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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Having to wait 25 mins at the hairdressers

29 replies

krystellie · 07/07/2014 19:41

I moved to a new hairdressers a few months ago and thought I'd found the perfect place - friendly, great cut and colour, good music, no posers, etc. I even wrote a 5 star review online using my real name to say how much I like them.

I had an appointment for a root re-touching last week. I arrived on time and was told to take a seat and that my hairdresser would be told that I had arrived.

Then I wait. And waited.

After 20 minutes, I asked the person on the desk (who was the owner) if the hairdresser knew that I was there. He went to check, came back and said she'd be another 5 minutes as the previous client had arrived late. No apology or anything.

My hairdresser finally arrived after 25 minutes and she was very apologetic and did a usual great job. However, I was rather put out that the owner seemed to blase about making me wait for a considerable length of time on a hot day. I realise it was down to the previous client being late, but had I been informed of that on arrival, I could have spent the time in the sun or looking in the shops, rather than sat in a hot salon.

I've been considering writing an email to the owner to say how I feel (reiterating that the hairdresser was lovely) but I don't know if I'm being unreasonable.

Advice please?

OP posts:
Sosososcared · 07/07/2014 19:42

Get over it.

Original poster
krystellie · 07/07/2014 19:43

Erm, so you think that's an acceptable way for an owner in a customer facing industry to act?

OP posts:
fluffymouse · 07/07/2014 19:45

This is a business. If you don't like the service you received then vote with your feet and don't go again.

Since you seem happy overrall I would just leave it though. Sending an email would seem a bit petty, and might make it awkward if you want to go again.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 07/07/2014 19:47

If this was a regular occurrence, I would say a) complain and b) find a more efficient, punctual hairdresser - but this was a one-off, caused by something outside their control.

I think they ought to have apologised for the delay, and offered you a coffee, but apart from that, I am not sure what they could have done. I honestly think you should just accept that sometimes delays happen - it was no-one's fault and, if you like everything else about this hairdresser, you should get over this. Nothing dreadful happened - I assume you didn't miss any vital appointments.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 07/07/2014 19:47

25 minutes? Were you offered a drink while you waited? Could you not see that your stylist was busy? Yours may well be different, but at every salon I've ever been to you can see the staff working from where you wait.

I sometimes have to wait at the hairdressers. I usually just look over, see that she is busy and think "oh, she's still with the previous client".

I suppose if I was very pressed for time I might be mildly irritated - but not enough to complain. Things happen & appointments don't always run to time. It's just a fact of life.

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 07/07/2014 19:47

I think you're being ever so slightly precious.

25 minutes?, the previous customer was late which changed your time.

No big deal, deep breaths and all that!

Framboisier · 07/07/2014 19:48

I quite like it if my appointment runs over...25 mins extra magazine reading, coffee drinking time

I'd let it go

TheLovelyBoots · 07/07/2014 19:48

IMO, 10-15 min is normal. I think you should have told them how unhappy you were. 25 min would make me fidgety too.

Kleptronic · 07/07/2014 19:50

YANBU but good luck with the email, I think you'll get no joy out of it! This is why I don't go to salons, they all have an amazingly slippery grasp of time.

I've even been to eye-wateringly expensive ones in the hope I could get it coloured, cut and blown in less than 3 hours but no, this is seemingly impossible. I think perhaps many customers might like it, a timeless pampering zone or something, personally I start chewing the scenery, I loathe it!

It's a different universe in hairdressers, their time is relative and stretchy and bendy, yours stays the same.

Earlybird · 07/07/2014 19:51

As a generally punctual person, I'd be irritated too.

But I think it is worth giving the hairdresser/salon another chance. If it happens again, you've got a decision to make.

500smiles · 07/07/2014 19:52

YANBU that would annoy me - presumably they knew that they would be late for your appt as earlier client was late, so they should have notified you when you arrived.

That delay could be the difference between being late for school pick up / work or not etc

MrsGeorgeMichael · 07/07/2014 19:53

i think yanbu and the reason why i went through about 10 hairdressers when i moved to new location

it is fucking rude!

i am usually on a tight schedule and have factored an hour tops

Hulababy · 07/07/2014 20:01

They should have apologised - and also warned you on arrival.

Often when I go for a haircut I don't have a whole load fo time for hanging around. It is fit in between other stuff. I might not have had a spare 25 minutes to sit and wait.

When the hairdresser was held up with a late customer for DD they knocked money off the cost of the haircut. I didn't ask, not even hint.

I assume they did it because the delay was inconvenient to the customer and as way of an apology. Mind, they are very good in many ways.

MickiJohn · 07/07/2014 20:06

Ooh I'd love this. 25 minutes of peace to drink tea and read magazines.

Be a "count your blessings" person rather than a "I'm going to write a shitty email" person.

It will change your life Smile

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 07/07/2014 20:06

Oh yeah, I agree that you should have been warned, heads up, manners and all that!

If you like the salon, stick with it.

You might be the customer who's late one day and they fit you in, making someone else late afterwards.

Suttonmum1 · 07/07/2014 20:06

Would suggest you ask for a text if they are going to be late by any amount of time. Do not allow them 5 or 10 mins leeway as they will then assume they can always be late.

Cannot stand the fact that hairdressers expect you to arrive before they are ready.

Original poster
krystellie · 07/07/2014 20:09

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I'm not going to bother with the email as I think it might make things awkward and I'll give them another chance.

OP posts:
redexpat · 07/07/2014 20:12

You should have been told when you arrived 'x is running behind schedule. She'll be with you in y minutes. Can I get you a drink while you wait?'

fairylightsintheloft · 07/07/2014 20:14

but the salon doesn't know if she wants to be out of there half an hour after she thought she would. Not everyone goes for a haircut for "me time". They should have told her when she went in that there'd be a wait and either let her reschedule, or go away and come back or at the very least offer a drink and possibly a fiver off. The OP sounds fairly understanding in the scheme of things but I agree its the attitude of the owner more than anything that's off. I was at a restaurant (a large one with lots of pillars) and the person I was meeting got sat at a different table. No phone signal and it was 30 mins before we realised, We'd have laughed it off but there was no apology, no free drink or anything - the waitress just shrugged and it was THAT more than the incident that pissed me off.

VenusDeWillendorf · 07/07/2014 20:16

Maybe wait before you write online reviews with your real name in future? :)

Fwiw, I don't know why people write reviews- I never trust them, and always think those who wrote them are rather gushy hot and cold types who have an exaggerated sense of their own importance.

I suppose ask in future "how long will it be" rather than sitting like a hot cross bun in the sun, getting crosser and crosser and bunnier and bunnier! ;)

XiX · 07/07/2014 20:18

Err Confused why are posters assuming you will write a petty or shitty email. I would phone or drop them a friendly and polite line to let them know what happened. Any decent business would rather you let them know so that they can address the problem rather than you being unhappy and possible not coming back.

It's not a big deal but I would have been irritated as well. I agree that it's not the waiting that was a problem but the fact no one bothered to tell you.

There is no reason an email should make things awkward as long as you are polite and friendly.

jillybeee · 07/07/2014 20:20

I like your outlook MickiJohn. :-)

Lagoonablue · 07/07/2014 20:22

If you are going back get the first appointment of the day. That's what I do.

XiX · 07/07/2014 20:45

Mmm, I just tried to write a non mardy complaint email but it's hard not to make it sound pompous Sad.

Hi Salon
I just wanted to give some feedback about my appointment at your salon today. You will be pleased to know that I was delighted with my cut and Xxxx was as lovely as usual however there was one thing that I wanted to draw your attention to as it's been bugging me. My appointment was at 12 but I was kept waiting until nearly 12:30. I really wouldnt have minded waiting if it wasn't for the fact that nobody told me about it until I chased it up and even then I didn't get an apology. I understand 25 minutes isn't a massive amount of time but as I had a hectic day I could have used the time to do some shopping if I had been warned of the delay when I arrived at the salon
I was unsure whether to write but I thought you would prefer to know

XiX · 07/07/2014 21:02

On reflection I don't think I would send an email even a polite one. I would just give the salon a call right before your next appointment to check they are running on time.

The main thing is that you got a good cut Smile. I could live with a bit of a wait but bad hair cuts are agony