Clients Behaving Badly

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, July 2011

One of my most popular classes, “Clients Behaving Badly” begins with a simple, but powerful, statement: Bad clients are not worth having. If this class were an interactive discussion about the worst clients ever (read: bitch session), this statement would be considered a logical conclusion. However, the class does not focus on bad clients. Despite the title, I share strategies on building a clientele based on the premise that bad clients are not worth having. Clients form the foundation of your salon business; the stronger the foundation, the stronger your business.

Rather than entreat you, as many would, to provide better customer service, I encourage you to provide quality services to better customers. There are far more consumers/customers/potential clients than beauty professionals, and this gives us a tremendous advantage. That advantage is the power of choice. Choosing who to serve and who to refuse/refer elsewhere may seem incompatible with providing good customer service. But what’s truly incompatible is the misguided notion that we’re somehow obligated to serve/please everyone. No one can demand service from you, though some may treat you as if they could. That’s as absurd as the notion that the customer is always right. Your value as a beauty professional lies in your expertise; clients pay you for being right. When having the clients you want makes giving them what they want that much easier, why not actively pursue the ideal clients for your salon business?

“The purpose of a business is to create a mutually beneficial relationship between itself and those that it serves.” (John Woods). Many beauty professionals consider client relationships one of the most rewarding, yet most challenging, aspects of their work. Every client is a relationship; some will flame out within their first and only appointment, while others may last through hundreds of appointments over decades. It’s not reasonable to expect that every person who contacts your business will become one of your best clients. (Likewise, not every person you meet will become your best friend.) Communicating what your salon offers to and expects from clients encourages compatible potential clients to contact you, while discouraging others from wasting your time.

Building relationships requires effort and resources that should not be wasted on those who don’t respect you as a beauty professional. When reflecting on my own clientele, I keep this in mind: “I don’t build in order to have clients. I have clients in order to build.” (Ayn Rand). The following statement, posted several years ago to my salon website, summarizes my approach to client relationships:

We believe that receiving a salon service should be a safe and pleasant experience for the consumer. Conversely, we believe that the beauty professional providing the service also deserves a safe and pleasant experience. Our salon does not suit every consumer, nor does every consumer suit us. To be blunt, we will refuse service to those who do not.

After 17 years of providing nail services, we have more than enough experience to know who best suits us. Our ideal client exhibits these qualities:

• insists on trained and licensed professionals;
• respects our time;
• expects a clean, organized salon environment;
• appreciates quality more than convenience;
• enjoys our salon experience;
• schedules in advance;
• values our professional opinions;
• encourages our efforts to improve our skills;
• supports our commitment to the beauty industry;
• and refers family and friends.

Within an industry that treats consumers and professionals as disposable, Precision Nails thrives because we respect ourselves and value our clients, particularly our Preferred Clients (those with standing appointments).

As expected, this statement generated some insightful discussions and prompted some (less than ideal) clients to seek services elsewhere. Mission accomplished.

When clients behave badly, it’s time to question your judgment and evaluate your contribution to the problem. The reason why clients behave badly is very simple - because you let them. You continue to schedule them even as they arrive late or miss appointments entirely, criticize your work, complain about the price, etc. What’s the incentive for good behavior when you keep rewarding bad behavior? Serving your clients should make you feel good about yourself, professionally and personally. I sincerely hope that you wouldn’t tolerate an unhealthy professional relationship anymore than you’d tolerate an unhealthy personal relationship. You deserve better, but unless you’re willing to act, you’re not likely to get it.

My best advice for losing bad clients? Simultaneously change your schedule and raise your prices (even minor changes will do). If you haven’t already done so, develop salon policies and procedures and be prepared to enforce consequences. Give your clients at least a month’s notice that you’ll be canceling all future appointments to rebuild your new schedule. Reward your best clients by giving them priority as you fill your new schedule. Do NOT schedule bad clients; when they realize that you’re no longer willing to tolerate their behavior, they’ll go elsewhere. Who you choose to serve, and when, is your business, literally.


By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.

Nail Services in the Spa Environment

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, June 2011

What role do nails play in the day spa industry? Apparently, not a very significant one. With the industry focused on skin care, massage, wellness, etc., nails don’t receive much attention. That’s obvious whether reading a typical menu of day spa services, or a list of exhibitors and classes at a spa show. Very few day spas target nail clients, and very few nail product manufacturers target day spas. This leads me to conclude that despite the popularity of professional nail care, nails may be the most neglected aspect of the day spa industry.

Many day spas attempt to function as both a spa and a full-service beauty salon (remember those?). How often do the words “spa and salon” appear together? Enough  already. Typically, a day spa relegates its beauty services, like hair, nails, waxing and makeup, to the “salon” area of the facility. But it’s difficult, if not impossible, to maintain separate spa and salon areas, and have them impart the same sense of “spa.” Nail services performed at a day spa rarely offer an experience any different or better from what clients can experience at a traditional beauty salon. So why bother offering the services? And why would nail clients frequent a business that doesn’t prioritize what they want most?

Having attending numerous spa/beauty shows, I’ve concluded that spas, whether they be resort, destination or day, treat nail services as a necessity for guest convenience, but not as legitimate profit generators. There’s a presumption that while facial/massage/body treatments can command $2 per minute, if not more, nail services cannot. I could take offense that the time/training/skills of nail professionals are not regarded more highly within the day spa industry. (I have a hard enough time convincing nail professionals to charge at least a $1 per minute for themselves!) But as a salon owner who employs licensed manicurists to provide services in a clean, upscale salon environment, I’m grateful. It’s easier to compete when the competition doesn’t understand the market and its potential.

The word “spa,” when used, must be used with caution. Attaching “spa” to the name of any service or business raises client expectations, except when that word appears in neon. (Neon tends to lower my expectations, but increase my appetite.) But what exactly does the word “spa” mean anyway? Like so many words overused in the beauty industry, it lacks meaning. For me, it translates as more complicated, more time-consuming and more expensive, none of which appeals to me as a consumer.

Raising expectations can be a good thing, as long as they’re met. Clients would expect to pay more at a day spa than they would at a beauty salon, but they also expect a better quality service. But as most people would acknowledge, paying more does not guarantee a safer, or better service. The bottom line: any establishment that offers beauty services is required by law to meet minimum standards for health and safety, regardless of how much the services cost.

A salon does not need to be a spa to offer quality nail services. The environment does not ensure quality; it’s the professional performing the services that matters most. Nor does a salon need to make its services more “spa” to charge more. Adding unnecessary steps or overpriced products to the procedures does little to improve quality. It’s hard to justify increased service prices without commensurate results. For example, using expensive facial products for pedicures would likely do nothing except add to product costs, and lower the profit margin.

While spas advertise facials, massages and other treatments with elaborate descriptions, nail services often get a one-line mention as if everyone should know what to expect of a spa’s “signature” manicure or pedicure. Again, perhaps I should be grateful because if more detail were included, it may read something like this:

Your extremities collect stress that must be released to achieve optimal wellness/improve your mood/soothe your soul/balance your energy. Experience the ancient traditions of the [insert name of indigenous people here] who have passed along their unique nail care rituals for hundreds/thousands of years. Utilizing the incredible healing power of [insert name of indigenous plant/mineral or popular landmark here], our nail experts [read: any available employee] will revitalize/nurture/replenish/restore your hands and feet with our custom-blended, organic, natural products, available for use at home to extend your journey of enlightenment.

On a side note, it’s disappointing to realize that many spas have not moved beyond “gentleman’s” manicures and pedicures to gender-neutral services. Instead of being inclusive, which is no doubt the intent, naming services according to gender makes it seem somehow unnatural for men to have their hands and feet cared for/groomed.

In the future, day spas may realize the value of nail services for generating additional revenue and increasing client loyalty. In the meanwhile, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned about providing quality nail services at every spa/beauty show I attend.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.

In Praise of Polish

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, May 2011

If you hadn’t already noticed, nail color has made a tremendous comeback. The renewed focus on colorful nails owes much to the incredible popularity and abundance of colored gel and gel-polish products. These products promise no drying time because they light-cure, extended wear with no chipping and soak-off removal (more or less). Consumers have responded to clever marketing by contacting salons to request a “lacquer manicure,” or a “three-week manicure,” even when they don’t fully understand what the service entails. This trend has been so pervasive that brands known primarily for polish and natural nail products have launched their own gel lines. And while this may seem like bad news for polish manufacturers, the recent acquisitions of Essie by L’Oreal and OPI by Coty suggest otherwise. No doubt, the value of these professional brands lie in their growth potential beyond salons. And as expected, these brands have expanded their presence in retail and drug stores, competing alongside Sally Hansen (also owned by Coty) and other brands that consumers have had access to for years.

While these recent developments provide consumers many options, they also prompt professionals to question whether polish has lost its appeal as a salon service and  product? I cannot answer this question for every salon owner or nail professional, but for me, the answer would be decidedly no. Polish is not the perfect product; an expert application can be a challenge for the professional, and the patience to let it dry, a challenge for the client. But after decades of reliable performance, polish remains an integral part of my professional nail services. What polish lacks in drying speed and durability, it more than makes up for in price, color range and ease of application and removal, with no additional equipment necessary. Moreover, just as my stylist friends don’t complain about the availability of hair coloring products, I won’t complain about the availability of polish. My clients still rely on my application skills, and they want to test colors before they purchase.

The minimal supplies I use to polish include nail wipes (non-woven sponges), pure acetone in a pump dispenser, base coat (needed for natural nails only), polish, top coat and a clean-up brush (my favorite: a #4 oval taklon). Application begins with removing any existing polish and/or oils from the nails using nail wipes moistened with acetone. 

The speed and accuracy of my polish application depends largely on my positioning. I hold the client’s finger firmly from underneath with my left thumb and forefinger, the polish bottle in the palm of my left hand and the bottle cap/brush with my right thumb and forefinger. When removing the brush from the polish bottle, I wipe against the neck so that polish remains on one side of the brush only. For more precise brush placement, I extend my right pinky to rest against the three other fingers of my left hand. When placing the brush at the base of the nail, it’s my goal to have polish be close to, but not touching, the skin. Each stroke toward the edge of the nail should be smooth and straight, and slightly overlapping to cover the entire surface. The fewer the strokes, the better. Starting at the center of the nail and working toward either sidewall, or from one sidewall and working across to the other, is a matter of personal preference. (I happen to start on the left side and work toward the right.) While polishing, I prefer to gently rotate the client’s fingers than tilt my head.

After each layer of polish, I place that hand under a polish-drying fan that circulates room-temperature air while I polish the other hand. Drying between layers reduces the amount of time clients wait to dry at the end of the service. For sheer colors, I generally apply only one layer of color; for opaque colors, two thin layers provide better coverage. There should not be any excess polish on the underside of the nail, or on the surrounding skin. Before applying top coat, I use my clean-up brush dipped in acetone to perfect the perimeter of the polish. After top coat is applied, the client waits another 3-5 minutes under the polish-drying fans before leaving the salon.

That clients can, with varying degrees of competence, polish their own, or a friend’s, nails makes it ideal for retailing. Displayed attractively, polish virtually sells itself. Let your clients choose their favorite color from a well-stocked, dust-free retail display, rather than from the bottles you use to polish. At my salon, we stock a minimum of 3 bottles each of more than 200 different colors, arranged according to color. We store one bottle of every available color alphabetically in the back room for use during services. Clients can also request to test colors using these bottles. For testing purposes, we place a piece of clear plastic tape on the client’s hand and dab polish there instead of directly on their nails.

There’s no need or scientific reason to advise clients to purchase a bottle for salon use. Frightening clients about the possibility of cross-contamination is not a valid marketing strategy. If bacteria and fungus were able to thrive among polish ingredients and subsequently be transmitted to other clients, there might be cause for concern. However, this is not the case. According to research conducted by chemists Paul Bryson, Ph.D. and Doug Schoon, “nail polish quickly destroys microbes that are introduced into it. . . . When partially-used bottles of polish were repurchased from salons after actual use on multiple customers, examination by an independent lab showed no trace of microbial contamination whatsoever.” That’s bad news for microbes, but good news for those of us who love polish.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.