Nail salon regulations - are you doing them right?

Every nail salon owner wants their business to be a haven for clients hungry for beautiful nails, as well as the ideal relaxation hub where clients can unwind and feel pampered. And let’s not forget, it has to be a great place to work at! However, these dreams are often cut short by a number of factors - recurring no-shows, tardy clients, children running rampant in-between stations and payment issues. The solution to all of these issues is very simple - implementing the right rules and regulations.

No-shows and late clients

Customers like these are usually the epitome of a nail salon disaster which can happen at any time. Before you open for the day, you admire your nearly-full appointment schedule and can’t help but smile. Hours later, you regret your entire career. A customer booked for 12 o’clock hasn’t shown up yet (it’s 12:20), so you take the next client, only to have the tardy one walk in, spewing excuses for their absence and demanding that you take them NOW! Then, there are customers who, right before their appointment, decide to prove that the planet is flat and go looking for the edge of the earth and are never seen or heard from again. Although that’s not exactly the most common reason as to why your client decided to no-show, it’s a probable one. Such clients can make your work a living nightmare. Even one or two no-shows and late clients can throw your work schedule off course. However, you can significantly reduce this issue by implementing your very own nail salon rules and regulations. When looking to eliminate no-shows, create a list of rules and include information such as:

• What counts as a no-show: make sure to add how they can disrupt your work schedule, thus reducing customer experience.
• The number of no-shows before the revocation of booking privileges: most salons accept 2 instances of no-shows. After this, you may want to deny that client from booking with you or introduce a non-refundable deposit.
• Acceptable/unacceptable excuses: did the client inform you ahead of time? Were they suddenly preoccupied with a serious matter? Clients might no-show for a number of reasons - make sure they know which ones are acceptable and which ones are not.
• Enforcing deposits: it would be wise to demand that a repeat no-show offender pays in advance for their upcoming booked visit, in order to avoid additional loss. Use Booksy’s No-Show Protection to enable required deposits and/or cancellation fees.

As for dealing with late customers, consider creating a separate list of regulations, which should include information on:

• What counts as being late: avoid being too harsh on clients - most salons accept clients who are up to 10 minutes late, but then again, remember to value your time.
• The number of late arrivals before the revocation of booking privileges: just like with no-shows - most salons accept 2 to 3 cases before the client is denied booking again.
• Acceptable/unacceptable excuses: unlike no-shows, a late client eventually arrives at the salon. On your list of regulations, include which excuses for tardiness you deem acceptable and which ones you don’t.
• Treating/rescheduling: just one late client can ruin your entire schedule. On your list of rules, include information on the latest a client can arrive and still have a treatment done, and when they must reschedule.
• Enforcing deposits: demand that repeat late clients pay in advance for their upcoming booked visit in order to avoid additional loss.

Chaotic kids

Every nail salon has to put up with unruly children - and each with the same amount of enthusiasm. It’s understandable - your client couldn’t find a babysitter on time or simply didn’t think that their child would cause any problems. As soon as your customer and their little one (or little ones) walk in through your doors, you get a gut feeling that it’s going to be a long day. Children that are respectful to you and their parents are a godsend for nail salons, however, more often than not, they choose to run around your business, cry, yell and grab at your equipment. And the countless attempts at calming them down are often futile. This is not only disruptive for you, but also for other customers. Imagine getting your nails done and hoping to finally be able to relax, only to be startled by a child screaming and kicking one station over. Chances are that the customer isn’t going to book with you anytime soon. If you have a strict no-children policy, then make sure customers are familiar with it. However, if you’re open to having clients come in with their kids, you may want to create nail salon rules and regulations for them. Make sure that they cover:

• Unruly behaviour: you’re not a babysitter, you’re a trained nail tech! Let clients know that their children are their responsibility and that they will be asked to leave if they cannot control them.
• Damages: any damages caused to your business or equipment by an unruly child should be compensated by the parent or caretaker.

Payment issues

You thought we wouldn’t cover this issue? Well, we saved the best for last! Like most business owners, nail salon owners have a seemingly never-ending list of things to pay for - from water, electricity and rent bills, equipment and its maintenance, to their staff salaries and supplies - not to mention the expenses you have outside of work as well. However, thanks to your loyal clientele, you’re able to pay all of these off. All is going well until your 10 o’clock walks in for their manicure and pedicure. You do their nails while chatting away on various topics and everything seems to be going well. The customer is thrilled with their nails and just when you’re about to ring them up on the register, they say, “Hey, there’s something I forgot to tell you…”. Your nail tech senses are in full swing and you know right then and there that your customer can’t pay for their treatment. They begin bringing up reasons why and, what’s even worse, they offer to babysit your children, wash your car or take your cat for a walk - how infuriating! You’ve been perfecting your work for years, only to have it equated to a car wash - seriously? What you need are nail salon rules that cover pricing matters. Make sure they include:

• Not having enough money: simplify your life by stating that if a client can’t pay for their treatment, then you won’t be able to provide it. Also, it’s best if you don’t allow IOUs, as not every customer will pay theirs off.
• Paying with services: letting a client babysit your cat for acrylic nail extensions and hand massage reduces the value of your services and, most certainly, doesn’t help pay the bills. If you’re looking to make a profit, then trading your treatments away simply won’t do. Implement nail salon regulations and explain why you won’t be doing so.

In order to run your business more efficiently, implementing certain nail salon rules and regulations is a must. Inform clients of your latest ones with Booksy nail salon management software! Sign up today and get the word right away!