Constantly complaining client

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Lisa newsam

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Aug 1, 2020
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I hope someone may help me if you are also be in this same position I am home-based hairdresser and I have a client that keeps coming back to me time and time again but she complains about her hair every single time no matter what I do how much I cut off how long I take to do it she always find something wrong with it. this week she even told me that the last time I did it her husband asked her had she been to get her hair done as it was so bad this is extremely disheartening for me and if it was in any other circumstances I just wouldn’t rebook her but unfortunately her daughter lives across the road from where I live and it is obviously going to be very difficult I feel like I should say something to her but obviously it will then cause a bit of trouble between me and my neighbour how do you get past this I spend my time thinking about it so much after she has gone as it really really annoys me. I have a lot of extremely happy customers but I just can’t get passed this one. Please help me lol
 
I would just say sorry you are not happy and advise her to find another stylist x
 
I hope someone may help me if you are also be in this same position I am home-based hairdresser and I have a client that keeps coming back to me time and time again but she complains about her hair every single time no matter what I do how much I cut off how long I take to do it she always find something wrong with it. this week she even told me that the last time I did it her husband asked her had she been to get her hair done as it was so bad this is extremely disheartening for me and if it was in any other circumstances I just wouldn’t rebook her but unfortunately her daughter lives across the road from where I live and it is obviously going to be very difficult I feel like I should say something to her but obviously it will then cause a bit of trouble between me and my neighbour how do you get past this I spend my time thinking about it so much after she has gone as it really really annoys me. I have a lot of extremely happy customers but I just can’t get passed this one. Please help me lol
I'd probably send her a message and say something like...
"Hi ***** I've been feeling for a while that you've not been happy with your hair. I'm sorry you feel this way. I appreciate your custom and continued support over the last **** months /years. But I feel I can no longer come to do your hair and I think you'll benefit from finding a stylist who can achieve your hair goals."
It's important you get your point across, but still be friendly about it. By saying something like above, you're acknowledging the issues, pushing the situation in the direction you want it to go... But still not being rude, or still not giving her the opportunity to come back.
 
I'd probably send her a message and say something like...
"Hi ***** I've been feeling for a while that you've not been happy with your hair. I'm sorry you feel this way. I appreciate your custom and continued support over the last **** months /years. But I feel I can no longer come to do your hair and I think you'll benefit from finding a stylist who can achieve your hair goals."
It's important you get your point across, but still be friendly about it. By saying something like above, you're acknowledging the issues, pushing the situation in the direction you want it to go... But still not being rude, or still not giving her the opportunity to come back.
Thank you for your reply, yes that’s a great thing to do. I just worry it will cause a big issue with her daughter. It’s so difficult as a few people have mentioned she’s never been happy with who ever does it. I wish I had the guts to say something to her face (nicely of course) but she scares me lol x
 
Thank you for your reply, yes that’s a great thing to do. I just worry it will cause a big issue with her daughter. It’s so difficult as a few people have mentioned she’s never been happy with who ever does it. I wish I had the guts to say something to her face (nicely of course) but she scares me lol x

I had to do this with a client and I told her at the end of her appointment when she asked to rebook. It was such a relief not having to deal with her again as I dreaded her appointments.
 
Thank you for your reply, yes that’s a great thing to do. I just worry it will cause a big issue with her daughter. It’s so difficult as a few people have mentioned she’s never been happy with who ever does it. I wish I had the guts to say something to her face (nicely of course) but she scares me lol x

If you don't think you can deal with sacking her then your only other option is to ignore it and find a way to 'deal' with it. Clearly she isn't unhappy with her hair or she wouldn't come back. Unhappy people don't spend money on things that make them unhappy.

Does she not know she does it? Does she think she's giving constructive feedback but doesn't realise she's actually being insulting? Or is she just spiteful and unpleasant?

You either nod, make non-committal noises and let it wash over you thinking about the money or you say something. I'm older, wiser and less tolerant so would say something like 'blimey, do you realise you're never happy with your hair?' I've done a similar thing with a nail client (I wasn't quite so polite) who looked at me dumbfounded and said 'I love them!' To which I burst out laughing and said 'stop bloody picking holes in them then!!' I genuinely think she had no idea and was just talking to fill the time. She's probably my best advocate now :D
 
Some people are nit pickers about everything and don’t realise how demoralising it is to have a constant stream of “constructive criticism”. This is their normal.

Nutters like me are very happy finding 9 things that detract from perfect - a meal out would have been so much better if only we could have had a later booking and it hadn’t been such a rush to get there, and I’d had time for a shower and hadn’t felt sweaty, and the traffic had been less congested, and we should have chosen a different route to get there and I’d had taken comfy shoes if I’d known there wouldn’t be anywhere to park and that I’d have to walk down a pot holed street, and a torch would be an idea, and what a shame we couldn’t sit outside and God that annoying table opposite us and Why don’t we go out more often the meal was delicious?

Save us from ourselves. Say firmly, “it really suits you” and give a big smile.
 
Some people just like moaning about every little thing, but are still happy to continue booking for an appointment. I agree with Trinity above.
 
I had a old nail client like that, would take the file out of my hand then proceed to file her nails, criticise and nit pick at literally everything I did. Every time though she used to tip me £5! At first it made me feel really uncomfortable. Then after the 4th time of doing her nails.. she was commenting on how I painted her nails. I blurted out “well why do you want me doing your nails then?” As soon as I said it I thought ****!! I shouldn’t have said that ‍♀️. She then laughed and said that she was just generally very fussy and she preferred me to my boss. After that if she did anything annoying I would glare at her, she would laugh and say sorry.
Funny enough as soon as I left, my old boss had informed her where I now worked as she had been asking after me.. [emoji23] I think in those situations you either have to put up with it and ignore everything they say/do or tell her straight.
 
Agree with Trinity - surely she doesn’t realise what a moaner she is!
You need to tell her!
Be blunt - “Are you ever going to say something nice today Jenny...... that kind of thing
“You never seem to like your hair - what is it going to take to get a positive from you today....?”
....... Look her straight in the eye & wait for a reply
She’s obviously unhappy with herself - it’s not you - you haven’t got a magic wand to make her younger/more beautiful/more likeable!
I have a couple of clients like this - I just tell them to stop looking at what the don’t like about themselves and focus on their good points
 
With some people it's not about the hair .They think it's about the hair but it's really not.They are usually either anxious or lonely otherwise she wouldnt have you back .Try to relax and be firm and find something in common to talk about .And if she still doesn't like it it's her not you .Some people cant get used to their changing face as they get older , and this is often projected on to hair too ! Really dont worry about it !
 

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