How long do you usually wait for a reply?

[Fluffydogears]

How long does it take for a hairdresser to reply back to you?

My hairdresser is self employed, renting a chair in a salon and doing her own stuff. I need to get highlights topped up. I didn't feel comfortable ringing her in case she's with a client. I sent her a message this morning.

It's been three hours and she didn't respond. I know there's so many different variables like maybe her first client of the day was late and the appointment ran into the next. I don't know. I know she only books one client at a time. When I get my hair done, once the bleach is applied I am left under a heat lamp for a while. She usually has a break at this stage for about 15 or 20 minutes.

I mentioned that my roots are growing and I asked her if I need to update my highlights and I asked her about what to book on her online system - she has a few different options like full head highlights, half head, scattered, just the roots.

I presume she had some space in her morning this morning to maybe read a message and reply. Or at least give a thumbs up to at least let me know that she got the message.

She uses her phone for taking payments and there was picture uploaded this morning to her socials.

So she has her phone on her but she never responded.

I am just wondering - for people here - how long do you wait to hear back from your hairdresser? Does it take a few hours or up to a day or do they respond quickly.

I presume she had some space in her schedule today but she never responded.

I didn't ask something complicated. I was just asking her what do I pick on her online booking.

She usually gets booked quickly and a lot of September is gone already and I would like to get a slot that's still available towards the end of September.

There's still no reply and it's been a few hours now. I know once 5 o clock comes I won't get a reply because it's outside of business hours. My hairdresser never said that to me before but I think that's how she operates.

Honestly I'd give a couple of days!

Regardless of using her phone for socials / taking payments etc it doesn't mean she's in the headspace to open and respond to all messages really quickly.

If she gives a "thumbs up" acknowledgment then it'll be a read message instead of an alert on an unopened one and you might get lost in the crowd of other messages. She might have 50 messages to reply to and you might be a way down the chain! Who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

My beautician is in a similar situation, if I message her I normally get a response in 48 hours which I think is a good turnaround for how busy she always is.

A couple of days is ridiculous.

I told her that I need to do something with my colour and asked her about topping up my highlights and asked her what option do I pick from the online booking drop-down. I know hairdressers are busy people but it shouldn't really take a few days.

I was trying to book a hair appointment. Not fly to the moon.

I actually find it arrogant from some hairdressers. How they won't respond outside of business hours and then they can't respond outside of clients so when? When do they? They are behaving as if they are the only people to be busy.

Theres a really arrogant hairdresser on tiktok, lord I can't stand him at all. I follow him but my god, he's an awful thing.

24 hours

It's nearly the end business hours now and my hairdresser never replied back to the message that I sent this morning.

Do I just try and find somewhere else now.

@Fluffydogears

calm down its highlights not life support.

you can't think much of her hairdressing skills if you're already considering using someone else.

maybe on her 'breaks' she wants a break, not to be answering a bunch of questions!

wait or don't, but don't be such a drama queen about some highlights & not getting an immediate response!

I liked my hairdresser but this is actually very rude now. I get it that she likely has clients to work on all day but usually when I get a colour done I am left under a heat lamp sometimes even for 40 minutes. She only books one at a time so she's likely getting plenty of gaps in her day. All she has to do is respond with what I need to book online with. That's not hard.

The fact that she hasn't responded - what am I supposed to make of that.

I'm not looking for an immediate response. I have plenty of patience. The whole day has passed and there has been no reply.

Possibly that some clients are a PITA?

& she has more than enough clients that aren't so demanding??

a WHOLE DAY.

Christ can you not see how ridiculous you're being?

highlights not life support!!

Exactly and her work is not life support either.

She could have replied. I'm not being demanding. It's only courtesy. She ignored my message and I am now left thinking that she doesn't want to do my hair again.

You need to calm the fuck down OP.

Have you posted about your hairdresser before as I've read something similar?

Thanks and no.

I am calm.

I don't think she wants to do my hair.
What the did I do wrong on her?

Why can't she just decline what I asked this morning instead of ignoring my message.

I will be on holidays in a few weeks in Poland. I wonder would I be able to get a walk in appointment for highlights there? Or I still don't know what it is that I need exactly. If it's partial highlights or a root job. I don't know. But still I wonder if I can get a walk in appointment in Poland.

It's just I see the online booking system my hairdresser has. It's all full before my holidays. I don't mind waiting til afterwards but there's only a few slots left for the end of September. I am also now left in a position where I don't know where I stand with her going forward.

Firstly, it’s always easier to book the next appointment face to face at the end of your current appointment, that way you’ll know when you’re next in, you’re not waiting for a reply and you’re more likely to get the appointment date/time you want.

Booking outside of this I would expect to wait up to a few days. A hairdresser should allocate a bit of time 2-3 times a week (unless they are on leave) to reply to messages. They can’t be expected to be on call 24/7 to answer messages from clients, expecting an answer within a few hours is absolutely ridiculous - they could have clients back to back all day, could be taking a day off, could have personal appointments in between clients, could have personal plans after work etc. The nature of any service job means the vast majority of the working day is taken up offering that service to clients and admin such as taking new booking comes second and has to be slotted in when is convenient and efficient for them to do so, they are not sat around all day waiting for messages from clients.

You are being completely ridiculous.

Other professionals can manage phones.

She posted this morning in her salon. She is working. She updated her social media with another story in the afternoon. She is working. She has her phone.

She didn't respond to my message. I was polite. I was also patient all day with her and I understand she has clients and work but she has ignored my message all day. Why can't she just tell me that she doesn't want to help me instead of ignoring my message.

She never suggested booking in at my last appointment. I was with her a few weeks ago from a trim and I tried chatting to her about those roots but I got a vague response of another time. Nearly as if she wanted to run out the door.

My roots are bad now and it only just crept up on me.

She could have responded to help me. Instead she has completely ignored me.

You are missing the point. Having a phone with you WHILST you are dealing with clients and god knows what else (it’s none of your business) does not mean you need to be on call 24/7 to answer messages. In my experience from having had over 10 hairdressers in the past 20 years is that a few days is standard for a reply. This is exactly the same for beauty appointments too. It’s fairly common practice to schedule in sometime for diary management, you do not do it throughout every day in between clients because often there isn’t time nor is it an efficient use of time.

Obviously you can’t go back in time, my advice re booking the next appointment was something for you to consider next time.

I never said I expected her to be on call 24/7 to answer messages.

Thanks for your advice, I will be sure to take it on for sure.

Do I book a colour consultation with another salon so that I am getting these roots sorted at some stage during September.

You are though, as far as you’re concerned if she’s got her phone on her then you expect a quick reply. That’s not how it works. You really don’t know what else she has going on you’re just guessing and getting yourself worked up over nothing. You’ve told yourself she’s rude and that’s that but sorry to say you’re in the wrong.