Very bad day in the salon, had to call the police

[Nila]

God yesterday was such a bad day, one thing after another, still feel sad and just want to cry...

First thing I had two young girls walked in and asked for eyebrow shaping. I was with a client so I asked them if they can wait. Next minute I turned my back and one of them stole a lipstick from the shelf which I noticed after they left. Then I spent so much time shaping their badly damaged eyebrows. They were both so happy with the result and couldn't believe how nice they looked. I even put eyebrow powder and showed them how to do it to make their eyebrows look better. we had a nice chat and then they left without paying and ran a way! I couldn't believe it. It has never happened before. I just feel awful as I always do my best to be nice to all my clients and put so much time and energy into my work making sure they leave completely happy.

The worst part was that I called the police and they never came!!! I called again and they said they had more important things and they had no officer to send!

Sorry long story... then my next client came and I said 'sorry before we start I have to tell you that I had an incident in the salon earlier and I have called the police they may come any time so I apologize in advance.' She looked at me angry and said 'That's why you are running late?! Last time I came late you were annoyed with me and today I rushed to be here on time and I had to wait. So remember this for the future and if I'm late don't get annoyed......' I couldn't believe this! couldn't even hear the rest of what she was saying as she was proper threatening me with an aggressive tone of voice! I was so shocked that I didn't know how to react and you know how long she had to wait? 5 minutes!!! For God's sake 5 minutes? in a day like that? I did her treatment with a lump in my throat just wanted her to leave so I could sit and cry for myself. what a day! she is not a new client, it's about 2 years she is coming to the salon regularly. I've done her treatments for her hen party and wedding. she has always been very unpleasant but she could still show a little sympathy when I told her what had happened like everybody else did. Anyway next time she text me to book I'm going to tell her to find another salon.

My question is how would you react and say if you were me? Is it the same when they come late and when we are running late??

 

[laurakate]

I'm convinced that most people would have had a hard time biting their tongue and keeping cool in the circumstances. Sounds like you did the best you could.

Phone the incident report number for the police within 24 hours to increase the chances of being able to get the thieves caught.

 

[lilly]

God yesterday was such a bad day, one thing after another, still feel sad and just want to cry...

First thing I had two young girls walked in and asked for eyebrow shaping. I was with a client so I asked them if they can wait. Next minute I turned my back and one of them stole a lipstick from the shelf which I noticed after they left. Then I spent so much time shaping their badly damaged eyebrows. They were both so happy with the result and couldn't believe how nice they looked. I even put eyebrow powder and showed them how to do it to make their eyebrows look better. we had a nice chat and then they left without paying and ran a way! I couldn't believe it. It has never happened before. I just feel awful as I always do my best to be nice to all my clients and put so much time and energy into my work making sure they leave completely happy.

The worst part was that I called the police and they never came!!! I called again and they said they had more important things and they had no officer to send!

Sorry long story... then my next client came and I said 'sorry before we start I have to tell you that I had an incident in the salon earlier and I have called the police they may come any time so I apologize in advance.' She looked at me angry and said 'That's why you are running late?! Last time I came late you were annoyed with me and today I rushed to be here on time and I had to wait. So remember this for the future and if I'm late don't get annoyed......' I couldn't believe this! couldn't even hear the rest of what she was saying as she was proper threatening me with an aggressive tone of voice! I was so shocked that I didn't know how to react and you know how long she had to wait? 5 minutes!!! For God's sake 5 minutes? in a day like that? I did her treatment with a lump in my throat just wanted her to leave so I could sit and cry for myself. what a day! she is not a new client, it's about 2 years she is coming to the salon regularly. I've done her treatments for her hen party and wedding. she has always been very unpleasant but she could still show a little sympathy when I told her what had happened like everybody else did. Anyway next time she text me to book I'm going to tell her to find another salon.

My question is how would you react and say if you were me? Is it the same when they come late and when we are running late??

To be honest, if I could do without her money then the next time she calls I'd say I think it would be better for you to find another salon as I can't be sure I won't run late, or just tell her to do one ! X

 

[Panoramic]

God yesterday was such a bad day, one thing after another, still feel sad and just want to cry...

First thing I had two young girls walked in and asked for eyebrow shaping. I was with a client so I asked them if they can wait. Next minute I turned my back and one of them stole a lipstick from the shelf which I noticed after they left. Then I spent so much time shaping their badly damaged eyebrows. They were both so happy with the result and couldn't believe how nice they looked. I even put eyebrow powder and showed them how to do it to make their eyebrows look better. we had a nice chat and then they left without paying and ran a way! I couldn't believe it. It has never happened before. I just feel awful as I always do my best to be nice to all my clients and put so much time and energy into my work making sure they leave completely happy.

The worst part was that I called the police and they never came!!! I called again and they said they had more important things and they had no officer to send!

Sorry long story... then my next client came and I said 'sorry before we start I have to tell you that I had an incident in the salon earlier and I have called the police they may come any time so I apologize in advance.' She looked at me angry and said 'That's why you are running late?! Last time I came late you were annoyed with me and today I rushed to be here on time and I had to wait. So remember this for the future and if I'm late don't get annoyed......' I couldn't believe this! couldn't even hear the rest of what she was saying as she was proper threatening me with an aggressive tone of voice! I was so shocked that I didn't know how to react and you know how long she had to wait? 5 minutes!!! For God's sake 5 minutes? in a day like that? I did her treatment with a lump in my throat just wanted her to leave so I could sit and cry for myself. what a day! she is not a new client, it's about 2 years she is coming to the salon regularly. I've done her treatments for her hen party and wedding. she has always been very unpleasant but she could still show a little sympathy when I told her what had happened like everybody else did. Anyway next time she text me to book I'm going to tell her to find another salon.

My question is how would you react and say if you were me? Is it the same when they come late and when we are running late??

Hugs. Karma my dear! It will come back on them.

Dont let it get to you. Ride the storm

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[dudeymel]

Sorry to hear about your experience from the clients point of view I can understand why they were annoyed as it's not fair to complain to them about being late if they are kept waiting as their time is as important as ours and something bad might have happened to them when they were late as well. Xx

 

[virtues2011]

How much did you lose? No more than £30? ..

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[Truffle]

Clients eh? I'v been in business 15 years and have every dirty trick in the book played on me. Its horrible when people steal from you, you work so hard and people think its ok to do this. I would have been upset too, its one of those live and learn things. Maybe get cctv or a dummy camera with a sign stating that the areas is being monitored. I had "clients" steal from me, they would remove products from their boxes on display and put the empty box back but it dramatically reduced when they saw the camera. My sign also said anyone caught stealing would have their pictures featured on the salon window and more recently Facebook. No idea if it would have been legal or not but it made them think!
As for your lovely client, you don't even have to tell her to "do one" just be busy every time she tries to make an appointment. Nobody has the right to make you cry and feel upset like that, if her manner and tone upset you then you don't want her as a client.
Its happened to me lots of times, I look back sometimes and think why on earth did I let people treat me like that, and the older you get the more you realsie you do not need the money from people like that, its demoralising and not worth whatever amount they are paying. My motto now is if I wouldn't treat someone like that then I won't be treated like that myself.
Chin up, tomorrow is another day, you sound like a therapist who loves her job and her clients and will be a great day round the corner when you will only get nice clients.
Just learn from it and decide not to let it happen again xxx

 

[nicole333]

Nothing like being kicked when you're down eh? I guess you were hoping for a human response like any normal person would offer to someone who had a similar day to yours. I suppose in this job you have to suffer the selfish and self obsessed though.

Let it go and write the day off to very bad experience. :hug:

 

[MrsHBeauty]

To be honest I have the same attitude - you can't moan about someone being late and then be late yourself.

BUT everyone has a valid reason here and there and she should have been understanding as you had had a rough time.


Jemima

 

[NailsXpress]

Don't book her in again. State you're fully booked and can't get her in. If she gets uppity on the phone, then tell her that you feel she is being very difficult/rude and that you can no longer accommodate her. Thank her calmly and say goodbye.

Another salon I know of had a few young girls having treatments, then doing a runner. They now do the service, take their photo of their brows etc along with a full face pic. That way if they do a runner then the salon has their photo and can either report them, or name and shame them.

 

[adventuregirl]

What a horrible day. Big glass of wine and bubble bath when you get home. Tomorrow is a new day xx

 

[MrsSmith]

How much did you lose? No more than £30? ..

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The value lost is not the issue. Stealing is a crime regardless of the cost of the item!!!

 

[Lks]

The worst part was that I called the police and they never came!!! I called again and they said they had more important things and they had no officer to send

I can't believe no one has mentioned yet the fact that the police didn't show! and then told her that they had more important things to do!! This to me is appalling and my blood boils just thinking about it. Isn't it a police officers job to protect and serve?? Don't we as citizens put our safety and trust in them? I hate it when police officers abuse their powers and just as in this case, violate everything they stand for. Is this common place in England? My family comes from Brazil and it wouldn't surprise me if that happened then....Brazil is a third world country, after all, for a reason. But England is not! It is a first world country just as the US and in the US the police would never NOT come unless it was the apocalypse or it's equivalent. But then again, you too would have better things to worry about.

It continues to baffle me that they simply didn't show because they had more important things to do. WTF.

 

[BannerPenguin]

I can't believe no one has mentioned yet the fact that the police didn't show! and then told her that they had more important things to do!! This to me is appalling and my blood boils just thinking about it. Isn't it a police officers job to protect and serve?? Don't we as citizens put our safety and trust in them? I hate it when police officers abuse their powers and just as in this case, violate everything they stand for. Is this common place in England? My family comes from Brazil and it wouldn't surprise me if that happened then....Brazil is a third world country, after all, for a reason. But England is not! It is a first world country just as the US and in the US the police would never NOT come unless it was the apocalypse or it's equivalent. But then again, you too would have better things to worry about.

It continues to baffle me that they simply didn't show because they had more important things to do. WTF.

Technically it's not the officers who choose to respond. It's command HQ and the sgt's who decide. If people truly knew how many police offers are on shift at one time believe me, you would be shocked. It's so little it's alarming.

They do have to decide what's more important. This is the kind of case where someone would book to visit you another day most of the time. For example a burglary would take priority or an assault.

For an example my local police force I have called when there was a huge domestic going on below the old flat I used to live it. To the point the guy was telling the lady to stab him, go on do it. I rang 999. 45mins later they turned up. Lucky she didn't stab him.

Also as some know I'm a doorman - not much anymore - myself and a colleague ended up us 2 vs 4 guys. They attempted to glass us and a fight broke out with just us in a packed venue. The paramedics refused to turn up to stitch my partners lip up after being glassed and the staff called the police before the fight even broke out and again approx 45mins after the incident and glass everywhere with us getting them out the door, a PCSO, that's right a PCSO, turned up on his own because they were busy.

I don't hold any hope out for my local services.

 

[nicole333]

What they probably meant was because there was no longer a direct threat (they had left) then they had to prioritise their ever decreasing man power. Who knows what else they were dealing with at the time. It's not right, but it's a reality of today.

 

[Nila]

This was actually the first time in my life that I have called the police number and I didn't expect this! To be honest I feel kind of helpless and unsafe, I'm thinking if something major happens, are they ever going to show up?!!! I know it was not a big theft but I still needed a better response.
One of my client who works for police was in the salon this afternoon and even she couldn't believe this. She told me to call and complain if they didn't come tomorrow. She said they should have sent somebody to at least give you some reassurance as you were shaky from what happened specially as you are working alone. she was apologizing on behalf of police, bless her. I was going to tell you the rest of what she said but I don't think it's right to mention them here as everyone can read these posts online.

 

[blossom]

God yesterday was such a bad day, one thing after another, still feel sad and just want to cry...

First thing I had two young girls walked in and asked for eyebrow shaping. I was with a client so I asked them if they can wait. Next minute I turned my back and one of them stole a lipstick from the shelf which I noticed after they left. Then I spent so much time shaping their badly damaged eyebrows. They were both so happy with the result and couldn't believe how nice they looked. I even put eyebrow powder and showed them how to do it to make their eyebrows look better. we had a nice chat and then they left without paying and ran a way! I couldn't believe it. It has never happened before. I just feel awful as I always do my best to be nice to all my clients and put so much time and energy into my work making sure they leave completely happy.

The worst part was that I called the police and they never came!!! I called again and they said they had more important things and they had no officer to send!

Sorry long story... then my next client came and I said 'sorry before we start I have to tell you that I had an incident in the salon earlier and I have called the police they may come any time so I apologize in advance.' She looked at me angry and said 'That's why you are running late?! Last time I came late you were annoyed with me and today I rushed to be here on time and I had to wait. So remember this for the future and if I'm late don't get annoyed......' I couldn't believe this! couldn't even hear the rest of what she was saying as she was proper threatening me with an aggressive tone of voice! I was so shocked that I didn't know how to react and you know how long she had to wait? 5 minutes!!! For God's sake 5 minutes? in a day like that? I did her treatment with a lump in my throat just wanted her to leave so I could sit and cry for myself. what a day! she is not a new client, it's about 2 years she is coming to the salon regularly. I've done her treatments for her hen party and wedding. she has always been very unpleasant but she could still show a little sympathy when I told her what had happened like everybody else did. Anyway next time she text me to book I'm going to tell her to find another salon.

My question is how would you react and say if you were me? Is it the same when they come late and when we are running late??

Poor you. I would be seething too.

On reflection, there's little you can do apart from blacklist the two girls and be fully booked next time the other lady tries to bookl. If she rebooks straight before she leaves, take the booking then cancel due to illness then be unable to rebook. She sounds a nightmare.

It's a poor show the police didn't appear as to you it seemed like they were belittling the incident but I guess its down to numbers etc, they are thin on the ground these days.

Someone told me once, if it will still matter in a few months/a years time, then it's worth worrying about. It's such good advice, I try to apply it in most cases! (difficult sometimes).

Be assured I would feel the same as you though and totally get where you're coming from. I find it irritating when people are late (although I'm never cross but sometimes quite "short" with them and not as chatty while I try to make up the time by working faster. Your lady sounds very intolerant and given the fact that she has never been very pleasant I think its time she went down the toilet. xx

 

[beautyxperts]

This was actually the first time in my life that I have called the police number and I didn't expect this! To be honest I feel kind of helpless and unsafe, I'm thinking if something major happens, are they ever going to show up?!!! I know it was not a big theft but I still needed a better response.
One of my client who works for police was in the salon this afternoon and even she couldn't believe this. She told me to call and complain if they didn't come tomorrow. She said they should have sent somebody to at least give you some reassurance as you were shaky from what happened specially as you are working alone. she was apologizing on behalf of police, bless her. I was going to tell you the rest of what she said but I don't think it's right to mention them here as everyone can read these posts online.

Slightly off topic but here's my experience after calling 999;
I got physically attacked in my salon - badly beaten up (a mad woman I didn't know!) and one PC turned up 40 mins later (I'll add that the station is 2 mins up the road) - the PC was careless, told me the victim always has it worse if they press charges & did I want an ambulance! I ended up going home, without pressing charges in shock & concussion at what had been said. My family were angry, reported the PC & pressed charges, I ended up in a&e - but because the woman wasn't classed as a direct threat they wouldn't arrest her even though she admitted what she did.
My experience of the police is - don't bother calling them.
Sorry you've had a rubbish day but your emotions will have been all over the place after that happening, plus the lack of concern from this client obviously didn't help - tomorrow you will feel better but have a look at your security system in the salon - I've fitted mine with CCTV and signage that shop lifters will be prosecuted. Don't let them out you off,being upset is natural, you will probably be angry tomorrow about it, but from what you've said the client is normally tackless so don't let her bother you, money is money so just take it on the chin - you were upset. Xx

 

[Aphrodite26]

Sending you hugs hunni.
I've had a similar experience as I'm also an ex door woman and the police wouldn't respond to our venue.

As for the client who was awful I woudnt book her again xx


Sent from the catphone

 

[virtues2011]

The value lost is not the issue. Stealing is a crime regardless of the cost of the item!!!

Agreed. Theft is theft, but it would cost the public purse more money to pursue it that what has actually been stolen. Sadly.

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