To think this is the worst customer service ever?

[Stormzy]

Booked a day off to get my hair done last week (single parent, lack of childcare etc). Prepaid and booked on a website (will never be doing that again).

They rang me as soon as I got to the front door saying they had forgot to ring and their colourist was off sick. They said if I come back today they'll give me some free treatment to make up for it. I was miffed, but I guess these things happen.

Booked my DD into nursery for the morning (my hair is seriously bad and desperately needs doing). Just turned up and the shutters are down and the door is locked. I rang and the owner said he meant to ring me yesterday 'to see where we were with the booking', and my name was put in the wrong column etc etc and so there was nobody in to do my hair. Said come back another day and he'd give me some more free stuff.

I just said that it was ridiculous and I'd like my money back today. He said his junior (!) stylist is on their way in and will be here in 45 minutes. I said I'd have to leave by 1 to get my little girl and he said he'd see what he could do so basically they'll do my colour but not my cut or blow dry I reckon.

And they'll probably do it horribly because I've had a bit of a Barney with the man (who tbf was very apologetic but it's the bloody 2nd time, 1 day of annual leave and about £25 for nursery down the drain)!

Just ordered myself a fry up while I wait to cheer myself up. Really not looking forward to going back. I hate getting my hair done at the best of times and it's in such bad condition and really snapped.

Xpost.

It was the best part of £100. I'm bloody skint. I'm a student and I work and I'm a lone parent so have no free time. It was only that my hair is so shit that I was willing to pay so much money. 😩

What was their reaction on causing you such visible upset

You haven't received the service

Was ok a PayPal or card trans?

You need to make a complaint with whoever you booked it through. If they don't refund you then it might also be worth trying to put the payment into dispute with your bank to try and get it back.

Okay complain to treatwell in that case and insist on your money back. If you paid via credit card you may have some luck there too.

I do think I'll get my money back. I bloody hope so. But I'm sure it won't be for like 2 weeks. I've been so looking forward to getting it done! Tempted to buy some non ammonia brown hair dye and whacking it on the top half. Luckily I suit hats bloody diets failed as well!! Fml.

He just kept asking what he could do to make it better. I said just give me my bloody money back! He kept asking the stylist and she was like well nothing?! And that it's not her fault about the booking and they had a little row

Contact treatwell and ask for a full refund and compensation for the other expenses
They can’t simply take your money and not provide the service
Also contact trading standards (mention that you are doing this to treatwell)
Leave a review of the hairdressers saying how shocking they are anywhere you can-on their Facebook/yelp etc.
I’ve had similar with a voucher but got a refund and went to a similar place
Poor you. Awful

So they’ve done nothing to your hair?? I guess with a pay in advance service you don’t have chance for a consultation about your hair. She sounds like she has bad customer skills though, as the junior stylist she obviously just didn’t have a clue.

So what did they actually do, just a cut?
You’ve paid for a service you’ve not received so you are due a refund. Plus the salon should at least refund you out of goodwill. They have an obligation surely m to carry out what they’ve received payment for, whether it’s an external booking site or not.

Why don't you use an over the counter NicenEasy type dye? It costs £5.99 thus solving your finance problem and takes about 1 hour from start to finish thus solving your childcare/annual leave problem and I swear you can't tell the difference.

Contact treatwell and the salon formally, in writing, demanding a refund. The manager is a twat and is ineffectual. Arguing with staff in front of a customer is appalling.

"Told me every hair dye has peroxide in it (does it? I'm sure there are no ammonia dyes in the shop)"

Huh? Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia are 2 different things! That's why they have different names.

Shower of shit. Unprofessional, clueless and not reputable enough to even perform a dye or hair test in advance to cover their own backs, let alone for the customer's sake.
Gutted for you OP.

I used mobile at that age..worked better than anything else.

I do my friends hair all the time using nice n easy, L'Oréal etc. Did it this weekend in fact. If you're local to me in London, you buy the stuff, I'll do it for you. I'll even make you a decent cuppa.
I can't do my own hair, so looking to find a salon to do it myself

If you paid by credit card OP, ring the credit card company up and dispute the transaction as you haven't received the service you paid for.

Write a letter/email to the shop and the booking agent, itemising everything they have done and cost you.

For example, in monetary terms they have cost you: Prepayment / booking fee (perhaps) / loss of income (e.g. 1 or 1.5 days annual leave taken specifically for the two unfulfilled appointments) / loss of childcare fees (e.g. 1 or 1.5 days childcare taken specifically for the two unfulfilled appointments).

Itemise the whole lot and tell them that is what you require in compensation for direct financial loss.

Send it to them giving a reasonable amount of time for full and final settlement (e.g. 10 working days).
Add that if they fail to give a full and satisfactory settlement within that time period, you will have no other option to put the matter before the small claims court.

If they fail, then do that, adding your costs/time on to the overall claim.

So what exactly have they done to your hair OP?

Where are you based?
If you're local too me I'll do it for you, and I don't mind you bringing your child along neither.
Is the season for giving and all that

They've done nothing. I wasn't going to sit there and have her hack away at my hair after all that. And then probably have an even harder time to get my money back. I've just received an email from Treatwell saying my refund will be put back in my bank in 3 days, so that's good. But I've sent them an email back explaining about the £90 wasted on a day of annual leave and £40 for childcare. I doubt anything will be done but hey ho.

I'm in Brighton thanks for the offers. I've brought some brown hair dye and I'm just going to pick my little girl up, smother my hair in coconut oil and treatment stuff for a few hours and hope for the best. I like the blonde ends so I'm trying to bayalage it myself. 🤞🏽

Have spent the money I've saved on the hair on Harry Potter pyjamas, primark bedding and wine. Shouldnt have really but I needed to cheer myself up

Also, I specifically looked at their Facebook page and picked the stylist who had been trained in bayalage and had great pictures of her work. Why should I have to have my hair done by the junior stylist?

I swear I have the worst luck with hairdressers. If anyone knows anywhere good in my area, please share!

Ahh too far away from my salon.
You did the right thing, and no you shouldn't accept a junior stylist doing your hair when you booked for a senior stylist who specialises in what you wanted doing.
Yet bet they charged you senior stylist charge but was happy for a junior too carry out the work.

That’s absolutely shit OP. You poor thing. I’m glad they didn’t go near your hair though. I can’t help but feel whatever they would have done would have bad!

I would try to get the balance issued as a website credit too, so you have the monetary refund and then credit towards booking with a new salon.

The salon you went to absolutely shafted you, they weren’t open, were late, fobbed you off with a junior stylist and forced you to incur other costs. I would ask the website if they can give you a discount/gift card for your next booking as still you’re out of pocket and had an awful experience.

Treatwell just emailed me a £20 voucher thanks everyone, I wouldnt have bothered emailing if it wasn't for you guys.