Esthetic-Lines is changing ..

hm, I'm not too sure how to start this, but the past few weeks have made me decide that my little business needs a few changes, if I want to stay sane.

I'd like to start with the fact that I do not live full time in the U.S. I spend a lot of time here, but most of my family and my loved ones are in Europe, so I come here mainly for work. I'd also have to add that the one thing that I fear in life is for time to go by without me doing anything; feeling that the past year, month, or even hour was worthless: that I could have done something better. 

I've been having lately MANY missed appointments, rescheduled ones less than 1 day before the treatment, clients that are late (P.S.:not your 15 minute late thing, but 40+ minutes late.)

We are all human, we all have issues and emergencies and I'm not absurd. However, just because I work in the beauty industry does not mean that my time is worthless. I have clients booked even in the beginning of 2017 that would have LOVED to take your appointment tomorrow.


Starting the 18th of this month the following changes will be imposed:

• The cancellation policy will be applied. (Can be found on  http://www.esthetic-lines.com)

• If you let me know you need to cancel less than 72 hours before your appointment, the deposit will NOT transfer. You will have to reschedule and pay a 2nd deposit. (Part of the cancellation policy). Please note this applies no matter the issue or emergency. 

Why? This treatment is very different from nail appointments/facials etc. There are precautions that the client needs to follow days/weeks before they come in. I can't just let them know "Oh, someone canceled in an hour. come in! .. " (especially after they've had coffee this morning and 2 glasses of wine last night. ) Also, keep in mind my new clients get booked for 2 and half hours, not for 30-60 minutes like other services. 

• Touch-ups will have to be prepaid. Yep, I know it sounds weird but you will receive an invoice due 10 days from the date when you booked it. If it is not paid, your appointment will be cancelled. If it is paid and for some reason you cancel last minute, you'll have to prepay it again. 30% of my touch-up appointments cancel within 24 hours. My colleague who works in the same industry told me today: "hurt their pocket and they'll show up." It's hard for me to think that way, but I apparently have to. 

!! If you have your touch-up booked after July 18th expect to receive the invoice to your e-mail address within the next 2 weeks.

• Clients that are more than 15 minutes late will be considered a no-show. 

Why? "I drove from Orlando/ or I'm sorry". Well, I'm sorry too. But I'll be tattooing YOUR FACE stressing the whole time that I am running late and my next client, who actually does care about my time is waiting for me.

The most frustrating of them all is to reschedule someone numerous times.. booked for November 2015, cancels last minute, then same story for January 2016, July 2016, now November 2016. When appointments are in such high demand, that's the last type of client I want to fill up my schedule with (for the 4th time). Seriously!

Let me tell you how I treat my own appointments. I actually have a personal trainer and also buy a "10 massages plan" every time I go to Europe. Trust me, I'm not a fancy person, I moreso do it because of all the back pain that I get from hunching over all day at work. 

If I happen to get sick last minute and can't get to my massage appointment I just text the girl: check off one of the appointments. I cannot show up, I am very sorry. Count it as if I saw you today. 

Same with the personal trainer.. happened about 3 times a couple of months ago.. I'd get dizzy and feel sick after 2 minutes of running and would kindly tell him, "I cannot do this today.. ." He'd then say: would you like to reschedule? "Of course! But I will pay you for the next session too, no worries. "

These people showed up to work FOR ME. They have bills, kids, family.. better things to do. Just because they don't work in a corporation from 8-5, that doesn't mean I can just neglect their time. 

My message might have sounded harsh.. especially for the clients who recognize themselves in this message.

 I love you all, but.. I feel so HORRIBLY bad when I think to myself "I'm here.. my grandmother is thousands of miles away with a broken foot and I can't even do her groceries...", or "My boyfriend went home to an empty apartment for the past month." while my clients give up on their appointment cause "they got a headache, it's too humid outside etc." 

My Calculus 3 professor told me years ago in my senior year of college: "Alexandra, you are a very smart woman, but I worry about what you're going to do in the future." "What do you mean.?" "You're too friendly. You're not professional. You just care too much."

I never understood what he meant until now.

Have a good week internet friends