Hairdresser couldn’t cut toddlers hair but charged full price

[Bubblebather89]

I was recommended a hairdresser in my local area to cut my 22 month olds hair. She has a walk in only salon with one of those sit in car chairs for children. She was highly recommend from a mum whose child has ASD and she said she’s great with kids and makes them feel comfortable, is flexible etc etc. Anyway we visited his hairdresser on a number of occasions and all went well. My son sat better than expected so she was able to cut his hair with no issues.

Then last week I took him and it was particularly busy with it being near Christmas. My son decided he didn’t want to sit in the car so we moved to the chair with him on my lap. But he was particularly fussy and crying. After 5 minutes she said she wasn’t able to cut his hair. She had cut some at the back but literally hardly anything, of course I understood and I was fine with her not carrying on and I said no problem we will come back another time. It wasn’t a good time for my son and she had a line of people waiting I completely understood. As I was getting my son into his pram she said that will be £15 please darling, which was the full price of the hair cut normally. I was taken back because I thought she wouldn’t charge me anything as she literally only cut a small amount at the back and the rest of the time was me trying to hold him down as he tried to wriggle away. His hair looked worse than when we came in. Because there was a full salon of people waiting and looking at me I just paid. If I’d known she was going to charge me the full amount I would have expected her to try abit harder to cut his hair and been more patient with him. The whole appointment took around 5 mins so barely any time at all. Should I have paid full price or should she have discounted it/ let me come back and try again?

Ah, well, that's her decision at a busy time of year. Just move on from it now.

Absolutely not the same thing.

the analogy would be - the chef cooked an edible meal but you didn't like it - do you pay?

and I don't get the argument about it being a walk in. There were people waiting. The op had to wait. The hairdresser can still only cut so many people's hair in a day - she took the slot (still a slot at a walk in) and the hairdresser, due to her client not her, was unable to do the service. If the service was unfulfilled due to her sissors falling apart - then she shouldn't be charged - but if the service is unfulfilled due to the customer, then yes her time should be paid for.

i empathise with the op - my youngest hated having his hair cut and it was stressful. But I equally think the hairdresser deserves to be paid.

Well the hairdresser made a decision. 15 quid once, or 5 quid plus 15 quid for all the OP’s return trips. Ultimately a loss in the bigger picture, isn’t it.

Yes I won’t be returning. I think if she had tried harder and given my son more time I wouldn’t have even questioned paying the full amount even if she wasn’t able to cut his hair. She just couldn’t be bothered with him, but I understand she was busy.

I think it’s rude and would not go back. She’s not completed the cut she was paid to do. I gave up on barbers until mine were 2 and above. Used to do ds1 when he was asleep. Thankfully ds2 will sit and let me do it in his highchair.

I find the Turkish barbers the best as you can just walk in. I tend to go early when it’s empty.

Not really, as there was never any guarantee the OP would return even if the haircut was successful.

She was already a returning customer 🤔

You took up an appointment slot. Though if I were her I’d have probably knocked a chunk off the price, but I’m notoriously soft (and will never be rich as a result 😅)
See it like you turning up to work and trying to do your job but being unable to coz someone is stopping you, then your employer docking that hour of your wage. You’d be understandably annoyed.

Being self employed, it’s hard to get people to realise what impact losing an appointments worth of pay has.

That doesn't mean she'd still keep coming back. People move hairdressers all the time for all sorts of reasons.

Children's hairdressers aren't really based on loyalty in the same way adult ones are. It's not the same service.

The OP has indicated she would have returned if it wasn’t for this. So a good business model for hairdressers is to treat everyone like it’s the last time they’ll walk through your door lest they move on to someone else? Not a great business model either is it?

For everyone saying I took up “a slot” I have to disagree. Like I said it was a very short amount of time 5-10 mins MAX. Certainly nowhere near 30 minutes like it may normally take to cut his hair. That’s why I was so bemused because she gave up after so little time and I just assumed (wrongly) that she wouldn’t make me pay the full amount.

Fair enough. If I were her I’d have just charged £5 or something, but people are different.
In her head she saw it as time she could have spent on someone else, clearly.
I’d just chalk it up to one of those things and just don’t take your kids there again.

OP hasn't been treated as though "it's the last time she'll walk through the door" - she's just been treated as a regular paying customer who's expected to pay for a service.

A children's hairdresser operating a walk-in service isn't going to behave in the same way as one that requires advance booking. It's a totally different business and way of doing things.

Loyalty also isn't really a big "thing" with children's hairdressers as all her clients are going to outgrow her services and leave one day anyway.

She’s not just a children’s hairdresser she’s a man’s barber too. Mixture of children and men waiting to have their hair cut.

My husband has also gotten his hair cut with her twice since we were taking our toddler there too. So now she’s also lost him as a client too. But her business, her choice I guess.

It's unfortunate but you had to pay for her time. If I decide not to turn up at my hairdresser, or cancel with less than 48 hours' notice, they are within their rights to take full payment. And they do, and they will.

You still took up a slot, and it isn't her fault your child cried and didn't want to do it. Unfortunate, yes. Unfair, no.

Again, it's not really a business based on loyalty if she just does walk-ins.

And yes, her choice. For every toddler who tantrums and doesn't come back, there'll be one who sits perfectly nicely and stays as a customer until they age out.

Missing the point of the thread but is £15 now the going rate for a toddler hair cut?
(Mine are young adults, I used to pay a fiver back in the day).

But the OP was a returning customer. In the short term. But not anymore.

Of course it’s a different system if you walk in compared to a booking system. That’s why businesses with a booking system usually have a cancellation policy.

Which scenarios do you think warrant full payment? All are of a walk in service, with a toddler.

Scenario one: come the toddler’s turn, he has a massive meltdown and can’t even get into the chair. Parent indicates to leave with child. Full payment?

Scenario two: toddler sits in chair, or on parent’s lap, won’t wear a gown but as soon as a comb is run through has a massive meltdown and parent vacates chair. Full payment?

Scenario three: as above, combed through, but after first snip child has meltdown and parent vacates chair. Full payment?

I find it slightly ridiculous that people think the difference between scenario two and three is worth the full 15 quid.

Both the latter scenarios should require full payment as neither of them are the fault of the hairdresser.

That's not her fault and your dh is a grown man so a bit childish to not go there again if he was happy with her before.

So you think someone who was waiting their turn and decides not to take their turn should pay 15 quid?🤣🤣🤣

Sure you do🙄🤣

I think posters on this thread are grossly overestimating how important their individual custom is to a busy, popular business.

I've edited my post as I misread it.

So you book that time. She uses that time trying to cut your kid's hair. She can't, because of the kid. And you think she should pay for the time?

I think service providers failing to appreciate the importance of a bit of occasional goodwill is how businesses go from busy and popular to quiet and struggling.