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?

It is unacceptable and you were only very slightly in the wrong imo (for being slightly late but we’re all human, bar some of the superhuman PP apparently).

if this was me and my normal nail tech she’d be fine, we’d assess time once I’d had my builder gel put on and any fancy design may go out the window for plain (probably at my insistence).

I'd be livid if my nail tech treat me like yours did at my appt, it’s an expensive thing to get done regularly and a nice little treat. Not something I would want ruined with a teenager like sulk.

My hairdresser was 20 mins late for my appt today (been a day of pampering!) but apologised and it really wasn't an issue. Appreciate its different when you're the one with the clients backing up, but still.

Thank you, completely agree! I'm quite a sensitive person and the sulking really impacted me - a supposed relaxing hour became quite a stressful one!

Tell them you could go elsewhere to have your money laundered

That is very rude of her, I would not go back to her. Small delay and you are a long term customer...stuff that!

Many times I've gone to appts and they are running late, it happens a lot. Once I had to wait half an hour but didn't flounce off as things don't always go smooth.

Don't pay in advance I don't anymore.

She was looking to cancel and keep your money. Don't return you don't need the silent treatment as a paying customer.

While I’m always of the mind that there’s 3 sides to every story, from your version on events it’s clear the relationship has broken down.

i think you’d forever be on edge at future appointments. I’d look for somewhere else

She sounds unhinged. I’d be tempted to leave an online review to warn others about her attitude. There are plenty of more professional places to get your nails done.

No-one is going to succeed as much in business as they can if the response to customer lateness is as described. Much as far too many people are late when it can easily be avoided.

Hey op agree with others don’t go back don’t explain she will know your reason why you no longer go there. She wanted the free £40 she will have called you names to others in the salon instead of just being a grown up and accepting your apology I know different nail techs most of them would likely to say aww no problem the nativity is important. Fuck her off.

Bin her and tell her why - I went every two weeks to a nail bar for several years by appointment . One day I was waiting for more than 30 minutes and politely inquired if it would be much longer as I had an appointment. The manager was so rude Icwalked out and never returned. I posted on line about their attitude including the fact that I had spent more than £6k there

You should have said right there and then "Don't worry - I'll go somewhere else today"

Yes I agree. I couldn't bear the awkwardness and nails appts are supposed to be relaxing!

I would have - but id already paid in advance on treatwell (about £40 ) 😩

What a horrible bully of a woman.

Don’t go back, and don’t waste your breath, let her workout why she’s lost a good client.

Oh sweet lord she was so rude. If you do it often then i would understand however it was a once off and you communicated it clearly
I was late for my hair appointment yesterday - what normally takes 1.5 hours to get to it , it took me 2.5 hours yesterday, nothing only traffic. i was 15 mins late and i rang to let them know. I have been going to the hairdresser for nearly 20 years. She was grand about it and said will see how it goes. We chatted all the way through, then by time it was to blow dry she apologised and said that one of the trainee would have to blowdry it and she be back when it was done. I said no issues and trainee did a good job, she was back did a bit more dry cutting and finsihed me off. Not one bit rude at all, these things happen. She got flowers at the end for xmas and wished me all the best. Thats how you do it

I was going to say you were being unreasonable to be late but her behaviour was unacceptable. Sending voice notes and WhatsApp in front of a paying customer during their treatment time is awful. Unless there was an emergency situation then it should not have happened.

We have your side of the story and back story elements like your daughters nativity isn’t relevant as she wouldn’t. know that.

You are both wrong but you caused the issue. Your time isn’t more important than hers and late is late. Her reaction was too much but this is following you being late.

I think she’s addressed that, no? She apologised, offered another option too? Or were you talking about the nail tech and all of the previous times where she’s been late? That would be reasonable.

I always bust a gut to get to my nail appointments on time (and I do) but I’m ALWAYS kept waiting because they over run for whatever reason. I’ve never heard one customer ever complain about them running late. It’s like one rule for them and a different one for us!

I wouldn’t go back. Find another salon. You don’t owe her anything.

I would like to know how all the people blaming OP for being late are as stringent in their own daily life.

Perpetual and extreme lateness is annoying but we are talking a one-off incident of about 5 minutes. Given OP has said the app never takes as long as it's booked for AND the tech is almost always a bit delayed in starting herself it's really not a black/white you were wrong scenario.

Who would you blame if OP had been late because of a terrorist incident or a car crash she was stuck in or stopping to help someone who was having a stroke? Some times lateness is completely out of someone's control and a blanket 'well it was your fault' isn't relevant.

Has she any form for passive aggressiveness or rudeness before? Not doubting you or excusing her, but it feels like in her mind you were more like 15 mins late. Crossed wires somewhere?

Not unreasonable. In fact you sound very reasonable. You didn’t go in demanding special treatment. It can be annoying when people are late, but life happens and you did message. Sometimes you can’t do any more. I’d go somewhere else. There will be plenty of others who would appreciate your business 😊

I would go somewhere new and let her know how uncomfortable you were made to feel.
Appointments should be made with a give or take if 5 or 10 mins anyway .
So she has acted unreasonably making you feel this way after apologising amd being a good client.
If she was busy & stressed she should learn how to act professionally.
Take your money elsewhere x

I think most salons give a five minute grace. If you were genuinely less that ten minutes late and said you’d accept that your appointment would be cut short then the way they treated you was unacceptable. I’d go elsewhere in future.