Cosmetology

Imagine that you are reading one of many blogs created for those in the cosmetology industry and discover the following post:

I just had the worst day since I started my career as a cosmetologist! I had this client come in, and I could tell by the way the other workers at my spa were talking about the client that she has been trouble in the past, but I thought “How bad can she be?” and decided to ignore my coworkers’ comments. I should have listened because I swear she was not even seated in the chair before she started complaining that the room was too cold, her footbath too hot, and that I was doing her pedicure all wrong. She kept telling me how much better other technicians have done it, and I felt like she was just picking me apart! Then, when I was putting on the polish that SHE picked out and handed to me, she got all mad and told me it was the wrong color, as if I got up and switched out the color. Of course she waited until I had all ten of her toes done to inform me that it was all wrong, and I had to take off the polish and start all over again. It must have taken her ten minutes to pick out a new color, so by the time I got back to painting her toes, I was well into my next appointment, and my client was stuck waiting while I dealt with the really picky customer. That threw off my whole afternoon, and I spent the rest of the day telling my regular customers I was sorry. By the time I got that impossible client out the door, she had said that she was going to talk to the manager and complain about me, like the whole thing was all my fault! I have been working at this location for about eight months, and most of clients have been awesome. Until today, I have thought this was the best job. But I would not even have shown up if I had known this was the day I was going to have! Now I am terrified that I will meet up with her again and she will get me fired. What can I do about this impossible client? I could really use some advice from those of you with more experience.
- Pulling My Hair Out
Write a response to the post offering some advice to this frustrated cosmetologist and be sure to include the strategies for dealing with difficult clients discussed in the unit. You should also call attention to what the letter writer did right while making suggestions for improvement. Be sure to include at least three suggestions in your response.