EXPIRING VISITS??

[GBoucher]

I bought my salon off the previous owner 3 months ago. She offered a one month package and a 7 visit which expired after 6 months. She said 6 months was plenty of time to use 7 visits..Plus it doesnt leave any lingering in the data base for years.

OK the problem.. Im now getting customers in that have expired visits and are complaining and crying they expired and cant believe i will let them expire..i would assume the rule is in place for a reason and should be the same for every customer.Needless to say i probably loss a few customers the last few weeks because of this. Some lie and try to tell me they didnt know or there was no way they bought them 6 months ago. I tell them if they can show me thier credit card statement that it wasnt 6 months ago ..they walk out all ****** off

Was that a good idea not to let them used their expired visits? I see it as they are adults and know what they are buying. They act like i let the visits expire..I didnt the customer let them expire..

[House of Tan]

Originally Posted by GBoucher

Was that a good idea not to let them used their expired visits?

Originally Posted by GBoucher

..they walk out all ****** off

You tell me.

[Michelle N]

I don't know what you show in your laws but in our state that technically the only visits that we can expire are the ones that aren't paid for. If someone pre-pays for any type of service package it has to available until it has been used in full. We can expire monthly packagas as they are paying for a specific time frame but if they buy 10 session or 200 points it is there until it is used.
A lot of salons in our area expire the sessions and most people don't realize that they can't legally do it.
Now, if you bought the business then you will have to honor those tans also until they are gone - if the laws mandate that. If you did an "assett" sale, you only bought the data base for the names. It's up to you on how to handle the remaining tans.

[parrot head]

I ask this, why would chance losing this customer, when customers are harder and harder to come by nowadays. If customer sessions are expired, and they want to tan, I renew them for another year. Honor those expired sessions, and you will be repaid many times over for doing this.

[GBoucher]

Well for one i read on Tan Talk that having expiration dates inspires people to use them up and renew. Plus having lingering tans in the data base when you sell the business causes a problem between seller and buyer..As i am experiencing now.. The previous owner had policies she was very loosey goosey with.. Now i have people comming in telling me all the different situations she would allow. They are trying to take advantage..

As of today i am giving a courtesy call to customers that have upcomming expiring visits

[parrot head]

Good for you.

[Steve Underhill]

Originally Posted by GBoucher

I bought my salon off the previous owner 3 months ago. She offered a one month package and a 7 visit which expired after 6 months. She said 6 months was plenty of time to use 7 visits..Plus it doesn't leave any lingering in the data base for years.

OK the problem.. I'm now getting customers in that have expired visits and are complaining and crying they expired and cant believe i will let them expire..i would assume the rule is in place for a reason and should be the same for every customer.Needless to say i probably loss a few customers the last few weeks because of this. Some lie and try to tell me they didn't know or there was no way they bought them 6 months ago. I tell them if they can show me their credit card statement that it wasn't 6 months ago ..they walk out all ****** off

Was that a good idea not to let them used their expired visits? I see it as they are adults and know what they are buying. They act like i let the visits expire..I didn't the customer let them expire..

It is important that there is clear full disclosure regarding the purchase of any package. It is not unusual in any industry to sell a discounted use of something that has an expiration date. Restrictions on one package may ad value to purchasing another package.

The problem you are running into is due to improper disclosure and new ownership. Being the new owner you should go out of your way to create good will with existing clients. That does not always mean honoring something that has expired.

[GBoucher]

yes i understand that.. as of now any old expiring visits that come to me from previous owner, i offer to let them have half of them back if they purchase a new package..Also i have on order Appointment like cards to give each customer who purchases a visit package with amount , date of purchase and expiration date.. They cant say they didnt know ..Thanks

[House of Tan]

So much work, frustration, and anger for 1%

the 80/20 rule is always at play

[DENISEandLIV]

Originally Posted by GBoucher

I bought my salon off the previous owner 3 months ago. She offered a one month package and a 7 visit which expired after 6 months. She said 6 months was plenty of time to use 7 visits..Plus it doesnt leave any lingering in the data base for years.

OK the problem.. Im now getting customers in that have expired visits and are complaining and crying they expired and cant believe i will let them expire..i would assume the rule is in place for a reason and should be the same for every customer.Needless to say i probably loss a few customers the last few weeks because of this. Some lie and try to tell me they didnt know or there was no way they bought them 6 months ago. I tell them if they can show me thier credit card statement that it wasnt 6 months ago ..they walk out all ****** off

Was that a good idea not to let them used their expired visits? I see it as they are adults and know what they are buying. They act like i let the visits expire..I didnt the customer let them expire..

I am in the same situation ~ and worse !!! I purchased my salon and took over ownership on July 1, 2013. It was amazing to see how many "clients" purchased buy 10 get 10 free GOLD memberships in June 2013 !!! Boy did I take a hit on this one !! And amazingly ... they paid cash !!! Go figure !!! The way I've been handling it is to A) ask for a proof of purchase (this usually makes them squirm) B) if they cannot produce a proof of purchase, I make a deal with them that I can honor the original 10 sessions, but I cannot honor the 10 free sessions. It is amazing how receptive they are with this deal. This way I am not only telling them that I believe them but financially I can not take a hit like 20 free GOLD sessions without proof of purchase and I am protecting myself from a massive fraud scheme to happen. I have acquired a semi bogus business (lots of EFTs that are no longer clients :-( ... and am actively trying to rebuild my reputation !!! Good luck to both of us !!!!