I hate to do this. I really do. But the experience you have at a salon is a BIG deal and so I want to share what has happened to me.
I was a fan of this salon for 2 1/2 years. I even convinced my place of work to get a contract with them for hair instead of who we were currently using. Over the past 2 years I have replied to literally 100 or more messages about "who does my hair", I have posted on social media how wonderful my hair dresser is, pushed for him to win local awards, etc.
That brings me to today. Actually allow me to rewind. The last time I went into the salon, I went to tip and realized I didn't have any cash. The salon doesn't allow you to tip on a card nor do they have an ATM. I always tip and didn't want to leave without tipping, so I went across the street to get cash at a near by ATM - only to find that it was broken. I spent 15 min walking up and down the street trying to find another one. I never could. I went back to the salon to tell them to please tell Jason that the ATM was broken and I am sorry. I had full intentions of doubling up the next time.
OK, now to today. The salon couldn't get me into see Jason for a couple weeks. So I texted him to see if he could call me if he had any cancellations, or to see if he *wanted* to come in early or late one day to squeeze me in - (He has told me in the past to call him, that he gets up early anyway and doesn't mind to come in for an appointment. but I never have I asked him to do that).
His reply ... "Why would I come in for someone who doesn't even tip me". Yup you are reading that correctly! And that was just one of what ended up being numerous back and forth texts.
Umm. Can we start with how many ways this is unprofessional!!!
First of all .. tipping your hairdresser is not mandatory. It is a courtesy. I'm sorry that some if some of your clients can afford to tip better than me and that has made you ungrateful for lesser tips, but I offer a lot of word of mouth. I mean, can we say greed?!
Second .. I do not have the slightest clue how much my services are at this salon b/c it is paid for through my work. So I just give a tip based on the fact he spends approximately an hour working on my hair, total. This is while he works on other people while I am under the dryer, etc.
Third ... and maybe most important. I ALWAYS tip him. Always! So his comment wasn't even valid. There have been times I've given $10 on a bang trim he spent 5 min on!! I gave him $50 at Christmas last year. I always tip when I leave - always!! It may not be as much as he is used to by other people, but I do tip. There have been times that I have given a lower tip of only $10, yes, but there is a reason when I do. I have also tipped him much more than needed - as I stated before. To me, it all evens out I guess. But I never don't tip him - and the one time I didn't - was not my fault!
As for why sometimes I tip LESS. This is very important to anyone thinking about going to Jason. I know it would be a deal breaker to many of you.
His work was always consistent. His personality...not so much. His company had started to be lack luster over the past 8 months. Every time I went in I had to sit and listen to a "debbie downer" session!! No one wants to hear story after story after story about how you hate everyone, how your best friend is getting on your nerves all the time, how your roommate has a fat friend that you can't stand, how you didn't like the last 3 dates you went on because you are better than them, how you are better than pretty much everyone in fact, about how your friend needs botox and you told them and don't understand why they are mad at you now, how you went off on a sales woman at a department store for nothing other than you were being a diva, how you are RUDE to people and don't care about it. Oh and did I mention the fact that some of the negative talk is about his co-workers as well?! Also be prepared for a few dozen F-bombs. I could tell the lady next to me was getting rather irritated since her 5 year old son was there.
I put all that aside and laughed - because he did a decent job on my very simple hair cut/color and I needed to go there for work. I liked him. He was funny. But to quote a text I sent to my fiancee the last time I was there "Get me out of this chair. My hair dresser is a hot mess again today". I think that speaks for itself.
I feel bad, because Rodney is a great guy and there are some other super sweet people at that salon. But Jason really has made them look bad!
So, my review. Unless you wanna tip more than 20% on an very average cut/color - and want to sit an listen to constant complaining, negativity and I am so much better than anyone statements - see someone other than Jason. read more