I've been a loyal customer at The Royal method for almost a year and half, which the only barber at this time is Jonathan. During that time, I never missed an appointment and was always punctual except for one occasion when I arrived 5 minutes late. That day, Jonathan didn't finish my haircut properly because, as he put it, he "didn't have time to spare" for the final touches. All he had left to do was use his razor and clean up the haircut.That was the first red flag.
Even with that incident, I continued supporting his barbershop because I believed in helping a small business grow. However, my experience yesterday was the final straw. I had an appointment at 3:30 PM, but unfortunately, I completely forgot about it. When Jonathan texted me to follow up, here's how the conversation went:
Jonathan:
"Hey man,
You had an appointment today at 3:30."
Me:
"Hi Jonathan, my apologies. I completely forgot. I'm just getting out of work now. If you still have time, I can stop by."
Jonathan:
"I have an appointment at 4:00, so I don't have time. I had someone call for an appointment earlier and told them I had no availability. Had I known you were going to miss yours, I could have taken them."
Me:
"This is the first time. My apologies again. If you have availability tomorrow, let me know."
I haven't received any response from him since. This really shows how little he values his customers. I fully understand it was my mistake, and I was even willing to pay for the missed appointment out of courtesy. But his rude tone and lack of empathy were disappointing.
It's clear he doesn't prioritize customer service or loyalty, which is likely why he's always working alone with no other barbers in the shop. He rarely smiles, comes off as arrogant, and shows little understanding that life happens and we're all humans. When you own a business, customer service should be your top priority. You're essentially thanking your customers with every cut because they're the reason you're able to keep the business running.
My advice?
* Don't be late he might give you an incomplete haircut.
* Don't miss an appointment, or you'll end up on his blacklist.
There are plenty of other talented and professional barbers out there who know how to treat customers. If you value good service. The Royal Method is not the place for you.
Suggested new name: The Rude Method read more