Business

What are your best time-saving tips?

June 01, 2002 | Bookmark +

Readers share their great ideas, including having client do her own polish removal to simple ways to get polish bottles unstuck. 

Answer

I ask my clients to come to their appointment with their polish removed. If they forget I supply nail polish remover and swabs in the waiting room so they can remove it while they wait. This saves me five to 10 minutes and also saves my nails.-Diana Milkovich, Catty Cuts, Catasauqua, Pa.

I have a client put on her jewelry, pay, put her coat on, and get her keys out before we polish. -- Deb Blowars, Artistic Trends Salon, Perkasie, Pa.

If my polish caps tend to stick, I wrap rubber bands around the caps. The rubber bands create a strong grip and let you open the bottles quickly.-Barbara Banyas, Nails on Wheels, Murrieta, Calif.

I do gel nails and I work with two hand lamps at my station-one for each hand. This is more comfortable for the client, saves me time waiting for one hand to finish curing before curing the other, and prevents me from having to move the light around. Also, I keep my gels in a drawer with a lint-free towel. This saves time opening and closing the sticky gel jars.-Barb Wetzel, LaGrange, Ill.

I keep a small hair dryer at my station and use a cool setting to dry polish in between coats. This is especially beneficial when doing a French manicure since the white tip does not dry as quickly as the other coats.-Evelyn Coviello, Nails Exclusive, Goshen, N.Y.

When removing artificial nails, I put acetone-soaked cotton balls on the nails and wrap them in tinfoil. Next I dip my client’s hands in paraffin and put them in heated mitts. I let her sit comfortably for 30 minutes and work on another client at the same time.-Heather Rhoades, A Class Act, North Wilkesboro, N.C.  

The absolute best timesaving tip you can implement is to be organized. I have a place for everything, and everything in its place. That way you don’t waste time searching for your supplies or risk seeming unprofessional in the eyes of the client.-Jill S. Wright,  Angel’s Salon,  Bowling Green, Ky.


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How can I cut costs and finally make a profit?

I’ve been doing nails for almost two years and have built a decent clientele. The only problem is, I did the math and over 50% of my income is going back into nail products. I’m using top-of-the-line brands and disposable files. How can I cut costs and finally make a profit? I know our prices are too low as well, but we are trying to stay competitive. Any advice?

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As a mobile tech, how do I ensure I get paid?

I have a question about working as a mobile tech. When clients book group events or nail parties, how do you go about getting deposits and payments? Have you ever traveled to a client’s house and they were unable to pay? What did you do?

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What should I do differently with male clients?

I’m starting to get more and more male clients. I am wondering how long a manicure for a man should last and how to price it? Also do you have any recommendations on what else I can do to give them an extra masculine sense of comfort?

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Should I Use Punch Cards?

I recently started working at a high-end salon and I’m looking for marketing ideas. Should I do punch cards? I can’t do “refer-a-friend” because I don’t have consistent clients yet. We are already doing social media.

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Should I start requiring a nonrefundable deposit for special-time appointments?

I want to start requiring a nonrefundable deposit for special-time appointments. My posted hours are 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. by appointment only. I am ridiculously flexible with my schedule, and let people book earlier and later if they can’t get in during normal hours. Recently, I had a 7:30 a.m. no-show! She was supposed to get services totaling over $100, and I forfeited holiday plans to accommodate her. She comes every two weeks, so I can’t lose her, but this is the second time she’s no-showed. What should I do? And how would I go about informing current clients of the new policy on off-hour deposits?

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