Advice on how to cope with negativity

[kerstinkerbell]

I've been a hairdresser for 10 years now. I provide cut and colour services and I have a pretty large clientele. It's getting to the point where I'm burnt out at the end of the week and I'm finding it harder to deal with my clients when they are unhappy. I work overtime to accommodate redos and I'm liking my job less and less. My question is, can anyone relate and did you find anything to help?

 

[GrahamJ]

Do you mean that your clients are unhappy when they come in or after receiving a service from you? A re-do will definitely take the wind out of your sails. Maybe focus more on your consultation so that the customer and you are on exactly the same page.

 

[kerstinkerbell]

I don't mean that I get negative feedback all the time, but when I do, it's because we weren't able to achieve the look she wanted or was hoping for in one visit. I'm too booked up to do big projects, I wish I had more time. My question is more how do you deal with the heavy load? I feel like I'm not able to offer %100. I'm just one person.

 

[GrahamJ]

Ok, I understand! I would absolutely be as clear as possible in the consultation stage. If the result they want is going to take more than one service then let them know that. Or if what they want is going to take a long time then you have to charge more for your time.

Question, off topic for you: How often do you treat yourself to a salon visit?

 

[Holly11]

Drill it into them before you even start. This will take 3 goes to achieve or however long you think x

 

[kerstinkerbell]

Well I used to go see my hairdresser every two months, but now I work for him! So.. not often, but when he does do my hair he spoils me. He only cuts. My other employer colours. They are able to take in more clientele by specializing, which is something I've considered.

 

[sassystylist25]

i am in the same boat as you. it's not often i have to rectify colours etc but when i do it really throws me off my other bookings and i go home feeling emotionally drained and burned out.

i read a book recently that someone on here recommended, its by rebecca beardsley and its called 'self care for hairdressers: how to avoid burnout' or something along them lines. its quite a short book, you can read it in one evening, but insightful nonetheless!! its on amazon.

i feel like with all the social media etc now as opposed to say 5 years ago, there are a ton of hair videos on instagram, youtube etc that most clients assume the techniques and styles the stylists have created can work on their hair. i love watching them but i limit what i watch as otherwise i feel despondent and 'not good enough' .. sadly many of us can't give 8 hours of our work day to a client wanting a massive overhaul!

don't beat yourself up. we are all human. we are hairdressers not magicians!! xxx

 

[RED STAR]

i am in the same boat as you. it's not often i have to rectify colours etc but when i do it really throws me off my other bookings and i go home feeling emotionally drained and burned out.

i read a book recently that someone on here recommended, its by rebecca beardsley and its called 'self care for hairdressers: how to avoid burnout' or something along them lines. its quite a short book, you can read it in one evening, but insightful nonetheless!! its on amazon.

i feel like with all the social media etc now as opposed to say 5 years ago, there are a ton of hair videos on instagram, youtube etc that most clients assume the techniques and styles the stylists have created can work on their hair. i love watching them but i limit what i watch as otherwise i feel despondent and 'not good enough' .. sadly many of us can't give 8 hours of our work day to a client wanting a massive overhaul!

don't beat yourself up. we are all human. we are hairdressers not magicians!! xxx

You've hit the nail on the head - unrealistic expectation!
Staged/filtered/modified images on facebook & instagram.

Some are the real deal...but I suspect they are the result of many hours of hard work, costing more than the average 80 quid colour job!

It's the one thing that REALLY grates on me.....images of 'Unicorn/rainbow/mermaid.....whatever.....but no indication of how many hours were spent and what the clients final bill ended up as.

I'm so over justifying my pricing.

It is what it is - take it or leave it!
I have recently posted on my face book page - 'PARTY OVER - YOU NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR OLAPEX.

I've been 'popping' it into their colour mix FOR FREE as they would decline paying for it!
But as I now need to re-order, sense has to prevail, and unless they pay...they ain't having it!

 

[Lauraa1981]

Hahah party over. I love it xox
Thats the attitude

 

[Persephannie]

They should totally be praying for olaplex! Or up your prices to include it. I recently had my entire head bleached and died four different direct dyes. It turned out great but took 2 and a half hours and cost 250 Canadian.

 

[RED STAR]

I think here in England we have lost our professional status....it's become an 'anyone can do' kind of job!!
I know that a toner, or treatment such as OLAPLEX will improve my work.....that's where they win.
As I advise them of the cost, they go......
Ummm, I get what your saying, but it's always been OK before, so I'll skip it this time, and see how it goes...
Hence why I then feel the need to add and not charge.
I am in the process of moving premises....so will 're-brand', and include it in all colour jobs.
I am however dreading the backlash from my clientele, as I will have to increase by quite a lot in order to place myself where I want to be in the market.....the high end, as where I am going is already quite saturated with the medium price band.....
Wish me luck!

 

[ELLE BELLA]

I make little to no profit on olaplex when used with a colour , only as a stand alone treatment , Il never be wealthy !

 

[sassystylist25]

You've hit the nail on the head - unrealistic expectation!
Staged/filtered/modified images on facebook & instagram.

Some are the real deal...but I suspect they are the result of many hours of hard work, costing more than the average 80 quid colour job!

It's the one thing that REALLY grates on me.....images of 'Unicorn/rainbow/mermaid.....whatever.....but no indication of how many hours were spent and what the clients final bill ended up as.

I'm so over justifying my pricing.

It is what it is - take it or leave it!
I have recently posted on my face book page - 'PARTY OVER - YOU NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR OLAPEX.

I've been 'popping' it into their colour mix FOR FREE as they would decline paying for it!
But as I now need to re-order, sense has to prevail, and unless they pay...they ain't having it!

i've been found guilty of chucking it in for free too!!! i say now, 'do you want me to add olaplex in your colour? its x amount more but its gonna stop your hair from damaging' and 8 times out of 10 they say yes but i think thats because they don't want to sound tight lol. fine by me though!!!

 

[kerstinkerbell]

it's nice to know I'm not the only hairdresser that feels inadequate when it comes to Youtube/Pinterest photos of unachievable mermaid/unicorn hair. I just don't have the time for things like that. I too am at fault for throwing things in for free, because the end result always reflects on me.

Also, I made the decision to move to a more upscale salon and I did lose clients, but I gained much more new ones. Just remember, loyal clients are not your friends. There's always more clients. It's a lesson I learned when a few of them left for various reasons, no matter how current or better I became.

 

[RED STAR]

We all admire GUY TANGS work, right.....
But HE can take ALL DAY creating....and who knows what he charges for that!
Our clients come to salon, WANTING Guy Tang....but in 2 hours...... and for 50 quid!!!!!

 

[ELLE BELLA]

And when salon x down the street is offering up to 3 colours inc cut and finish for £45 !! , even at mobile prices it's hard to compete with that !

 

[James294323]

My answer would be to take a break if you can. Sounds like you need some down time. I was in this position about 10 years ago, flogged to death in a busy city salon. There were never any gaps or lunch breaks and not enough juniors for shampooing/answering the phone so was completely exhausted. I felt like i was treading water all day and if you get behind well you are screwed. I became more and more unhappy, started giving the clients a magazine (so I didn't have to speak to them). I should of done something about it long before I did but I ended up at breaking point and just never went back one day. That was it. I resented hairdressing for a long time and still have a love/hate relationship with it even now. Some services are not realistic in normal salon times. One of my clients I do takes 5 hours as she has so much hair. If I was doing her in a normal city/busy salon I would have to really space out foils and cut corners with timings etc, that's obviously going to result in a bad outcome.

My client told me in a previous salon they had 2 girls working on her at a time and she could only come in on a Tuesday morning. Its a tough one but the correct time needs to be allocated for that particular client and they need to pay for that. I know the Chapel in Islington (London) charges by the hour. I sent my client there once when I was unable to do her at a last min request, cost her a fortune she said. Since then shes happy to sit for that long and happy to pay.

 

[Clareh]

As a newly qualified stylist I can now see how difficult it is to manage expectations!
Ive found that Pinterest is amazing for getting clients to tag the pictures they like, you can then see general themes such as how the hair is styled or colours, length or layering. I volunteer in a salon and they always do strand tests and show the process to the client - I love listening to the stylist when she shows the different steps.
You can use something like taaz for showing different effects on people's hair if you take a photo before service . Also try taking a photo of your client before any service and showing them how different they can look with just an instagram filter!
If you are artistic perhaps play about more with direct colours- my salon have just started doing these and the owner is like a little kid playing with them, the model heads you can get from sallies are fab for testing them out. Though I've seen her eyeing up my hair so I expect I shall have mermaid hair sometime soon..
Personally as a client I love just leaving it to the professionals as I'm really chilled about my hair, I trust their judgement and am happy to experiment - maybe you need more clients like me! Xxx

 

[RED STAR]

We all need more clients like you!!!
Just you wait till your behind the chair - full time...........you might just find Pinterest a pain in the butt!

 

[Clareh]

^^^pinterest....hahahaha red star will my Pinterest addiction be cured?! That might not be a bad thing..
Xxx