Refund issue

[ellishairbeauty]

I cut a ladies hair (im freelance) A dry trim, she had a few mm off the length and about 1 inch from the layers. The moment she sat in my chair, her exact words were " im very very fussy, ive never liked a hair cut someone has done for me yet, if u f**k this up ill make ur life hell". My first impression was to tell the lady i wasnt willing to cut her hair, then i thought, im not going to mess this up, I havent ever had a complaint about a cut ive done in my 6 years as a hairdresser, ill show her. Well i cut the hair, she througholy checked it (for 10 mins aprox) and left saying ill have my daughters check it and let you know if i like it.

The next day she phoned and as you can guess it was a complaint. She said one side was over a inch longer than the other..... impossible when only 3 mm came off the legnth.
She sent pictures to me via email i couldnt see a problem...
I told her to come back and i would be more than welcome to sort any issues.
The times when she wanted to come for rectification i had other hair booked in, which the customer couldnt swap, i was willing to stay over/start early and even offered to cancel my birthday meal with my family to rectify but she was never free when i was (she works mad shifts) then i went on holiday. After much too and frooing we came to a compromise that i would do a gift voucher for her daughter for a cut and colour and refund her the money for the cut (i now realise this was a huge mistake as i admitted liability by offering a refund) She told me she would pick the voucher up "soon"
A month has passed and no sign of her, ive been super busy and should of pushed for her to come and get the voucher.... this is also where ive gone wrong .

Today she has emailed me today wanting to rebook for a cut.... on her???
She wants the cut for free AND the £35 cash she had to spend on rectifying her hair as her daughter decided she didnt want the voucher after all.....

I really dont have a spare £35 to replace a £7 haircut that i dont believe there was a problem with.
I know i have admitted liability by offering a refund.... but what can i do?
She has a huge family full of girls and i do all there hairs so really could do without messing this up, we also live in a villiage where everyone knows everyone so it will be round the neighbourhood in 5 mins.
Whats the easiest and most delicate way of handling this.....

Thanks

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[Chrysalis]

Shocking client,
Tell her you're fully booked and can't get her in, or that as she wasn't happy with the cut you would advise she finds someone else.

Do not do her again!

 

[persianista]

I'd text back 'no chance, find someone else to bully you rotten old cow'
Sod em, when clients behave like this they deserve to have someone call them out on their behaviour. I'd ignore further requests for money back too. She timed out on her complaint.

Toughen up, and stop allowing this woman to bully you. She sounds like a vile old cow.

 

[BeauTea Rooms]

Totally agree with the above, tell her straight & be clear you will not tolerate this behaviour

 

[ellishairbeauty]

Its a huge relief to realise im not crap and she is rotten.
Next time someone tells me they are fussy i will refuse there custom. Thanks x

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[babychops]

What a horrible woman! I would definitely txt her and say as she wasn't happy you would advise she looks for another stylist and why does she want you to cut it again? I would steer clear, don't worry about what the neighbours think, they will probably know she's just being stupid! X

 

[mm29]

If the cut was so horrendous why has she rebooked?

I think she has realised if she moans she will get a freebie so stand your ground be polite and professional

I would increase you cut and blow dry too £7 is mega cheap.

 

[LocksOfLove]

What a vile woman! Just say no. I wouldn't touch her hair with a barge pole again! X

 

[ellishairbeauty]

Aw thanks... it was only a dry cut and she only had mm off. Thats y i dont want to give her £35 as shes obviously treated herself to a nice cut and blow thinkin i'm footing the bill!!
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[rac__hel]

Ii would literally ask her why does she want her her to be cut by you again if it was so bad the first time? It's not rude it's honest and if she says it wasn't that bad than your off the hook and if she says it was bad say you don't feel comfortable doing her hair.

Or just say you don't feel you can meet her expectations

 

[KazGates]

Totally agree with all of the above, but just wanted to add that if you ever give Vouchers out again for absolutely anything hun then always put a time limit on it also *NO MONETARY REFUND*
Also write somewhere that appointments will be made at a mutually agreed time. That way You & The Client know where you stand from the beginning.
Don't be scared x I know this can knock your confidence for six, but if you make it clear to your clients they'll know exactly the way you work respect you more for it. Be Strong Love you can do it x

 

[coco.]

You offered her two things, A voucher for her daughter and a refund of £7.
As you have said you would give her those two things, I would stick by your word.
Her daughter has now said no to the voucher so that's dealt with, you offered she's declined so end of story but I would still give her the £7 refund but only because you said you would.
You will of stuck by your word and done what you both agreed to rectify the situation, its tough if she now wants a cut and £35 because she agreed on the voucher and £7 refund.
Stay strong and don't let this bully intimidate you.
As persianista said 'cheeky cow' lol

 

[ellishairbeauty]

Thanks all for your advise. It all been taken on board. X :o


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[Pinkpants]

Omg!!! What seriously? Say refund was only a goodwill gesture and there was nothing wrong with our cut. I would not give her a thing. Gosh bet she tries it on with everyone to get out of paying.

 

[Nearlyme]

By charging just £7 for a dry trim this is the sort of clients you will attract. Upping your prices will show that you are confident and skilled charging £7 says to me "this girl has no confidence so I can bully her" x

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[ellishairbeauty]

Ok good advice! Always thought maybe "getting them through the door" but satyin it like that i understand x

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[CONNECT-2-HAIR]

Always follow your instincts. If you get a client for hair extensions (for example) and she says "I wasn't happy with the last place I went to" etc etc, then alarm bells should ring and you should take great care. Trouble could be ahead, sometimes clients get "freebies" all the time for complaining at every opportunity.

So sorry you came across this lady, it can make you feel quite down hearted and sad, I know, years ago I had a girl who got her grandmother to pay for a course on her credit card. I trained her all day and then she said that she didn't want to be an extensionist and started shouting that she wanted a refund in CASH. I explained to her that her grandmother had paid with a card and I was not allowed to refund in cash. She shouted and screamed, took all her kit away, snatched the certificate and her refund and went. It left me shaken and very bad with my nerves for a week or so.

What struck me as strange was, if she didn't want to be an extensionist why want to take her certificate and training kit?

 

[MirandaMiranda]

why ask you for another cut if the 1st was so bad? and wants the £35 cash,sounds like this woman as done this with every hairdresser shes had so she ends up with a free hair cut every time,ive had the same hairdresser for the last 6 years and if anything is worng i give her a ring and to be honest i feel awful doing this but she would rather have it this way,i wud never say a want my money back,unless sumthing was drasticly wrong,this woman is basically scamming people,people make their own minds up about people and the people in the village will know what she is like.i would point blank refuse to cut her hair

miranda xx

 

[Kim Lawless]

I'd send a message out loud and clear to her.........and her large family that you're a total professional and you know for a fact that there was nothing wrong with her hair but you offered that as a gesture of goodwill. However, that goodwill has expired and you won't be bullied.

Her family will know what she's like but if you lose them all as clients, so be it. NEXT!!!!

 

[Lovebellex]

I cut a ladies hair (im freelance) A dry trim, she had a few mm off the length and about 1 inch from the layers. The moment she sat in my chair, her exact words were " im very very fussy, ive never liked a hair cut someone has done for me yet, if u f**k this up ill make ur life hell". My first impression was to tell the lady i wasnt willing to cut her hair, then i thought, im not going to mess this up, I havent ever had a complaint about a cut ive done in my 6 years as a hairdresser, ill show her. Well i cut the hair, she througholy checked it (for 10 mins aprox) and left saying ill have my daughters check it and let you know if i like it.

The next day she phoned and as you can guess it was a complaint. She said one side was over a inch longer than the other..... impossible when only 3 mm came off the legnth.
She sent pictures to me via email i couldnt see a problem...
I told her to come back and i would be more than welcome to sort any issues.
The times when she wanted to come for rectification i had other hair booked in, which the customer couldnt swap, i was willing to stay over/start early and even offered to cancel my birthday meal with my family to rectify but she was never free when i was (she works mad shifts) then i went on holiday. After much too and frooing we came to a compromise that i would do a gift voucher for her daughter for a cut and colour and refund her the money for the cut (i now realise this was a huge mistake as i admitted liability by offering a refund) She told me she would pick the voucher up "soon"
A month has passed and no sign of her, ive been super busy and should of pushed for her to come and get the voucher.... this is also where ive gone wrong .

Today she has emailed me today wanting to rebook for a cut.... on her???
She wants the cut for free AND the £35 cash she had to spend on rectifying her hair as her daughter decided she didnt want the voucher after all.....

I really dont have a spare £35 to replace a £7 haircut that i dont believe there was a problem with.
I know i have admitted liability by offering a refund.... but what can i do?
She has a huge family full of girls and i do all there hairs so really could do without messing this up, we also live in a villiage where everyone knows everyone so it will be round the neighbourhood in 5 mins.
Whats the easiest and most delicate way of handling this.....

Thanks

Sent from my GT-N7000 using SalonGeek mobile app

She is just trying to bully you, dont give in, this is common place in hairdressing x