she's heard me go on and on about all the conventions, > continuing education, this mailing list, industry web sites and trade > publications that I've gotten all my information from for 25 years and she > still believes that lying sack of *~#t!!!!! Sorry, I fell into name > calling.....not sorry he is a lying sack of _____. > > She was a good client for about a year before she moved to FL, I educated her > while she was in my chair and now she seems to have forgotten all of it. On > her way out she saw my old ProFinish two hand uv lamp and exclaimed, "that's > what they have, the new two hand lamp! What do you use it for?" I told her > that that lamp is a least 15 years old and useless except to get regular > polish clients to sit still for 4 minutes. She looked confused, but, said > nothing more. > > I thought about booking 2 hours for her next appointment and soaking the ac > off and putting on a new set of gels so she would be reminded of how they > should look, but, if I'm doing all that work, I'm getting paid for a full set > and she would not agree to that. Besides, she saw my nails and the clients > before and after her with beautiful, clear, non yellow, no fill lines, gel > nails. Maybe she listened and noticed more than she admitted to and she will > find a new salon in FL that actually does gels, not acrylic (that turns > yellow) with a gel overlay. > > So, Techies, I did a little venting, now, what do you all say to clients who > come in with NSS nails and tell you how beautiful that are? > > Katherine > Nails at Panache > St. Louis, MO > Sent from my iPad > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/nailtech/-/GMGy0U4sa_EJ. > To post to this group, send email to nail...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to nailtech+u...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/nailtech/-/3erg2-Nbwz8J. > To post to this group, send email to nailtech@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To post to this group, send email to nailtech@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To post to this group, send email to nailtech@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To post to this group, send email to nailtech@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To post to this group, send email to nailtech@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to nailtech@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to nailtech+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.
