Today was supposed to be my third visit to this salon. I don't go often because I travel quite a bit and honestly, my hair (and style if you want to call it that) is super low maintenance. I booked the appointment several weeks ago and was looking forward to a nice relaxing cut and highlights ... just need to blend in the grey... I don't mind the silver... just looking for more uniformity between the color of my youth and what it is now. And man! I needed a proper cut. My hair has been under a LOT of stress lately and frankly, it's falling out by the handfuls. The stylist with whom I first met, several years ago, has moved on and the stylist I met with last time was ok but not stellar. I selected a top rated stylist from their menu for this time around and was feeling optimistic- I was greeted promptly and taken back to her chair. I was offered a beverage and gratefully accepted. Now. I confess that it is ALWAYS my practice and my habit to shower and wash my hair before I leave the house. Today was no different. And I know that the stylists prefer to begin with dry hair but in every instance prior to today, the stylists greet me and say something to the effect of, "I'm just going to dry your hair a bit before we get started." It's a game we play and it has never been a problem... before today. Today, it was, "I'm so and so and I'm going to be your stylist. Did you wash your hair before you came today?"
"Yes I did."
A. Then said, "Well NEXT time... just come in with dry hair..."
To which I replied, "Never gonna happen..."
Very likely she did nothing wrong and was very much in the right... but delivery is everything... we'd never met and I have pretty significant social anxiety... again... no way she could know that but everything from there felt like an attack... and then she wanted to calculate the price in front of me... she announced it would be $350.00 and she told me that's what I'd be paying and she just wanted me to know. Well all of a sudden I felt like she was judging me like I don't have the money to pay so I said "I need to keep it under $300.00... $350.00 is a car payment..." She said she'd have to talk to her manager... I told her I'd just take the haircut... for$85.00... she then launched into, "well you booked time for a full cut and color..."
My anxiety took over, I started to panic and couldn't get out of the chair or drape fast enough. I tried to discuss it with the manager and the manager defended the stylist as being "One of their top stylists..."
I have no doubt that she is and again... delivery is everything... before you start criticizing and condemning an adult who very clearly functions in society... ask yourself, "How would I feel if the first thing someone said was 'you need to...'"
Perhaps they judged me on my attire. Torn jeans, baggy shirt, stretched out sweatshirt and scuffed up uggs... it's possible... and I was prepared to pay 350.00 and even tip afterward... but I would rather go to Supercuts than subject myself to that kind of arrogant condemnation... I never had any trouble with the previous stylists and in fact, I bought products afterward... and I'm a very generous tipper... but no ma'am. Not today and I will never be back.
First rule in Customer service? Not that the customer is always right... but make the customer feel comfortable... today I felt like I was being judged like I'd staggered in off the street. I didn't. I'm actually a business owner myself... and I wouldn't dream of talking to a customer the way you addressed me today. Never judge a book by its cover ladies... and to Alejandra... if someone you're just meeting comes in for the first time to your chair and are going to spend 350.00 with you and they have wet hair, what you should say is, "So great to meet you. I'm excited to help you today... I'm just going to dry your hair a bit so I can get a better idea of what we are going to do today..."
Start there. Life will be a whole lot easier for everyone involved.
And even after I expressed my concern to the manager, they had the audacity to charge me a $50.00 cancellation fee... that's pretty epic! Ballsy even... it will be the last dollar you ever get out of me! read more