Nails Magazine

Career Handbook 2014

Magazine for the professional nail industry.

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If you identify the problem: …and it's an overwhelming schedule. Enlist the help of others to balance your workload. This goes for both salon and personal issues. Remember that you don't have to do it all — and you probably shouldn't. …and it's you're running behind. Shorten services for a client if she's late to her appointment. Say no to a tech who asks you to help out with one of her services, or tell her today's not the best day, but you're happy to help her out a different day of the week. Don't volunteer for that extra task, just this once. …and it's you're too tired to focus. Being tired can make you drop things or cloud your thinking, so start giving yourself more down-time and more time for sleep. "I make a point to turn off the computer and go to bed by a certain time," says salon owner Erin Snyder-Dixon. TAKE A STEP BACK. It's possible you've been working too much. "Everyone needs a work-free vacation every now and then," Snyder-Dixon says. "I'm an incurable workaholic, but even for me, there is a point of crash and burn. The idea is to head it off at the pass and get that vacation or mini-break in before becoming too stressed out." STUFF HAPPENS. Sometimes, bad stuff happens. But, as a general rule, it's only temporary. "People will get happy again, the messes will get cleaned up, and we will have those awesome days where we are able to nail everything we do," Snyder-Dixon says. "When those bad days crop up, I try to take a break, slow down, and see through the clutter that has my nerves jangled." PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE. Sometimes you need the bad days to appreciate the good ones. an off-day We all have them. You spill paraffin on the floor, your salon owner yells at you, you smudge a client's nails. Here's how to handle it when everything that can possibly go wrong, does. PITCH IN. "Train your staff to be aware when another tech is having a hard time keeping up, for whatever the reason," says Shari Finger, owner of Fingers Nail Studio in W. Dundee, Ill. "Make it common practice to help out. Coworkers should always be prepared to take off polish, get a foot bath ready, or even finish a coworker's customer by polishing." FESS UP. Always admit you're running late, says Finger. "When your customer arrives, tell her you're behind schedule and that you're terribly sorry." Tell her how much longer you are going to be; this allows the client to run an extra errand or grab a bite to eat. DOLE OUT. Give something back to the client by way of apology for making her wait. Consider giving a discount, a coupon for a discount on a new service offered, or a small retail product, recommends Finger. "I like giving a sample of my custom- blended lotion. They think I am giving them a gift, but what I'm really doing is getting them to try my product and realize that they need more." CALM DOWN. Never panic, skip steps, or rush the service however much you might be tempted to do so. Stay professional and indicate by your words and your actions that you really do respect your customer's time. If you're disastrously behind, give a call to some of your later clients and see if you can reschedule them, or at least give them a heads up that you're running late. THINK IT THROUGH. Sometimes these glitches in our schedules are unavoidable. Sometimes they're not. Once the rush is over, figure out what went wrong. If you have to get tougher with clients who are running late, do so. If there's a problem with how your services are scheduled, fix it. If you've got a salon to run and a full book of your own, you have our sympathy. getting off schedule Play it smart and your clients will forgive you when you're running late. 34 | NAILS CAREER HANDBOOK 2014 >>> how to survive…

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