Beauty, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Forgive me Gloria…

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To be clear, I am all for “girl power” and am a firm believer in equality. I am grateful to all the women who burned their bras and for their swollen feet and blisters for the marches they marched in so I can vote and have a library card without my daddy’s signature on it. (yes, up until the 1950’s in Canada a woman could not have a library card unless it had a man’s signature on it…my mother remembers my great grandmother taking her to the library the day women were allowed to have their own library card).This being said, as of late I am not seeing much equality out there. The lack of equality is not for the ladies…but for the gents. That’s right. I said it, for the gents.

Every time, I mean every time a gent comes in for product, the second he leaves some woman makes a snide remark, or pokes fun at him. “Isn’t that cute? He wants to do his hair.”. “Hmmppt…who is he trying to impress?”. “He must be gay.”. Yes, although it is 2012, people still have their head so far up their ass they cannot see daylight.

At least a couple of times a week gentlemen come into the shop for hair product. Sometimes they know exactly what they want…so many gents out there love KMS HairPlay Molding Paste and American Crew Fibre. Sometimes they come in looking for advice. Yes ladies, believe it or not, the gents like to look good too…and not just for us ladies…for themselves as well. Sometimes my male clients are feeling a little insecure because they are going through a divorce and haven’t changed their style in 10 years and just don’t know what to do. Some men come in because some jerk at the office made fun of their gray hair and now they think they have to dye it. On one occasion, a young man had just come out of closet and was celebrating his new cut and wanted the right product for his new style.

As women, we want equality. We want to be treated the same as men. So, if this is the case why is it that we as women can have anxiety but men cannot? Why is it that we as women can show fear but men cannot? Why is it as women we can take time and effort in our appearance for our own pleasure but when a man brushes his hair and teeth it is assumed he is “after something?”.

What astonishes me about this back woods mentality is this…if a man said a woman must be a slut if she does her hair and makeup…well, no one would stand for that. So why is it acceptable for a woman to call a man “vain and a womanizer” because he likes his hair to look good? Equality goes both ways ladies.

Want to be seen as an equal? Treat people as you want to be treated. You want respect? You gotta give it.

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Salon Etiquette 101

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As you all know by now, I manage a Salon/retail shop. At least once a day, everyday (yes, I am serious…everyday) I feel like Miss. Beadle from Little House on the Prairie. Not because I am teaching someone something new – because I feel like I am dealing with Willie Oleson’s bad behaviour or Nellie Oleson’s nasty glare. Now, I have come to realize that maybe some of you cannot help your behaviour. No one had ever told you that it is not polite to throw a flat iron or it isn’t the best idea to sit on the floor and try out the nail polish that you haven’t purchased. So, me being me, I have compiled yet another list for you. Consider it a class in Salon Etiquette. Oh…and for the stylists out there, you may want to pay attention, for this list is for you as well. Come on now…you and I both know that not all stylists out there are behaving nicely or showing any professionalism for that matter. Now class, take your seats and pay attention to the lesson.

Salon Clientele –

– When purchasing a hair brush, please do not take each one off the shelf and run it through your hair. You see, now we cannot sell that brush to another client and we also cannot return it to the manufacturer. Would you want to buy a hairbrush that some person just used? Didn’t think so.

– When purchasing nail polish…do not open the bottle and try the polish on your nail. Again, now we cannot sell that polish to another client and we cannot return it to the manufacturer. All polishes come with a color swatch so you can put the nail swatch up  to your hand to see how the color looks. To clarify, although the swatch is shaped like a fingernail – the color looks the same on a toenail. (yep…if you’ve read my blog…you know the story).

– Do not take the lid off every hairspray and spray it to see if it sprays evenly. Yes, I have been privy to many an explanation by grown women try to explain to me the aerodynamics of hairspray and how it “lands” on the hair. (not to be confused with AG aerodynamic Hairspray…a nice light hold).

– When you are in my shop, all my products are professional salon products and name brands. Everything I sell is good. It comes down to what you are looking for and what your hair needs are. Unless your name is Honey BooBoo, please refrain from the old time favorite “Whatcha got here that’s good? I don’t want any crap stuff.”.

– If you wax and are suffering with red bumps or ingrown hairs on your bikini line, you can just tell us. Seriously, we know what red bumps are and what ingrown hairs are…please…I beg you…unless you look like (and others think you look like) Cindy Crawford…we don’t need to see it.

– We have all had bad hair days. We have all been fed up with our products. Take a breath. When we ask you what you want your hair to look like and what products you are currently using, don’t get mad. We are not blaming you for your hair mishap. We are asking so we know where to start from, to see what will work best for you…don’t get angry. Take a breath, have a complimentary chocolate.

– Just because your last stylist or salesperson didn’t know what they were doing doesn’t mean we are all like that. Be nice. Give us a chance.

Now, for the stylists –

– When your client arrives for their appointment and are in your chair, I don’t care if they have been coming to you for 20 years…do a consultation! Ask them if they were happy with their last service, confirm what you are doing that day. Ask if they have had any life changes, illness or new medication – for all of these factors could affect their hair.

– Got a color service booked? Make sure your client hasn’t been using “at home” color. If you need to ask me why…it may be time to rethink your career choice.

– When you are styling your client’s hair, tell them what you are using. Tell them how much to use and how to apply it. Teach them how to do their hair. SELL THEM THE PRODUCTS!!! This way they can be happy with their new cut for longer than a day. (hey…if you won’t sell it to them…I will gladly help them out…oh that’s right…I already do.).

– When your client is mistaken about a product, don’t pull a Nellie Oleson and laugh at her misconception. Be polite…how about trying “you know, a lot of people think that, but actually” and fill in the blanks. You want your clients to be nice to you? Be nice to them. Respect =respect.

– When the appointment is over, clarify if they need any of the products you used. RE-BOOK them! Women are busy, between work and kids and liquor store runs, they will forget about their hair until that moment they catch their roots in the rear view mirror. They will call for an appointment and won’t be able to get in…and guess what…it is your fault (that is what they are thinking at that moment). Re book them and this isn’t an issue and when they come for their appointment they will feel like you care about them…and we all want to feel that.

So there you have it, Salon Etiquette 101. Hopefully you all have learned something and I won’t be forced to put you in the corner beside Willie.

 

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If you don’t wanna play…get off the field

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Today’s tale is for our beloved clients/customers. Most clients/customers are too afraid to speak up because, well, the stylist is holding the scissors. So, I will speak for them. This tale is also being told in hopes that stylists and salon owners everywhere may learn something. Don’t make me get Tabatha after you.

It happened again. I know, how many times am I going to begin my tale with those words? A question that haunts me daily. Another ghostly mental question I pose to myself daily is this “why do stylists do that to their clients?”. Everyday, I mean EVERYDAY, I have a customer wander into the shop either scowling, pouting, weeping or staring at the ground refusing to make eye contact. What is the reason for these emotions and actions you ask? Poor client consultations and poor client/customer service. Plain and simple. These ladies and gents (yes…you pout too…the jig is up boys) have just left their Salon of choice without any explanation of what was just done to their hair and no idea of how to keep the new look or any information about which products will help them keeping their new do looking as it does at that moment.

Stylists! Your client is paying for a service. They are also your advertising. Guess what? If you don’t help them by giving them the proper products and teach them how to style their hair at home, they will go home and end up hating their hair and will blame you. Yes, you. They may return to you someday, but believe you me, they will have told everyone from the bank teller to the bag boy at the grocery store about how much they hate their hair and how it was your fault because of the cut/color you gave them. Trust me, I know of what I speak…I hear it from them everyday. When you buy a new cell phone, you expect the sales person to teach you all you need to know about that phone because you are paying for a product and a service. I think your clients deserve the same courtesy you expect, don’t you?

It is time to stop being lazy. Yeah, I said it, LAZY. Seriously, that is the reason why your clients are coming to my shop for hair advice.(well, and that I am pretty awesome if I do say so myself). If it takes 2 minutes or 20, I will take the time to listen and answer their questions. Sometimes they leave without a purchase, but they leave informed and feel like someone out there cares about them and how they look. Every stylist out there knows the right thing to do. They know they should have a consultation before each service, even if it is a client that they have had for 10 years. They know they should explain what products they are using and why and explain why professional salon products are better for their clients hair. It isn’t being done, I guess it is too much work…for them. These are usually the same stylists that complain they are having no shows and an empty chair.

We all want to be treated with courtesy and respect. We all want to look our best. None of us want to be left alone feeling stupid. None of us want to hate our hair. Stylists and Salon owners alike, take the extra few minutes and listen to your clients, take the extra few minutes and ask them if they need helpful hints on how to do their hair at home. Take a few minutes and ask them what products they have at home and if they don’t have the right products, show them which products are best and explain how to use them.

You never know, that client that you just rushed out the door with the new pixie cut and no product may be on the other side of the cell phone counter.

 

 

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

You don’t want ’em? I’ll take ’em.

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Again, my intention for today’s tale was to tell you all about the awesome mousses out there, alas, I am in need of telling another tale. On twitter (yeah, I’m on twitter too….I am everywhere), I saw that Tabatha Coffey had tweeted whatever happened to professionalism and integrity, which is what I found myself thinking yesterday. You see, I am working this weekend, Saturday and Sunday – not my usual schedule. Yeah, working the weekend  at 40 is a bummer but my PTG (part time girl) is awesome and deserved a weekend away. (oh, to be 21. ).

Anywho, I am finding myself quite thankful for working this weekend. Yes, it helps that it is raining, I will admit. The reason for my gratitude is not just because of Mother Nature but that I have been present to help women in desperate need of help and advice, be it with beauty advice or just having someone listen to them for one minute.

One woman is in the midst of chemo for the second time and is afraid of losing the hair she has left and her stylist told her to get a wig. So I introduced her to the Nioxin hair care line. Once her chemo is completed it may be the answer for her. Nioxin is formulated to help stop hair loss in its tracks and in many circumstances the hair that has been lost grows back. I have seen it with my own eyes on many occasions – no worries my lovelies, I will tell the tale of Nioxin soon.

I have seen 3 women in two days that have had improper removal of their gel/shellac/acrylic nails and they have come into the shop with their heads hanging low and hardly able to open the door because their fingers are so red and their nails are as white as fresh fallen snow. The culprits? Soaking in a bowl of acetone and the ever evil dremel tool. (Dremel tools are great…for DIY’s and crafts ladies…not your fingernails.). The one woman was on anti-fungal medication because the tools at the nail place she went to were not cleaned and disinfected properly – so not only does she have sore hands and fingers, she has to get her liver function checked every two weeks. ( The oral medication you must take for fungal infections can damage your liver). Please…read my tale “put my hand where?”. Tell your friends. Thank you…and NEVER be ashamed! It was not your fault. Keep your chin up…if only to reduce the look of a double chin in pictures.

I met a woman who’s hair was meant to be blonde, but that was not her outcome. A stylist told her to buy a purple shampoo to get rid of the brassy tone left on her hair. Ladies and Gents – to be clear – purple/blue shampoo’s will remove brassy tones on blondes and people with grey/silver hair – the brassy tones caused by product/pollution/nicotine build up. If you color turns out brassy – no amount of purple/blue shampoo is going to diminish that brass. You need to go back to the stylist and you need a toner. * DO NOT try to do this yourself.

A woman came in to buy a flat iron and had been told by her stylist that if the cost isn’t over $200.00 (like at her Salon I was to find out) that the flat iron was “crap” , classy move, I know. So I explained the differences between all the flat irons and their features. I asked her if she travels alot, and low and behold she travels to Europe. So I explained Universal Voltage and why she needed her flat iron to have it (short explanation – so it won’t set on fire or short out). I let her know I was familiar with the flat iron her stylist had told her about and that it was not universal voltage. She ended up informed, happy and with the right product- universal voltage, auto shut off, up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and spent under $100.00.

As promised on my first entry, these tales will sometimes be product knowledge, tales from the customer’s perspective, tales from the stylist’s perspective and from my perspective…well… a lot from my perspective it seems. Today’s tale is to help wake up the stylists, nail techs, and Salon owners to educate yourselves, use the proper techniques and procedures, pay attention to your clients, listen to them. Also, inform yourselves about other products out there that you may not sell so that you can tell your clients about something comparable that you sell. Don’t get me wrong, I love selling products to your clients, I don’t understand why you don’t and your clients wonder the same thing, trust me, I hear it everyday.

 

 

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Out of the mouths of….babes?!

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Yes, I am forty years old and yes, I am working all weekend. My PTG (part time girl) is going away for a weekend of fun before school begins so here  I am. In honour of my weekend of retail bliss and salon escapades I thought I would share some of the life changing comments I receive on a daily basis and the questions I never tire of answering. Seriously, I wish I was making this stuff up.

– “If I use a Nail Strengthener, how strong will my nails get? Like could I use them to nail a picture on the wall?”

– “Why does the OPI Shatter nail Polish make your polish look like it is shattered?”

– “Do you work here?” (I am standing behind the counter ringing through a sale on the computer)

– “Are you wheelchair accessible? Your sign says Walk In’s welcome.” (give it a minute….we have a Salon….there you go).

– “I thought for sure the hair color would stop my regrowth coming in gray” ( Yep – grown women actually think that hair color seeps into the scalp so when their hair grows the new hair grows out the color the had applied…sigh…)

– “I have errands to run, will the hairspray can blow up in my trunk?”

– “I want more volume in my hair but I don’t like using products or a blow dryer.”

– “I only use vegan and environmentally friendly products, I care for our children’s future” – then gets into her Hummer wearing leather boots and a fur coat.

“Why can’t I return this shampoo? It was crap!” – the bottle is a 1/4 full. I guess it took weeks worth of use to realize this.

– the door chimes and before I can say hello the purse clunks down on the counter and the demand of “get me 1 Sebastian Shaper Plus and a KMS Molding Paste.” – hmmmm….I don’t see the golden arches and you are not in a car and I am not at a window, so guess what….

– “Can you watch him while I look around?” – child covered in snot and what I can only hope is chocolate ice cream.

– “Well….like …don’t you like know everything?” – after asking me the difference between mousse and root lift.

– “Oh…my…gawd! Like…can you like ….geet like ova youself? Like ….I seriously doubt…for sure …that I could actuaaallly go blonde!” – a conversation I hear between two girls at least once a week.

– “Are you open?!?!” The door is locked, the lights are off, the “open” sign is off…a woman is pulling on the door and banging on the window.

Enjoy your weekend everyone, I am damn sure I will have some doozies for you on Monday.

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The Emily Post of retail.

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Call me old fashioned, but I still believe in manners. Don’t get me wrong, I love a rude limerick and have been known to curse like a drunken sailor (when I am stone cold sober). I am talking about good ol’ please and thank you, keeping your composure in public – not throwing a temper tantrum because the store is out of strawberry flavoured lipgloss, your favorite hairspray has been discontinued or the debit machine is down and GASP.. you have to use… cash. I have compiled a little list of what not to do in public. If you do any of the following in public, you will look like an ass, plain and simple. Feel free to share with your friends and co workers, I don’t mind. In fact, I urge you to share. Please and Thank you.

– when you enter a store and the sales person  says “Hello”, say “Hello” back. Do not respond with “just looking”…how would you like it if when you said “Hello” we responded with “why are you talking to me?”.

– when the debit machine is down, please do not yell at the sales person or swear at us. We did not see you coming and made a call to our carrier and demanded they cut our service just so you can’t purchase the nail file you are in so desperate need of.

– when you ask a salesperson a question, please let us answer you. Please do not speak over us. We cannot help you if you do not listen. Remember in kindergarten…you listen…I listen…we take turns talking.

– when we ask if you need help, please respond with words…not with the wave of your hands like we are a fly trying to land on your lunch. In my industry, many products revamp their lines every year or so and change the packaging. So when I ask if you need help after you have wandered aimlessly for 10 minutes after waving your hand at me, 9 out of 10 times you need my help.

– not all salespeople are on commission. You can get back up now – a shocker, I know. Yes, there are actually salespeople that are willing to help you, no strings attached.

– unless there is a major emergency, stay off your phone. Also, when I am answering your questions, please don’t start texting your friend about the hot guy that just walked by. Yes, he was hot, but I am the one helping you have great hair so you can actually catch his attention.

– my shop along with many others do not have a playland. We are not paid to be the babysitter/nanny/ au pere, take your pick. Please watch your children. Thinking it’s cute that they open all the nail polishes and try the colors on their toes is about as cute as bringing a muddy puppy over to someone’s house to see their new white carpet.

– never, ever throw a flat iron. I know it’s upsetting that it wasn’t comfortable to hold or that you are frustrated that the manufacturer changed their return policy or that it doesn’t match your new bathroom decor…still no reason to throw an appliance at someone. Ever.

– yelling in public is a no no. Don’t do it. I mean honestly, think about what you look like when you are yelling over a can of hairspray. Yelling over injustice and over human trafficking = good. Yelling over hairspray and the funny smell it has = bad.

– when you are late for an appointment, do not yell at the stylist that now you are running late and the appointment is taking too long. Remember – you were the one who was late.

– if you don’t feel like talking, just pleasantly return our greeting and try saying “I am just going to look around, if I need you can I get you?”. See…how lovely is that, you get what you want and not a rude word was uttered.

Really, it is so simple. Smile when someone smiles at you, say “hello” when someone says “hello”, say please and thank you, say “you’re welcome” when someone offers you a “thank you”. Do not yell in public. Unless you are under the age of 5, do not throw a temper tantrum. Do not throw the flat iron.

biz card pic

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Tales of Truth – Part 5

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Yes boys and girls, it is that time again…tales of truth from the salon. A full moon is upon us in a few days and it seems it’s affect has taken hold on the general public earlier than usual. **Names have been changed to protect well…me. Hmmm, lets see, where to begin….

 

A nice looking woman came into the shop in need of hair extensions. I walked her over to our selection of Human Hair extensions and let her know that they were a 7 piece set and that the clips were already attached. I am used to getting a few questions about how to put them in, if one package of hair is enough for a whole head, how to take care of them. I have to admit I am never prepared for the following question – “How durable are the clips and how well do they stay in?” – you see, she has “clients” that sometimes like to pull her hair and she needed to know if the clips would snap open. (a visual I did not need before 10:00 a.m.)

A woman came up to the counter telling me she was there to pick up her product. I asked her which product in particular. She proceeded to rant at me “I called and spoke to someone named Betty and she said she would put the product aside!”. I let her know that I didn’t have a Betty working for me and maybe she called another store. Her lip began to twitch, her face became red, her eyes began to well with tears “she said she would hold it for me and now you don’t have it?!?!?”. Again, I told her maybe she called another store to which she began to recite a phone number that was not the phone number of my shop. I kindly told her that was not the shop’s number to which she stumbled out an apology before hurrying out the door.

I hear the chirp of the door chime, I look up and say “Hi there! How are you today” to which I get my all time favorite response “Just looking.”. I let the customer know I am there if they need anything and go back to my inventory. I see her walk over to the nail polish display, take off her sandal and put her foot on the shelf. I stop her just as she is about to open up a bottle and paint her toes and let her know that we have color swatches so she can see what the color looks like, to which she responds “They are in the shape of finger nails, I need to see what the color looks like on toenails.”. Yes, it is true, people like this do exist.

I was yelled at because the Hairspray I suggested to a client was wonderful for her hair. “Why didn’t you tell me about this hairspray 6 months ago?!” is what she yelled. Between you and I, 6 months ago I thought her name was “just looking”.

Never ceases to amaze me that the customer’s that refer to their child as “brat” have a child that acts like a brat and then the parent complains to me that she doesn’t know why their child misbehaves.

I was helping a women find a new product because her beloved product was discontinued. We have all been there. As I was helping her a customer came in and before I could excuse myself to greet the newest customer, she says “Get me my hairspray!”. I excuse myself from my first customer and ask the Queen of England which hairspray she wanted to which she says “Don’t you remember?”. I apologize and let her know that I have a customer base of over 10000 people. I ask for her phone number so I can look up her personal profile and I can see which hairspray she usually buys from me. To which she says “I never give out my number.”. Before I can speak my first customer pipes up and says “that’s too bad, if you had given her your number she could be helping you as much as she was helping me.”. The lady grabbed the first can of hairspray she saw and bought it, still no phone number.

A customer wanted to return her flat iron because of a defect. I had to let her know in the kindest most polite of ways that “being mad that you have to squeeze the flat iron shut so it will flatten your hair” is not a manufacturer’s defect.

A woman showed me her ingrown hair problem. It wasn’t on her legs. Enough said.

So there you go. A little insight of why I didn’t have a new blog up for 3 days. I was gathering material.

 

 

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Behave yourself.

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Over the past few days I have encountered some of the most negative people and heard some of the most ignorant remarks made to customers when they were out and about. So today I am taking it upon myself to clear the air about what is inappropriate to say to customers, competitors and to people in general.

In business, when discussing your competitor’s, don’t go around stating “I’m gonna put them out of business!”. First of all, you look and sound like an ass. Second, what goes around comes around…you will only end up hurting yourself and your business.

As a stylist, when your client comes in after trying to do an “at home” Ombre…don’t laugh. Don’t say “What the hell did you do?”. Don’t make it worse for them than it already is. Tell them you can fix it and move on.

If you have done an “at home” color and now your hair is orange, do not yell at the stylist because she has to take you back to brown hair and your dreams of being blonde are shattered. It is not her fault that you ruined your hair. She is trying to help you keep the hair you have. Want to be blonde…go to the Salon.

Never, I mean never tell a customer “You are wrong. You don’t know what you are talking about.” * Remember this – the customer is always right…in their own mind. So if you tell them they are wrong…you have crossed the line. Instead of telling them they are wrong, educate and enlighten. Try saying “A lot of people have been told that, I was able to find out…and fill in the blanks. No one likes to feel stupid or made to feel like an idiot. No one.

Don’t take it personally. Unless someone comes right out and calls me a name, I don’t take their attitude personally. Most of the time they are mad at their husband or they chipped a nail or have a run in their pantyhose and need someone other than themselves to blame for their misery.

When a customer or client doesn’t seem to believe what you are telling them about a product, don’t take it personally. Everyday I meet women and men that have been given the wrong information about hair products. We have all been there…someone has led us down the garden path too. Be patient, be kind, don’t take it personally.

Call to cancel your appointment – no shows are rude and they take away a stylist’s income. You might as well go into their wallet and take their money.

Be honest. Lies are meant for children under the age of five who are in need of a cookie and will say anything to get one.

Listen to your customer. We have all been there, listening to someone we think is rambling on and on. Maybe they are, or maybe they have just buried a loved one or are heading to the hospice to see their mother and need an escape from what they have to face in their daily life.

When you see someone with a stroller or a wheelchair…get the door for them.

Be kind to the elderly, mind your manners.

Be kind to children. Acknowledge them. I have always found when I speak to the child that comes into the shop they behave better and are usually quite pleased that someone has noticed them and made them feel important. Remember, not everyone has a happy childhood, and maybe, just maybe smiling at that child that day will give them hope.

Make eye contact. It is rude if you don’t, plain and simple.

Do not treat stylists and salespeople as your slave or personal servant. We are human beings that like to be treated with respect just as you do. A nice “Hello” will do. Don’t walk into a shop like you own it…this isn’t New York City and you are not Donald Trump. (no disrespect intended Mr. Trump).

Do not raise your voice at your stylist. Do not raise your voice at your salesperson. Do not raise your voice at the manager. When all is said and done, when you yell in public, you look like a fool. A full grown adult having a temper tantrum is not a pretty sight, don’t do it.

Remember that most return policies are not the policy of the store. We are following the guidelines of our distributor’s return policy. If they won’t take the product back from the store, the store cannot take it back for you. Every product has a 1 800 number for customer service – call them. If more consumers called the companies and were more involved with their purchases, maybe these policies would begin to favor the consumer.

When someone asks your child what their name is, do not speak for your child and say “her name is brat.”. Again, you sound like an ass and if you call your child a brat that is exactly what you are going to have, a child acting like a brat.

Go out today and be kind. Remember, we all have the same amount of time in a day and it is just as important as everyone else’s. Oh yes, and don’t throw the flat iron.

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Proceed with caution…

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It was a quiet morning in the shop. The sun was shining, you could hear the hum of the hair dryers in the Salon and the lively chit chat of our stylist and her client, the air conditioning was keeping me cool and I was catching up on the payroll and inventory. I hear the familiar chirp of the Salon door and before I have a chance to stand up and say hello, the customer is at the front desk “I need you to get me color, toner and the applicator.”. (here we go…). Before I venture further into this tale, let me explain something for those who have not been in my shop. We do sell color. Wella ColorCharm. It is the only professional color line that is allowed to be retailed to the public. We carry it because our competitor’s carry it, and also in case stylist’s need color and either the wholesaler is closed or their license has expired and still do hair from home. In my shop we do not teach people how to do their own color, we do not even advise how to begin. Now, back to today’s tale.

I stand up from the desk and ask her exactly what does she mean and proceed to tell her that toner isn’t just one bottle and I also let her know that the applicator depends on if she wants to use cream or liquid. You see ladies and gents, by asking a few questions, I can tell if she knows what she is doing and if I need to proceed with caution. Guess what? HUGE yellow light. From the look on her face I know 1- she doesn’t understand what I am talking about and 2 – she is getting mad. “My friend said you would tell me what to do and give me what I need!”. (for a minute it felt like I was in a bad after school special). I explained that in the past the previous owner and employees may have given the how to’s for coloring at home, but we do not. I showed her the color swatch book, showed her where the product was and explained “We cannot guarantee the results because we are not applying the color, there are many factors that have to be taken into account when coloring hair, like the hair’s porosity, if you are on any medication it will affect your hair, how resistant is your gray, have you used box dye from the department store in the last year, and many other factors.”. I even offered to introduce her to one of our stylists to make an appointment. (which in turn made her more upset because the next available appointment was for the next week). As I was explaining that I didn’t want something to go wrong with her color and then she would be facing the cost of a color correction, she turned on her heel and stormed out. I understood her frustration.

Later that afternoon the telephone rings. I answer with my usual friendly afternoon greeting to which I hear “Is this the Salon in the Tim Horton’s plaza?!?!”. “Yes it is, how can I help you?”. “Is there a manager around there?!?”. “Yes! That’s me, how can I help you?”. “HHMMPT…were you working this morning?!?!”. “Yes, I was. I was the only one in the store. What can I do for you?”(smiling all the while…*a tip…always smile when you are on the phone…less chance of sounding rude). “…oh…you’re the…man…never mind.”. Before she could hang up, “Are you calling because your friend came in for color this morning?” I ask. “uh, yes, I am.”. So I thanked her for calling and apologized if I had offended her friend in anyway for that was not my intention. I explained the new ownership and the new rules. I explained that these are chemicals and yes, sometimes things go well but there is the chance it will not and I didn’t want her friend’s hair to turn into a nightmare for her. I told her I knew that our competition was giving the how to’s for at home color and I also told her how my stylist now has 10 new color clients because she had to correct their how to’s. By the end of the call, it seemed all was smoothed over. I am hoping so.

The reason for today’s tale is to let you know that there are salespeople who care about the customer, not just the sale. I would rather have a customer leave without a purchase and be informed than buy a product that is not meant for what they want and have their hair look horrible – and not for why you think. Yes, I care what people think and say about our store, anyone in retail does. I don’t want their hair to look horrible because I know what it feels like to be given the wrong information about your hair and then being afraid the mirror will crack every time you look into it, and I do not want to be the reason for that misery. I am sure when the customer stormed out that day she was putting a hex on me, and that’s okay. I would rather her be mad at me for a few minutes(or hours/days…take your pick), then to go home and have her hair turn green or orange. I know neons are in right now, but come on.

Stylists spend 18 months on color theory. Depending on what color you are trying to achieve it can be a delicate process. Remember, no matter how you slice it or glam it up with a hot new name, color is a chemical and when using chemicals you must know what you are doing. If you want to attempt your own color, the only advice I can give you is to proceed with caution.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, Uncategorized

Don’t know what you got until it’s gone

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Today’s tale is about customer service. Probably not the customer service you are thinking of. We tend to forget that the shop owner, stylist and the manager are a customer as well. You see, as a manager of a retail shop/salon, I deal with about 10 different reps. “Rep” is short for sales representative, although as of late many are not representing themselves or their company and the products they sell very well.

I understand all too well the stresses of being a rep. I was one in the past. I understand the frustration of  small orders, of going to a Salon time after time with no order from them. I understand the boredom of the drive, the frustration of the commute and rush hour traffic. You know what? I still made and kept appointments. I still showed up. I am the first to admit my time is precious. So is everyone else’s. I am blessed to have a few awesome reps – they make an appointment with me and keep it. If they need to change their regular time I am given ample notice and they work around my schedule. They give us free samples to use in the Salon or to give to our customers. They give us complimentary retail bags for the product we sell – the customer’s love them because they are funky and fun and it helps the reps because their product lines are advertised all over the bags – give me bags = more products ordered. They are helpful and professional and have become someone I would take out to dinner or invite into my home.

Then there are the “others”. They make an appointment and don’t show up. Days pass…no call, no email…I am left feeling like a girl waiting for a boy to call. Didn’t like it when I was 16, sure as hell don’t like it now. I have an order waiting, many times a special order I am placing for a customer and because of their no show, the customer now has to wait even longer for their product and believe me when I tell you…that isn’t always the best of experiences. In the age of email, text, Facebook and Twitter there is no excuse for a no show. Unless you are pinned under a transport truck or having a family emergency there is no reason why a rep cannot call their customer or find someway of getting in touch with them.

I had a great rep that has now moved on to other things. I will not name him but he knows who he is. He would come by every week on a Tuesday at the same time. He would email me about upcoming promo’s. If he knew a promo was almost out of stock he would call me directly to let me know and see if I needed any. He would bring samples for our customers. He would make sure that complimentary retail bags were shipped with each order. He was not only my sales rep, he is my friend. I met his replacement last week. After I introduced myself as the manager, or “just the manager” as she so eloquently put it, I told her that she would always be dealing with me and that I always have an order waiting (typed out and ready to go), I was told that Tuesday’s weren’t good for her and that weekly visits weren’t good either. I also didn’t get any retail bags. It’s a good thing I had looked over the sales flyers while I was preparing my order because I wasn’t told about one single promo. I miss my friend.

What I am getting at is this. Everyone wants good customer service. If we are a shop owner, a new mom in need of a stroller, a single dad having to buy his daughter her first bra, whomever, we all want some courtesy and kindness. We all want to feel like we are worth the time and effort and that we are being heard. It’s really that simple. Everyone’s time is as equally important as everyone else’s. For all you “others” out there, be professional. Show up. If you can’t show up – let us know and reschedule. Don’t want to come by? Then man up and ask for orders to be emailed – be sure that your office knows to mail out the bi-monthly sales flyer. Come to think of it, maybe it’s time for a career change.