This review is about the Pinole Supercuts, and also Supercuts as a whole. They are truly hit and miss and I think I finally figured out what part of the problem is. It is the training of their employees, including lack of consistent language for communication between client and stylist. For example, I have been pleased with my haircuts at this Pinole location. I always get the same haircut, and they have been timely. The El Cerrito location had some issues, so I started going to Pinole.
Yesterday, the stylist asks what I want, and I say "you usually use the #2 clippers on the side." She then asked "Scissors on top?" I said yes. Notice, she did not ask me about length on top and I forgot to state it. During the haircut, she had to stop repeatedly to help their new receptionist that they were training, so my stylist seemed distracted. At one point, she returned and started talking about something totally out of the blue, about her cousin who had a lucky rock. This stylist is pretty chatty.
When she said the haircut was done, I told her that she had barely cut the top, that I wanted it shorter. She said, "You just said scissors on top. That means a little off the top." Huh? In my world, scissors means scissors. We hadn't talked length. I told her that I always get it "finger length" according to stylists at both locations. She said she had clippers that would also give me "finger length" hair. I attempted to tell her that I wanted it done with scissors as had always been done before. She already was digging into my head with the clippers, saying if I didn't like it, we would go back to scissors next time. She was acting like she was in a hurry, like it bothered her that I told her I wanted more cut from the top. I did tell her I thought "finger length" was a funny term anyway, because it varies from stylist to stylist, who have different fingers, right? She agreed. I told her it was Supercut staff who used this terminology, not me.
As I write this, I realize I acted like a coward yesterday for not being more assertive. I didn't want to create waves. I even said "Nice job", while I was still in shock at what had just transpired. I even gave the usual tip. It is after thinking about it, and looking in the mirror at my convict-style haircut, that I realize I should have spoken up right then.
One other thing, I told her maybe Supercuts should keep a file for regular clients with notes about their preferred cut. She said this could be done, so they added notes to my file. How come this is the first time I have heard this? Again, communication is poor. They probably did me a favor. I am thinking about not being so vain, or prima donna like, and just cutting my own hair to save money. I'm married, so as long as my wife is cool with it, then that's all that matters. Maybe Supercuts did me a money-saving favor. Let's face it, you get what you pay for, and Supercuts is inexpensive, so I probably have little right to complain. read more