Harried

10.04.2008

Dear Guy that Colors My Hair and Keeps Me "Naturally" Blonde:

I like you. I like how you color my hair.

That's why I keep following you around as you skip from one salon to another and back to the one where you started. The one run by people you couldn't stand, but now you think are great, but are really ex-bodybuilders who somehow think they can run salons.

I have referred many, many people to you, though you have failed to acknowledge even one.

I pay you $200 (plus tip) to color my hair. I gladly pay it, because otherwise my hair would be grey and dark brown and I would look like a hag. Operative words here are I pay you.

You pay me nothing. Operative words here are pay me nothing.

So that makes me the customer and you the service provider. (Monday thru Friday I am the service provider catering to the every whim of wealthy customers, so I feel your pain and have walked in your shoes.)

Therefore, I have some requests:

Do not arrive at 10:10am for a 10:00am appointment. I have been waiting for you since 9:55am. I was early. You were late. You should have been standing by your chair with the hair color already mixed up, thus allowing me to be greeted by a happy guy-that-colors-my-hair. I took a day off work and you are one of many stops today. You robbed me of at least 30 very valuable minutes.

Offer me coffee or a Diet Coke or even a glass of water for heavens sake. That fancy coffee bar is there for a reason, and I assume it's not to keep the staff happy (or maybe it is). If that's the case, it doesn't seem to be working.

Don't ask me how many foils and how much of my hair I need colored. I come to you so you can tell me that. Because I am the customer and you are the service provider. And I cannot see the back of my hair.

After you do figure out how much color to put in my hair, don't continually talk about how many foils you put in my hair compared to the "routine" hair color client. I don't care about their hair or their "routine". I only care about mine. And after 20 minutes of your talking about what a favor you are doing me (though I had to ask for coffee and a magazine) I will quit answering you and you will not even notice.

Don't complain to me about all the little problems in your life. I have enough of my own. I like to come to the salon to escape the gas crisis and the economy problems. The salon was practically empty. One of the other "hair designers" said she skipped work three days last week because she didn't have gas. The economy does suck. But here I am, spending money. So don't complain to me.

And don't slip in a $20 charge for snipping one piece of hair that you deemed as "too long" and clipped yourself, without asking me. Especially in light of the fact that I once let you cut my hair and you whacked it and left a 1/2" stalk right in the middle of my head that took months to grow out.

I will ask to see the listing of all the hair services and which ones you circle. And I will not pay for anything that we did not discuss. Like the written-in $20 under Misc. Services. You can't take back my hair color if I don't pay for those snarky little nickle and dime snarks. And, though I'm sure you've discussed it, you can't chop off my head and keep it until I ante up the American Express. I tip, and I tip well. But try to slip something in on me and I will very obviously tip not one single penny.

The end.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

25 comments:

Tina Leigh :

I think you should come down here!! I had a wonderful cut, color, and a bottle of hair product..plus tip..for half that. Wait a minute...maybe I should learn to color your hair, lol. Yeah I know how you feel. We live in a very different world these days..there is a very LACK of RESPECT in this world (with the lack of proper english on my part). That is why I hate nursing....wait let me make myself a little clearer....I HATE NURSING NOW BECAUSE OF WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BECOME!!! I feel your pain sister.

Lennye :

I thought only small southern towns had drama at the beauty shop! However, I feel much better knowing I'm paying $80 less for my drama.

melissa :

I could have written this myself, Jill! I am always having this same type of discussion with my girl friend - complaining about my hair stylist and the extra charges, etc.

Melissa

Nobody You Know :

Girl, really $200? Are you friggin kiddin' me?

Come down here to the Too Blonde Salon. She'll fix ya up for about $75. Tell me that's not the cutest name for a salon you've ever heard?

Darlene :

I must admit I am blessed to have a hairdresser who charges me like it was 10 years ago. Recently she raised her prices $2 and it's still a steal. No fancy salon but she spends 2 hours making sure my highlights are perfect! I feel so lucky.

Tricia :

$200!! That is craziness!! But I do understand it!! A girls gotta look good!! I just wish that you were treated better!!

Jillian :

Wow! I'd probably not go back to him again...but your hair does look fabulous!

:0)

Jillian

CRICKET :

I feel your pain! I finally decided to stop going to my pedicure lady because of the same thing. I was sick and tired of hearing her rants, complaints and not knowing exactly how much she was going to charge me...I color my hair and its tricky, luckily my gals is resonable and great. I may be moving to another state soon and looking for a ne hair stylist is the one thing I dread.

Preppy Engineer :

AMEN! That is so on the mark.

Pink in a sea of blue :

Wow! Late, doesn't offer a drink or magazine, extra charges? Call the salon anonymously and speak to the manager about him! I followed my Atlanta girl around, too for 10 yrs. She finally opened her own salon in Vinings. I paid about $150. I can give you more info if you want to try someone new.

justabeachkat :

Hi Girlfriend!

Remember me? Life has been sooooo C-R-A-Z-Y lately...but a good kind of crazy, so I can't complain even though it has kept me from visiting. But...I'm home now...for a week or so anyway.

I've had fun reading all your posts I've missed. I won't comment on each post, but I HAD to comment on this one. A big AMEN! You nailed it girl!

Hugs!
Kat

Mom on the Run :

I love my hair guy. He's moved a million times and I lost track of him for a few years, but in the 12 years since I "found" him again, it's been great. I look forward to it. And I don't think he's raised his prices either.

I don't even pay half what you pay. Ouchies.

Just Mom :

Although, I do aspire to one day get a $200 color/cut combo.

:-D

Just Mom :

I color my own hair.

$7 tops.

:-D

Momma Roar :

You need to get that lady from the Bravo channel to come to their salon - sorry, I cannot remember her name. I'm hoping you know who I mean!

The 5 Bickies :

What a great post...I would have been furious. I've never heard of the miscellaneous charge column! I hate spending time in the chair and really hate when they are late. I host the hair salon at my house every 6 weeks and we still have the drama!

annie :

Very annoying. I do foils for a few of my bffs now because they are sick of dealing with these issues... but I am left to get mine done by a girl who must be related to your guy! Except I also get to entertain her children and try to keep them out of my purse!

Beth :

Ha! Great entry! You just said what everyone WANTS to say! :)

bethcormier.blogspot.com

Jennifer (mom of four) :

OMG!!!

That was great! I feel your pain!!

I am going tomorrow to get my hair foiled to cover up this gray that is appearing out of nowhere! It must know that I am turning 39 on Friday!

Thanks for making my laugh tonight..it has been a long week and its only Tuesday.

jeanetta :

you should so call tabitha's salon make-over!

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe :

I have always thought THIS is the job to have. Big bucks for a service provided where you can talk on the phone, drink coffee, bitch and moan. Someone even washes her hair before you touch it.
It beats doing pap smears for a living!

Hillcrest Acres :

Well said. I would love to send this to a salon I use to visit. I went to them for almost twelve years and some of the "crap" they pulled was unbelievable. And it wasn't a cheap place either, it was pricey.

Connie :

Wow! You could get your hair colored in Beverly Hills for that price and they would pamper you too. You need to find someone else...that would be too stressful for me. I know how hard it is to find someone good to do your hair. I drive 40 minutes to my daughter's friend who does NOT charge me that much for a color, cut and blow dry. I live in So. California where we usually pay more too! Connie

Paige's Petals :

Its been a while since I stopped in! Wanted to say hello! Regarding hair stylists as they liked to be called, I have been "married" to mine now for 20 years and couldn't divorce if I wanted because now we are good friends. I find that I don't want to be loyal to many other "service providers" as I like change.

Hugs!

Tickled Pink And Green :

For $200 plus tip he ought to be coloring your hair and then stopping by your house to mop your floor. He needs to shut his pie hole and be grateful you're still with him!

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