Wednesday Wink - 4 Positive Steps for Setting Boundaries with your Clients

Posted by Sarah Moore on October 25, 2017

While pondering what to write for this wink, my attention was brought to our eyelash community. People have been specifically asking questions about client correspondence. Do you have clients that cancel last minute? Or a consistently flaky lash-goer? I can tell you, boundaries are beautiful! Many of us take the role of the artist, receptionist, and business manager - all in one! Not having a person between you and setting policy can make you feel vulnerable. In my opinion, the role of reception is the most important in setting the tone for all your connections. Here are four tips to take into consideration when setting boundaries:

1. Connect and Communicate

Create a rapport with you clients before you even meet them. Take extra time to get to know your new client with a phone call to schedule their appointment. Texting is convenient once you know someone, but one phone call prior to the initial full set significantly lowers your chance of cancellations.

2. Compassion

This is key when discerning case-by-case what to do, but don’t let the boundary be blurred so far into a friendship that you aren’t holding people accountable. If a long-standing client is constantly flaky, but covers the cost, everybody wins. Keeping things professional with company policies allows you to reference rules without it being personal.

3. Keep your Goal in Mind

Focus on goals, not individual client behavior. We can’t control client behavior, but we can control our own. Behind every problem, there is already a solution waiting to be discovered. When focusing on goals, we are more likely to find new people that are a better match.

4. Stay Classy

Be mindful not to become passive aggressive in text. You may be frustrated when a client flakes, and that can spill into a long, emotionally charged message. Do not press send!! Remain polite and professional, and take your feelings out of the equation. Keep it simple. State your policy. For example, "Thank you for your message, please be advised that all appointments canceled same day will be charged". This is my policy, and everyone gets one Get Out Of Jail Free card. If it keeps happening, it might be time to part ways with your client. We’re floating into the end of the year, which means it's a great time to begin again with new policies and holiday greeting. Let me know in the comments below if you have a system that's working for you.