Hair stylists, how terrible are we?

[spidermom]

We've all seen countless terrible hair stylist stories here at LHC. They cut too much, they leave bleach on too long and make our hair fall out, they don't listen, and they give us the wrong colors. Today I read an article on AOL about terrible customers. Some of the things that hair stylists commonly dislike are customers who cancel at the last minute, who try to get additional hair services for free, who are stuck in a time warp and always want the same thing done to their hair (guilty), and the customers who don't respect the hair stylist's opinion about what will work best for their hair (for example - curly? don't insist on a stick-straight style).

So hair stylists, it's time to turn it around. Ever had any really bad customers?

[Pumpkin]

Thanks for bringing this up, Spidermom. There are always two sides to every issue.

[jane53]

I like my hairstylist!

She has long hair too.

Never have to worry with her.

[PrincessTieflin]

I used to have this lady who thought that since I had (at that time) a very short stacked swing bob, that I would know how to do it..... I didnt do that cut, and well she had to remember that this ws MY hair not HERS.. It never looks the same on other people may be the same cut, but different texture, thickness ect...

I also had a lady that NO matter what she was never happy, she would always come back in and complain about how terribel I was but never wanted anyone else to cut her hair... she complained so much about me that the owner gave her like 2 free cuts while it was growing out... BUT the lady would still wait HOURS for me to cut her hair even tho I 'did a horrible job' LMAO... i THINK she just wanted something for nothing.

[ravenreed]

Interesting thread idea...

I don't have a set hair stylist. I thought I found one when when I was at a party and one of the women there said she was a stylist. I asked about dustings and she said she did them. When I mentioned that I had been doing S&D's, she said, "Oh those don't work." So, I am still looking.

My son is a TERRIBLE customer. He doesn't say anything, because he is shy (even at 19). So the stylist has to guess what he wants. Once he hated it so much that he asked the stylist to redo it, but I was there and made him a) articulate what he wanted and b) tip her double.

[spidermom]

I was getting a perm and sat through an exchange between another customer and her stylist. She wanted a perm, the stylist said she would not recommend it because of a recent color service. The customer insisted STRONGLY and then had a full-blown tantrum and refused to pay when her hair came out looking like that stuff you put into Easter baskets.

[lastnite]

I read that article too. canceling appointments I can understand, but the rest is just their opinions.

for the most part, their job is to give the customer what they want and have them leave happy. it doesn't matter what the stylist think will look good, if it's not what the customer wants, then don't do it. if the customer wants the same style, then that's what will keep the customer happy. maybe the customer wants a professional to blow dry their curly hair straight since it can be a hard task for some to do at home. if the customer complains about cutting too much, then the stylist should listen.

since I'm the customer, of course that's just what I think

[kwaniesiam]

Oh. My. God.

Where to start First off, great idea for a thread! I'll be checking here frequently

The first bad client I ever had was a young girl coming in for a full head of highlights. Her attitude was very bossy and acted like she knew how to do hair better than I did despite never having gone to school for it. She had about waist length hair and previously blonde highlights that had grown out about 6 inches. She wanted me to retouch hers, then make them red, and add black lowlights all through her naturally medium brown hair. Then she wanted it cut, layered, and side bangs added. Well, 6 hours worth of work (basically my entire day of listening to her blabber on about her unruly children, inappropriate escapades, and baby daddies) she left me a $5 tip. $5 for all that work, are you kidding me?!? Her entire bill was $40. In ANY other salon that would have cost her upwards of $300 but because I'm still in school she got away with it cheap and will probably never be back :

My second terrible customer was a little old lady getting a perm. She kept trying to tell me how to wrap the rods the wrong way. Finally I gave in and did it how she wanted me to do it. She wasn't happy at all with the end result, and blamed it on me for listening to her. How should she know that it wasn't right, I'm the hairstylist Ugh.

The only other memorable client that comes to mind is a man who had probably never been to a salon in his life. When I led him to the shampoo bowl, he kneeled on the chair and stuck his head face first in to the sink!

I've heard horrible conversations from nearby customers as well. All sorts of beyond R rated conversation that I really did not need or want to hear in an educational setting A story my teacher told me way back when she was in school, she was doing highlights on a middle aged woman. She left her client alone to go check on something in the back, and when she returned the client told the front desk she was going out back to smoke. The client had actually left with her head full of foils! I guess she wanted to try to get away and rinse it at home so she didn't have to pay

[kwaniesiam]

Oh, another thing. Please try not to cancel last minute. You have no idea how frustrating that is, especially when you've gotten everything set up and ready only to find out that your client can't make it that day. We took up our time for you that could have been filled by someone else instead. Once or twice if you're a regular or if you have a real emergency, but don't do it just because you don't feel like coming out or something more interesting pops up.

Please let us know exactly what you want too. I think a lot of the trouble here with salon horror stories on LHC is a lack of communication. We're not mind readers. We have scissors, not magic wands.

[Lamb]

The only other memorable client that comes to mind is a man who had probably never been to a salon in his life. When I led him to the shampoo bowl, he kneeled on the chair and stuck his head face first in to the sink!

Give a girl some warning before coming up with stuff like this!