I'm Your Nail Tech, Not Your Babysitter

I don't do confirmation calls. For one thing, as we've discussed, I'm not keen on using the phone any more than necessary. For another, it's not my job to manage your schedule for you. I have my own schedule. I keep an appointment book and a clock so that I can keep track of my own schedule.

It doesn't matter if my scheduled engagements for any given day are comprised of performing nail services for paying customers, or if I have a dentist appointment or a lunch date. It's up to me to remember those appointments and keep them or reschedule them as needed.

I have long held that if you're big enough to get your nails done, you're big enough to remember the appointment you made to get your nails done.

I don’t want to hear about it when you call me while I'm in the shower and leave me a voicemail saying, "Ohhhh, I know I have an appointment this week but I can't remember when it is. Is it today? Or tomorrow?" And, seeing as how I was in the shower, getting ready to go to work, to do your nails, I don't notice that I have new voicemail until AFTER I have been sitting at my desk for 20 minutes wondering what's keeping you. Don't act all huffy when I call and reschedule your appointment for you.

Mind you. “Call and reschedule your appointment.” All sweet, sing-songy-like. I say sympathetically, "Oh, it was today. Why did we reschedule your appointment for a different time to begin with? Oh! That's right. Well then maybe I could get you in...." I don’t say, "Um, your appointment was this morning. I don't have anything open during my regular hours until next week ... What? You need to get in THIS week? Ok, well I do have a late appointment tomorrow evening, but I charge extra to work overtime, plus you'll owe me the cancellation for missing your appointment this morning."

Notice how I don’t say that? So you think you could maybe cut me some slack and not take that disapproving mom-tone with me when the only thing I have to offer you is a time you'd prefer not to come in? It's not my fault you forgot your appointment. I don't care that you called to let me know you'd forgotten it. You called me an hour before you were scheduled to come in! And it's not my job to hold your hand when you cross the street! I kept my end of the agreement. I remembered your appointment and I was there, ready to perform your service.

I don't know how some people manage to get through their everyday lives, what with expecting everyone else to take care of them and all.