Bad Service at a Hair/Nail Salon

What to Do if You Are Unhappy with Your Hair Stylist or Nail Tech

Jan 28, 2008 L. Marie Dubuque

Bad hair cut? Manicure or pedicure less than perfect? How to handle the situation and where to turn for help. How to choose a hair stylist or nail technician.

Orange hair? Brittle nails…Or worse? Hair and nail horror stories are stuff of legend. But if you don’t want to be the victim of a hair massacre worthy of a B-movie scream, take precautions before you enter the salon.

How to Make Your Salon Visit a Positive Experience and What to Do if it Isn’t

• If this is your first trip to a salon, schedule a consultation first. Many stylists will give you a free evalutation if this is your first visit. Go over exactly what your expectations are, and listen to your hair dresser’s feedback. If the stylist says your request for a classic bob with bangs is unrealistic given your full head of unruly curls, don’t tune out! Remember, the stylist is a professional. But if you really don’t think he/she understands you or can’t relate at all to what you’re saying, that’s a communication problem. And maybe you need to look for a different hair dresser.
• Do your research. Not sure if you want acrylic or gel nails, French manicure or tips? Come to the salon armed with information. That way your nail tech won’t have to waste time explaining every type of service there is. And when you have information you can ask the right questions. Like how are the instruments sterilized? What do I do if I break a nail? Will the nail technician fix it for free or is there a charge? Will he/she fit you in if there is a nail emergency? You need to get all your questions answered before you commit to a service.

How to Handle Mistakes

If you asked the colorist for golden blond highlights and your hair turned out a shade slightly lighter than a grapefruit, what recourse do you have?

• Calmly and matter of factly, ask your colorist to re-color your hair. Explain why you're not happy and reiterate what your expectations were. Yelling and screaming will just make the situation worse. Your stylist will be stressed and may not think clearly. Also, you might say something you’ll regret later. If your stylist doesn’t give you a reassuring answer, ask if there is someone at the salon who specializes in corrective color.
• If these approaches don’t work, ask for your money back. A reputable salon will refund your payment promptly. If you’re hassled, never return again and immediately report the salon to the better business bureau. If you paid by credit card, call the 800 number on the back of the card and request a charge back.

Thankfully, bad salon experiences are not a common occurrence. In fact customers often bond with their hair stylist/nail technician and become lifelong friends.

The copyright of the article Bad Service at a Hair/Nail Salon in Consumer Education is owned by L. Marie Dubuque. Permission to republish Bad Service at a Hair/Nail Salon in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

How to get a great hair style at the salon.

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Comments

Nov 13, 2008 9:38 AM

Guest :

!!this was very helpful!!

Jun 9, 2009 7:46 AM

Guest :

I'm glad that this article states that the salon should be reported to BBB after exhausting other options. The problem is that many stylists rent space & do not work directly for the salon. A lot of renters are awful when it comes to professionally handling unhappy clients. They don't care because they think clients are S.O.L.

Even though they are renters they are still a refection of/on the salon & salon owners should expect them to represent the salon in a positive light. Salon owners should step in immediately if needed to be sure clients leave happy whether that be with a fix or a refund. There has to be better accountability in the beauty industry.

2 Comments