Asking a client not to come back

[Laucar]

Hi there,

I have a client who has been coming to me for about three years now, and every single time I've done her hair she complains. She will never rebook but then expects me to fit her in and is never ever ever happy with anything. At first I sorta let it go as she is an acquaintance of mine's mother and I was always thinking, okay ill just do it differently next time.

It's now at the point where I've got her booked in two weeks from today (first time I could make an apt because she won't rebook and refuses to come before dinner on a late night or in the afternoon on a Saturday) and I'm staying awake at night thinking about how much I don't want to do her hair. I dread seeing her and it upsets me every time she comes in.

She criticises everything I do, the products I use, the fact we don't sell something she's heard of, every possible thing she will whine about. I am so sick of her that it is not worth the time, affort or the money and other people hearing the **** she says.

I want to tell her I'm not doing her hair anymore but how do I do that? No one else in the salon wants her either, as they've experienced the rubbish over the last 3 years. Advice on dropping her pretty please!!!

Ps. Before or after her next appointment?

 

[Fuzion]

I feel really sorry for you, I've had clients like that, and unfortunately they're really hard to shake. This is going to sound back but I think if she does her usual at this appointment, either do one of two things 1/ tell her at that time that she obviously isn't happy with the way you do her hair and you really don't think you can do it any longer, or 2/ if you have her address write to her, explaining how she's made you feel and that her custom is no longer wanted or just tell her how she's made you feel. Maybe even write to her before the appointment and tell her that the appointment has been cancelled x

 

[enlivenbylouise]

Horrible how people can make you feel like that :-(
You don't deserve her crap and why should you need be awake at night worrying about it!? There will be plenty more clients who will love and praise your work.
I agree with the first point above. Say look you clearly aren't happy with my work so I suggest you try elsewhere!
X

Sent from my GT-I9100P using SalonGeek

 

[Debs001]

Just brush it off, she's obviously secretly happy with your work or she wouldn't keep coming back! She probably just doesn't like her own hair very much (my mum hates every hair cut even if everyone else thinks it looks nice, because it's never like she wants it in her head, but she doesn't have the type of hair she envisions), next time she starts moaning in the shop, just say really loudly, 'oh mrs so and so, it can't be that bad if you been coming here for 3 years, I think you have lovely hair' if she want to keep moaning after that at least you've made the point that she's still a regular so you can't be that bad. Stop thinking its anything you're doing tho, there's just no pleasing some people, who just love a moan

 

[Tomme]

When she's in complaining you for not stock x y and z, sell the good properties of what you do have, or take her to the back or a private room and ask her if everything is ok as she has complained for 3 years and your confused as if she wasn't happy why come? Say its upsetting other staff and you can no longer have that so she's either polite and courteous or does one m.

You could also take her in the back and say iv noticed you have complained at every appointment, I think it's time you found a new salon where you will be happy.

Don't put up with it hun, its things like this that dampen people's personality and spirit, they get bored and ultimately there skills go (don't let her spoil your hard work and drop her) xoxo

 

[hippy-chick]

she obviously likes to whine, and probably does that with everything she does and every service she has.

I would play her at her own game, everytime she critiqued something turn it around and say something positive.

"I've not heard of the products you are using"
"Well after 3 years surely you are used to them by now"

"I don't like the way you've done my hair"
"Well you keep coming back so I must be doing something right"

It does work....I've had my mum for 44 years and its worked on her!!!!

 

[JoJo1980]

Honestly Iv'e been here before. It's horrible.
My opinion is that if you are really dreading doing her hair, weigh up the pro's and cons.
Is she bringing you in sufficient money to warrant brushing her comments off?
Is she making other clients and staff uncomfortable and affecting their enjoyment of their time in the salon?
Do you really feel doing her hair is worth it?

If you dont, I would have a quiet word with her after her next appointment.
Say something like " I feel that the best way forward is to cancell your next appointments with me as I really do not feel you are happy with the service I provide" Be honest, I'm sure she wants to be a better client. If she asks tell her that her complaining makes you feel that you are not doing a good enough job, and if that really is the case, then it would probably be better if she found another stylist.
Ive done this before, and the woman begged to stay with me and promised to be a good girl!!
She was a good girl for a bit, then it started again so I sacked her!

IMO it was not worth the dread and how she would make me and my other clients and staff feel.

You have the right to choose how you are treated, just because you are in the service industry, does not mean you are a servant!!

xx

 

[TMH]

Some people act like this because they "want to keep you on your toes" so to speak. They seem to enjoy the fact that they have this power over you but you've got to be strong and stand up to her.

What's the worse thing that can happen if you sack her? She'll maybe rant and rave for a bit but at least you'll have got rid of her and you can then rest easy. As said above, you are not a servant and deserve to be treated with respect, just bin her lol!

 

[MTHair78]

I recently fired a client after a 7 or 8 year professional relationship. In the final year she shifted and was very unhappy in her life. It turned into her just never being pleased with anything. I simply told her that she and I had reached creative differences and that I recommend she seek a new stylist because I was no longer the correct fit for her. I did offer her a couple of references for new stylists in other Salons in my area whom I knew would deal with her properly.

 

[happyfeet]

she obviously likes to whine, and probably does that with everything she does and every service she has.

I would play her at her own game, everytime she critiqued something turn it around and say something positive.

"I've not heard of the products you are using"
"Well after 3 years surely you are used to them by now"

"I don't like the way you've done my hair"
"Well you keep coming back so I must be doing something right"

It does work....I've had my mum for 44 years and its worked on her!!!!

Love this! X

 

[LillyGoose]

In the same situation, to the point where I feel so uncomfortable!

I do this women's hair, who is bipolar. She is horrible!! Makes fun of my weight I'm a size 12-14!! Calls me fat to my face and said laughing she will 'kick my head in' if she hates the cut. I know it threatening,I think she is joking...Last week we where chatting about holidays and she came out with "so how many times do you and your other half have sex?" I was completely gobsmacked!! Yet she has been coming to me for over a year.I know shes joking.. I know she is bipolar so I give her the benefit of the doubt. Calls the girl I work with all names under the sun!!! Now although she brings in a good amount of money. I know its not worth it... However the problem is I can't sack this client! She would go completely out of her way to make sure no one would come with me again! constantly bad mouths people over social sites!



Rant over!!


Help x

 

[Pinktooth21]

In the same situation, to the point where I feel so uncomfortable!

I do this women's hair, who is bipolar. She is horrible!! Makes fun of my weight I'm a size 12-14!! Calls me fat to my face and said laughing she will 'kick my head in' if she hates the cut. I know it threatening,I think she is joking...Last week we where chatting about holidays and she came out with "so how many times do you and your other half have sex?" I was completely gobsmacked!! Yet she has been coming to me for over a year.I know shes joking.. I know she is bipolar so I give her the benefit of the doubt. Calls the girl I work with all names under the sun!!! Now although she brings in a good amount of money. I know its not worth it... However the problem is I can't sack this client! She would go completely out of her way to make sure no one would come with me again! constantly bad mouths people over social sites!



Rant over!!


Help x

Oh my goodness, this sounds horrible !

 

[AcidPerm]

In the same situation, to the point where I feel so uncomfortable! However the problem is I can't sack this client! She would go completely out of her way to make sure no one would come with me again! constantly bad mouths people over social sites!

Of course you can sack her.

What does it matter what she says about you? Most people ignore rants from mad women on internet social sites anyway and just think 'sad lady' but in less pleasant terms probably.

If you currently get most of your business from facebook etc. go elsewhere to advertise. If you look in your local high street, most salon regulars do not use online social networking to find a hairdresser.

Seriously, stop giving her the power to hurt you. Tell her that you won't be doing her hair again and mean it. Her health problems are irrelevant and not an excuse for bad behaviour.

Chin up and stay strong. :hug:

 

[Tomme]

Of course you can sack her.

What does it matter what she says about you? Most people ignore rants from mad women on internet social sites anyway and just think 'sad lady' but in less pleasant terms probably.

If you currently get most of your business from facebook etc. go elsewhere to advertise. If you look in your local high street, most salon regulars do not use online social networking to find a hairdresser.

Seriously, stop giving her the power to hurt you. Tell her that you won't be doing her hair again and mean it. Her health problems are irrelevant and not an excuse for bad behaviour.

Chin up and stay strong. :hug:

Agreed! With all the disability equality around now you are not to treat a disabled person any different. Most don't want to be treated differently regardless of the law.

Don't ever let people make you feel bad. Ultimately it will affect the quality of your work. Xoxo

 

[natashatodd]

Clients that continue to behave in this manner have a negative effect on the salon environment and de-motivate yourself and probably other members of staff that have to listen to it. Just explain that you now matter how hard you try she is never satisfied and it's better all round that she goes elsewhere. You will fill the appointment space with another client who will be happy and recommend you to their friends and family!!!

 

[TMH]

I got rid of a client once, she always moaned about what I did, never seemed to be happy, kept swapping days at short notice, wanted a colour when she was only booked in for a cut and blow so I plucked up courage and got rid. The trouble was, I did her Mom, 2 daughters and Auntie so I lost those as well but the relief was brilliant once I'd done it

 

[ktg44]

Thats awful someone has made you feel like that. Try not to take it personally, and take it with a pinch of salt. I have a client like that and have actually got her in this afternoon..... but if they are really that unhappy they wouldn't keep booking in. I just nod and smile some people are just never happy in general lol!

 

[CHarvey]

I have a client like that. Mrs C came to me about four years ago and she was horrible. She would moan I hadn't cut her hair the way her old hairdresser did, tut and say "it will do" when I was finished and was a general Grot bag. The final straw can when she took my brush off me and gave a a tutorial in front of the whole salon! Upping speaking with stylists from other salons I learned that she was a serial complainer. That she had been turned away from many salons due to her poor attitude.the next time I did her hair I finished and when she went to book in the next week I politely said "mrs C, why are you wasting your time and money coming to me when I obviously don't meet your needs, perhaps you should call your old hairdresser, who cut your hair so well and book an appointment as I feel very uncomfortable charging you for a service you don't enjoy and I would rather spend my time making someone feel special which you obviously don't"
She looked she'll shocked to say the least and left without booking her appointment. HOWEVER on my day off she phoned up and booked back in and despite the occasional gripe (she is that sort of person) she has been a loyal customer since, even following me to my home when I had a year out and to my new salon! We have a mutual understanding and respect tat neither of us will take crap from the other and get on great most of the time

 

[Kerryanne]

Hi there,

I have a client who has been coming to me for about three years now, and every single time I've done her hair she complains. She will never rebook but then expects me to fit her in and is never ever ever happy with anything. At first I sorta let it go as she is an acquaintance of mine's mother and I was always thinking, okay ill just do it differently next time.

It's now at the point where I've got her booked in two weeks from today (first time I could make an apt because she won't rebook and refuses to come before dinner on a late night or in the afternoon on a Saturday) and I'm staying awake at night thinking about how much I don't want to do her hair. I dread seeing her and it upsets me every time she comes in.

She criticises everything I do, the products I use, the fact we don't sell something she's heard of, every possible thing she will whine about. I am so sick of her that it is not worth the time, affort or the money and other people hearing the **** she says.

I want to tell her I'm not doing her hair anymore but how do I do that? No one else in the salon wants her either, as they've experienced the rubbish over the last 3 years. Advice on dropping her pretty please!!!

Ps. Before or after her next appointment?

Maybe it's worth giving her a call and explain as nicely as you can how you feel and say maybe its worth her going to a different hair dressers one that she may like better and would make her happy, make it out like you just want her to be happy.

She will probably either go to a different salon or hopefully change her attitude.

You can't dread doing someone's hair and if its keeping you up at night that's going to effect you whole day and that's not right or fair on you xx

 

[Kerryanne]

Or see if your manager can help handle the situation? Xx