Late to nails appointment

[Cherry346]

• Had a nails appt today with my usual manicurist (of around 4 years). I was running very slightly late (a few minutes) as I'd been held up at my child's nativity. I messaged and said "really sorry I'm going to be slightly late, on my way now" (husband dropping me off). Manicurist replied saying "if you're more than 5 mins late you can't have your appointment". I replied and said I'm just round the corner but I understand if you need to cut the appt short so you're not late for the next client. I ran in, 5-6 mins late, profusely apologised, but all the staff were giving me daggers. Manicurist then lectured me about how busy she is and how she couldn't get behind. I again apologised and said I totally understand and that she could cut the appt short if my allotted time (1hr 15) expired and I'd just accept however far she'd got with my nails (to be honest it usually only takes an hour anyway). I spent the next hour getting the full on silent treatment and monosyllabic answers every time I asked about Xmas plans etc (we usually have a good chat and catch up). She also spent time during my appt sending personal WhatsApps and voice notes, as if trying to make some kind of point. I left feeling really awful and actually quite badly treated. I've never previously been late to an appt and have given the manicurist free professional advice in the past relating to issues she was having with the salon. I don't expect special treatment but surely this was an overreaction? To be clear, I fully understand that people arriving late to appts can be very frustrating for businesses but we were talking a matter of minutes and I'd said I would be happy for the appt to be cut short if the time ran out. I don't feel like I want to return but also feel I need to explain why I'm going to go elsewhere given I'm a longstanding client (average spend £80pm). AIBU?

Bloody hell!
Go somewhere else, and you don’t owe ANY explanation!
How rude!

It sort of feels she doesn't value your business if she couldn't make the effort, even if she was pissed off with you for being late. Because obviously you're not going to go back to her. Maybe she's very busy and can afford to lose a longstanding client. I do think saying it can finish early is a bit odd though, nails are either done or not. She would have been forced to finish them either way, which is annoying to be fair.

Complete over reaction. Yes, promptness is important - but if they are unable to cope with 5 minutes without giving a long term customer a bad vibe then they are sabotaging their own business.

Oh that’s a bit much - totally appreciate that it’s hard when people are very late - but if you messaged first, 5 minutes late and you’re never normally late - you’d hope for a bit more understanding! If people are consistently late or not turning up it’s a totally different ball game.

If she decided to continue the appointment it’s a bit rude to then spend it on WhatsApp, no need to make a point if they’ve already said something.

Obviously being late is annoying, but it doesn’t affect her really if you’re happy to stick to the allotted end time for the appointment.

It’s fair enough (but a little eye roll worthy) to say something when you arrived, but the cold shoulder and sulking was unnecessary. And to answer personal messages etc when she’s just given you a lecture about how precious her time is- she’s a dick.

I wouldn’t go back, and I wouldn’t feel the need to give an explanation. She either has the sense to work out for herself why you’ve not come back, or she won’t be receptive to it so why bother explaining it to her.

I’d be considering looking for someone new that’s really poor. It works both ways, is she always bang on time for u. I know myself I’m often left waiting for 10-15mins at hair dressers. I wouldn’t be telling her anything just go somewhere else.

Go elsewhere. You apologised and agreed to finish on time. Does she want blood?

I was prepared to say YABU but her reaction sounds extreme. I would find a new salon.

Don't go back again OP. How often have they kept you waiting before and expected you to just suck it up? Ridiculous behaviour from them for 5 minutes and you kept them informed! IF it was 15 minutes late or more, they might have had a point, but not for this.

Maybe she was snippy with you to begin with because she was having a bad day. Not because of you being late. Beauty techs are in extra demand at this time of year. She also sounds like she’s got some shit going on with all the messaging and voice notes. Vote with your feet but it’s not about you.

Whilst running late isn’t great, which you did acknowledge, if you’re a regular customer of 4 years, they must know you’re not usually late. I’m sure you’ve had to wait more than this time for them to finish previous client. I would find another salon and would let them know how uncomfortable they made you feel at your appointment so will not be returning. Things happen, people get held up, you apologised, could understand a short appointment.

So she couldn’t have done all these important admin in that 5 minutes when you were late she wanted to show you how busy and important she was. Well, well, well.
I wouldn’t come back, she was rude from the first reply.

Then why even comment?
Just to be rude AF to someone?!

I’d be telling her about herself

I am a nail tech, and while clients running late can be frustrating, it works both ways. How would she feel if she was running late and you acted like that? She probably wouldn’t have you in her salon again. I would go elsewhere—there was absolutely no need for her to act that way.

She doesn’t value you as a client.

What’s going on with these nail places? Last week it was one banning a client and sending threatening e mails because they cancelled the next appointment with weeks of notice.

Maybe it’s the same place!

gosh I bet you're fun at parties

It’s the Christmas period she’s run off her feet. You were late the 5 mins and had your appointment. Next time manage your time better.

I would love to hear her version of these events.

That was my other thought - they're rarely ready for me bang on my appt time, though I wouldn't use that as an excuse to be habitually late. Just bizarre behaviour really and I think everyone's right they can't be keen to keep me as a client for whatever reason!

Yep. That sounds rude. Many posts on here about how customers can be very rude, but I have experienced plenty of rude/unbothered service givers. I had a similar experience with a hairdresser recently.
You just sit there uncomfortably and endure, waiting for them to finish and then you have to pay… Don't go back. No need to explain as either they are not bothered or they will change your story.

YABU. If you have an appointment, be on time. If you’re late it pushes the whole day back.

As a professional business owner it shouldn’t matter if she’s having a shitty day, you don’t take that out on the paying customer -esp a long term one. If she couldn’t leave her personal life outside work, or control her emotions in work, and then is shitty to customers then she’s only got herself to blame when that customer doesn’t come back.
Also, it’s a bit of a reach saying she’s clearly dealing with some stuff because she was sending voice notes and WhatsApp’s! I’m sure op would have heard the voice notes, or even just the tone, so would’ve said so, but it clearly looks like she was doing it to be rude and doesn’t value her customers. Anyway, again, even if she was dealing with stuff, she should be able to leave it behind, or deal with it away from customers, and certainly not during the time the client is paying for. She was rude and unprofessional.

OP, you don’t owe her anything. As others have said I’m sure there’s been times you’ve been kept waiting past your appointment start time, most of us have in some situation or other. And really, she just sounds like the type of person to not even care if you did tell her.

ETA it was about op, because she was the one it was aimed at, regardless of whether it’s about “her or you”. Makes no difference because op was the one who experienced really shitty, unprofessional behaviour, she made it about OP, because she’s unprofessional.

The OP obviously cares. Rude of you to react thisway. If you dont have anything empathetic or constructive to add, then scroll on. No need to be so bloody rude.