AIBU to have got up and left the hairdresser's without my haircut?

[Somethingtothinkabout]

So booked an appointment yesterday for a looooong overdue haircut at a place round the corner from me where I have been a couple of times before.

Appointment was for 1230, got there and the place was pretty empty but for the staff, who said hello etc, checked my appointment and took my coat and took me to a little table to wait with a glass of water.

I sat there about 15 minutes with no reading material other than the salon brochure when one very grumpy member of staff walked passed and barked "Are you hair or beauty" at me, I replied that I was hair, she walked on through a door and then stone staring back through the glass in the door at me for a while. Then nothing.

After 30mins passed I thought I don't really want to get my hair cut here anymore, but didn't have the guts to leave as I'm a total pansy I would have to ask for my coat back from the two girls who had been sitting giggling at the computer for the whole time I was there so sat on.

After nearly 40 minutes I just had to leave, I would have sat being angry and resentful the whole duration of the haircut, no matter how nice the girl was. So I just went and asked them for my coat and they were very shocked and squirmy and said the girl could take me straight away but I said no, I just wanted to cancel, took my coat and left.

If they'd paid when I arrived that they were busy (they weren't) and there would be a wait that would have been fine, but they just ignored me. That is rude, right?

I really need my hair cut this weekend though, so going to need to wander the streets to find somewhere that can do a walk-in appointment on a Saturday. I had a voucher for that place too for 20% off

Is this rude or is it how it works there days?

[joanofarchitrave]

That is just dreadful. I would write to the head office except you'll only get vouchers for the same crappy place.

I would use the yellow pages/online rather than wander the streets.

[ParadiseChick]

Well done!

You'd be surprised, you might get someone free!

[CloudsAndTrees]

They were very rude, completely unprofessional, and you did the right thing.

[Buzzardbird]

That is outrageous! How rude. I would tell everyone I know.
Are you a red-head?

[Cerisier]

That is unbelievably awful. No explanation and no updates or magazines?

If it was a national chain let them know and you are likely to get vouchers for a different salon in the chain or for products. Also they will follow up with the salon manager to find out why this happened.

Then tell your friends what happened- so they don't get this awful service.

[Somethingtothinkabout]

I think if they did give me vouchers I'd be too uncomfortable to go back!

I had to leave my mobile number when I booked the appointment, I'm slightly worried in case they call me to ask why I left, but I should grow some balls and tell them if they do ask! I need to walk past the place most days, but I won't flatter myself that they'd even recognise me, I hope.

Gah!

[beeny]

They were rude

[rottentomatoes]

YANBU
I have done the exact same thing but luckily they hadn't taken my coat. It was an expensive place too. They called me whilst I was on my way home and I explained why I left. Never been back.

[Alliwantisaroomsomewhere]

YWNU.

[Somethingtothinkabout]

Not a red head, wish I was! Then I'd maybe be more fiesty!

I felt a bit chicken at having to get up and ask for my coat! Very un-me!

[Remotecontrolduck]

YANBU

You do not need to put up with crap service. If a business doesn't provide you with a good service, go somewhere else and tell your friends so they avoid it. The only way they will listen is hitting them in the pocket.

If they want to survive, they need to offer good standards, especially with something like hairdressing where there's so much competition!

[secretscwirrels]

Someone needs a customer service course.

[euwa]

YANBU - and if they offered a free hair cut I wouldn't accept - imagine what someone would do with a pair of scissors in hand if they knew it was you that had complained but that to one side imagine how bad they could be at cutting hair if they are so rude generally!

[Somethingtothinkabout]

Euwa good point! I've had a haircut before there and it was grand, my hair is long so it's just a trim and not very exciting, but yes I would worry that they might sabotage it out of spite or something.

Even if they didn't, can you imagine how uncomfortable it would be to sit there for an hour being "that impatient girl who flounced and then came back for a free haircut"? I'm not sure my new-found assertiveness could hack it.

[AwkwardSquad]

YANBU. They didn't behave as though they wanted your custom, and lo and behold, they didn't get your custom. Don't go back.

[greenformica]

Well done.

They should have spoken nicely to you and explained the appointment would be a little late. Then rushed off and got you coffee and some mags so that at least the wait was a nice one.

[JaxTellerIsAllMine]

where are you? I can recommend some good hairdressers, depending on where you are.

What that salon did was unprofessional and very rude. Sounds like one that I went to once. Drove me insane. Never went back, and the only reason I stayed is that I was having a certain treatment that not many other places did.

[aftermay]

They were incredibly rude. I know some hairdressers hire space out and may be out and about at the shops meanwhile. You'd still expect someone to phone them and tell them their customer is there and to come back ASAP.

Write and complain if you have the energy.

[hermioneweasley]

They kept you waiting for 40 minutes?! That's not impatient. They are taking the piss. I was annoyed last week when I was late for a fringe trim (entirely my fault) but I have been going every 6 weeks for 5 years and have never been late before, though she is running late about 30% of the time. Sometimes only 5/10 mins but several times much longer. She was quite short with me. So I have been snapping up "living social" deals for about half the price I usually pay!

[ExitPursuedByABear]

My hairdresser is always late but I am used to it now after 25 years.

[DontmindifIdo]

Actually, do you know who was supposed to be doing your hair, was it one of the three woman you saw? Because at a lot of salons, the hairdressers are self employed and pay a set amount to the salon per customer (or set amount for the day) in order for them to provide services like reception, appointment booking, hairwashing etc. It might well be the actual hairdresser is fuming the other staff faffed you about and she lost a customer.

Might be worth complaining anyway so that at least it's clear why you walked out, it might well be the hairdresser has no idea what happened and was just told you cancelled. If you get a freebie haircut, insist on it being with the salon manager. (They are less likely to be prepared to do a shit cut in order to be on side with the reception staff).

[DontmindifIdo]

BTW - where I go, if my hairdresser is going to be 5 minutes late, I've given a brew or a glass of wine and several back issues of Hello! OK! and various hair magazines.

[Cherriesarelovely]

Of course you should tell them why you left. You ought to be looking forward to it! You had every right to be annoyed, left for 40 mins with no explanation at all, completely unacceptable!

[Somethingtothinkabout]

Oh God, do hairdressers actually do bad cuts on purpose? I thought I was just being dramatic!

They told me the name on the phone when I made the appointment and when I was sitting at my table reading the brochure the name seemed to be one of the two "salon directors" whatever that means. I'd have been happy with a junior as it was just a trim, I bet the cost would have been more with the director too, they never told me a price though. I think it has a 2tier pricing system so it's like £30 for a junior and £40 for a senior. Last time I went they told me it would be £30 on the phone then tried to charge me £40 after it! In fact, I stood up for myself then too and said "I was told it would be £30". God, this place is terrible isn't it!

Are hairdressers these days open on Sundays or Mondays? Trying to work out if I can avoid going out again today!

I'm in central Glasgow.

[Somethingtothinkabout]

Plus, they could have at least started washing my hair if the girl was busy/not there yet and I wouldn't have minded. It was the fact I sat there being ignored that peeved me.

And the lack of magazines, I could have gone and found one I'm sure, but it's the principle! I would have and did sit reading mumsnet on my phone anyway, but they weren't to know