Mates rates

[GIGGLER]

I've been hairdressing for 17 years now and a few of my friends have been taking advantage of the fact that im a hairdresser for that long. I make no money what so ever on their budget hairdos. I'm now pregnant and given up my salon to be a part time rent a chair to spend more time with my baby. So in theory I now pay to go to work and have to take as much money as possible in 3 days. So how do u tell your friends that the discounts have to stop?? Help!! My friends refer to their trip to the salon as a 'catch up'.. To me it's work.. And really starting to resent the fact that the only time I see them these days is when they want their hair doing! Advice appreciated?..

 

[Bluerinse]

I've been hairdressing for 17 years now and a few of my friends have been taking advantage of the fact that im a hairdresser for that long. I make no money what so ever on their budget hairdos. I'm now pregnant and given up my salon to be a part time rent a chair to spend more time with my baby. So in theory I now pay to go to work and have to take as much money as possible in 3 days. So how do u tell ur friends that the discounts have to stop?? Help!! My friends refer to their trip to the salon as a 'catch up'.. To me it's work.. And really starting to resent the fact that the only time I see them these days is when they want their hair doing! Advice appreciated?..

I would word an email saying that you have given up your salon to have children and as your now renting a chair your prices have taken a slight increase, send them a price list in the email also and state you will receive XX amount of discount nothing nasty about it but just letting them know.

 

[Janie]

I did exactly the same as blue rinse suggested recently! I wrote a letter explaining my price increases, and the %age discount they would get and enclosed my new price lists!

I too was fed up with my friends texting to see if i fancied a catch up, oh and you may aswel do my hair at the same time!

They have all been fine about it, but if they weren't then i wouldn't of been bothered if they went else where to be honest xXx

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[GIGGLER]

I had my Ex.. Ex.. Ex.. Boyfriends mam round my house for her hair doin.. For free 2 nights ago. I explained that I can't do it anymore so she said she can't afford to come to the salon ive just moved too and won't go anywhere else and is prepared to wait until I can still do it at our present arrangement! :-| as u can imagine I'm furious! I feel this will b the case across the board.. I've been a push over for too long!

 

[Janie]

I had my Ex.. Ex.. Ex.. Boyfriends mam round my house for her hair doin.. For free 2 nights ago. I explained that I can't do it anymore so she said she can't afford to come to the salon ive just moved too and won't go anywhere else and is prepared to wait until I can still do it at our present arrangement! :-| as u can imagine I'm furious! I feel this will b the case across the board.. I've been a push over for too long!

That is terrible, your running a business, how rude of her to expect you to do it for free.

Stand your ground and tell her you will not be going bak to your arrangement at any time, so she will either have to pay the going rate or go somewhere else and pay their prices.

You dont really want clients like that, and if you dont make anything on them your not loosing anything either xXx



Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[GIGGLER]

Yes ur not wrong.. I can put my money on it that when I tell them it's full price and only in salon now, they will start looking about for a new hairdresser 'friend' to offer mates rates! Or go to another salon! But to be honest.. It wud take the pressure off me. Why do we feel the need to sell ourselves short in the first place?! Lesson learnt! X

 

[Janie]

If they are your true friends they will understand and follow you to the new salon, if not then let them go elsewhere. I doubt very much they would be happy to work for next to nothing in their jobs!!!

Good luck with telling them, just be strong and dont back down or let them haggle!!! xXx

 

[faerififi]

I understand cos im still training so for practise do some mobile stuff at home. Most friends are happy to pay the small amount of money i charge to cover costs but some try to take the piss. Not turning up for no reason, not paying me etc. If thats the case i tell them they have one chance and then I refuse to do their hair anymore.

 

[StrawberryAnna]

That's so frustrating with mates rates!! Some are totally taking the piss! They don't c it as my job, yet they moan about their work and how they can't afford this and that and the other! Well I'll b in z same boat if I keep giving away freebies!! Zx

 

[iconic]

This is awkward but you must get your point across.. its not fair on you.
They wouldn't go to work and accept from the company that they work for that they will only be receiving half pay for today's work! .. so why should you have to? .. This is your job, not a hobby. Maybe say that to them, that now you are paying to work, you need to make as much money back to cover your rent outgoings and also make a decent living, therefore need to use your time productively and doing friends hair for 'mates rates' is not an advantage to you and not making the money you need to make to carry on. Perhaps make them realise that you have many friends who expect these special rates and that they are not the only one, so in order to make it fair for all, this is what you will have to charge from now on ( and then hand them a price list!)
If they don't like it, them let them go elsewhere where they have to pay full price. They will soon realise that if they are now going elsewhere and paying full price, then why not pay you the money for your services? and they will be back!
If not, then as previosuly said - will you really miss them as clients? ..and are they really true friends?
Good luck hun, i know it can feel difficult, but it shouldn't be - this is your job and you do it to make money at the end of the day.
xx

 

[wonderwoman]

Ok so what if they guilt trip you? You got a baby to provide for and your paying rent on a chair. If these people really cared or valued your services, they would insist on paying you regardless. Stop being so nice and be confident in your ability, You've done it for 17years they should know what they get when they see you. If they go to someone else so what, at least you'll be able to know if they really do want to catch up with you. This is like a catch 22, some BS always attached to people wanting freebies! Buckle Up missy! xoxo

 

[GIGGLER]

Lol abso-frikkin-lutely!! I'm gonna do it.. I've got to anyway! And ur all right, my friends wudnt go to work for short pay! Thanx for ur encouraging words! 17 years is a long time.. And I never ask favours and no one ever offers me any either! Time for change! (´⌣`) xxx

 

[bonderella]

Hi I have just had the same thing happen so I do understand and this is what i wrote.maybe this will help you

Hi everyone thanks for the last 17 years of fun! doing your hair at mates rates!, I know you will all be really understanding about this
but now as we are all in a new era and we are all having to justify what we use our precious money on
I am moving into a new self employed status which means that you will actually be costing me money to continue as we did before.
So as you can all understand how you wouldnt pay to go to work
I will be charging the salon prices now as I know you know Im worth every penny and I love how you all tell me how you cant do without me and that
Im the best:lol:
Cant wait to see you all in the salon and to welcome a new stage
Wish me luck :lol:

 

[Lauraaaah]

The email thing wud b a gud but they mite think you just forwarded it to all your contacts and doesnt mean them! id get a price list made and hand it to them in person that way they'll know it applies to them and hopefully take the hint......x

 

[bonderella]

prob not very modern !
but I had got them on thankyou cards
I wrote the blurb on an insert of nice paper,
photocopied it then popped it in the card
and gave them to each person when I finished doing
their hair.
so I didnt give them the fright untill the end haha.

I just kept a bunch handy also so if I saw someone I was able to
just hand it to them.
They were like ohhhhh a thankyou card whats this for ?
Then I was able to say ahh read it and see.
And because its worded so nicely they cant moan
and I also put in the salon card with my pricelist.
no room for negotiation then.

 

[Tess Warwick]

I'm afraid this makes my blood boil! I hate 'mates rates'. Why should there be any? I wouldn't expect a plumber/bricklayer/plasterer/etc. friend of mine do something I wanted for 'mates rates'. It's bang out of order.

For simplicity I'm using a male friend as an example ... and the way I look at it is this...

I have a 'friend' in my salon and I cut his hair for free or I ask one of my girls to do it.
While I am cutting his hair I can't be doing another client. If 'he' is not paying me - or paying me at a lesser cost than I charge - I am losing money. I'm not getting the normal 'gent's cut' rate and I can't be attending to a full-paying client.
If one of my girls is doing it, I am paying her to not take any money for the job she's doing and nor can she be taking money from a full-paying customer.

Frankly, it stinks.
None of my family expect me to do them for free - in fact, they make sure that I don't lose out. My brothers and my sister make sure that my daughter (who works with me) deals with them and pays accordingly then tip her generously. The only person that I won't take money of is my mum. 'Nuff said.

If you don't get paid you are paying your friends to come to you. That's not good so please don't tolerate it, girls ...

Rant over!

I've been hairdressing for 17 years now and a few of my friends have been taking advantage of the fact that im a hairdresser for that long. I make no money what so ever on their budget hairdos. I'm now pregnant and given up my salon to be a part time rent a chair to spend more time with my baby. So in theory I now pay to go to work and have to take as much money as possible in 3 days. So how do u tell your friends that the discounts have to stop?? Help!! My friends refer to their trip to the salon as a 'catch up'.. To me it's work.. And really starting to resent the fact that the only time I see them these days is when they want their hair doing! Advice appreciated?..

 

[Tess Warwick]

Sorry but you MUST put your foot down. As noble as it might be to be in this game because you love it, would you do it if you didn't need to earn money? That must be your yardstick. Of course you wouldn't.

I had my Ex.. Ex.. Ex.. Boyfriends mam round my house for her hair doin.. For free 2 nights ago. I explained that I can't do it anymore so she said she can't afford to come to the salon ive just moved too and won't go anywhere else and is prepared to wait until I can still do it at our present arrangement! :-| as u can imagine I'm furious! I feel this will b the case across the board.. I've been a push over for too long!

 

[GIGGLER]

Some of my friends aren't online.. Dark ages i kno! Lol.. So it's gonna av to b in person for some. I'm dreading those convos! I did put a polite status up on Facebook explaining that all discounts wud av to stop.. Most of my friends commented saying 'u do right!' then inboxed me saying 'of course I'm the exception aren't I?' and hey presto a guilt trip.. They all think theyre the exception! :-| It's wearing me down tbh.. I thought if I made it public no one wud see it as a personal attack.. Hmmmmm plan B!!

 

[GIGGLER]

I actually hate it and I really don't hide the fact that I'm doin it under duress! Coz I'm part time and am fully booked due to limited slots they've resorted to askin me to do it mobile.. I hate mobile!! I hate working in my spare time! Not to mention being 7 months pregnant..if I wasn't self employed I'd b on maternity leave!! I am truly very annoyed.. Mainly because the more u give to ppl the more they want.. And expect! It's actually making me resent my job.. My plan B is to remain fully booked.. In salon and out.. FOREVER!!

 

[Tess Warwick]

Dearest Giggler ...

No-one who loves you would expect this, only the takers in your life.
Sad to say but you're going to have to be firm when someone who expects this asks you. You MUST tell them that you can no longer afford to give this kind of discount - and frankly, why on earth should you? If they go elsewhere, so be it. Please don't feel guilty.

Personally, I hate 'doing' friends. I find that it crosses a line that I don't want to draw. I keep business separate from my social life and I don't mingle the two.. I rarely go to anything my clients invite me to and I discourage friends from becoming clients. It works for me.

Some of my friends aren't online.. Dark ages i kno! Lol.. So it's gonna av to b in person for some. I'm dreading those convos! I did put a polite status up on Facebook explaining that all discounts wud av to stop.. Most of my friends commented saying 'u do right!' then inboxed me saying 'of course I'm the exception aren't I?' and hey presto a guilt trip.. They all think theyre the exception! :-| It's wearing me down tbh.. I thought if I made it public no one wud see it as a personal attack.. Hmmmmm plan B!!