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 😊

I would be suspicious she's on a last minute holiday otherwise the other stylists would have been sorting out her diary if she's been off sick all week.

Definitely time to move on to a new salon.

Does she have your phone number? Before you messaged to say you were at the salon?

I’d give her the benefit of the doubt. If it happens again then obviously there’s a problem.

Who knows what’s happening in her life.

This. No one on here can tell you what to do because none of us know how much you value your hairdresser. You decide.

I would walk across hot coals for mine, but I've had plenty more before her who I'd happily change at the slightest chance.

Added to which, I know when I've been ill it doesn't half affect how you view things, so I'd understand why letting all her clients know may not have been her first thought / why some may have slipped through the net. Being kind, I'd like to think the salon had a process in place to inform you, and that it may have not been 100% efficient.

Bizarrely, I had something very similar happen to me yesterday! I had booked for a cut at a local salon for the first time, and when I turned up for my appointment, was told that the stylist was off sick and they had been "trying to get hold of (me) all morning". I replied that I didn't have any texts or missed calls, and the guy breezily replies "No, we didn't have your number..." 🙄

I rebooked for earlier today and they did a good job, but I have made sure they have my number now!

In your shoes I would probably take the discounted appointment on this occasion, but make a point of saying "I just wanted to check that you have my contact details in case you need to cancel again, as I don't want to have another wasted journey." How they react to that should tell you whether they value your time or just theirs.

Whatever you choose to do, I hope your hair looks fabulous!

I just wouldn't bother contacting her again and fi d a different salon. However I've ever understood the loyalty some people seem to have with their hairdresser - there are enough others to choose from!

I’ve reread your post.

she’s offered you discount off your next appointment. I don’t think she’s pulling a fast one.

she won’t get paid for today, then is willing to take a pay cut for next time, plus will have her rent to pay today while not working.

She’s genuine. You really don’t know what is happening in her life today.

I guess you've never had one who really puts you at your ease and just knows how to do what you are needing. That's the bond. I am fiercely loyal to anyone once I get the service - car garage, accountant, hairdresser, even the double glazing company.

This! Whatever her cancellation policy is should work both ways.

I don't believe her, she's lying.

She's double booked you or taken a day off and forgotten to rearrange.

If she was really sick, she or the salon would have let you know before now.

Bin her, find another hairdresser.

I wouldn't bother. The response would only be waffle.

I don't think there's anything to be gained from any kind of response. I'd just ghost.

Something seems off. It's not rocket science to communicate these days. I hope she's feeling better soon. I'm not going to be her customer anymore.

I wonder if she bothered to cancel her other appointments today before they rocked up to the salon? 🤔

You didn’t go back to your hairdresser because she had an EMERGENCY?

OP, give her the benefit of the doubt and take this up with the salon/receptionists - they are the ones that should have let you know in plenty of time that your hairdresser was unwell. It is unprofessional that they are cancelling appointments via text, last min etc. I think you should go back to her if you feel she cuts your hair well and you like her. This happening once does not make her flakey.

That's exactly what I've done...nothing! There's nothing positive to come out of replying to her text. If that's the way she wishes to run her professional life then good luck to her. But her standards aren't mine when it comes to basic communication. All she needed to do was contact me before my appointment and she couldn6br arsed. It says all I need to know.

This! 😊

Shes double booked.

If you want to see her again ask for a discount

Based on what someone up thread posted "I don't believe she's been ill all week for a minute. She only texted AFTER you turned up for your appt." I am thinking that she must have received an alert on her phone (or the salon did) about your arrival and she thought "Oh shit! I forgot I had @TheAfterthought for an appointment today" so sent you a message about her being ill.

Do you know her name? Could you do a bit of sleuthing on the internet to see if she has posted photos on social media in the past week.

Depending on whether you discover photos or not of her being out and about socially over the past week and then deciding to send you that message, I'd go back to the salon and speak with the manager - surely a salon doesn't want to be associated with someone who is flaky and unreliable??

Yeah, exactly. Others are saying let her know she's giving bad service, but you don't owe her that. She chooses her actions, and so do you. If she carries on doing this she'll lose customers but it's not your responsibility to point that out (and you wouldn't be thanked anyway!) Bad businesses go bust, it's what happens and what should happen.

Some hairdressers rent a chair in a salon. They're self-employed and hiring a space. Don't know if that's the case with your hairdresser OP, but for those saying 'why didn't someone from the salon get in touch to let you know the hairdresser wasn't available, or book you in with somebody else?', annoying as it is, if there's not a salon receptionist, or somebody co-ordinating appointments, the only person to let you know is your personal hairdresser.

I wonder if she bothered to cancel her other appointments today before they rocked up to the salon? 🤔

Why? It won't change your situation.

Clearly your hairdresser is easily replaced & that's what you've said you're going to do, so don't give it any more head room.

I'd be annoyed. But if I liked the way she did my hair I would go back to her. But if I wasn't that bothered I wouldn't. In other words do what suits you. The way she dealt with this was totally scatty.

Yes and sometimes they work together.

I'd find someone else. There is no excuse for not letting you know if she'd been off all week.

Maybe take the discount then go elsewhere after that if you still feel annoyed

Not going to lie, I'd be furious about this. Illness is one thing, the disrespect is something else.
Find a new one, block and move on. She would.

Last time my regular hairdresser let me down, on the day , just before Christmas, I went somewhere else and never went back.