Staff doing salon clients at home

[Urbanspa]

Hi everyone,

I have a hair stylist on annual leave for 2 weeks at the moment and we had a client booked in for both hair and beauty treatments today with us but cancelled her hair treatment. The therapist (my business partner) who did the clients beauty treatments asked if there was a reason why she cancelled if it was our pricing being too high etc and she said "I was at my friends when her friend said she was a hairdresser and would do it for me".

Looking on said clients record card her address is for the same little village as staff member on leave. I know this could just be a coincidence but I need to ask my stylist when she comes back if she did do it as it has taken money away from the salon. She might not have done this clients hair but knowing the stylist she might not have realised this client was booked in with us but she would be pushy to the client to get them to have their hair done with her.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I have had a lot of clients who won't go to her because of her attitude/pushiness etc which is another issue to deal with. And all this being said, she's pregnant (which I don't have an issue with, quite happy for the arrival of a salon baby).

Thanks everyone xxxx

 

[AcidPerm]

Unless you have a watertight clause written into her contract, there's not much you can do.

 

[Murfles]

Sure there's plenty you can do. Ask her, if she admits it, you could give her a warning or let her go, depending on what your contracts say. My staff contracts say that doing any treatments at home is a sackable offense. Do you have contracts?

 

[kimi1101]

If you don't know for sure she did this lady's hair, you can't do anything.

If she is pushy and pressuring clients, you should deal with that issue.

 

[Urbanspa]

We have contracts that are in place and it has us covered for poaching the salons clients. I think it is something that unless she admits it or the client confirms it is her I can't do anything about. Will just have to tackle the issue of her strong attitude to clients instead.

Thank you all for your help xxx

 

[Flickaroo]

I think even though it's in the contract what can you do? The worse is fire them which I guess you could do anyway?
I have staff members who do very few clients at home, mainly ones that wouldn't come to the salon anyway . It doesn't affect the salon so doesn't really bother me.
However a former beauty therapy teacher has opened up her own salon and one of my staff has decided to go and work there on her day off! I'm not sure if she will be employed or self employed but I'm fuming! Found out from another client yesterday who asked if she was leaving my salon! What the hell do I say to her on Monday!! Really not happy but don't want to let her go?!

 

[charlie109]

I would tolerate neither of these issues...I'm speaking from experience...thinking a stylist is too good to let go so u end up letting things slide Untill eventually they are walking all over u, I'd advise a stern word and explaining the consequences if they continue to proceed I would fire them... The one thing I'v learned is there's more than 1 good stylist out there

 

[jameswhite]

Well in your contract does it say she cant work at another salon and it is her day off does it say she cant work on her day off. Did you ever think to offer her that day back in your salon or did she have to go looking? If my boss told me that I would be like see you later and go work for the other job full time if you let her go and its not in tour contract she could sue you for unfair dismissal.

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[Flickaroo]

Well in your contract does it say she cant work at another salon and it is her day off does it say she cant work on her day off. Did you ever think to offer her that day back in your salon or did she have to go looking? If my boss told me that I would be like see you later and go work for the other job full time if you let her go and its not in tour contract she could sue you for unfair dismissal.

Sent from my SM-G900I using SalonGeek mobile app

There is nothing in her contract that mentions any of this. And like I said I only found out about all of this a couple of days ago when a client questioned it. I won't see her until Monday to ask her about it so no I haven't had the chance to offer her an extra day at my salon

 

[Joely_x]

However a former beauty therapy teacher has opened up her own salon and one of my staff has decided to go and work there on her day off! I'm not sure if she will be employed or self employed but I'm fuming! Found out from another client yesterday who asked if she was leaving my salon! What the hell do I say to her on Monday!! Really not happy but don't want to let her go?!

Surely this is a sackable offence as it's a conflict of interest


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[vividamnesia]

Is the client a shop client whom books in with any available stylist or her regular? Do you know for sure she was "pushy" towards the client or casual in mentioning her offer to the client of which the client made preference to her offer?......The worst problem I have experienced over the years is when someone, shop/stylist whomever lays claim to "clients". Clients sense the underlying stress of this behavior as bruised egos & feelings of ill will are present among the staff/environment.

I strongly promote free rein when it comes to stylist/client relations. Clients are not "owned" or belong to any particular service provider or business, they are not stupid & make their own choices. I would not value this as "stealing" profit from your business & hope you can get that mind frame over with. There is always more clients booking into your business & if it's a properly run business they will be regulars. If your that worried about the revenue from 1 client of which you are unsure of if/how an employee may or may not have "stolen" from? I recommend you logically stop using terms like "stealing/taking etc" & concern yourself with more positive business practices for providing professional quality services in a pleasant environment for staff & clients.

I always run my shops with a no tolerance policy for petty stress,negative gossip,client ownership & emotionally charged wars over such things & have always provided my stylists whom are moving local with a list of their regular clients contacts & urge them to go through the database to grab any other clients they think were missed off the list for their use, I hope this is not taken in a negative light. I can honestly tell you that adopting this last paragraph in wisdom & practice will generate more revenue in the long run for you & your staff.

 

[Jinnyjinbob]

Back to the OP, just because your stylist has time off and someone cancelled their appointment and lives in the same village, doesn't mean she's poaching your clients.

Of course she could be. But it could all just be a coincidence, the evidence you've provided seems a bit of a far fetched link to start pointing the finger.

Be careful you don't create hostility if you wrongly accuse her.

 

[Jinnyjinbob]

The 'pushiness' is a different issue altogether. If her behaviour at work is unacceptable then have a word with her about that part.