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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why hairdressers seem to struggle with time keeping?

74 replies

WillGymForPizza · 08/05/2019 19:11

Ive just come back from having my roots done and am ever so slightly pissed off at how long I was made to wait around for. First when I arrived my stylist was still doing the foils of another client, she smiled over at me and said she'd be with my in a minute. 10 minutes later, she finally comes over to me. Ok, not great, but not that bad either.

My colour is on for 40 minutes and is then rinsed off one of the juniors as is standard. She then leads me to my chair to wait for the stylist to cut and style my hair. She is still drying the client who's foils she'd been doing when I arrived. But my God did she faff. Then once she'd finished the blow dry, she starts straightening it. So I wait and wait. 30 minutes later I'm still sat there while she faffed over this other woman's hair. It really doesn't take that long to straighten and style anyone's hair. Then the products were added, then she was shown the back with the mirror. Then of course she had to pay. It was absurd.

Finally she comes over to me apologises and said the previous clients hair had taken 'longer than it should'. Yes, love because you have faffed over it. But I accept the apology. Then just as she starts cutting my hair her next client arrived. She sends her to wait on the sofa she where she must have been sat for nigh on 20 minutes before stylist apologises to me runs off to get a junior to apply her colour and then comes back to me.

Stylist was then really flustered. But honestly it was all her own doing, why book in so many clients for colours and cuts so close together?! It's not rocket science is it? Ive actually left other salons in the past because of this kind of thing. At least I got an apology this time, but that was unusual and if it were my first time there I'd not be going back. Shockingly shit service.

It's not just salons either. My DM has a mobile hairdresser who's sometimes up to 30 minutes late. I can't imagine any other service industry where this kind of thing would be tolerated.

AIBU to think the hair industry needs a kick up the backside?

OP posts:
bingirl · 08/05/2019 19:14

This pisses me off too! I think it boils down to greed and trying to fit in as many clients as possible but it is very annoying especially when you're on a tight schedule yourself.

Tunnocks34 · 08/05/2019 19:17

I agree. I understand that not all hairdressers make their own appointments, and maybe some clients come in saying they want x and instead request y.

But I have never had a hair appointment start on time. Literally ever.

Original poster
WillGymForPizza · 08/05/2019 19:19

It is. It's such shoddy service, and yet it seems to be the norm everywhere. I wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes, I know sometimes hold ups happen but plan for that. I'd happily see another stylist or rearrange for a quieter time if it really a struggle.

OP posts:
User10fuckingmillion · 08/05/2019 19:21

It’s not about trying to fit lots of customers in in the time, it’s that some customers take the piss and want you to do extra.

lotusbell · 08/05/2019 19:22

I agree, love my hairdresser but they do seem to book in multiple customers all at the same time. Have never been seen at the actual time I've been booked in for.

User10fuckingmillion · 08/05/2019 19:23

Also different hair takes to chemicals at different rates so some with some people it takes ages to do something that is quick with others. It’s not always obvious how long it will take.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 08/05/2019 19:23

Never had this at all. Staggered colour appointments, yes, but have never been ignored like you seem to have been.

Redcrayons · 08/05/2019 19:26

I have found the holy grail of hairdressers.
They start on time.
Don't overlap with previous customers
They tell you how long it takes and it does.

It's a bit pricier than other local salons but it's worth an extra tenner to not wait around for An hour longer than Needed.

I can see why other salons cram as many appointments in as they can, it must be hard for a small business to turn customers away.

OrdinarySnowflake · 08/05/2019 19:27

I think it's down to similar things taking vastly more time. Eg. One block colour all over vs highlights, but the person booking in just booking "colour".

Plus different styles will take vastly different times to cut and dry, but you aren't ever asked detailed questions when booking about the exact cut you want, hair type and styling you'll be after. One clients cut and blow dry could take under 30 minutes all in, another could take over an hour.

Some salons are better at scheduling, but you do pay more if they assume a longer appointment time per customer to avoid this.

Best tip I've had is to be the first customer of the day.

AlexaAmbidextra · 08/05/2019 19:28

It’s not about trying to fit lots of customers in in the time, it’s that some customers take the piss and want you to do extra.

Well then, it’s up to the hairdresser to say that they can’t do requested extras within the appointment time. It’s very simple.

bingirl · 08/05/2019 19:28

@User10fuckingmillion

I take it you're a hairdresser 😜

BlueCornishPixie · 08/05/2019 19:30

I've been to loads of hairdressers and never had this problem. Yeah sometimes they will be cutting someone's hair while my colour is developing, or blow drying while my toner is setting. But if they didn't do that if probably have to pay twice as much, and they'd be sitting around for an hour at a time.

Maybe a client was late? If one persons late it would set a whole day back? Or maybe took longer than expected?

Realistically I pay about 100 for 3hrs worth of time including the junior stylisy, if you take into account rent that's a pretty poor hourly rate. If your not happy with your hairdresser find someone else

Fantasisa · 08/05/2019 19:32

I agree, OP. I hate being kept waiting - my time is important and it isn’t acceptable to repeatedly be kept waiting.

Original poster
WillGymForPizza · 08/05/2019 19:32

What Alexa said. It's really up to the hairdressers to be more assertive with piss takers.

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 08/05/2019 19:32

My hairdresser isn’t like this, they run to military precision on time keeping and are absolutely fantastic

They are expensive as fuck though so perhaps that is why!

Original poster
WillGymForPizza · 08/05/2019 19:35

My salon isn't cheap. It's probably the most expensive in the area.

OP posts:
allthegoodusernameshavegone · 08/05/2019 19:36

It takes one customer to be late to put back everyone, then there’s reps trying to sell stuff, people wanting free advice, elderly / child clients who need extra care, telephone bookings where the customer will only deal with a certain stylist, staff issues, maintenance issues, human issues, the list goes on.... any industry involving the public will never be able to predict their day.

FineWordsForAPorcupine · 08/05/2019 19:36

Customers drop out at short notice reasonably regularly, so hairdressers have to over book to make sure the still see enough clients per day to cover their overheads. Plus then customers turning up late, changing their requirements, etc.

I don't think it's "greed" so much as "basic capitalism". Which I agree is an evil and iniquitous system but until we rise up and overthrow it, we will just have to put up with sometimes waiting for a bit at the hairdressers.

BackforGood · 08/05/2019 19:36

Mine doesn't struggle with time keeping at all.
She's a mobile as well so has to work wound traffic.

OK, I admit, she was 3 mins early when she rang the doorbell today.

DaffoDeffo · 08/05/2019 19:37

I nearly posted this the other day!

It really pisses me off that they are basically doing 3 people in one slot! I tried to sneak having my roots done in the working day and ended up being there for 3 hours! In that time she did someone else's highlights, cut someone's hair and did a blow dry walk in!

And I tried another salon and it was the same arghhhh!

keepingbees · 08/05/2019 19:44

It might not have been all her fault. I've worked in a similar industry and we weren't in charge of who was booked in, the receptionist did the bookings. The owner used to massively over book us (yes down to greed) and try and cut treatment times down to cram more people in.
Also just one client turning up late can knock on all the other appointments. Or if someone has thicker/longer hair than expected or booked in for.
It does sound very excessive in your case though with it being 30 minutes plus over, and I wouldn't be happy with that as a paying customer.

Spicypizza · 08/05/2019 19:45

Maybe their earlier clients were late.
Maybe they can’t afford to be more assertive with piss takers for fear of losing custom- no customers means no income.
Maybe somebody else booked their clients inconsiderately.
Maybe somebody’s hair didn’t take correctly and needed extra time spent correcting it.
Maybe they had a client is having a difficult time and wanted to chat and the hairdresser had trouble moving her along.

Original poster
WillGymForPizza · 08/05/2019 20:06

Maybe they had a client who is having a difficult time and wanted to chat

It's a hairdessers not a counselling service.

OP posts:
Elphame · 08/05/2019 20:06

Actually you're probably following me....

No matter how much I warn the receptionist that I have a lot of hair they invariably book me a "normal" appointment. It can take an hour or more to just put my foils in! A full colour and trim is easily 4 hours +

My current hairdresser though has it sussed. I'f I'm due in I'm the only client she books for the afternoon!

LoafofSellotape · 08/05/2019 20:09

If they're good,they time it all right and no one is left hanging around. This sounds really shit though!