Is this rude of hairdresser?

[LovelyCoconuts]

Hello

Hairdresser works alone in a salon. No receptionist.

During a 30min haircut she will stop to answer the salon phone 2-3 times. She clearly tries to keep the calls short and book in the client for their appt or whatever quickly.

I guess prices would go up if she had a receptionist but I compare it to say a beauty salon nearby - they just let the answering machine get the call if they're with a client.

YABU - this is a normal way to run a busy salon
YANBU - hairdresser should not take calls whilst with a client

It's normal if they are the only person there. Even in the salon I go to, the hairdresser sometimes answers the phone mid appointment when other staff are busy.

I'm guessing you're not a sole trader OP? People will go elsewhere if they can't speak to someone when they need to, it's tough out there!

Same here, they have no receptionist as such, who ever is in a position to answer the phone does so. I am surprised this person makes enough to cover overheads if she is the only one in the salon?

I assume you don’t mind that she answers the phone to you (presumably when she’s with another client!) when you want to book an appointment?

Yabu. She needs to answer the phone. They’re short calls where she’s taking appointments. Imagine the business she’d lose if she couldn't answer the phone during a long treatment

You’re choosing to go to someone who works alone so you need to be understanding.

If you don’t like it, change salons.

No. Not rude. It's just life.

If a customer is trying to get an appointment, they will go on Google, find a list of hairdressers, and ring them until they get one. They're not going to fart around waiting for someone to finish someone's hair and call them back. They're going to take the appointment they can get and then get on with their own busy life.

Hairdressers know this. They know an unanswered phone is a lost customer. Plumbers, builders, electricians, childminders etc etc all know this too. There's always the competition that can/will answer the phone. People need to earn. It's a tough world.

That's the reality of running a business as a sold trader.

So I would say either pay more and go somewhere with a receptionist, or pay less and accept what you are paying for.

Funnily enough I always phone out of hours so I can leave a message on the answering machine and she can phone me back when she's free. And actually, it would be ideal if she had one of those apps for making appointments.

YANBU but for some reason multi tasking to the detriment of customers has become the norm. I often have to have dye on my head way longer than necessary etc while others are being attended to in order I suppose, to squeeze as many in as possible and it frustrates me since I'm a regular and pay almost £200 each time. You'd think they would show some courtesy but things have changed.

Imagine she doesn’t love the situation either, but needs must when the devil drives 🤷🏼‍♀️
I don’t think it’s rude, just a reflection of modern times and how hard it is for small business owners in an ‘always-on’ society.

People will often just go elsewhere if they can’t get what they want straightaway.

I do agree with you that app / online booking is the way forward though. So, so much easier.

What's interesting is that the main demographic of the salon is naice elderly local ladies so a) repeat customers who wouldn't just go elsewhere if their call wasn't answered and b) more likely to be fussy on manners.

I have no complaints about my actual haircut and the salon is very convenient for me so not minded to go elsewhere but wanted to garner opinions.

Her client base of elderly ladies is very probably why she doesn’t have an online appointment managing system and why she answers the phone when it rings: that’s the way she’s been doing it for years and what her clients are accustomed to rather than using an app or speaking to a voicemail.

My hairdresser always answers the phone during appointments, as she also doesn’t have a receptionist. She’s operating a business as best she can whilst keeping overheads and therefore prices lower - so I’m perfectly happy with it.

Of course its not rude its her lifeline to furhur work.

It's totally fine. If she employed a receptionist obviously she'd have to charge you more, and many people simply don't like answer machines.

It's fine if she says "excuse me" and deals with calls quickly.

Her client base of elderly ladies is very probably why she doesn’t have an online appointment managing system and why she answers the phone when it rings: that’s the way she’s been doing it for years and what her clients are accustomed to rather than using an app or speaking to a voicemail.

Precisely this. If she wants to expand or attract a younger clientele, she’ll have to think again - but at the moment, she can’t afford to even hire a junior to sweep up hair and answer the phone.

I do a bit of work for a small business and I looked into finding them a loyalty app. I knew a bespoke one would be well out of budget, but even an off the shelf option was unrealistic.

Why do you use this hairdresser, OP? Is she particularly good? Particularly cheap? Particularly local? Or a combination? Presumably whatever the reason is, she’s appealed enough for you to use her more than once, or you wouldn’t have noticed the phone issue. All you have to decide is if the benefits outweigh the drawbacks of twiddling your thumbs for a couple of minutes while she takes another booking.

It’s not the same but I got the hump when my physio told me to jump on the bed and then went off to answer the phone , eating into my 30 minute appointment that had cost me £55! So much so I cancelled any further visits . But the hairdresser I wouldn’t mind as you’re paying for a service , not a set amount of time

My hairdresser does this and I don’t care. She always apologises but I tell her not to worry about it

I see a beautician and an osteopath who manage their own reception. Both mostly deal with apppintments by text, and let any calls go to answerphone if they're with a client.

@MilkyLeonard the location is v convenient, the cut is fine and the price is reasonable. Need to book quite far in advance so she's obviously not struggling for business!

YANBU - I don’t want to be in the hairdressers a minute more than I have to be.

Mine stops to answer phone, nip to the loo, drink, chat to people.....but she is cheaper than anywhere else locally and nice so I don't care.

Yes I wouldn’t worry about it if she’s the only one there there’s no alternative.

A hairdresser I us to go to took face calls from her young nieces and chatted to them whilst she was doing clients hair. She also used to massively overbook so a simple cut and blow dry took hours because she was trying to do too many clients at a time. Her salon on a council estate and also seemed to be the meeting place for the unemployed off the estate .

My hairdresser does this and I don’t care. She always apologises but I tell her not to worry about it

Same