What do you think makes a nail tech successful?

[heatherp]

Why am I asking this question? Not because I'm quiet, I don't just do nails and am as busy as I want to be but today has just made me curious

SORRY, THIS IS LONG!!

Well... I have an old friend who like me is a beauty therapist, she also does Shellac, but gets her nails done elsewhere which charges £5 less than we do.

Her nails always look fab so after being a little fed up of never having time to do mine without rushing them, I booked in.

Arrived today to a small one room salon on a back street from the main shopping street.

I'm not being bitchy here, the salon was ok, nothing special and I did notice it was dated and a little grubby in places, including an oil filled radiator in the middle of the room which had a grubby wet pair of slipper socks drying on the top.

She offered CND Shellac, OPI Polish, Fibre Glass Nails and her hand lotions her a brand I didnt recognise.

Sat down, no consultation, noticed cnd lamp was grubby with dried polish at the entrace and dirty marks on top. The two rolled up towels from the previous client were not replaced nor was any couch roll used, the towels looked very grubby with stains. Therapist herself had a very plesant manner, wearing uniform top with leggings, flat boots, cardigan that may have seen better days, hair scrapped back, own nails not really done to impress.

No hand sanitiser used, filed my nails with a grit file that I would use for extensions, thinking now I think it was the one she used on the previous client and I didnt see her santise it . She used cuticle remover, pushed back cuticles, then buffed my nails with a white buffer block, wiped, painted in base, overtly onyx, top, didn't paint as we were taught and didnt cap, removed inhibition, then applied solar oil from the large refill bottle by just upending onto her finger which she must be doing to every client.

She then said could I fill in a client card, ahh consultation I thought - better late than never but no, card was for name, address, phone and email number only.

On speaking to this therapist throughout my treatment, this is her 3rd christmas and she is full to bursting, I saw her diary, she is 9 till 9 upto xmas and has a cancellation list for most days from now to xmas. She doesn't advertise at all and doesn't even have a website and has never ever leaflet dropped etc. I had real trouble trying to find her number when I couldn't reach my friend at first.

It just go me thinking, how does this happen, when there are nail techs out there who bust a gut and are spending fortunes on the correct training, kitting out their salon to perfection and looking tip top only to find they are struggling.

Have to say my nails look absolutely fab and I know my friends last 2 -3 weeks and if her application had been done in completely the correct way, I wouldn't be so baffled, but someone help me out here and enlighten me, what is it that makes or breaks a therapist bearing in mind what I have just told you??

H xx

 

[sleepingbeauty]

Clearly the fact that the nails stay on & no other reason other than her pleasant mannerism... :lol:

 

[SugarMama]

I wish I had a good answer, but I am frustrated by the same situation. There are salons all around me that use dirty, filthy implements and inferior products but are making a killing and busy all the time. I keep pouring money into education and the best products but can't get my appointment book filled. Granted, I'm relatively new so I guess I need to be patient, but it's discouraging to know that I'm trying so hard when so many others don't even care :|

 

[NancySyd]

She is a cheap, pleasant feel-good, a brief respite that anyone can afford. And that's okay (well, except for the possibility of injury or infection!). Not to sound all new age-y, but we need to re-define "successful." Although all her slots are filled and perhaps she is making good money, is that all that it would take for you to feel successful? Would you feel successful in that circumstance? Would you feel successful if you were working without proper sanitation protocols? Would you feel successful working in an environment that you did not care for and in which you did not care for yourself? For some people as long as their appointment book was full, they would feel successful. You need to decide what success would be for you and then pursue that, not someone else's idea of success.

 

[Karen-Nail Tech]

Last year (my first year) I rented above a hairdressers with another self employed beauty therapist (I was just doing nails at this point)

As soon as I bought all my stock in and set the room up I started to realise what this place was like.

No sign of barbicide. I never mentioned it but she did try to tell me that's she's been "meaning to get some more" but perhaps this was because she saw me bring my branded jar in.

One morning I sat and watched as she cleaned her desk of the nail dust from the day before. My eyes focused in on the liquid she was using... Shea butter. Yes you've read that correctly. When I told my family I got that look disbelief but I knew what she was like - she managed to make it look clean and obviously any type of liquid would in theory clean dust off to give that appearance.

At the start of the year I rented for she was extremely busy (granted she had a lot more services than me to offer) but I was amazed at the money she seemed to be taking - it was like Christmas week but every week for her.

I did notice that her prices were cheaper than others. I had researched the area for acrylics and for example, white tips would be an average of £25 - she charged £22.50 but very rarely actually charged this amount as she would almost certainly say "just give us £20" so there's a £5 saving.

She did certain crazy deals for certain clients and when their friends came in she would have to do the same for them too.

She swore with the clients with what I consider to be the two worst swear words... Wore slippers around the salon... Same spatula for waxing every client (even at the end of the day there were none in the bin) Would put party lashes on and not even leave them to dry so when the clients opened their eyes they stung like crazy - I watched this EVERY time she did a set.

She had a micro dermabrasion machine which I've since learnt she used to reuse the "bits" of and not dispose as shed bought the machine outright so was saving on costs.

As it got to the 6 month stage of me being there things started to change... She had gaps, people weren't turning up, clients who booked for full sets of acrylics with old acrylic on, people having services with no money...

Without being awful she attracted a certain type of client - bit rough etc. there was one regular that was very posh and it puzzled me why she was so loyal to her.

Anyway - I've waffled here but you get the idea... It's ended up where I left in June and as my number is saved in her phone book,I get her special offer text messages and the deals are crazy. £10 for pretty much everything. This is happening ALL the time.

I feel like cheap may get clients but quality services will keep them

x

 

[souz]

on every high street we have what we all refer to as nss salons, they are cheap nails that stay on, nothing else brings clients to those salons....it isnt the decor, the chat with the tech etcits the nails that stay! what does that tell you??

Every salon has a different type of clientele, not everyone looks at the decor! i personally do look at the decor and the techs nails just the same as you did but that is because we are in the industry and are professionals. As long as a salon is clean looking and the therapist does a good job clients will put up with certain imperfections for a certain price.

so to answer your question, what makes a nail tech successful?

I would say giving clients nails they love at a price they can afford that last. I have always said and please dont jump on me for this comment but you are either a GOOD nail technician that may do the odd beauty treatment OR you are a beauty therapist that does the odd set of nails. You cant be really good at everything if you are not doing it all the time. For me my speciality is nails and that is what i concentrate my business on, i do the odd waxing and spray tan and tinting but i dont do everything else that i am qualified in like facials, reiki, indian head, eyelashes, hair etc. 90% of what i do every day is nails and all the extra training i do is in nails. I have a website but most of my business is from word of mouth and i am busy! i have worked until 9pm all this week from 10 in the morning. I work from home in my conservatory, clients have to walk through my front room to get to it, its not ideal but no one is minding as they get great nails!! although i do wear a uniform and the room is kitted out as a salon. x

 

[411]

I think being a good nail tech is the Professional service you provide.

Doing nail treatments with recognised products, making sure your treatments last, consultation,aftercare, Clean neat salon, and a friendly smile when your client walks in.

If that's all good your clients already feeling comfortable and pampered, then comes in the extra bit of offering drinks.

 

[heatherp]

She is a cheap, pleasant feel-good, a brief respite that anyone can afford. And that's okay (well, except for the possibility of injury or infection!). Not to sound all new age-y, but we need to re-define "successful." Although all her slots are filled and perhaps she is making good money, is that all that it would take for you to feel successful? Would you feel successful in that circumstance? Would you feel successful if you were working without proper sanitation protocols? Would you feel successful working in an environment that you did not care for and in which you did not care for yourself? For some people as long as their appointment book was full, they would feel successful. You need to decide what success would be for you and then pursue that, not someone else's idea of success.

I do agree with alot of what you say, I would rather know that I am doing something correctly than think I earning well but not doing correctly. However there are alot of people that need to earn money and therefore their morals only will not pay their bills.
As for price as I say she is £5 cheaper but in a back street in the middle of town so this time of year a nightmare to get to and expensive for parking.

Karen - I see what you are saying but this therapist's success was short lived, the salon I'm talking about is on her 3rd christmas and is going from strenght to strenght.

Souz - I never proclaim to be a Nail Master, I can hold my own and produce a good set of extensions and my shellac clients are very happy. But this lady seem to do the same as me, shellac, extensions but nothing really advanced.

As I say I am as busy and I want and can be at mo it was just something that got me thinking whilst I was there. We are always reading threads of poor girls who have had extensive training, set up their salon in the correct way and just seem to struggle and struggle. I work from my home based salon, don't advertise, just my website and word of mouth so I am in a similar sort of boat as her but my salon is spotless and in this very difficult time of recession I give a little extra to my ladies, a lovely hand massage, sweets, nice drinks, I ensure they are my top priority so they feel special whilst with me. I hope and think this is what keeps my clients loyal but don't know that they would be if my standards slipped.

 

[gr8nailz]

The type of place you described is rampant in the state of Florida. They're practically on every corner.

What I've found is that some people will sacrifice a certain degree of their normal high standards in order to save a few pennies.

And a nail tech (not a nail professional, in my opinion) will cut as many corners as her clients allow her if she truly isn't conscientious.

Sad but true.

 

[jacquelineanna]

Why does your friend go to her?

Will you go back to her and if so why?

 

[heatherp]

Why does your friend go to her?

Will you go back to her and if so why?

Good question, this is exactly what I was thinking whilst I was there and I met my friend for lunch yesterday.

Now my friend has been running her own business for quite a few years and very successfully. However in the last couple of years she has been unwell and her love for it has wained. She has bit by bit taken treatments off her list and she doesn't enjoy doing them now and she is now (her words not mine) just biding her time for her retirement.

I told her what I thought and she just said that her nails look good and they last, which they do, although Im not sure that this is more down to that fact that she has, cleaners, gardeners, accountants and oven cleaning done for her. More worryingly she said that since going, she too has started to use the higher grit file on the natural nails as they make the shaping easier.

I said that although they look good, it goes against everything we were taught but think it just fell on deaf ears.

I won't go back, out of principle and the love of my nails.

 

[SugarMama]

She is a cheap, pleasant feel-good, a brief respite that anyone can afford. And that's okay (well, except for the possibility of injury or infection!). Not to sound all new age-y, but we need to re-define "successful." Although all her slots are filled and perhaps she is making good money, is that all that it would take for you to feel successful? Would you feel successful in that circumstance? Would you feel successful if you were working without proper sanitation protocols? Would you feel successful working in an environment that you did not care for and in which you did not care for yourself? For some people as long as their appointment book was full, they would feel successful. You need to decide what success would be for you and then pursue that, not someone else's idea of success.

Wow. You totally cheered me up! It's not new age-y either, it's true. Thanks for shifting my perspective!

 

[jacquelineanna]

Good question, this is exactly what I was thinking whilst I was there and I met my friend for lunch yesterday.

Now my friend has been running her own business for quite a few years and very successfully. However in the last couple of years she has been unwell and her love for it has wained. She has bit by bit taken treatments off her list and she doesn't enjoy doing them now and she is now (her words not mine) just biding her time for her retirement.

I told her what I thought and she just said that her nails look good and they last, which they do, although Im not sure that this is more down to that fact that she has, cleaners, gardeners, accountants and oven cleaning done for her. More worryingly she said that since going, she too has started to use the higher grit file on the natural nails as they make the shaping easier.

I said that although they look good, it goes against everything we were taught but think it just fell on deaf ears.

I won't go back, out of principle and the love of my nails.

This is the reason people are going back to her.

I have read through your post again and I totally agree about changing towels and using the correct file etc but compared to what happens in a lot of non-standard salons these things are perhaps not deemed hugely important by clients.

It seems this therapist only has to change a few things to meet your criteria and she would be perfectly acceptable to you. Maybe.

She is already perfectly acceptable to your seasoned beauty therapist friend.

Would you consider telling this lady that you would love to continue having your nails done by her but you would appreciate it if she could make those small changes?

Interesting thread

 

[heatherp]

Maybe I would if I was in one of my more positive moods , just wonder that if she is and has been for some time so busy, will she be interested in listening to me.

Would you go to her and if so, would you tell her jacquelineanna ?

 

[jacquelineanna]

Maybe I would if I was in one of my more positive moods , just wonder that if she is and has been for some time so busy, will she be interested in listening to me.

Would you go to her and if so, would you tell her jacquelineanna ?

I would definitely go back a second time and and my reason for returning would be to see if it was the same as the first time and to point those things out to her.

I would try to say it in a positive way, it would not be my intention to insult her.

I would give her my perspective as a client and as a therapist who wishes well to other therapists.

Its up to her what she does with the 'feedback'.

 

[Jigglyb4ll]

Interesting thread!

I have found that most of my clients love coming to me as they feel its like a therapy session for them!
I should get offended I guess but they love the relaxed atmosphere of coming to mine and they say they trust me to give them an honest service.
I have a home salon, I wear uniform. My room is clean and sterile and I use proper equipment. I have my certificates and insurance documents on display and I go through consultations with all my clients. But that is never what they pick up on.
I work hard and I always give 100%. I would never let a client leave with nails/lashes ect that I'm not happy with.
I am very busy, I charge average price for my area.

I think what I'm trying to say is that my clients are happy coming to me, but not for the reasons expected. However I am happy as I know I'm doing all the other bits right, so I am relaxed and confident in my work and this shows in my personality.

At the end of the day, if the clients are getting what they want, they don't care about the other bits, but we do...and that's what makes us shine...and be sure we don't get environmental services involved! Lol xx