Dreaded client!

[Angel_19]

I have a client in on Saturday and when I see her name in the book my heart sinks. Shes lovely enough but she makes me nervous I can't explain why. She always asks for mr which is good but I just get so nervous and she's very curious and asks the ins and outs of my life also she always brings her child which would normally be fine but this child is so naughty! She won't sit still and my client is always up and down running to get her so it takes me ages to finish her hair, then she starts shouting at her daughter in the salon which I'd embarrassing as well!

I was just wondering have any of you got any clients u dread doing regularly? Would make me feel much better. Thanks x

 

[gigglymushroom]

Hi, you feel your heart sink for a reason so take notice of that. keep it professional and tell her as little as possible about your personal life.Maybe she is just a bit lonely and finds your life/job etc interesting.

 

[Mrs RSM]

I don't allow children under 12 in my salon. Do you own the salon?

 

[Angel_19]

No I don't own the salon. And she is definatly not lonely lol. The first ever time I did her hair she keep answering the phone to someone and kept shouting and swearing down the phone. I was so embarrassed as she was my client I feel she is my responsibility. Do any of you feel this way? Also she is a very aggressive person and ineouldnt want to get on the wrong side of her lol x

 

[Mrs RSM]

I wouldn't treat someone who spoke on their mobile and especially swearing!

It's hard as they obviously allow children in. I know what you mean about dreading a client. What does your boss say about it?

 

[Lamaur man]

I think most hairdressers have clients who are as common as muck.
There's not much we can do about it. They are everywhere.

:biggrin::biggrin: Ha Ha.

 

[gr8nailz]

Hi Angel. Just because your Salon allows children, it doesn't mean you have to especially if they're "problem" children. Stylists individually should have the right to determine whether children will impede their service or not. In this case, THAT IS THE CASE. This child is a pain in the a**. Your client sounds like she is, too. But she is your client, the child is not.

One of my fellow nail techs allowed one of her clients to bring her son to every appointment, completely ignoring our strict no-child policy. The child didn't bother the mother or the nail tech but the rest of us and our clients dreaded it. The boy was completely out of control. Our clients would actually ask us to ensure that they were not scheduled the same times as this client because of her bratty kid. The client eventually became mine when her regular nail tech moved on. At her very first appointment with me, I told her she couldn't bring her kid anymore. I guess she thought I wasn't serious because she brought him to her second appointment and I refused her service. She never came back.

Regardless of having a child policy or not, a problematic child does impact the peace and tranquility of a salon. I think you have a right to ask your client to make other arrangements for the sake of your own sanity. I think your fellow stylists would appreciate it as well.

 

[Angel_19]

Thanks for the advice. I don't normally mind children because the ones that normally come in are very well behaved. And my boss doesn't say anything about it but u can tell she gets a bit annoyed but would never say anything because she is money in her eyes. Also another thing which does my head in is when I'm doing the mums hair the daughter keeps going 'are you done yet? Are you done yet? Are you done yet??' and u just want to shout NOOO!! But obviously you have to be professional so I smile sweetly and say no not yet.

I was just wondering if anyone else has a dreaded client? Would make me feel better knowing I'm not alone. Thanks x

 

[Penners]

I think we all have clients we may not get on with as well as others, its our industry to be polite and friendly isn't it?? (while silently casting spells upon them !! lol)
I used to have a mobile client years ago before I got 'STRONG':evil:, who was a typical arrogant county horsey type, she would leave me to cut her bratish kids hair and go off into another room, I dreaded her next appointments and would get panicky about it, the last straw was when she left me in the house with the kids so she could drive to the post box(30 mins), her elderly mother-in-law was in an annexe but i'd never met her! it was highly out of order so I wrote her a letter explaining this and didn't go again!
shame your boss can't step in and deal with your client.​

 

[emlouise_87]

I know exactly the type of client you mean! If I have someone in the next day it's all I can think about all night before I go to bed! You're definately not on your own I'm sure everyone in this industry has at least one of them clients I had a client one time her little girl kept hanging around my waxpot while she was casually talking to me. I ended up making it so obvious by staring over at the little girl and saying becareful that's hot before the mother done something about it! Surely they aren't relaxing while getting their treatment?!

 

[JHall]

How old is the child? could your boss or you maybe gets a few childrens magazines/books, might keep her quiet for a little while, she probably just gets bored, you would think the mum would realise that and bring something for the child to do while she waits!

 

[pippy]

maybe the child is bored have you tried having some intresting toys in the salon just for such an occasion. i have found that it helps keep them occupied. but they do get bored quickly so what you want to do is have several toys available and give the child one at a time. for example if it's a girl then dolls with long hair that need it to be combed out, if it's a boy then cars and trucks and all that. sometimes the simple allowing them to switch the backwash tap on and off seems to amuse them and keep them quite hehe... just some tried and tested methods for you. good luck

 

[lisareid]

I was thinking the same thing if the owner is happy for children to be present at the salon then they should provide some reading books, colouring books and pens to occupy the children. I always see going to the hairdressers as a pampering experience so always leave my 2 at home but then they would never behave like that, would not stand for it.

One a plus side as annoying as this client is and although she makes you nervous she must be really happy with your work. :hug:

 

[JHall]

You could pop round the charity shops and see if you could get one of those barbie type styling heads with rollers and stuff, thats bound to keep her occupied for ages (you could even set it up in the broom cupboard and shut the door haha):lol:

 

[HairByAlly]

I used to have a client like that who would get me so mad!! She used to bring her 2 daughters in and they would try n get everybody in sight to play games with them and asking people stupid questions! I also got the whole..."are you done yet?, are u finished yet?, can we go now?" then one day me my boss and colleuege had our backs turned and her child started messing with the hood dryer...it fell off the wall, bounced off her head then onto the floor and smashed! The client started screaming and shouting at my boss about how she'd "nearly killed her baby"...my boss turned around and said well if you cant control your kids then you can get out of the salon and then billed her for the broken hood dryer! Glad to see the back of them! x

 

[Angel_19]

I used to have a client like that who would get me so mad!! She used to bring her 2 daughters in and they would try n get everybody in sight to play games with them and asking people stupid questions! I also got the whole..."are you done yet?, are u finished yet?, can we go now?" then one day me my boss and colleuege had our backs turned and her child started messing with the hood dryer...it fell off the wall, bounced off her head then onto the floor and smashed! The client started screaming and shouting at my boss about how she'd "nearly killed her baby"...my boss turned around and said well if you cant control your kids then you can get out of the salon and then billed her for the broken hood dryer! Glad to see the back of them! x

This is going to sound awful but I found that a little bit funny!! As it turns out the women didn't show up for her appointment today! Which is so annoying but slightly relieved to be honest. BUT I had something in even worse!! A children's party with 8 badly behaved little girls!! It annoyed me so much how they were jumping and shouting and running around whilst there are clients downstairs and other clients in the beauty rooms! The mum wouldn't even tell them off and it's not my place to! Makes me so cross when parents don't control their children and think it's fine!

 

[pippy]

This is going to sound awful but I found that a little bit funny!! As it turns out the women didn't show up for her appointment today! Which is so annoying but slightly relieved to be honest. BUT I had something in even worse!! A children's party with 8 badly behaved little girls!! It annoyed me so much how they were jumping and shouting and running around whilst there are clients downstairs and other clients in the beauty rooms! The mum wouldn't even tell them off and it's not my place to! Makes me so cross when parents don't control their children and think it's fine!

angel_19 do you have kids? because what i do is simply treat those type of children as i would if my kids misbehave not as harsh but i put that tone in my voice and the thing is if they don't know you they get a bit pushed back from teh shock of someone else talking to them like that. that is of course if teh toys don't work just a few puzzle games at the back to be taken out whenever a child is in the vacinity.

other than that i find the frequent: should you be doing that?, or do you know sanat is already recieving calls about naughty children and i do have his number would you lik eme to call him? (at this point actually walk over to the phone nad pick it up) hehe... boy do i love christmas:-D but it works all year round as well. i'm evil me:twisted:

 

[Angel_19]

No I don't have children yet. And I couldn't tell them off as I feel it's the mums job to do that! Also the mum paid a lot of money for the children to have the make over party and I didn't want to upset her by telling off her perfect little princess and her friends

 

[Mrs RSM]

This is going to sound awful but I found that a little bit funny!! As it turns out the women didn't show up for her appointment today! Which is so annoying but slightly relieved to be honest. BUT I had something in even worse!! A children's party with 8 badly behaved little girls!! It annoyed me so much how they were jumping and shouting and running around whilst there are clients downstairs and other clients in the beauty rooms! The mum wouldn't even tell them off and it's not my place to! Makes me so cross when parents don't control their children and think it's fine!

If I was paying for a massage or facial and should be all relaxed, calm and chilled out, I would be furious to be disturbed by children running about and making noise! I would never return.

 

[HairByAlly]

It was pretty funny, tried not to laugh! Haha. But annoying all the same! Xx