bad experience in hairdressers :(

dedrizzle

Hi! Had bad experience with a hairdressers and wanted to see what others thought;) (also, sorry that its long-winded)….(!)


So…. I had booked into OB1 hairdressers (in Maynooth) yesterday evening for one of their classes.

Arrived (having raced from work - a half hours drive away), in the pouring rain and having stopped to get money.

Had tried to get through to them on the phone to let them know I was running a few minutes late but phone would not connect to them at all.

Arrived and the girl at the desk said their was no record of my booking and did I know who had taken it. As I had booked it 2 weeks previously, I told her I didn’t know who had taken the booking.

I was told then that they would not be able to accommodate me and that they could not fit me in until next week’s class. I asked then if they could fit me in on Thursday (today) as I had wanted to get my hair done for weekend. I also said that I felt that the salon should offer to complete the service at the class price as they had made the mistake and I had come all the way out there, etc. The girl then said that she would speak to her manager and that she would call me first thing this morning to arrange a time with me.

They did not call so I called them at about 11.20 this morning.

Spoke to manager, who said again that they could not fit me in for a class until next week’s class and that if I came in on Thurs (today) that I would have to pay full price. She said however that there was a deal on for all customers at the moment where they could get a half head of highlights for €85. (Class price would have been approx €60). Again, I expressed that I would really appreciate if they provided the service at class price as they had inconvenienced me etc.
At this point the manager then started (on an absolute rant) saying that a customer could not expect a fully qualified hairdresser to carry out a service at class price.
I wanted to say some thing but she wouldn’t stop for ages, and when I finally got to say, “excuse me can I please say something now”, she blurted out really rudely “Your going to have to wait now, I have a customer here I have to serve!”. I was flabbergasted, like really angry, that I had to call them to listen to that. So I hung up. She rang back a few minutes later and I told her that what I had been trying to say was that its not that I expect a fully qualified hairdresser to carry out a service at class price, but instead that it was the salon who had made a mistake and that they should show some good customer service by allowing me to have the service at class price. I think I have a point considering the fact that they were only offering me a deal that every other customer can avail of (the €85) deal and considering that therefore, a gesture of goodwill for them would have cost them a measly €25.

Anyway, the conversation ended when the girl (raising her voice) said “I have offered for you to come in today and get the (€85) service or for you to come in next Wednesday for the class price, I cant believe you are being unreasonable and I don’t have time for this, now are you coming in today or not???" I said that I thought that she was the unreasonable one and rude to trot and that I wouldn’t insult myself by returning to a business that treats their customers so badly.

foggy_lad

yes indeed vote with your feet there should be lots of salons in and around maynooth all providing excellent service and many probably cheaper?

the biggest or best decorated are rarely the best!

Bob the Builder

Thats pathetic to say the least. I'm afraid the best you can do is (as said above) vote with your feet and bring your friends with you in search of a new, more friendly salon. Nobody pays over €60 to be confronted with that crap...

kmart6

Find somewhere else to go IMO!

Jip

I'm I the only one who thinks the OP is being a little unreasonable ? Fair enough, the salon cocked up her booking but she can hardly demand a regular hair-do for the same price they charged when getting it done by students. The manager offered her a discounted rate, still not cheap enough for the op, or to come back next week where she'll put her in to get done by a student. Fair enough I think.
I exepct the OP not to be too much in a hurry to go somewhere else as not everywhere has an evening where they're teaching new staff and offer discounted rates.

eth0_

Ì think the OP is being really unreasonable - the salon made a genuine mistake and I don't think she should expect to get her hair cut by a qualified stylist for the same amount it would have cost for a trainee to do it.

Also OP - would you really want to go there after having such an agressive phone conversation with the salon manager? I wouldn't feel comfortable letting that person work on my hair.

ncmc

eth0_ wrote: »

Ì think the OP is being really unreasonable - the salon made a genuine mistake and I don't think she should expect to get her hair cut by a qualified stylist for the same amount it would have cost for a trainee to do it.

Also OP - would you really want to go there after having such an agressive phone conversation with the salon manager? I wouldn't feel comfortable letting that person work on my hair.

I can't believe this! The OP is not being at all unreasonable, the salon made a mistake, caused her major inconvenience and then wouldn't even budge over €25, and not only that, but were rude and actually shouted at her on the phone!

She was not looking for a free haircut, just what she had been promised and that they caused her to miss. Yes mistakes do happen, but good customer service would have been to offer her the lower rate and apologise, not rant at her on the phone. The didn't HAVE to offer her anything, but to provide good service and secure a repeat customer, they should have handled this better. I would write a letter to the owner describing how I was treated, but def vote with your feet, never darken their door again and tell all your friends about how you were treated.

Ian Beale

dedrizzle wrote: »

Arrived and the girl at the desk said their was no record of my booking and did I know who had taken it. As I had booked it 2 weeks previously, I told her I didn’t know who had taken the booking.

I also said that I felt that the salon should offer to complete the service at the class price as they had made the mistake and I had come all the way out there, etc.

Unfortunately these things happen but they did offer you to come in for their class next week at the €60 cost,yes you wanted to get your hair done but mistakes happen and if its only a measly €25 then why didn't you pay for it then?Oh because their a business €25 is nothing at all :rolleyes:

herya

1. The shouldn't be rude to you and in itself it's a good reason to avoid them in the future.
2. As for the discount, they had a choice of offering it or not. They chose not to offer it and they have lost a customer - their loss, spend your money somewhere else!

dudara

TBH, I think you might be slightly unreasonable with the salon. They did make a mistake, but they did apologise. I don't really see why they should accommodate you in the fashion you demanded. They did offer you the same service at the same price on an alternative date. That seems only fair to me.

Plus you state that you hung up on the them. That doesn't sound too good on your part.

dedrizzle

Ian Beale wrote: »

Unfortunately these things happen but they did offer you to come in for their class next week at the €60 cost,yes you wanted to get your hair done but mistakes happen and if its only a measly €25 then why didn't you pay for it then?Oh because their a business €25 is nothing at all :rolleyes:

Hey ya:)

Its not that €25 euro is nothing to a business, but good customer service should be paramount to a business in my opinion.

dedrizzle

eth0_ wrote: »

Ì think the OP is being really unreasonable - the salon made a genuine mistake and I don't think she should expect to get her hair cut by a qualified stylist for the same amount it would have cost for a trainee to do it.

Also OP - would you really want to go there after having such an agressive phone conversation with the salon manager? I wouldn't feel comfortable letting that person work on my hair.

Hello:)

As I tried to explain in my first board, of course I would not expect a fully qualified hairdresser to complete the service at class price during normal non-class hours, but the salon had made a mistake, I asked them to accommodate me and they chose not to but what realllly annoyed me was that the manager was extremely rude.Of course I would not want to go back there after that conversation. It was before the conversation took a turn for the worst that I was willing to return.

dedrizzle

dudara wrote: »

TBH, I think you might be slightly unreasonable with the salon. They did make a mistake, but they did apologise. I don't really see why they should accommodate you in the fashion you demanded. They did offer you the same service at the same price on an alternative date. That seems only fair to me.

Plus you state that you hung up on the them. That doesn't sound too good on your part.

The reason that I hung up was that I was very annoyed at the way she had spoken to me/treated me. I think that I was understandably annoyed considering that I was after contacting them (as they had not called - they promised to call me first thing) and, far more importantly, that the manager had not allowed me to speak at all and had then rudely cut me short as she had to attend to another customer. I felt that I was wasting my time and I was just very annoyed so I just hung up.

I feel that the conversation (when she called me back) just escalated into an uncomfortable one and that even if the manager had said "we cant provide what your asking for as its not company policy" or something, as opposed to that they could not do it due to the hairdresser being fully qualified etc, then the conversation could have ended better. Yes, I would not have received the customer service I feel I should have but at least I would not have been spoken to the way that I was.

dedrizzle

Jip wrote: »

I'm I the only one who thinks the OP is being a little unreasonable ? Fair enough, the salon cocked up her booking but she can hardly demand a regular hair-do for the same price they charged when getting it done by students. The manager offered her a discounted rate, still not cheap enough for the op, or to come back next week where she'll put her in to get done by a student. Fair enough I think.
I exepct the OP not to be too much in a hurry to go somewhere else as not everywhere has an evening where they're teaching new staff and offer discounted rates.

HiyaJ
The rate they offered me was the same deal that is on for all customers at the moment, I just thought that they could have offered me a further discounted rate or class rate or at the very least, say that its just not company policy and leave it at that, not give excuses re: qualifed hairdressers etc and most importantly, not proceed to be extremely rude.

dedrizzle

Hi everyone:) thanks so much for your replies:)

what a mixed bag(!)

I have booked in to get my hair done in a different salon (!) for tomorrow, at full price.

Nothing more to say really, except that its actually not really about the money but about getting a good customer service, being treated with a bit of respect and feeling that your custom is appreciated etc.


Again, thanks so much for the replies, have good weekend :pac::)!!

dedrizzle

ncmc wrote: »

I can't believe this! The OP is not being at all unreasonable, the salon made a mistake, caused her major inconvenience and then wouldn't even budge over €25, and not only that, but were rude and actually shouted at her on the phone!

She was not looking for a free haircut, just what she had been promised and that they caused her to miss. Yes mistakes do happen, but good customer service would have been to offer her the lower rate and apologise, not rant at her on the phone. The didn't HAVE to offer her anything, but to provide good service and secure a repeat customer, they should have handled this better. I would write a letter to the owner describing how I was treated, but def vote with your feet, never darken their door again and tell all your friends about how you were treated.

Hello there:)
thanks for your reply, glad that a couple of you see where I'm coming from!;)
Have nice weekend:)

Ian Beale

dedrizzle wrote: »

]I feel that the conversation (when she called me back) just escalated into an uncomfortable one and that even if the manager had said "we cant provide what your asking for as its not company policy" or something, as opposed to that they could not do it due to the hairdresser being fully qualified etc[/COLOR]

...thats the same thing only worded differently and included in it is a valid reason, wheres as "not company policy" thats a bit vague at least they said why they couldn't

who's yer one?

whether or not people think you were unreasonable, i would not let someone who spoke to me that way near my hair, nor would i drive out of my way to hand over hard-earned money for that attitude. Fact is, there's such a thing as customer service. this doesn't mean the customer is always right(as my time in the industry taught me most people think), it means treating the customer with some courtesy and respect. She could easily have told you politely that Fully-trained stylists couldn't do your hair for the reduced rate (which sounds like bull plop to me) and there was no need for the snotty tone or the putting you on hold till she had time to yell at you some more.
you're better off finding a hairdresser that can deliver on treating customers with a bit of respect.
(hope the new place did ya well )

bigpinkelephant

OP- Where did you go in the end and did they do a good job?
I always went to Philip Anthony's but then OB1 took over the salon and they don't do my hair the same. I get a full head of blonde meche and they don't do it as well as they could. Also I don't like the way they cut my hair and if I say anything it doesn't make an difference!

I might try Zeba instead?

dedrizzle

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

OP- Where did you go in the end and did they do a good job?
I always went to Philip Anthony's but then OB1 took over the salon and they don't do my hair the same. I get a full head of blonde meche and they don't do it as well as they could. Also I don't like the way they cut my hair and if I say anything it doesn't make an difference!

I might try Zeba instead?

Evening:)

Actually, i booked it for saturday (tomorrow) in occasions beside tescos. Have not been there before or to zeba as am only in maynooth since jan and have gone to ob1's since I moved here.

Know what you mean about the cut because I always felt that it was cut a little shorter that I'd asked for (although, some of the times I was there was classes) but it was never so bad that I wouldnt go back.

But had not had any major problems with them (before now!).

The only thing that got to me once was one saturday morning, i was due to be there for 9 and arrived on time. The hairdresser arrived at 9.30 apologising, I said that it was grand, obviously as it happens to everyone sometimes and that was grand. What bothered me was that I was there from 9 until about11.45 and not once was I offered a coffee. You know, just because I was there a couple of hours and because it was so early etc I would have really apprecated the offer. Its just a little thing but it means alot.

I will say though that I'm quite sure that every other time Ive been there they have offered it.

Will let you know how the hair goes:):pac:;)

jimmycrackcorm

ncmc wrote: »

I can't believe this! The OP is not being at all unreasonable, the salon made a mistake, caused her major inconvenience and then wouldn't even budge over €25, and not only that, but were rude and actually shouted at her on the phone!

She was not looking for a free haircut, just what she had been promised and that they caused her to miss. Yes mistakes do happen, but good customer service would have been to offer her the lower rate and apologise, not rant at her on the phone. The didn't HAVE to offer her anything, but to provide good service and secure a repeat customer, they should have handled this better. I would write a letter to the owner describing how I was treated, but def vote with your feet, never darken their door again and tell all your friends about how you were treated.

OP is being very unreasonable. She should only get the class price when it's available. You can't expect the same level of service when you are getting a discounted price. They might have made a mistake but that still doen't mean she is entitled then to get the discounted price when she feels she should as they did offer to reschedule to the Wednesday.

jimmycrackcorm

dedrizzle wrote: »

Evening:)

Actually, i booked it for saturday (tomorrow) in occasions beside tescos. Have not been there before or to zeba as am only in maynooth since jan and have gone to ob1's since I moved here.

Just read that. The guy who owns that started with Occasions in Lucan - if it's anything like that then you'll be very pleased. I used to always go there (Lucan) until it became impossible to get an appointment, such is its popularity.

dedrizzle

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

OP is being very unreasonable. She should only get the class price when it's available. You can't expect the same level of service when you are getting a discounted price. They might have made a mistake but that still doen't mean she is entitled then to get the discounted price when she feels she should as they did offer to reschedule to the Wednesday.

hey ya:)

well I just though they could have offfered gesture of goodwill, but regardless of that, the reason I would never go back is simply how rude the manager was and how poorly I felt that the situation was dealt with.

thanks for your opinion:)

axer

dedrizzle wrote: »

hey ya:)

well I just though they could have offfered gesture of goodwill, but regardless of that, the reason I would never go back is simply how rude the manager was and how poorly I felt that the situation was dealt with.

thanks for your opinion:)

It is about the money since you were not willing to accept the normal price even though that was even on special offer. They would even accommodate you the same day but if you wanted to get the class rate then you would have to wait until the week after.

I do not understand how you see the manager as being unreasonable. The manager (who has last say on the matter whom is not there to argue but to give a decision [its not a democracy - it is the managers decision]). You didn't accept the managers decision. Not only did the manager not try to fob you off with the simple "not company policy line" but she tried to explain to you why she could not do it - its just you would not accept the reasons as if you had some right. It is strange how you would rather have been fobbed off with the "its not company policy line" instead of real reasons.

Its your choice at the end of the day but I don't think you can blast the hairdresser just because they didn't give you an extra special discount. You were the one being rude by trying to get your own way and wasting the managers time and by hanging up!

Inevitably

dedrizzle wrote: »

Hi! Had bad experience with a hairdressers and wanted to see what others thought;) (also, sorry that its long-winded)….(!)


So…. I had booked into OB1 hairdressers (in Maynooth) yesterday evening for one of their classes.

Arrived (having raced from work - a half hours drive away), in the pouring rain and having stopped to get money.

Had tried to get through to them on the phone to let them know I was running a few minutes late but phone would not connect to them at all.

Arrived and the girl at the desk said their was no record of my booking and did I know who had taken it. As I had booked it 2 weeks previously, I told her I didn’t know who had taken the booking.

I was told then that they would not be able to accommodate me and that they could not fit me in until next week’s class. I asked then if they could fit me in on Thursday (today) as I had wanted to get my hair done for weekend. I also said that I felt that the salon should offer to complete the service at the class price as they had made the mistake and I had come all the way out there, etc. The girl then said that she would speak to her manager and that she would call me first thing this morning to arrange a time with me.

They did not call so I called them at about 11.20 this morning.

Spoke to manager, who said again that they could not fit me in for a class until next week’s class and that if I came in on Thurs (today) that I would have to pay full price. She said however that there was a deal on for all customers at the moment where they could get a half head of highlights for €85. (Class price would have been approx €60). Again, I expressed that I would really appreciate if they provided the service at class price as they had inconvenienced me etc.
At this point the manager then started (on an absolute rant) saying that a customer could not expect a fully qualified hairdresser to carry out a service at class price.
I wanted to say some thing but she wouldn’t stop for ages, and when I finally got to say, “excuse me can I please say something now”, she blurted out really rudely “Your going to have to wait now, I have a customer here I have to serve!”. I was flabbergasted, like really angry, that I had to call them to listen to that. So I hung up. She rang back a few minutes later and I told her that what I had been trying to say was that its not that I expect a fully qualified hairdresser to carry out a service at class price, but instead that it was the salon who had made a mistake and that they should show some good customer service by allowing me to have the service at class price. I think I have a point considering the fact that they were only offering me a deal that every other customer can avail of (the €85) deal and considering that therefore, a gesture of goodwill for them would have cost them a measly €25.

Anyway, the conversation ended when the girl (raising her voice) said “I have offered for you to come in today and get the (€85) service or for you to come in next Wednesday for the class price, I cant believe you are being unreasonable and I don’t have time for this, now are you coming in today or not???" I said that I thought that she was the unreasonable one and rude to trot and that I wouldn’t insult myself by returning to a business that treats their customers so badly.

God I can't believe that, you're so right, just dont' go back there ever and blacken their name to anyone who will listen!

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Inevitably wrote: »

God I can't believe that, you're so right, just dont' go back there ever and blacken their name to anyone who will listen!

that's not really what has happened here. The OP said her piece and other posters have pointed out some flaws in the argument and even defended the hairdressers. Can't see how the hairdresser's name has been blackened out of all this.

sunnyside

dedrizzle wrote: »

Hey ya:)

Its not that €25 euro is nothing to a business, but good customer service should be paramount to a business in my opinion.

€25 spent wouldn't attract a new customer to your business though would it.

Couldn't a trainee have done her hair during the day instead of in the evening for the sake of keeping the customer.

I've had my hair done in classes a few times, sometimes it worked out great but other times they cancelled on me at the last minute which was inconvenient and annoying.

LolaDub

axer wrote: »

I do not understand how you see the manager as being unreasonable. The manager (who has last say on the matter whom is not there to argue but to give a decision [its not a democracy - it is the managers decision]). You didn't accept the managers decision. Not only did the manager not try to fob you off with the simple "not company policy line" but she tried to explain to you why she could not do it - its just you would not accept the reasons as if you had some right. It is strange how you would rather have been fobbed off with the "its not company policy line" instead of real reasons.

I think the point really is the managers attitude as opposed to the lack of compensation. If the manager had said politely its not company policy to issue additional discounts and apologised it would have been quite different to yelling at the OP and going on a rant. The salon were in the wrong initially and while i don't think you can really demand a discount you can expect a polite apology which OP didn't get at all.

If you think back to any time a business has let you down, imagine how worse it would have been if they shouted and ranted at you when you were making your complaint.

I would write to them/someone higher if possible just stating your disatisfaction at the managers manners and forget all about it.

axer

LolaDub wrote: »

I think the point really is the managers attitude as opposed to the lack of compensation. If the manager had said politely its not company policy to issue additional discounts and apologised it would have been quite different to yelling at the OP and going on a rant. The salon were in the wrong initially and while i don't think you can really demand a discount you can expect a polite apology which OP didn't get at all.

If you think back to any time a business has let you down, imagine how worse it would have been if they shouted and ranted at you when you were making your complaint.

I would write to them/someone higher if possible just stating your disatisfaction at the managers manners and forget all about it.

The customer does not have the right to be rude either. Going from what the OP said, it was the OP that was rude first thus maybe the manager got fed up of her not accepting the manager's decision. Maybe the manager decided that this customer was more trouble that she was worth thus a customer at the counter or waiting for the manager's time was worth more than a customer the manager did not want.

LolaDub

If thats how the manager makes decisions then it sounds like she is unsuitable to be in a position of management. A customer is a customer full stop. The manager is paid to organise the salon and make sure mistakes don't happen and that customers stay with them. The manager is paid to be there the OP was paying to be there. I would always expect a manager to treat me with courtesy, if they ranted or shouted at me i would definitely be taking my custom elsewhere and speaking to someone in higher authority about how badly i had been treated. Its a disgrace that some companies think they can take your money and give you whatever service they feel like.

axer

LolaDub wrote: »

If thats how the manager makes decisions then it sounds like she is unsuitable to be in a position of management.

The manager had already made her decision, it is the customer that would not accept it.

LolaDub wrote: »

A customer is a customer full stop.

Exactly, the customer is only the customer - he/she does not call the shots.

LolaDub wrote: »

I would always expect a manager to treat me with courtesy, if they ranted or shouted at me i would definitely be taking my custom elsewhere and speaking to someone in higher authority about how badly i had been treated.

and what is the manager is the highest authority?Maybe the manager wanted an unreasonable person to take her business elsewhere as the manager's time could be better served making money instead of dealing with customers that do not listen, are rude on the phone and hang up when they don't get their way.

LolaDub wrote: »

Its a disgrace that some companies think they can take your money and give you whatever service they feel like.

Its a disgrace that some customers think they can pay money and give you whatever abuse they feel like and still think they are right just because they are paying money.

The customer is not always right.