Newly qualified and complaint I need to reply

[Donzz73]

Maybe she's just a client who's alarmed at how much root regrowth has come through after less than 21 days? Maybe her previous foiler was better at getting closer to the root? Maybe she has loads of friends and loads of money, and lots and lots of influence?

We had a (NEW) client this week tell us that name badges would be nice as she didn't know everyone's names. The name badges are currently on their way and being engraved as we speak.

In a recession you can't afford to ignore your clients' needs. If you do, people like me will come and snatch them from you.

[/QUOTE]

Maybe so, but come on nearly 3 weeks! and what`s having loads of money and friends got to do with trying to get something for nothing? trust me i have seen it all.

I have been in this game long enough to see when there is potential of getting something for nothing ( it may not be that, thats my opinion) i would really have to see the hair.

And yes i am all for listening to client feedback and always have done, working out if you are been took for a ride and your profession disrespected is not ignoring client`s needs it`s simply showing you are good and proud at what you do and doing what you think is best at the time to resolve the matter.

And they can only be snatched if the hairdressing is what they want, if there like me i know when i`m getting what i want from the practical side of hairdressing.

 

[sophiecooke2009]

I had this once with a client after 6 weeks her appointment which I did beautiful foils, she complained and said she wasn't happy with the amount of regrowth, so I said to come in and I will look at it, she never did! The thing is hun clients do try this all the time and the fact that she probably knows your newly qualified gives her all the more reason to try it! X

 

[Sharpster]

I had the exact thing happen to me, it's people pulling a fast one cos they're skint and think that you will do another regrowth application for free!

I did what the other geeks suggested, advise that 2/3 weeks is too late to complain but offer goodwill 20% off next regrowth with a firm reminder that next time if she leaves it that long to complain then it will be tough luck.

 

[tiatia22]

DONT LET IT KNOCK YOUR CONFIDENCE, HAIRDRESSING IS ONE BIG LEARNING CURVE, THE AMMOUNT OF TIMES I NEARLY GAVE UP HAIRDRESSING WHEN YOU FEEL YOU'VE FAILED, REMEMBER THE HAPPY SATISFIED CLIENTS,ONWARDS AND UPWARDS, ALL THE BEST, YOUR DOING GREAT.XX:lol:

 

[bombini]

She sounds like a nice client. She hasn't asked you for a refund, just advised you that she's cancelling her next appointment as she has found the roots come through too quickly after having the service with you vs. her previous service provider.

I personally think it's amazing that the first thing you did was reflect on what you could have done to make the service better and what possible improvements you could have made to your techniques.

When you say you are newly qualified, is that level 2 or 3? And was that studied in a salon or at full time college?

Your attitude is amazing, and I'd hire you if you were in the North West. I have a team of 13 people in secure well paid jobs, and we're expanding all of the time. The one thing I find it difficult to do is drum into people the difference between constructive criticism and a moaning client. You've just had the former, and I have a feeling that you know (and understand) that fact.



Maybe she's just a client who's alarmed at how much root regrowth has come through after less than 21 days? Maybe her previous foiler was better at getting closer to the root? Maybe she has loads of friends and loads of money, and lots and lots of influence?

We had a (NEW) client this week tell us that name badges would be nice as she didn't know everyone's names. The name badges are currently on their way and being engraved as we speak.

In a recession you can't afford to ignore your clients' needs. If you do, people like me will come and snatch them from you.

Im not a hair geek but I had the same thing happen to me when I changed my hair stylist last year. I had to change as my usual stylist swapped her days off so I had a different girl and although I was really happy with the colour I noticed at the time it wasn't as close to the roots as usual. After two weeks my regrowth was almost the same as it is as 4/5 weeks so I went back they had a look and agreed to re-do. The only problem was the stylist was on holiday the following week so by the time I had it done it would of been 4 weeks after my original appointment ! I didn't bother having it re-done and changed salons after that as I didn't want it to happen again but my point is not all clients are after a freebie.

I would also like to agree with the above post. Its so refreshing to see a post that isn't slating the client and blaming them for everything like so many do on here.

 

[lushtresses]

2-3 weeks is far too long after the initial appt to be getting in contact and saying she is unhappy with her root area. this should have been said to you within 48hrs, offer 20% off, and if shes not happy with that let her tear on and go to someone else, if you are sure your work was up to standard stand by that, believe me when i say, people chance their arms at this time of the year! I always ask my clients before they leave "Are you sure your really happy with that colour?" "I hope you were happy with your end result do you love it?" and get her to confirm several times with you that SHE WAS happy with the end result! and then say " Now if you have any problems at all contact me ASAP!" because your laying the line down for means of communication. make sure they're happy with it, confirm it and tell them to contact you with any problems, leaves the door less open for vague complaints like this! I'm lucky enough in the time I've been working I haven't had any complaints.touch wood! lol
Good luck for the future! xx

 

[cazzi]

Just had to add to this! Same happened to me, client had 6 weeks regrowth, was 2 weeks to xmas and she'd just left her husband,moved into a flat and was obviously skint. She sent me a text to tell me she wasnt happy with her hilights and what was I prepared to do about it!!
I to reread the text several times to make sure I understood!!
She is not a nice person and she has been through every hairdresser in town with some scam or another, so I always knew it was a matter of time.
Trouble was if I ignored her, she dish my reputation round town, so I swallowed my pride told her I would have to charge for the colour, I would put the foils in, tell her when to wash them off and leave.
I dug out every old nearly empty tube of any shade of blonde from 9 to12 mixed em all up and fired through those foils like a trojan!!!!!!!
I vowed never to go any where near her again !!

 

[classixuk]

... ! I didn't bother having it re-done and changed salons after that as I didn't want it to happen again but my point is not all clients are after a freebie.

I would also like to agree with the above post. Its so refreshing to see a post that isn't slating the client and blaming them for everything like so many do on here.

Thank you so much. You've just confirmed my way of doing things is the right approach, and of course my praise for the original poster in her self-reflection as the first port of call.

2-3 weeks is far too long after the initial appt to be getting in contact and saying she is unhappy with her root area. this should have been said to you within 48hrs, offer 20% off, and if shes not happy with that let her tear on and go to someone else...

I still don't understand this type of reaction to a client who was kind enough to cancel her appointment well in advance, and instead of lieing about it, gave direct feedback on where the stylist could improve. Professional companies pay hundreds of thousands of pounds for that information through mystery shoppers, and yet here the OP was offered the advice for free.

The woman wasn't offered a refund or a discount because she didn't want one. She was just being polite and helpful.

Imagine if you bought a loaf of bread and it went moudly the following day. Would the company offering you 20% off their next loaf make any difference if you knew it would go moudly too? The company should re-evaluate their method of baking bread and make some adjustments if they want to make any money; bleating on about how they knew their loaf was amazing and technically perfect - they even "measured the flour and sung to the yeast" for example, counts for bugger all if the end result doesn't live up to expectations in the consumers eyes when judged against the competition.

Honestly, if I had a penny for every hairdresser who told me "I know my work is good, there was nothing wrong with that last colour, it was technically perfect, what's she going on about?" I would be a millionaire.

Surely they can't ALL be right though, otherwise that would mean every hairdresser is just as good and no better than their competition. Or is just the competition who are fooling themselves?

 

[Scu8a8uddy]

Honestly, if I had a penny for every hairdresser who told me "I know my work is good, there was nothing wrong with that last colour, it was technically perfect, what's she going on about?" I would be a millionaire.

Surely they can't ALL be right though, otherwise that would mean every hairdresser is just as good and no better than their competition. Or is just the competition who are fooling themselves?

I can't agree more. I've owned a salon for the last 10 years employing around 20 stylists and I have a policy that if the client isn't staisfied then it must have been the consultation that was at fault. Whether its because the client thinks its too dark, too blonde or whatever if the result wasnt to their liking then we make sure we put it right. This client seems like she's complaining in the right way and my approach would be that if she goes somewhere else she may have exactly the same problem so why not work with a stylist that she's familiar with (you!) to get the result that she's happy with. If the regrowth was unacceptable to her then get her back, find out exactly which areas seemed to come through too quickly, assertain if it was because there wasn't enough foils put in that area or if you need to slow down on that area and get them REAL close and offer to do the TSEC free of charge. What's it going to cost you? A bit of bleach and a few foils - big deal. Nothing compared to a regular clients spend. I always ensure that stylists have a 'relationship' with their clients. The customers know that we are not automatons that will perform the exact same way every time. They appreciate that hairdressing is an art form and as such it may happen on one visit that they are not completely satisfied with the result, but they can rest assured that our salon will always put it right for them. It's so important to have this with EVERY client. They then can feel free to experiment and change looks or colours, knowing that you have their best interests at heart.

Oh, by the way, I've had this approach for years and can count on one hand the number of customers that have tried to take advantage.

Hope this helps.