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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Hairdresser cancelled appointment at my appointment time

134 replies

TheAfterthought · 20/07/2024 14:03

I'll try and keep this as concise as possible!

I had an appointment with my hairdresser today. I arrived at the salon and messaged her upon my arrival (Salon is on the first floor building and door is number coded for access). I waited a couple of minutes expecting the door to be open and greeted by my hairdresser. Instead, I receive a text message from her informing me she's unwell and been unwell all week and not in work today and that she's really sorry and will offer me a discount next time if I want to rebook.

Being unwell is one thing and I hope she feels much better soon. That said, texting me AFTER I confirm my arrival for my appointment is what's pissed me off. I arranged my day around this appointment. She says she's been ill all week so I would have thought she knows herself enough to know she had no plans on going into work while still feeling poorly and would have had the courtesy to message me much sooner (without prompting).

She works in a salon with other hairdressers. If she was so ill surely she could have asked one of them to call me and let me know, apologise for the inconvenience and rebook me in at a later date? Or offer to book me in with someone else the same day or later date as no idea how long she will be off sick for? Even as options that would have been appreciated to have been asked. Peter of thise options were offered.

I haven't replied to her message yet because I'm pissed off and I don't want to say anything mean to her because she's unwell. I don't think I can hide a sarcastic tone at the moment.

If this illness was an emergency then I would have understood, emergencies just happen. But she's been ill for a week and not had the thought or if she did, she didn't action the thought to contact me.

I'm unsure whether to give the hairdresser the benefit of the doubt. She's done a good job with my hair cuts previously. I'm a fairly new customer so only been to her twice before but I have been happy with her work. Or, should I find another hairdresser and take my business elsewhere?

I'm geared towards not replying and going elsewhere. Customers shouldn't be treated as an afterthought. It's not a way to run a business. Having worked in customer service for too many years lol 😆 I know how I don't like to be treated and I wouldn't treat a customer that way no matter how long they were a customer for.

I'm interested in outside opinions about this because I'm fed up and long term don't want to act in haste without considering further input.

YABU: Give the hairdresser the benefit of the doubt and rebook the appointment and make use of the discount.
YANBU: Find another hairdresser and take your business elsewhere.

Thanks for reading 😊

OP posts:
DingleDongBellEnd · 20/07/2024 14:49

What a massive princess you are. She is ILL. you have no idea how ill or how incapacitated. Its likely she was unable to let people know ahead of time and can only do this version of informing you, on getting a text herself.

I actually can't believe this even warrants a ranty thread.

Blondiebeachbabe · 20/07/2024 14:51

"Hi Kate. Sorry to hear you're poorly. Just to make you aware, nobody from the salon phoned to let me know that my appointment was cancelled. Consequently, I arranged for paid childcare and drove 30 minutes to the salon, only to find out once I was here, that you weren't in work today. Thought I should let you know, as I presume that you thought the salon were contacting your customers. Hope you feel better soon. Afterthought"

StormingNorman · 20/07/2024 14:52

I would go back. Presumably this was a one off and it often takes a long time to build up a relationship with a hairdresser so they know how to work with your hair and your style.

Wigglytails · 20/07/2024 14:53

TheAfterthought · 20/07/2024 14:03

I'll try and keep this as concise as possible!

I had an appointment with my hairdresser today. I arrived at the salon and messaged her upon my arrival (Salon is on the first floor building and door is number coded for access). I waited a couple of minutes expecting the door to be open and greeted by my hairdresser. Instead, I receive a text message from her informing me she's unwell and been unwell all week and not in work today and that she's really sorry and will offer me a discount next time if I want to rebook.

Being unwell is one thing and I hope she feels much better soon. That said, texting me AFTER I confirm my arrival for my appointment is what's pissed me off. I arranged my day around this appointment. She says she's been ill all week so I would have thought she knows herself enough to know she had no plans on going into work while still feeling poorly and would have had the courtesy to message me much sooner (without prompting).

She works in a salon with other hairdressers. If she was so ill surely she could have asked one of them to call me and let me know, apologise for the inconvenience and rebook me in at a later date? Or offer to book me in with someone else the same day or later date as no idea how long she will be off sick for? Even as options that would have been appreciated to have been asked. Peter of thise options were offered.

I haven't replied to her message yet because I'm pissed off and I don't want to say anything mean to her because she's unwell. I don't think I can hide a sarcastic tone at the moment.

If this illness was an emergency then I would have understood, emergencies just happen. But she's been ill for a week and not had the thought or if she did, she didn't action the thought to contact me.

I'm unsure whether to give the hairdresser the benefit of the doubt. She's done a good job with my hair cuts previously. I'm a fairly new customer so only been to her twice before but I have been happy with her work. Or, should I find another hairdresser and take my business elsewhere?

I'm geared towards not replying and going elsewhere. Customers shouldn't be treated as an afterthought. It's not a way to run a business. Having worked in customer service for too many years lol 😆 I know how I don't like to be treated and I wouldn't treat a customer that way no matter how long they were a customer for.

I'm interested in outside opinions about this because I'm fed up and long term don't want to act in haste without considering further input.

YABU: Give the hairdresser the benefit of the doubt and rebook the appointment and make use of the discount.
YANBU: Find another hairdresser and take your business elsewhere.

Thanks for reading 😊

”sorry to hear you are unwell and I hope it’s a swift recovery for you and nothing serious.
I am however a bit miffed by not being told in plenty of time as I have made arrangements around our appointment today. I hope you understand I need reliable service providers so will have a think on whether I will rebook with you in future.”

Miffylou · 20/07/2024 14:56

I wouldn't be able to resist replying something like "This is really disappointing as I organised my whole day round this appointment. I’m sorry you’re not well but I wish you’d let me know sooner." Whether I’d use her again would depend on her response but I probably wouldn't go back.

Blondiebeachbabe · 20/07/2024 14:56

DingleDongBellEnd · 20/07/2024 14:49

What a massive princess you are. She is ILL. you have no idea how ill or how incapacitated. Its likely she was unable to let people know ahead of time and can only do this version of informing you, on getting a text herself.

I actually can't believe this even warrants a ranty thread.

Don't be ridiculous! I am self employed. I have all my customers in my phone. It take less than a minute to send a text. Whereas Op has probably wasted a lot of time getting to the appointment. Travel time, maybe dropping kids in to relatives to be babysat, parking the car, paying for parking, walking to the salon, etc. Why is Op's time worth less than a few seconds of the hairdressers time?!

PivotPivotmakingmargaritas · 20/07/2024 14:56

DingleDongBellEnd · 20/07/2024 14:49

What a massive princess you are. She is ILL. you have no idea how ill or how incapacitated. Its likely she was unable to let people know ahead of time and can only do this version of informing you, on getting a text herself.

I actually can't believe this even warrants a ranty thread.

Then someone from the salon should have contacted customers in advance or a generic email: text message to clients to let them know would suffice.
Leaving it till the last minute is flaky and rude- I’d be ropable if this was me as I need to organise child care to go to my hairdresser

mumedu · 20/07/2024 14:58

She is discourteous and there is no excuse for this. Let her go and find someone else.

LibertyDuck · 20/07/2024 14:59

A similar thing happened to me once. I've never been back to that hairdresser.

Xmasbaby11 · 20/07/2024 15:00

I'd respond "OK, thanks' and that would be it - I wouldn't contact her again and I'd go elsewhere. I have given a hairdresser a second chance in this kind of situation and they just did it again and other similar unprofessional behaviour.

She's already said what happened - she's been ill all week. She had her chance to let you know and didn't. I don't think it's worth asking why.

dbeuowlxb173939 · 20/07/2024 15:01

Yes I would be annoyed too, my hairdresser cancelled on me the day before my appointment in the past because she was unwell- that was fine I understood. But not letting you know until you arrive at the salon is just unreliable unless it's an emergency which it obviously wasn't

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 20/07/2024 15:02

At the salon I go to, the stylists have their own appointments and don't know about the others'. If you phone up and 'Linda' isn't there, they'll say she's got her laptop at home and to ring her mobile. So maybe the others in the salon couldn't ring you. And yes, maybe she thought she'd have recovered by today. Or maybe she was really, really ill!
I'm making excuses for her. I would try to find out a bit more about the circs.

OnAndOnAndonAgain · 20/07/2024 15:03

If she's been ill all week I'd be thinking that someone ,her, or someone at the salon cancelled her appointments and somehow you were missed

It's annoying but I couldn't get worked up about it if she's good and usually not a let down

Createausername1970 · 20/07/2024 15:06

DingleDongBellEnd · 20/07/2024 14:49

What a massive princess you are. She is ILL. you have no idea how ill or how incapacitated. Its likely she was unable to let people know ahead of time and can only do this version of informing you, on getting a text herself.

I actually can't believe this even warrants a ranty thread.

She had been ill all week. Someone - either her or in the salon - should have taken responsibility for cancelling appointments.

mummyrolling2014 · 20/07/2024 15:07

Ask yourself if you book next time, will you be thinking she may cancel last minute? If yes, then go somewhere else. I know she was ill for a week and yes she may have even thought yesterday she might feel better for today. However, she definately knew about 2/3 hours ago she still wasnt well and it's just crap and unprofessional not to call you first.

Marinel · 20/07/2024 15:09

I'd find another hairdresser. Of course she should have let you know ahead of time.

Brainded · 20/07/2024 15:14

Has she ever done this before @TheAfterthought ? If not then I would treat it as an isolated incident and forget about it. If it happens again…find another hairdresser

Blondeshavemorefun · 20/07/2024 15:15

ThaQuilomum · 20/07/2024 14:07

I'd respond asking why the devil didn't you inform me before now when you've been ill all week. And her response would determine whether I'd be back or not.

This

silentassassin · 20/07/2024 15:15

She's bang out of order- if she's been ill alll week she should have told you earlier.

Go elsewhere- she deserves to lose customers if she's that ridiculous

deeahgwitch · 20/07/2024 15:16

Most odd that the salon didn't try to facilitate you in some way with another one of their stylists.

Nw22 · 20/07/2024 15:19

Don’t go back. I once had a hairdresser who. It my hair really well but every time I had an appointment she would reschedule due to illness or an emergency etc. it’s just not worth it and isn’t a way to run a business. An employee couldn’t behave that way.

Easipeelerie · 20/07/2024 15:19

Even the way you’d have got to the appointment is irritating - puts me in mind of a shady nail, bar, A salon you just walk in to would be way more convenient. She sounds flaky. If you need to cancel because you’re I’ll, you let people know in advance. She was either hung over or double booked or just didn’t fancy it.

ebadame · 20/07/2024 15:21

Aquamarine1029 · 20/07/2024 14:05

It happened, it shouldn't have, but no one died and life goes on. Either except her apology and discount or go somewhere else.

This. It's entirely up to you. You don't need a public vote.

ebadame · 20/07/2024 15:21

deeahgwitch · 20/07/2024 15:16

Most odd that the salon didn't try to facilitate you in some way with another one of their stylists.

No it's not, it's a Saturday

Clearinguptheclutter · 20/07/2024 15:21

That’s shit and unprofessional.
but if she’s good at cutting hair (so many people round here aren’t that good) then I’d grudgingly try again. If she’s just average though I’d go elsewhere