Boss from hell! - Can I liberate my clients?

Hi everyone I'm new to salon geek and in desparate need of advice. I work in a busy salon which has seen a lot of stylists leave due to employer and management "issues" which has left us with only 2 hairstylists!!!

The past couple of months have been tough on us both but we have worked hard to retain as many clients as possible with no thanks from the management - in fact they have sacked our junior stylist/assistant, reduced the receptionist hours, booked in clients in a reduced time (when there is no help!) and will not pay us over time (we have both started as early as 6am to fit in clients!!!).

Needless to say we are not happy with the situation in the salon and are close to leaving. we would like to take our clients (the one's that will follow us) but are unsure how we can do it? your help and advice will be greatly appreciated

Have you spoken to your boss to let her know how you feel? if she knew the way the staff were feeling and you all stuck together then surely she would have to look at the situation. Or is there someone else you could speak to like a manager or salon owner you could raise a grievance with?

Also meant to ask, do you have a contract. Some state that if you leave the business that you can't take client information with you and that you also can't work in the same area for a set time period.

Studio One said:

Have you spoken to your boss to let her know how you feel? if she knew the way the staff were feeling and you all stuck together then surely she would have to look at the situation. Or is there someone else you could speak to like a manager or salon owner you could raise a grievance with?

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We have raised all of these issues with her but she has not listened if anything she has taken it out on us for the rest of the day. A lot of clients know the situation and we just don't want to come to work knowing that we will be struggling for help all day, if we don't leave and take our clients with us then we will lose them anyway

Studio One said:

Also meant to ask, do you have a contract. Some state that if you leave the business that you can't take client information with you and that you also can't work in the same area for a set time period.

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we do have a contract but once we have left there will be no stylists at all in the salon.

Sorry to barge in on this but i have been to a salon and they told me v quietly, that they were leaving and if i was interested in coming to them here is their mobile number (on a piece of paper) and it would cost £x i sayed with her when she left and from what it sounds so did many others. I think as a client and you being the hairdresser, they want you to do it. I used to get a bit cross when they wouldnt book me in with my normal lady and got someone else. I think clients would come, then you are not taking their info, they are taking yours, cant be wrong can it? Good luck x

They may well take you to court. I sued a therapist who did that. Her legal fees alone were thousands.

Best thing to do is leave, but go shopping a lot in the area and bump into your clients.

persianista said:

They may well take you to court. I sued a therapist who did that. Her legal fees alone were thousands.

Best thing to do is leave, but go shopping a lot in the area and bump into your clients.

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Think that's a better idea, as you could be taken to court for a breach of contract.

How can someone stipulate by way of a contract where you can work and who you can keep in contact with? I don't think breach of contract would stand up in court at all! Employers put that clause in to scare employees!

Maybe one day if you own a salon of your own you will have a different perspective on that 1 !

carlytaylor1986 said:

How can someone stipulate by way of a contract where you can work and who you can keep in contact with? I don't think breach of contract would stand up in court at all! Employers put that clause in to scare employees!

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Its not there to scare employees, its there to protect the business that the owner has worked hard to build. They have every right to do this. If you signed it, you have to abide by it. plain and simple.
I left a salon I worked in, and didnt tell my clients out of respect for my employer and my contract. Word got around and within about 3 months, 80% of my clients had followed me - guilt free! If youre good, dont worry, they will find you.
x

carlytaylor1986 said:

How can someone stipulate by way of a contract where you can work and who you can keep in contact with? I don't think breach of contract would stand up in court at all! Employers put that clause in to scare employees!

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It does and will stand up in court, at the time of starting employment you are signing a legally binding contract and the employer had the right to act as said should the employer break the contract for any reason the employee has the right to go to a tribunal.

Yes of course it will stand up in court and there are a few employers who will rightly follow it through if you steal their clients.

Clients will find you naturally if they want to.

You have to think how much your employer has spent on advertising and promotions to gain these clients in the first place, so if you want them you for your business you should have to go about getting them the same way she did. Otherwise its just a couple steps removed from stealing This is just my humble opinion. However as others have said if you run into them in a public place this is different. Just think would you think it would be ok if you put up a sign for yourself in her window without asking hopeing she wouldn't notice.

Divine h & b said:

It does and will stand up in court, at the time of starting employment you are signing a legally binding contract and the employer had the right to act as said should the employer break the contract for any reason the employee has the right to go to a tribunal.

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I second that. I have various clauses in my staff contacts, I got legal advice on writing them, so I know they will stand in court. I wouldn't hesitate to take someone to court over breeding contracts. Just because you've done the treatments on the clients doesn't make them yours. Why not put a pic in the paper saying you've moved to XYZ salon. Clients know where to find you if they loved your work

Can I ask a question on this topic ?
If your old employer found out u have clients you used to service at their salon, how could you prove to them or a court that they found you and not you giving your number out in the salon ?
Thanks

Um, it's called a witness statement.

Ummm from who ?

TheBeautyHouse said:

Ummm from who ?

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I would imagine the client.... who found you and came to you rather than being poached

From the client(s) in question.
They would be asked how they came to be having their wigs twirled by the stylist in question, and under oath, they would be required to tell the truth. If they say, well, she told me she was going, or, she called me after she'd left, then the stylist in question would have no defence. If, on the other hand, the client said, I asked around and was told he/she was now working in xyz salon, then it's doubtful that there would be a case to answer.