Just wondered what others thoughts were on this. I had a hair appointment booked for this evening. It was for cut/colour/blowdry.
My husband had an emergency and had to take my car this morning (his is in the garage getting repaired) so I rang the hairdressers first thing this morning to rearrange my appointment to either tomorrow or Monday/Tuesday. This is a small village salon, everyone knows everyone and my husband also goes there.
I left a message on the ansaphone and no-one answered. Someone rang me back and said that it was company policy to charge 50% of the cost. I said I would try and see if I could get there. For context, we live rurally so no public transport (well there is a bus about 4 times a day) and I have rarely been able to get a taxi here even when booking a week in advance! Anyhow, I realised it would be really tricky and awkward to get there so I rang them back and told them I really could not make it due to not having transport. They charged me 50%.
My issue is that I have been going to this salon since it opened - approx 5 years or so. I go every 6-7 weeks and pay about £130-£150 - I buy their products and when they opened up after covid gave them large tips each time to try and make up the shortfall they had lost due to not working. The only other time I cancelled was in a dire emergency (was hospitalised).
Whilst I know what the policy is I do think sometimes these things should be discretionary. I know the receptionist did go and check with the stylist and still decided to charge me. Granted it may not have been her choice to use discretion.
I dunno, I just feel really aggrieved by it and now thinking of going elsewhere, I think it is a bit short sighted of them - I would have gone in within a day or two so they still would have got my money. Now I really don't feel like going back at all to be honest.