When to Simply Say ‘No’ to a Client

Being a Lash Tech can come with its challenges, whether that’s long days of lashing, back to back appointments, unforeseen cancellations and stress and worst of all disrespectful clients. While the latter is a rare occurrence, you must be prepared to say ‘No’ to a client and mean it. Yes, Lash Artists work in the service industry and while you are providing a treatment, you’re dealing with customer service too. Being cool and composed but assertive is a very important part of your job, especially when setting boundaries and knowing when you should refuse your services. Let’s discuss some situations that may be a time when you need to simply say no to a client.

Disrespect

First and foremost, the obvious one. Disrespectful clients are rare, but there is the odd one or two in your career that you may come across and while this can be a very stressful situation, remember to always stay composed. Listening and letting the client speak shows professionalism, but once they have finished and you acknowledge their views, simply let them know that this client and Lash Tech relationship won’t work.

A client may feel like they are worthy of talking to you how they wish simply because they’re paying for your services, but if they are not listening, telling you to do what they want instead of your professional suggestions, cutting you off before you finish, disrespecting your knowledge and efforts to accommodate them, complaining about your work and worst of all become rude and derogatory, it’s time to step back and simply imply that it would be a better idea if they found a Lash Technician better suited to their needs.

As you can see, in these examples, you will be taking the moral high ground and keeping your professional composure. If you work with other colleagues and there are other clients in your salon, it gives a very good impression of your policies, politeness, patience and professionalism. 

Allergies

There may be some clients who during a consultation disclose that with previous Lash Artists they have experienced an allergic reaction, but it will be okay because they blame that treatment or artist. But, as you should be fully aware, lash allergies aren’t a one time thing, if a client has experienced an allergic reaction to Lash Glue, then they most likely will experience it again and again, no matter which glue you use or another Lash Tech uses. Read more about allergic reactions in this dedicated blog post.

All glues, including eyelash glue, contain the chemical cyanoacrylate, this is the chemical which helps glue cure. As it is a necessary chemical for all glues, including lash glue, it’s an unavoidable part of the eyelash extensions experience. This chemical, once exposed to clients, can accumulate in the system with prolonged exposure and over time cause an allergic reaction. Once a reaction happens, it is most likely that the specific client will be allergic for life.

We suggest you read about Patch Testing for Eyelash Extensions in the linked blog post, which discusses the importance of testing new clients' allergies before lashing them. Should a client not disclose if they have an allergic reaction to lash glue, a patch test will safeguard you and your client before performing a full extension set. If they experience a reaction, it’s absolutely paramount that you refuse service and as disappointing as that may be, it’s for the safety of your client.

Contraindications

Again, we have a full blog post dedicated to this topic, click the link to read the full topic here. Contraindications can be a multitude of reasons why a client is unsuitable for lashes, perhaps for life, but mostly for a specific period of time while they may be experiencing a specific condition. Perhaps they have an eye infection and are taking medications, or they have a skin condition which has flared up, they may experience seasonal allergies or have a hair growth condition such as alopecia. Whatever the reason for their contraindication at the time, it’s perfectly reasonable to refuse service, suggest an alternative or book them in for a future session when their condition has subsided. 

Unreasonable Expectations

Clients may often come into your salon with an idea in mind which can at times be unachievable. For example, a client who has wide-set eyes may dream of the perfect Cat Eye lash set, but this lash style is not suitable for them as Cat Eye creates an elongation and lifting effect in the outer corners. Thus, this style of lashes will make their eyes appear even wider apart. Should you perform this lash set and disregard industry advice, your client may end up unsatisfied with the results and in turn blame you for a poor job and become disgruntled. Then you will need to deal with another set of challenges.

In these situations it’s always best to consult your client before their appointment, find out their desired style, assess their eye shape and even show them our illustrative chart for best suited lash styles depending on eye shape which you can find in this blog post. If that has not convinced them and they’re still adamant they want what they came in for, disregarding your efforts and knowledge, and threaten to leave to seek another Lash Artist, you are more than in your right to refuse the client for your services.

After all, becoming a Lash Tech takes a lot of time, patience, practice and of course qualifications. Your knowledge is hard earned through study and practise, therefore a client who is unreasonable and suggests they know more than you is probably not someone you want to take on. It will be a further challenge to deal with their disappointment and dissatisfaction if you perform a lash set you fully know won’t suit them.

Lateness or Cancellations

It’s always the best idea to relay your salon policies to your client before they book in or during a consultation. This includes any fees such as a deposit and being late to an appointment or last minute cancellations. After all, you need to protect your business and investment as you have booked a client for a specific time slot therefore it is their responsibility to keep to it. 

If a client is extremely late and has paid a deposit but still expects a full lash set, it is absolutely reasonable to refer back to your policies and explain that this is not achievable. Furthermore, with last minute cancellations, clients may try to weave through your policies and expect a deposit refund. Again, set clear policies which explain the acceptable time frame of cancellations and refunds. Don’t be afraid to refer to your policies as the ‘law’ of your salon, after all, they’re there to protect you and act as a client to business agreement.

So remember, difficult situations require patience and composure. After all, you may come across different situations daily which require you to practise this type of calm and collected resolutions. Don’t be afraid to stand your ground, set boundaries and refer back to your policies. Protect your business and interests to make your job easier and of course, if you work with other Lash Artists and around their clients, your professionalism will maintain a good and happy environment.