Reader to Reader: What is your biggest time-waster in the salon?

Answer

My biggest time-waster is a toss-up. It’s between late clients and clients on their cell phones during their service. - DIANA GASIOR, Designer Nails By Diana, Hopkins, Minn.

I have a real problem with my time being wasted by clients picking out a nail polish color. I have about 125 different polishes. I think that too many choices makes for a whole lot of wasted time trying them all on. I limit the girls to 10 tries because that’s all the fingers they have! I should really encourage my clients to come a bit early if they are not sure what color they’d like. After all, if you have five clients a day taking just five minutes extra that almost adds up to a half-hour lunch break. - MARY WOLCOTT, Polished Spa & Boutique, Warsaw, N.Y.

The biggest time-waster for me is the otherwise amazing computer system used to book our appointments. We have a staff of client coordinators who book our appointments for us, so all employees input default times for each service they provide. Every time a client books a service, the pre-designated amount of time is blocked out on the books. Times are the same no matter if the client wants nail art and a high-shine buff or a simple look with a quicker gel top coat. Once a client becomes a regular, I can estimate how much time each one should be booked for. But even if I went back and adjusted the times for every appointment booked by our front desk, I’d still be left with some 15-30 minute gaps in my day. - LAURA RUSSELL, Dolce Salon & Spa, Scottsdale, Ariz.

My biggest time-waster is clients who are late. I can’t do anything with that time. If I step away from the table to refill something or get something to eat and the client walks in while I’m away then I’m just that much more behind on my schedule. So I sit there and waste my time waiting. - KATHERINE FAHRIG, Panache, Creve Coeur, Mo.

I think my biggest and most frustrating time-waster is the client who spends 28.9 minutes standing in front of the wall deciding between the red-orange and the orange-red polish. I mean come on! - MELISSA BROWN, Kyle Elliot Salon & Spa/Sole Sistas Mobile Nail Spa, Midlothian, Ill.

My biggest waste of time would definitely be when my clients go to someone else in the salon first and I’m left sitting waiting for them to finish because they have gone over their time. It throws off my schedule for the entire day. - MARE HORAK, Nails by Mare in Aramis Salon & Day Spa, Ormond Beach, Fla.

I would have to say my biggest timewaster is guests who are just so relaxed they don’t realize they are wasting time. While I am finishing up with my client, my next guest is waiting in the comfy reception area and then when I am ready for her she realizes she has to go to the bathroom. Waiting for guests to finish their cell phone call is another time-waster. - LINDA TABELLA, Melanie & Co. Salon Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.