Male client today

[Charlotte123]

Hey geeks!

So I do gents if asked, but I'm mainly just women. We had 2 gents waiting today so I was helping out and did one.

Omg I wish I hadn't!

He was an older guy with dead straight silver hair down to his shoulders. He asked for an inch off and I clarified this with him by showing him an inch! He said yep so I started cutting.
Then he looked in the mirror and said actually no he wanted it just below his ears. Not a problem, so I do that. Then he huffs and puffs looking in the mirror saying "no, I want it above my ears it's too long! I just want it straight above my ears!"
I said okay but you do know that's now about 3 Inches off?

Anyway so as I'm doing it I'm chatting away to him and he's literally just huffing and puffing saying "you do realise u still have to do the other side too don't u!?" I said "well yes, I do realise that I wouldn't leave you with only one side done."
(T***!)

In the end he made me SO nervous with all his snarky comments and not taking his eyes off me in the mirror, literally shaking his head at me every minute I had to get one of the barbers to come over and finish it for me bcoz I just felt I couldn't do it! So he then proceeded to tell me how unprofessional that was swapping stylists.

I explained politely I just felt my colleague would give him more of the style that he wanted as I didn't seem to be fulfilling that.

At the end he was really rude saying his experience was ruined and now I never EVER want to do men's again

Was that wrong of me getting my barber collegue to come over?? I felt like nothing I was doing was good enough for him.
He's really knocked my confidence massively. Xx

 

[funtimefranko]

Oh bless you, yeah maybe ypu shouldn't of swapped but if hes making you feel that horrible i dont blame you... ive done this once in the past. Don't let him put you off though we all get horrible clients like this

Sent from my SM-G900F using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Pancakes]

Some clients just want to test you. The way they look you into the eye, they want you to withstand their glance. Apparently this man doesn't get his hair cut very often, so he expects the most out of one visit and doesn't seem to take efforts of the stylist in consideration.
They are insecure because they lack experience so they seek safety in your action. For me I overcome this by being firm and recommending something. Don't let someone lead you who is insecure himself. Be bold even if you don't feel like.
However, I think it was right to seek for help no matter what he told you in the end. You are the stylist - you make the decisions.

 

[Charlotte123]

Thanks for ur replies. With ladies hair i definately feel I put them at ease and am in control, but with men's it's not something I'm extremely confident in so only really do it if the barbers are over run and need help.

Felt out of my depth with this gent today and I hated that feeling
It was a cut I could do too so the problem for me was the whole attitude of him and I guess how he kept either changing his mind or just not explaining what he wanted.

Feel failed with today now. And I know it's only 1 gent out of all my clients today but it's really got to me xx

 

[jamiereid92]

Thanks for ur replies. With ladies hair i definately feel I put them at ease and am in control, but with men's it's not something I'm extremely confident in so only really do it if the barbers are over run and need help.

Felt out of my depth with this gent today and I hated that feeling
It was a cut I could do too so the problem for me was the whole attitude of him and I guess how he kept either changing his mind or just not explaining what he wanted.

Feel failed with today now. And I know it's only 1 gent out of all my clients today but it's really got to me xx

Don't let him get to you, he sounds like a miserable old man, the way I look at it, they must have some pretty sad lives to kick up a fuss in the hairdressers.

It sounds like it's more an issue with his attitude than your hair cutting skills. Most men are not like that at all, just some of the older ones.

In the situation I don't think it's unprofessional to get someone else to take over. He wasn't happy so you got someone else involved to help out, which is perfectly fine. Would you stand back and do nothing if you saw your colleague struggling with something your confident in? Of course not!

Tommorow is another day x

Sent from my HTC One using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Tomtomrow]

What a horrible man! The world is full of horrible people, clearly he is one. Dont be annoyed hes just a rude BEEP . Dont take it to heart. Hes just an attitude problem xx

 

[Charlotte123]

Thanks Jamie and Tom like u said it's a new day!
Def won't be helping out on the barbers side for a while now tho, think I'll be hiding out the back when that's busy lol :/

Some people are just so rude. I think it was definately an "older generation" thing with him. His whole attitude was just grumpy when he walked in the door. And when i said I would do it he just gave me that "ru even old enough" look.

My collegue said nothing was wrong with the cut tho so atleast I know it wasn't my actual cut that was wrong. Xx

 

[SarLouise]

Oh Charlotte bless you I know exactly how you feel, wish I had the confidence I haven't any gents cuts for years. Don't let him get you down though I bet you're a great barber this guy was just a one off.

Sarah xo

 

[jamiereid92]

Thanks Jamie and Tom like u said it's a new day!
Def won't be helping out on the barbers side for a while now tho, think I'll be hiding out the back when that's busy lol :/

Some people are just so rude. I think it was definately an "older generation" thing with him. His whole attitude was just grumpy when he walked in the door. And when i said I would do it he just gave me that "ru even old enough" look.

My collegue said nothing was wrong with the cut tho so atleast I know it wasn't my actual cut that was wrong. Xx

Yeah grumpy old man springs to mind haha x

Sent from my HTC One using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Dondon90]

I don't think what you done was 'unproffesional'. When I was newly qualified I always asked a stylist for help if I became stuck. Don't let this out you off mens hair though. I really enjoy barbering and statistically male clients are more loyal than female ones 👍

 

[kelly123]

He was probably just a sleaze making you start all over again so he could ogle at you for longer. That would explain why his "experience" was ruined.
Just an old perv by the sounds of it. 😂😂

 

[jenny miles]

Thanks Jamie and Tom like u said it's a new day!
Def won't be helping out on the barbers side for a while now tho, think I'll be hiding out the back when that's busy lol :/

Some people are just so rude. I think it was definately an "older generation" thing with him. His whole attitude was just grumpy when he walked in the door. And when i said I would do it he just gave me that "ru even old enough" look.

My collegue said nothing was wrong with the cut tho so atleast I know it wasn't my actual cut that was wrong. Xx

Sounds like you really did have a tough time with him but please don't let him put you off barbering. Barbering is a great skill to have and as you said, there was nothing wrong with your work it was just a case of you being stuck with a horrid old man in your chair!!!! Next time you get a difficult client like that just be firm and take control.....it'll soon put them in their place. Sounds like he just gets a kick from making people nervous.xxx

Sent from my D2303 using SalonGeek mobile app