Hairdresser cancelled appointment at my appointment time

[TheAfterthought]

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 😊

Has she been unreliable before? I had a stomach upset this week, spent the week in bed, not eating and I was so ill with such a minor thing that I forgot to put out my recycling and almost missed my credit card payment. If she's always flakey then fair enough but if its a one off and she's a good hairdresser I'd cut her some slack.

If she is normally reliable I would give her some slack, accept the apology/discount. If it is a regular occurrence go elsewhere.

It is annoying but try to refrain from texting her back complaining while she is still ill - especially if you don't know for sure why she is off.

I would take the discount - make her face the awkwardness and work for a lesser rate - and then go elsewhere from then on. But I’m petty.

Since it is your 3rd visit to her I would break up with her and find a new hairdresser. You don't know if this is a one-off or a pattern.

If this was a years long hairdresser and was a one-off, I would forgive and stick with her.

As someone stated. Ask about their cancellation policy if you didn't tell them etc.
Maybe not a discount but a free apt next time if she wants to keep you.

I'd make another appt, cancel at the last second and go elsewhere.

Go elsewhere. I had my hairdresser cancel on me and my bridesmaid the day of my wedding (via email!) because of bad weather. It had been snowing but all roads were clear. She ignored me when I asked for my deposit back. Never been back to her since.

I wouldn't bother responding and go somewhere else next time, that's bad form

Hope the OP didn't have an 'occasion; to go to...

Yes, this is really annoying. You can’t help illness but you should give customers as much notice as possible and if they’d been ill all week, they could have given you more notice. I’d take the discounted appointment and then look for somewhere more reliable.

It's difficult

If they can't see who's at the door I don't blame them for the method they use.

That’s just spiteful.

Agree, it was unprofessional for her to not let you know. However, I would accept the discount, keep that appointment and see if she acknowledges her error. The amount of sincerity in her apology would determine if I would continue to return.

I would reply ‘Hi poorly hairdresser. Whilst I hope you get well soon, I’m disappointed that you or a colleague failed to let me know that you’ve been off sick for a week. Being told as I’m stood at the door was frustrating as I’ve organised my whole day around the appointment.’ Her response will be indicative of her customer service.

Why bother

To tell her I’m pissed off and it’s shit customer service

You know what. She made a bad customer service decision. But she’s ill- stands to reason that she’s not doing anything very well at the moment.

Check her social media to see if she’s actually in Ibiza.

"I'm geared towards not replying and going elsewhere."
That's probably what I'd do too, for all the reasons you've already given.

There have been other similar stories on MN where the OP discovered the hairdresser wasn't sick at all but on vacation. As others have said either accept it or don't. People mess up. Sometimes royally. But some people are great BS-ers too. I had an appointment booked more than a month in advance for an important date. The hairdresser/colourist rescheduled it because she decided to go on vacation. I dealt with it. But she scheduled it to the day I was having my hair cut by another lady. The first lady ran a bit over. But I was struggling (and unbeknownst to me I had sepsis and being determined...just kept barrelling along because early that morning the GP said I was fine!!!!) Anyway, when I got to the colourist about 15 minutes late she said she no longer had time to do a full head because of her other bookings. I didn't argue. The colour was shit. She'd always done a good job but it was awful. Two days later I was recovering from septic shock with a blonde that didn't match my skin tone ... I never went back to her but guess what I... I found other awesome hairdressers/colourists at the salon and went to them instead. It did take some time to get that awful blonde out.

I'd reply to ask why she didn't let me know in advance.

I think I'd have to reply. It's not on to have let you get as far as the appointment and then cancel after you've tried to check in! This wasn't a last minute emergency - she's known all week and just didn't bother. That's really rude.
She'd get a message and a bad review on her site.

It certainly isn't spiteful. It's giving her her just desserts.

Thanks everyone for your replies I appreciate your input.
I've been dithering about what to do all day and it's good to get other perspectives on it. I k ow in the big scheme of things it's quite a trivial issue, all the same, it's been bloody annoying.

I haven't responded to the hairdresser's text message because I have nothing positive to say at this point. She can keep her discount too. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable with her cutting my hair if she can't even be bothered to communicate with me in a timely manner. She wasted my time today and I'm not giving her the opportunity to do it again or hope she won't do it again. I like to enjoy my hair cut so I shall have a shop around. I'd rather pay for someone who wants my business and not mess me about at the last minute because they can't get their shit together.

I have a job interview this Monday too so I had a plan for a fresh hair do before the interview which is why I'm even more pissed off. Never mind. I'm finding the hairdresser (figuratively speaking) and looking for another one local to me.

Yes, she has done a good job with my hair, I acknowledge that. Surely I can pay for both a good hairdresser and one who turns up and communicates in a timely manner when things happen in life and plans need to be changed.

Your replies have helped me come to a decision today and to look at the whole picture and I really appreciate each of you answering my post, you're a big help.

A problem shared and all that 😊🤗

I don't believe she's been ill all week for a minute. She only texted AFTER you turned up for your appt.

If she was genuine, she'd have worked through all her appts. with a cancellation message first thing in the morning. After all by day 3, you'd just Copy & Paste your basic message, would you? It wouldn't take very long to do that.

I'd bet good money that she's either double booked you or fancies the afternoon off.

Find someone less flaky.