Salon Business, Professional Ethics, and Client Communication
Business and ethics items test judgment more than math: how you consult, what you record, how you price, and how you handle a dissatisfied client without damaging trust.
Consultation and records
Every new client gets a consultation: medical history, allergies (especially acrylates and adhesives), medications, occupation, and expectations. Record the products used, the service performed, and any reaction on a client card; keep cards current and private. Share client information with no one - confidentiality survives a job change.
Ethics in practice
- Do not criticize another technician's work; describe what you see and what you recommend.
- Sanitation is never skipped for a rushed or long-standing client.
- Refuse a service that would harm the client, and explain why in plain language.
- Recommend retail home care you genuinely believe in, without pressure.
- Charge consistently; quoting one price and adding undisclosed fees destroys trust faster than a higher menu price.
Communication and complaints
Open-ended questions ("What bothers you most about your nails?") get usable answers; yes/no questions do not. When a client complains, acknowledge the concern, apologize for the experience without assigning blame, act to fix it, and follow up. Document the complaint and remedy.
Money basics
Know your cost per service - product, supplies, labor time, rent or booth fee - before setting a price. A booth renter is typically an independent contractor responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and supplies, while an employee works under the salon's direction; the label must match the actual arrangement.
Worked example
A regular client calls demanding a refund for a set that chipped after eight days. Acknowledge the frustration, inspect the nails, and distinguish product failure from client handling (picking, cleaning solvents, a new medication). Offer a repair at no charge as service recovery, note it on the client card, and explain home care. Refunds are a business decision; defensiveness is a reputation decision.
Traps
- Promising a cure for a nail condition - an ethical and licensing violation.
- Discussing one client's business with another.
- Skipping the consultation and discovering an acrylate allergy mid-service.
- Treating a booth renter like an employee or vice versa on paper.