Working from home - policies

[Bellabeau]

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum but would love your views.
I'm a hairdresser who works from home. I've recently moved house and now have the opportunity to turn a room into a small salon room. When I say small, I mean there's only room for the client, no one else.

I'm putting together a policy to say please refrain from bringing other people (I've had husbands/boyfriends/children/friends/family come along in the past) unless you are a group booking (I can move into another room for those types of appointments) and for insurance purposes no children are allowed to come along unless they're having their hair done. Problem is I have a young child myself at home all day with me who I find easy to work around and he's no trouble. Can I still have a no children policy even though I have mine there? My way of thinking is he's mine and he's in his own home whereas my insurance wouldn't cover other people's children. Do you think clients would get funny as he's there anyway?

Not only can I not accommodate other people/children in the room as it's small but a big reason for bringing this policy in is because I'm so sick of people turning up with a big group of people who take up my whole room (I'm not in the salon room yet as it's still being done up but had the same problem at my old house where I didn't have a room to work in) just to sit there and watch. It can be really uncomfortable!!

But also the amount of clients who ask to bring their children or sometimes don't even ask just turn up with them! They let them run riot, wreck my house, whinge the whole time they're hungry and thirsty, break my children's toys - one child even stole some of my sons Lego, run upstairs into my kids rooms despite me telling them not to and the mothers sit and say nothing or say go and play in the garden where they will get filthy dirty then come in and climb over my furniture with their shoes on! They've been known to hurt my little ones, swing off my stair gates, launch footballs around my house and all sorts. The mums often think my older kids are there to entertain theirs but my children shouldn't have to play with strangers children and definitely shouldn't have to let them play with their toys! Some treat it as free childcare while they have a pamper!

So basically I want to know if I'm going to have a problem having a no children policy especially with clients who have bought their kids in the past and know I'll have a little one there?

Also how do those of you that have a similar rule and work from home go about things if the parent wants a colour but also wants their child's hair cut? Do you do them in different bookings so you don't have the child waiting around or do you go to them? Some kids are fine but I'd just rather not have any at all invading my home anymore [emoji23][emoji23]

So sorry for the long winded post I think I needed a bit of a moan [emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Elesha]

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum but would love your views.
I'm a hairdresser who works from home. I've recently moved house and now have the opportunity to turn a room into a small salon room. When I say small, I mean there's only room for the client, no one else.

I'm putting together a policy to say please refrain from bringing other people (I've had husbands/boyfriends/children/friends/family come along in the past) unless you are a group booking (I can move into another room for those types of appointments) and for insurance purposes no children are allowed to come along unless they're having their hair done. Problem is I have a young child myself at home all day with me who I find easy to work around and he's no trouble. Can I still have a no children policy even though I have mine there? My way of thinking is he's mine and he's in his own home whereas my insurance wouldn't cover other people's children. Do you think clients would get funny as he's there anyway?

Not only can I not accommodate other people/children in the room as it's small but a big reason for bringing this policy in is because I'm so sick of people turning up with a big group of people who take up my whole room (I'm not in the salon room yet as it's still being done up but had the same problem at my old house where I didn't have a room to work in) just to sit there and watch. It can be really uncomfortable!!

But also the amount of clients who ask to bring their children or sometimes don't even ask just turn up with them! They let them run riot, wreck my house, whinge the whole time they're hungry and thirsty, break my children's toys - one child even stole some of my sons Lego, run upstairs into my kids rooms despite me telling them not to and the mothers sit and say nothing or say go and play in the garden where they will get filthy dirty then come in and climb over my furniture with their shoes on! They've been known to hurt my little ones, swing off my stair gates, launch footballs around my house and all sorts. The mums often think my older kids are there to entertain theirs but my children shouldn't have to play with strangers children and definitely shouldn't have to let them play with their toys! Some treat it as free childcare while they have a pamper!

So basically I want to know if I'm going to have a problem having a no children policy especially with clients who have bought their kids in the past and know I'll have a little one there?

Also how do those of you that have a similar rule and work from home go about things if the parent wants a colour but also wants their child's hair cut? Do you do them in different bookings so you don't have the child waiting around or do you go to them? Some kids are fine but I'd just rather not have any at all invading my home anymore [emoji23][emoji23]

So sorry for the long winded post I think I needed a bit of a moan [emoji23][emoji23]

Hmm it's a difficult one really , I'm mobile but also do a few clients from home I have two children and my youngest can be wild so I don't mind if my clients bring their children BUT I would only have certain clients Come to my house . I think it depends on the client as to wether they would take offence , personally if I was having my hair done I wouldn't want to bring my children haha. A lot of people have mobile hairdressers or people that work from home because it's convenient and it's easier to take children to someone's house and let them run wild rather than a salon .
Sorry I've not actually helped at all Xx

 

[Jemma1919]

I would just say as they book appointments and say due to insurance and having no room we can only allow one person at a time.

 

[Jazz Beard]

Agree with Jemma! Just make it clear everywhere that for insurance purposes no children are allowed in unless they are having their hair done as your not covered im sure people will understand! X

 

[blossom]

Bellabeau I agree with Jemma, and I'd make sure you text/message something along those lines when you confirm the appt otherwise they can say they didn't know - or indeed may actually not know. I feel for you. I'm nails and beauty and have had similar although not enough for it to be a problem and my kids are much older so don't have those issues but I totally agree with you, and I would be livid. Xx

 

[LoobyLox]

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum but would love your views.
I'm a hairdresser who works from home. I've recently moved house and now have the opportunity to turn a room into a small salon room. When I say small, I mean there's only room for the client, no one else.

I'm putting together a policy to say please refrain from bringing other people (I've had husbands/boyfriends/children/friends/family come along in the past) unless you are a group booking (I can move into another room for those types of appointments) and for insurance purposes no children are allowed to come along unless they're having their hair done. Problem is I have a young child myself at home all day with me who I find easy to work around and he's no trouble. Can I still have a no children policy even though I have mine there? My way of thinking is he's mine and he's in his own home whereas my insurance wouldn't cover other people's children. Do you think clients would get funny as he's there anyway?

Not only can I not accommodate other people/children in the room as it's small but a big reason for bringing this policy in is because I'm so sick of people turning up with a big group of people who take up my whole room (I'm not in the salon room yet as it's still being done up but had the same problem at my old house where I didn't have a room to work in) just to sit there and watch. It can be really uncomfortable!!

But also the amount of clients who ask to bring their children or sometimes don't even ask just turn up with them! They let them run riot, wreck my house, whinge the whole time they're hungry and thirsty, break my children's toys - one child even stole some of my sons Lego, run upstairs into my kids rooms despite me telling them not to and the mothers sit and say nothing or say go and play in the garden where they will get filthy dirty then come in and climb over my furniture with their shoes on! They've been known to hurt my little ones, swing off my stair gates, launch footballs around my house and all sorts. The mums often think my older kids are there to entertain theirs but my children shouldn't have to play with strangers children and definitely shouldn't have to let them play with their toys! Some treat it as free childcare while they have a pamper!

So basically I want to know if I'm going to have a problem having a no children policy especially with clients who have bought their kids in the past and know I'll have a little one there?

Also how do those of you that have a similar rule and work from home go about things if the parent wants a colour but also wants their child's hair cut? Do you do them in different bookings so you don't have the child waiting around or do you go to them? Some kids are fine but I'd just rather not have any at all invading my home anymore [emoji23][emoji23]

So sorry for the long winded post I think I needed a bit of a moan [emoji23][emoji23]

Hiya Bella

Your Insurance will be your first point of call. They should be able to tell you what you can and can't say and if they will cover you etc.

Also ask them if a client turns up with their child after you have advised them not to what do you do in this situation ?

It's not as easy as to say you should turn them away ? You would lose the profit from the booking and they may of travelled quite a way to get to you?

I would explain to all clients you have a 'no other persons policy ' but you need to have something in place if they choose to ignore this.

Maybe a signed written disclaimer stating that if they choose to have their hair done with their child their the child is there under their own risk.

Obviously this doesn't help you with the not wanting the children in your house in the first place and we all know some clients may not take any notice at all which is tricky. xx

 

[Bellabeau]

Thank you all for replying. I made a 'polite notice' note stating lack of room so refrain from bringing other people and for health and safety reasons my insurance doesn't allow me to have children on the premises. Thought I'd throw a bit of not arriving too early/late, about cancellations and a couple of other bits as well while I was at it I've pinned it to my page and I'll be sending it to everyone at the time of booking so there are no excuses. But guess what. My first client today turned up 15 minutes early and I wasn't ready for her!!! So it's going really well so far hopefully she's one of not too many and people will actually take notice!!!!

 

[Nemo]

Been there and done it! My signs are no longer polite. My text reminders blunt. My email confirmations bordering offensive! It's the only language these people understand!! No respect. I refuse people that turn up with kids. I've told them already so there's no way they can't know. I'm sick of repairing and tidying after other people kids. And I have a no entourage policy. If they're early, I make them stand by the door. They soon learn! I used to be nice but people take the p$#s.

 

[Bellabeau]

Hahaha brilliant and so true!!!!!!