Sick to death of mobile! I need help and advice, so upset

[hairdresser18]

Hi guys, I am so mega peeved and upset, I feel like clients I have treat me like absolute crap! I have ladies that ring me up few hours before they are due to have their hair done and cancel, one that cancelled an hour before which I was in the area to do another one on the way, 2 this week that I arrived and she decided she didn't want her hair done and it's 15 miles out my way, another one where I was on her road coming up and cancelled when I answered the phone, these are my regulars and treat me like s---t when I always try and do what I can for them even if it isn't my day to come, a lady said she desperately needed her hair done and she wanted it done before hospital so I said yes of course when it wasn't my day to go in the area to find out when I arrived that she wasn't going not hospital a few days after I was supposed to go there anyway. Today I had a client that been doing for a month now I did her this Tuesday gone for a set before she went into hospital I said I will just finger it through instead of brush out this time, she rang up today and said straight away I will no longer need your services, I said whats wrong, she said I brushed my hair out and it looked like a scarecrow, I said I told you I was going to finger it through this time to see how it goes and she said ok when I said that, she said it looks like I need to find another hairdresser after she has been praising me for 4 weeks now how well I do it and that it goes just right and I use small rollers and it lasts. Now I know I know u can yell at me but I hung up on her, all I seem to get is not getting treated well at all by my clients. I am so peeved and crying that they do this to me, I feel I want to give up and not do this anymore, been doing this for 2 years, not long at all. What should I do? It seemed like the last straw was her ringing me up and saying that to me.
Sorry it's so long. Any advice? xx

 

[SteffiMc]

Hi guys, I am so mega peeved and upset, I feel like clients I have treat me like absolute crap! I have ladies that ring me up few hours before they are due to have their hair done and cancel, one that cancelled an hour before which I was in the area to do another one on the way, 2 this week that I arrived and she decided she didn't want her hair done and it's 15 miles out my way, another one where I was on her road coming up and cancelled when I answered the phone, these are my regulars and treat me like s---t when I always try and do what I can for them even if it isn't my day to come, a lady said she desperately needed her hair done and she wanted it done before hospital so I said yes of course when it wasn't my day to go in the area to find out when I arrived that she wasn't going not hospital a few days after I was supposed to go there anyway. Today I had a client that been doing for a month now I did her this Tuesday gone for a set before she went into hospital I said I will just finger it through instead of brush out this time, she rang up today and said straight away I will no longer need your services, I said whats wrong, she said I brushed my hair out and it looked like a scarecrow, I said I told you I was going to finger it through this time to see how it goes and she said ok when I said that, she said it looks like I need to find another hairdresser after she has been praising me for 4 weeks now how well I do it and that it goes just right and I use small rollers and it lasts. Now I know I know u can yell at me but I hung up on her, all I seem to get is not getting treated well at all by my clients. I am so peeved and crying that they do this to me, I feel I want to give up and not do this anymore, been doing this for 2 years, not long at all. What should I do? It seemed like the last straw was her ringing me up and saying that to me.
Sorry it's so long. Any advice? xx[/QUOTE
Start telling them that if they cancell with less than 48 hours notice twice you will start taking a deposit. Just tell all clients this is a new policy or even a three strikes and their out they will soon get the message it's hard when you come across people like this but try not to get too upset. I'm sure you have good clients too. You don't want clients like these anyway Hun. Do t give upxx

 

[SteffiMc]

Ok so the quote didn't work lol after the word quote is what I wrote lol x

 

[tiatia22]

Aww you'll feel better after a good nights sleep, i've felt like giving up on hairdressing loads of times when you have difficult clients, or things dont work out as you plan. You will have forgot this happened in a couple of days. be strong and keep going,everything will work out fine.All the best.xx:Love:

 

[spikeyfaerie]

People are awful sometimes and it really sucks that you've got them all at the one time!

I text or phone my clients before I even leave the house. I had (might still have but haven't heard back from her since before xmas) one client who without fail would book me then on the day/day before when I text to confirm she'd be working. Another one who kept telling me that every time she tried to phone it went straight to my voicemail...but never actually left a vmail and my phone is on ALL the time during the day. Twice I've apologised for that and the last time she emailed me I said, again, that I was sorry she couldn't get a hold of me by phone and that I really didn't know why it was doing that, if she let me know when she's available I can book her in...haven't heard back from her. She's probably bad mouthing me like she bad mouthed her last hairdresser (but the state her hair was in it's no wonder) but really, there isn't much I could do. Any time I phoned her it actually did go to her vmail and she'd never ring me back.

Basically, don't let horrible people get you down.

Confirm with clients in the morning - especially those that have been booked for a few weeks and may genuinely have forgotten. If they um and ah just say that you won't be back in their area until *insert date* so if they're cancelling they'll have to wait until then to get another appointment.

Anyone who isn't happy - ask them what you could do to rectify it. If they insist on going elsewhere just say that you're sorry they aren't happy and you'll take their concerns on board. Leaves them thinking that at least you'll "fix" whatever you're doing wrong and they might not bad mouth you for a "crap" job.

 

[hairdresser18]

Thanks or a lot of replies already I really appreciate it, the thing is with the one today is that she said she brushed her hair I mean why would u do that a couple days after a set anyway cause I did very small rollers and was no way frizzy. She said she shouldn't have brushed her hair anyway and that it was my job to do it not her cause she can't lift her arms up, I had my back up when she first started saying that to me on the phone " I no longer require your services" I did say that I would see how it goes just finger styling. She couldn't have just said that it wasn't as good when I saw her next? I would have done it half price for her. If she was so so happy with me and that she didn't want to lose me why say that. That's what p----ed me off.
If finger styling the set doesn't work, work it with a denmen brush, or other way round, there are different ways, she didn't give me a chance, makes me feel I am no good.
I would love to be home based, it's a good idea but cause I am still new at my buisness and I still live with my mum so I can't really do that. xx

 

[piersstanaway]

You poor thing. I also do mobile and have had some experiences similar to yours, especially to do with parking miles away and get to their house and they say oh you shouldve parked right outside in the driveway!! and here in Australia its like 40 degree heat with heavy cases sometimes I feel like turning back and going home lol.
You do win some and loose some at the end of the day your the professional theyre not, so they can feel free to try elsewhere but guaranteed they will come crawling back to you, theyve realised how good you actually are!!
Best of luck and I wouldnt give any priority to those who have screwed u around

 

[jacquelineanna]

There are some good ideas been offered here on ways to combat cancellations.

You need to take a good look at your little business and how you manage it as at the moment you are letting these clients control things.

Someone mentioned a policy - good idea. Think about how you want clients to behave with regard to cancelling on the day or when you arrive, put it in writing and implement it every time.

There isn't much point in saying things like a 50% fee will be payable as they will probably just go somewhere else anyway.

Better to say that if someone cancels on the day twice, the third time will require a non-refundable deposit.

People who answer the door and say they don't want their hair done .. advise them you cannot do their hair any longer and they will have to find another hairdresser. Take control. Manage your business.

Put today and previous similar situations down to experience but learn from it.

Good luck xx

 

[siobrennan]

There are some good ideas been offered here on ways to combat cancellations.

You need to take a good look at your little business and how you manage it as at the moment you are letting these clients control things.

Someone mentioned a policy - good idea. Think about how you want clients to behave with regard to cancelling on the day or when you arrive, put it in writing and implement it every time.

There isn't much point in saying things like a 50% fee will be payable as they will probably just go somewhere else anyway.

Better to say that if someone cancels on the day twice, the third time will require a non-refundable deposit.

People who answer the door and say they don't want their hair done .. advise them you cannot do their hair any longer and they will have to find another hairdresser. Take control. Manage your business.

Put today and previous similar situations down to experience but learn from it.

Good luck xx

i think the non refundable deposit is a good idea, and im going to be implementing this myself. iv had similar problems recently.... and it got me feeling unwell so i took some time off to just sit back. also not easy as no work, no pay.
i think the advice above (that iv quoted) is sound, and something that i need to do aswell.
hope you feel better today after a nights rest xox

 

[hairdresser18]

Yea they are all good suggestions but if I give it to everyone and the ones that bug me they will know it's them and think oh I can't muck her about anymore maybe find someone else? I just have a feeling if I have a word with them or give them the sheet I won't win either way, if you know what I mean? I am a very sensitive person and am not used to clients saying I no longer require you or ringing up 10 mins before. I am very good on how far I travel, a lot of hairdressers in my area only do clients in their area where they live I even do a 20 mile radius.
I feel a little better today but still down, like I said I am sensitive and it's hard for me to forget about clients that don't appreciate me, i know these types aren't worth this but I have to put up with them at the moment due to money problems. Xx

 

[jacquelineanna]

You have to toughen up if you are going to stay in business for yourself.

Or you may need to decide its better to work in a salon where you don't have to deal with this type of thing.

The problems you are encountering aren't going to go away unless you sort them out.

There's nothing wrong with being sensitive - but its going to cause you misery all the while you are in business for yourself.

Time to decide how you want things to be.

The clients you are complaining about will continue to mess you around because you are allowing them to do so.. So you can stay sensitive, continue to bend over backwards, and fear making tough decisions in case you upset someone.

Or wise up to how it is in this business and do what you have to do.

You are probably not going to make another two years if you don't change something, you'll be a nervous wreck.

Very good luck to you.

Peace and respect.

Jacqui

 

[wendywoo]

Yea they are all good suggestions but if I give it to everyone and the ones that bug me they will know it's them and think oh I can't muck her about anymore maybe find someone else? I just have a feeling if I have a word with them or give them the sheet I won't win either way, if you know what I mean? I am a very sensitive person and am not used to clients saying I no longer require you or ringing up 10 mins before. I am very good on how far I travel, a lot of hairdressers in my area only do clients in their area where they live I even do a 20 mile radius.
I feel a little better today but still down, like I said I am sensitive and it's hard for me to forget about clients that don't appreciate me, i know these types aren't worth this but I have to put up with them at the moment due to money problems. Xx

Hi, I've read this thread with interest. Just want to offer you some support really. I think it takes aloooooong time to deal with rejections from clients. I would get upset when clients stopped coming and started going elsewhere. It does knock your confidence, especially when you first start out. We all make mistakes and we do learn from them. You need to earn a living too you know. Some of these clients aren't showing you respect that you deserve.
Start showing them you are a forced to be reckoned with. You are a trained professional hairdresser. Blow you're own trumpet about it....with time your skin will thicken. Clients can be fickle can't they?? Remember that when you bend over backwards next time. You clearly have great integrity... But just because you do it doesn't mean everyone else does. I don't want to sound cynical but it's a steep learning curve in hair / beauty industry. Don't give up Hun. You sound like a golden nugget of a hairdresser!!!! Sending you a virtual hug. Wendy x


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