Do you discount the salon owner/hairdressers?

[Zooks]

Afternoon Geeks, please bare with me it's a bit of a long one!

I have my own beauty business based within a hair salon. I've been there for just over a year and for those of you that have read some of my previous posts you will know it hasn't been the easiest ride.

When I first started we agreed (I suggested!) that if the salon owner/hairdresser or I wanted treatments we would just pay in full to keep things simple and avoid it getting awkward. This is how it was for about 2 months until she wanted her nails doing and offered to cut my hair in return, I decided to accept on this occasion as a straight swap. Since then though I have had problems with her wanting treatments, she gets waxed often and if it's not by me it's by a mobile lady, who I am assuming she pays in full, but it's more often by me and she always says "Do you want any money for that" and wording along those lines to which I have felt pressured into telling her not to worry about it. She has recently put my rent up (very touchy subject, verbal agreement not to but doing so anyway!) and to be honest I am fed up of doing her treatments for nothing so have started charging her a bit (still not full) and I don't think she was too happy when I asked her for the money. I have had my hair cut by her 3 times and every time I have been unhappy with the result so I no longer have her cut my hair so it's not like we are trade swapping. She has an apprentice and is now taking on two self employed hairdressers who I know will all want treatments. All of these treatments are booked out in my normal working hours where I could easily have filled the time with another client.

My question I guess is what do all you ladies who rent a room or a chair charge your landlord and other hairdressers? I don't want to go back to her cutting my hair, besides being unhappy with it it is just easier ,as we both work the same hours, to go elsewhere (a good 26 miles away so not her competition or anything!) I want to make it fair so I am charging all the people that work there the same? Do you discount? If you do how much by?

I know I have brought this one myself by letting her get away with it but I don't intend to anymore.

Sorry for the essay, I do hope someone can offer some constructive advice.

Zooks

 

[Rhiannon1408]

I went through similar problems when I rented a room within a hair salon.

There was only a small team including the salon owner. She was kind enough to let me off a few months rent as I was struggling so in this time I gave her and her friends free treatments including weekly spray tans, I manned reception, took bookings, made tea and coffee for clients, swept up etc. When I started paying rent again I was still doing all those things and realised I couldn't afford to give her rent AND free treatments. So I decided I would give 10% off to all the girls and keep it at that. The last time I did a treatment for her was a spray tan and an eyebrow thread, I let her off paying for the brow thread and took 10% off the tan, to which I asked if she would like me to take off what I owed her for rent. She replied with 'oh...err...ok' and later that night I received a shi**y message on Facebook from her. She was basically saying that she's been so nice to let me off a couple of months rent and how dare I now charge her for her treatments.

It was at that point I decided I was best off out of there, so I paid what I owed (minus the money for her tan) and wrote her a polite letter stating that whilst I appreciate her kindness in letting me off rent, she must appreciate me basically acting as a junior for her plus her free treatments. I learnt at the end of the tax year that I actually paid her more than I made, and that's not counting all the treatments she had for free.

Anyway what I'm saying is, don't let your landlady take the mick like I did. Treatments cost you money in products and of course your time. Maybe you could write out a little notice to put up in a staff area saying that you are pleased to offer your treatments to staff at a discount of 'x' amount.

I hope my story helps

 

[wonderwoman]

im gona say what i said before, you need to leave asap. This woman is taking advantage of you, and you will keep letting her get away with it. Also why have you agreed to a verbal agreement, its still not a written contract. why can they pay what everyone else is paying, why should you discount, your not their empolyee you are self empolyed. Start acting it!!! xoxo

 

[squidgernetball]

I really feel for you - it's so hard to let things slide, then to have to gird your loins, and rein it all in. I rented a room in a golf club, and to keep things sweet, I charged everybody the full amount. No confusion! (Even charge my mum but that's a different story). You go elsewhere for your hair, so you pay for that. This woman doesn't let you off the rent, why should you do anything cheap, free or anything else. When I did a golf junior I told her I was trialling a new treatment, so she could have it cheap, and can she give me feedback - I didn't make that up. If she had been having anything else, it would have been full price. BUT don't tell her or anyone else when they have booked a treatment, or just after they have had one. You need to go in next Monday - or whenever - and say 'I'm afraid I've had to decide that I can no longer do reduced rates. It's going to have to be full price for treatments from now on'. and don't ask if that's ok. Make it a statement, not a question, and fill your days with paying customers! Very best of luck x

 

[Eviestyle]

Yes and make sure your hair looks FABULOUS when getting it done elsewhere How rude of her.

 

[Zooks]

im gona say what i said before, you need to leave asap. This woman is taking advantage of you, and you will keep letting her get away with it. Also why have you agreed to a verbal agreement, its still not a written contract. why can they pay what everyone else is paying, why should you discount, your not their empolyee you are self empolyed. Start acting it!!! xoxo

Thankyou Wonderwoman, I haven't agreed a verbal contract! Im not that much of a sucker (not second time round anyhow!) I have agreed to meet her half way on the whole rent situation and said I won't part with another penny until a contract has been drawn up....2 and a half months later still no contract but I haven't paid her any extra either. It's really tough. This is the only salon in the small wealthy holiday destination town so I don't have anywhere else to go at the minute. It's quite a unique situation as if I left I wouldn't be able to take my whole client base with me. It's not a decision I have taken lightly, all I can do is save save save until I may be lucky enough t have my own establishment.

Thankyou for taking the time to read it though

 

[Zooks]

Thankyou Ladies.

For me they are good advertising so I was toying with the idea of doing 10% off as a "goodwill" gesture and having it the same across the board. I don't mind so much for the apprentice as she has gained me clients by praising my work, she works her backside off and gets paid a pittance being an apprentice and she also get's taken advantage of by said salon owner but I know I need it to be the same for everyone.

I have learnt many lessons this year and I am sure I will continue to. I only hope that my hard work pays off and one day I am able to afford my own premises.

Any advice is always appreciated and fully listened to