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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the 'art director' of this well known chain of hairdressers is a twunt?

177 replies

Restrainedrabbit · 05/11/2009 19:17

we are very low on funds at the moment - job finished next week so no money for luxuries at the moment. So when I saw a notice in the window of this hairdressers saying guinea pigs wanted for training stylists to practice cuts/colours/highlights on I thought I'd go in and volunteer. Woman on reception says 'ooh yes you have long hair you would be perfect, are you willing to be adventurous?" I reply that yes I would and prior to small people making an appearance I was quite with it as it were . She trots of to get the self appointed fart director who comes down stairs looks me up and down and says am I aware that this salon is at the cutting edge of fashion and styling and maybe I should try elsewhere Am I unreasonable to feel a bit embarrassed and humilitated and wanting to shove a pair of 'cutting edge' scissors sideways??

What is worse is that this chain have cut and coloured my hair for nearly 12 years now, they've just lost my custom

OP posts:
deste · 07/11/2009 20:20

Hi ImSoNotTelling. Thankyou "waves back"

BionicEar · 07/11/2009 20:56

A few years ago I had Toni and Guy do my hair for my wedding and I got a fab hairdresser and it look fantastic.

Yet on the other hand my sister recently went (to a different Toni & Guy where she lives) for a wedding trial. She has the most gorgeous curly hair, said she wanted curly hair for wedding but done more fancy, they washed it, straightened it , several people faffed with it, and she came out with flat straight hairdo after 2 hours, and they said "Oh curly hair very difficult to style. Maybe you could do your hair at home and we'll put in you tierra for you?" Needless to say my sister doesn't plan to follow their advice, and is on the hunt for a better hairdresser!

ImSoNotTelling · 07/11/2009 21:36

bionicear I have heard that the thing your sis should do is look for a stylist with similar/curly hair, as they will understand it better.

HTH

Slovenlymummy · 07/11/2009 21:40

I've used Toni & Guy a few times and not particularly enjoyed the experience but the incident that sent me running was when the stylist was doing some sort of cocktail barman type spinning and catching thing with the scissors and DROPPED them on my HEAD !!! I didn't complain or anything as it didn't draw blood but its a bit bloody incompetant isn't it?!

choosyfloosy · 07/11/2009 21:55

slovenlymummy

This thread is great. It just shows what a nightmare a franchise can be when it's successful - they just lose control of the execution. I found Toni and Guy in Winchester really good, it was one of the few things in Winchester that didn't make me want to leave immediately.

Toni and Guy in Oxford, however, mucked up my wedding hair appointment which I had been looking forward to for weeks, and made me feel it was my fault. It took me approximately 0.1 seconds to get over this and decide to do my own hair - I have never set foot in a Toni and Guy again, used the local college for a couple of years who were excellent if I had 3 hours to spare, and haven't had my hair cut at all for 2 years except for ds playing at hairdressers - I let him cut big chunks out of it and tbh it looks about the same as most haircuts I have paid ££ in the past for.

PercyPigPie · 07/11/2009 22:09

'So what are you trying to say? I am entitled to an opinion and I gave it' - er, yes, you are entitled to an opinion and I'm just saying that out of about 147 posts, only two were supportive of Toni & Guy.

PercyPigPie · 07/11/2009 22:10

I'msonot - I know she is real, I searched. I'm just amused that there are only 2 messages of support for Toni & Guy on a very long thread.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 07/11/2009 22:22

I was in Tony and Guy once and a very well dressed woman came in and tried to make an appt. The woman kep saying she could come in o nthis day or that day and the receptionsit kept looking at her computer and sayingthey were fully booked. After about 20 dayes being turned down the woman gave up and left. The receptionist and a stylist fell about laughing and said they couldn't believe "someone that old" (she was early 40s) could come to Tony and Guy.

I have not been back. That was 10 years ago, obviously no better now.

PercyPigPie · 07/11/2009 23:25

Stripeyknickers.

Wouldn't it be great if this thread reached the Daily Mail.

PercyPigPie · 07/11/2009 23:37

Seems we are not alone - just google 'Toni and Guy complaints'

or look at this

and this

and this

and this

this

and another

#marker #6

there are lots more, but I don't have time to cut and paste.

ImSoNotTelling · 08/11/2009 17:35

mudandmayhem fair enough

stripeyknickers that is one of the worst things I have ever heard re customer service. I am just . That they had a policy of not giving appointments to people who they deemed not good enough. AND that they would openly discuss this in front of customers. AND that they were laughing about it. Horrifying.

That's it I think I am going to start dropping how awful they are into conversations with people I meet.

haveemailedtoniandguy · 08/11/2009 20:07

Be interesting to hear what they write back to restrainedrabbit on monday - I hope the Daily Mail DO pick up on this, it's exactly the kind of thing people DO want to know about!

I for one won't be going there again I don't think. I have always found them a bit snotty actually but these repeated examples of bad treatment of customers is appalling and stinks of a culture within the company that just isn't acceptable and shouldn't be tolerated.

Original poster
Restrainedrabbit · 09/11/2009 09:44

Not heard anything yet, will keep you posted

OP posts:
Original poster
Restrainedrabbit · 09/11/2009 18:54

I have had an email from Toni and Guy, they would like me to phone them so they can 'personally apologise and restore my confidence in the T&G ***salon' - email was sent from the deputy the to the CEO

OP posts:
ThatVikRinA22 · 09/11/2009 19:25

i should bloody well cocoa....

i go to the Mark Hill salon, just outside of Hull, hes often in there himself, cutting little old biddies hair. its in a village setting so he gets a really good mix of people, from young trendies, to me (late 30's, nothing too daring!) and the blue rinse brigade too. its a really nice salon. id recommend. not too pricey either.

tell the CEO to book you an appt with mark hill! lol

Original poster
Restrainedrabbit · 09/11/2009 19:36

LOL! We have a salon locally that won a hairdresser of the year award this year for the region, I'd quite like to go there I think I am curious to hear what they will say, will report back in the morning - plan to call first thing.

Thank you all for your messages of support and tales of appalling service.

OP posts:
dittany · 09/11/2009 19:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Restrainedrabbit · 10/11/2009 09:24

Well I have spoken the the CEOs deputy and she was very nice and apologised. I have been offered a free haircut, will post a picture once done

All power to Mumsnet! Thanks ladies

OP posts:
thederkinsdame · 10/11/2009 22:26

Well done. But please promise us you are not entrusting your hair to the Art Director' who made the crass comment...?!

AllarmBells · 10/11/2009 22:36

So glad I found this! Loads of people hate Toni and Guy.
I used to go to a London one near work and they were incapable of cutting me a straight fringe. Every single person who tried to do it (and of course it was a different one every time I went in) tried to cut a zigzag edge into it (or whatever it's called). I had to watch which way they held the scissors and then shout "No!" Eventually when one of them cut my fringe worse than I could do it myself, I gave up.
According to my hairdresser (independent salon) they are taught three haircuts or so each "season" and those are the only options available. Hence the "we are only doing zigzag fringes this season" attitude.
Glad you kicked their butt Rabbit

Original poster
Restrainedrabbit · 11/11/2009 19:20

No I insisted that someone else does it

Interesting about the three styles only comment...

OP posts:
InterruptingKid · 11/11/2009 19:21

my mum used to work at the CAB and had a lot of trainees who were promised training in LONDON ONLY TO FIND OUT (oops) they had to pay a peak rate train fare every day

the JUniors training lasts for about 6 weeks til they are let loose!

Original poster
Restrainedrabbit · 14/11/2009 20:02

Ok so I spent the afternoon in the hairdressers being treated like a queen (!), staff were VERY attentive and the hairdresser who cut my hair was lovely. I am very pleased with the result (picture on profile!), have been offered a colour as well so will go back for that next week.

Interesting to see the range of people in there - including several women of more senior years

OP posts:
wolfear · 14/11/2009 20:18

Tony & Guy suck. I've had my haircut there once (£45 for a shitty trim) and when it came time to pay, my lowly stylist stood by while the up-his-own-arse manager appeared to take my money while staring up at a television and not even acknowledging me. I vowed never to go back.

infin · 14/11/2009 20:26

I think (not absolutely sure) that Toni and Guy salons are franchises. So it really depends on who's in charge (the 'Art director'!!) as to the atmoshere and clientele.

I would follow my hairdresser ( a T and G Art director, incidentally!!) to the ends of the earth. He is the most gentle, delightful man I have ever met and he sorts my recalcitrant hair out in a way the no other hairdresser has ever been able to do in 40 odd years. I shall tell him this story...he will be mortified I know!