Treating sick/ill clients

[calgel_kelly]

Hello,

I turned away a client yesterday for being unwell. I spoke to her in a very professional way and was polite explaining i would need to reschedule her when she was better, she was in tracksuit bottoms baggy top sporting a tissue blowing her nose while waiting.. today she has cancelled all future appointments. I was just wondering what everyone else would have done or if there was a policy i could use in future, my sons just out of surgery i couldnt risk taking an illness home.. even without this its not hygeinic surely?!

Kelly

 

[xnailsbylisax]

Hello,

I turned away a client yesterday for being unwell. I spoke to her in a very professional way and was polite explaining i would need to reschedule her when she was better, she was in tracksuit bottoms baggy top sporting a tissue blowing her nose while waiting.. today she has cancelled all future appointments. I was just wondering what everyone else would have done or if there was a policy i could use in future, my sons just out of surgery i couldnt risk taking an illness home.. even without this its not hygeinic surely?!

Kelly

Did you ask her in a roundabout way what was wrong? Was it just a cold? Hayfever? If it was just a cold or something like that i would've treated her still. Maybe she feels a little put out at the fact she had gone to the salon, sag & waited to then be told she can't have her treatments done. I would be pretty miffed aswell to be honest & would probably act the same way she did. I seriously doubt it was anything major you could catch & even children will still be prone to bugs/illnesses regardless of who you treat at work.

 

[xnailsbylisax]

Also, i don't see what she was wearing to have any kind of relevance whatsoever. I know they are associated with 'slobby' clothes but these could be her everyday clothes & she may have simply had a runny nose.

 

[sarahpoppy24]

In a normal situation I would just do the client as colds are not serious. However as I saw your son is just out of hospital I can understand why you did it as your child's health is at steak. I can also understand from her point of view too because it could of just been an allergy or a mild cold, and I'm sure if she has know your son was just out of hospital she wouldn't of put a kid a risk. Hard one as you don't want to go in with all your personal life taking about your sick child but you can't cancel someone for a cold under normal circumstances. I would put it down as a one off xx

 

[Deeders]

I know this is probably off the wall, but would anyone consider wearing a mask (like the surgeons do) to prevent catching germs?!! I wouldn't personally, but I've seen a salon where all the techs wear them.

 

[char1112]

I understand the predicament you're in but I don't think you should have turned the client away, you'll probably have been in contact with other illnesses throughout the week due to people having things that don't have symptoms or them being "carriers"

As long as you are thorough with your cleaning and use antibacterial products your son should have minimal risk of picking anything up. I had the same problem when a family member had cancer but you can't lose clientele over a cold

 

[virtues2011]

I know this is probably off the wall, but would anyone consider wearing a mask (like the surgeons do) to prevent catching germs?!! I wouldn't personally, but I've seen a salon where all the techs wear them.

Yes absolutely. .. but only in the event that I had a mild cold and my clients were happy with this. I wouldn't ask my client to wear one.. and I wouldn't wear one because my client had a cold.

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[Kristalinx]

Masks only work if worn by the person who is ill. So if you had a poorly client you would have to make them wear it to prevent it spreading. I can't see anyone trying to make a client wear one really. :S

 

[Deeders]

I disagree - think of the SARS epidemic, all the Asian country's were told to wear masks as a protective/preventative measure.

 

[Kristalinx]

In Japan it is considered the correct thing to wear a mask if you are sick and impolite if you don't. It has been confirmed by doctors that they do not protect the wearer from airborne viruses. Either way I still doubt clients would wear them.

 

[nailpod]

This is a difficult thing to give advice on. Mainly because each of us are individual and don't know your situation or your circumstances that well.

It doesn't matter what you choose to do with regards to doing a treatment or not but the way in which you conveyed this a cross to your client.
If you made her feel embarrest or uncomfortable or like she was a nuisance then she would not be coming back. And with your comment about canceling all other bookings she is most likely upset and has told about 10 people or more.
Potentially doing more harm then good to your salon.

I have sent clients away but in such a manor that they actually can't wait to come back. I also call see how they feeling of they any better etc... Just to show you also care about them and not yourself.
I know being a mother is your top priority so no one is in anyway judging your choice about doing the treatment or not as you have his best interest at the top of your list.

Perhaps for damage control , just ring her up (not via text msg) and see how she is. Also just explain why you canceled her app and also your son being I'll did lead to your decision. And you would like to apologize for any Mis understanding and hopefully we can see you again in the future.

Unless of course you choose to not want her as a client , this is entirely your choice.




Beauty at your finger tips!

 

[Solsken]

i can see why the client was upset.

You could consider putting out a box of masks and a big sign that if you have a cold please consider wearing a mask, but be prepared for people to be upset.

At this time of year, i'd more suspect people of allergies than a cold.

If when you approached her you were clearer and said, "are you feeling ok? you look under the weather" and if she said 'Nah, allergies stink!" you'd be set, if she said "yea, well just a cold, i feel ok" you could then say, "I don't mean to be rude but i have a child at home who just was released from hospital and I'm worried about bringing a cold home. Do you mind if we reschedule today's appointment? I know I'm being silly, but I am trying to be overly cautious about not bringing home a cold if i can help it"

 

[NikkiBee]

I still work when I have a cold so no I wouldn't turn away a client for the same reason

 

[Russian doll]

First of all I don't see how her wearing baggy clothes has to do with anything?
Second-there are a lot of ways to catch an illness without knowing it-a lot of viruses are contagious even before the person has any symptoms, and you could come in contact with sick people on just day to day basis without them being your clients (like grocery store, the bank, bus, subway...) Did you even ask this lady what was going on with her before turning her away? It is an allergy season after all.
Me personally-no, I would never turn away a client for having a cold (can't even count how many times I myself worked with a cold-so that would be totally unfair). Honestly if the client had it that bad the last thing on her mind would be getting a treatment done.
But, seeing your situation with your child just being out of hospital, as a mom I can understand you trying to be more careful. I think what could've worked better is first find out what's exactly going on with her. And if it is something you think might be contagious-just honestly explain your situation and either ask her to wear a mask or reschedule for when she's over it.

 

[hazeleyes]

Yeah I agree with the above, I couldn't turn anyone away for having a cold, imagine if all the clients turned us away from treating them if we had a bit of a cold?

If your son is vulnerable then I can understand why you did though although it doesn't necessarily decrease your chances of catching something but I can also totally understand why she was miffed and has cancelled future appointments. I would do exactly that as well.

The clothing bears to relevance to being ill, I'm a bit of tomboy so I often wear baggy clothes and especially if I'm getting my beauty stuff done. I often go to hairdressers with messy hair, nails facials and massage in baggy tracksuit bottoms or leggings and a big jumper wearing no make up etc! Then go home and get transformed for my nights out or whatever so if I was judged on my down time day clothes I would never get treated.

 

[hazeleyes]

Yeah I agree with the above, I couldn't turn anyone away for having a cold, imagine if all the clients turned us away from treating them if we had a bit of a cold?

If your son is vulnerable then I can understand why you did though although it doesn't necessarily decrease your chances of catching something but I can also totally understand why she was miffed and has cancelled future appointments. I would do exactly that as well.

The clothing bears to relevance to being ill, I'm a bit of tomboy so I often wear baggy clothes and especially if I'm getting my beauty stuff done. I often go to hairdressers with messy hair, nails facials and massage in baggy tracksuit bottoms or leggings and a big jumper wearing no make up etc! Then go home and get transformed for my nights out or whatever so if I was judged on my down time day clothes I would never get treated.

 

[profbeau]

I'm mobile and have often arrived at someone's house to find them full of cold etc. I have never refused treatment, I'm no more likely to catch a cold off a client than I am stood behind the sneezing lady in the supermarket, or from the snotty nosed children running around the playground at school drop off!

Whilst I understand if your son is vulnerable you may be over cautious, I completely understand why this client has canceled her future appointments, especially if it was only a cold or hay fever.
Did you ask her? "Ooh dear that sounds like a nasty cold?"
Did you explain to her why you felt unable to treat her?

And as many have said, why on earth does it matter what she was wearing?!
Clients come to us to feel better about themselves, not to be judged. From what you wrote hear it sounds very much as though you were judging the poor lady on her appearance. Maybe unintentionally you portrayed that to the client also.



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[hazeleyes]

Yeah I agree with the above, I couldn't turn anyone away for having a cold, imagine if all the clients turned us away from treating them if we had a bit of a cold?

If your son is vulnerable then I can understand why you did though although it doesn't necessarily decrease your chances of catching something and honestly, I can also totally understand why she was miffed and has cancelled future appointments. I would do exactly that as well.

The clothing bears no relevance to being ill, I'm a bit of tomboy so I often wear baggy clothes and especially if I'm getting my beauty stuff done. I often go to hairdressers with messy hair, nails facials and massage in baggy tracksuit bottoms or leggings and a big jumper wearing no make up etc! Then go home and get transformed for my nights out or whatever so if I was judged on my down time day clothes I would never get treated.

 

[Bel's Gels]

its a catch 22.

She offended you by turning up sick so you cancelled her appointment.

She has now cancelled all future appointments because you must have offended her.

I suppose that is the risk you take cancelling people's appointments for whatever reason, even if you feel it is justified.

Maybe print out a flyer with aftercare service on it and add on there:
if you are sick I would appreciate you contact me to discuss so that we can possibly re-schedule.

 

[Lks]

Why is everyone asking why the op spoke about her clothing? I don't think she was trying to discriminate or say that she was a slob. When I read the post I simply thought it was in reference to her client being ill. Who likes to dress up when they feel awful? This lady seemed like she had a cold and was dressed the part, thereby strengthening the assumption that the client was sick. We use context clues to draw conclusions and to make inferences all the time.