How to say NO to clients and WHY! - flirties

Are you allowed to sack clients? 

Can you say NO to appointments or clients?

Find out why it may or may not be a good idea!...

 

 

Isn't the ultimate goal to have full appointment books, to be busy and have many clients? 

Surely turning a client away, refusing a treatment or even sacking a client would damage or even destroy your business? 

 

Here are a few reasons to say NO:

When you are building your business you want to make sure things are right and by "right" I mean that it has to be right for you, your believes, your skill, dedication and conscience. 

There are many situations when you can bend a bit to help clients, to accommodate their wishes or requests, BUT there are also circumstances where you should NOT go along with what your client wishes. 

It is your business, and your rules! 
Think carefully what you will and will not tolerate.....these things include

* Do you allow children in the treatment room? 
* Can clients bring a friend to watch? 
* Can they bring their own products? 
* Can they pay you after the treatment?
* Can they be late? 
* Can they cancel last minute? 
* Can they tell you how to do the treatment? 
* How far will you bend to accommodate their wishes for a specific style etc
* What are your working hours and how far will you extend them? 

These are just a few pointers for you to have a think about and believe it or not....it is perfectly OK to say NO to each one of them! 

You need to make sure you feel comfortable where you work, when, how and with which products or how many people around. 

It is ok to try and help clients, squeeze them in last minute or allow them to be late a few minutes but if you feel that it compromises your quality of work or your integrity then you need to say NO!

Clients may ask for all sorts of things, but you need to weigh up if this could affect your business and reputation or if the client is trying to take advantage! 
Be firm, have your rules in place and be ready to enforce them!



Now....is there really a reason you might have to "sack" a client? 

Yes. there is some cases where it is best if your client finds a different therapist, or where you decide to let the client go. 

Luckily it does not happen too often but it is possible!
If clients manipulate and stress you to the point that you are dreading the appointment or if you feel constantly forced to do things you are not comfortable with then it might be a good idea to say Goodbye! 
Don't forget, we are all human and whilst you want to do a job as a professional there is also circumstances where you might not be comfortable with a person, be it for personal reasons, the intimate stories they share, their behaviour or the way they make you feel, or even the demands they make which may not tie in with your skill or professional opinion. 

In those cases it is best to say NO and wish your client farewell. 
The question is how you do it!
Don't be blunt, don't be rude or behave in a way that could be seen as unprofessional but you can suggest that given XYZ it may be better to find a therapist who is more akin to the treatment outcome your client is looking for. 
Alternatively you could be fully booked but sometimes little tweaks like taking booking fees or making other arrangements can help with minor issues and avoid stress and problems. 

 

 

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