Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been going to the same hairstylist for the past 15 years. I’ve followed her to three different salons. I tip her 45%. I give her a similar tip if I come in around the holidays.

I had an appointment today at noon for a simple trim (no color or anything else). Early this morning my child woke up sick and I had to stay home. I sent her a text at 9am and even called the salon when it opened at 10am to cancel my appointment. She is now working at one of those salons where you rent the chair/space and run your own company, hers is her own LLC. She has a policy where if you cancel within 48 hours, you are charged a $35 fee. I mention this to say that this policy is her own, not mandated by the salon. More than once she’s called ME to cancel when something has come up and I’ve simply rebooked—life happens. So you can imagine my surprise when she texts back that she’s sorry but she still has to charge me the $35 because it’s policy. I don’t know how to feel about this, because that was a choice. I don’t expect preferential treatment, but maybe a certain level of camaraderie and reciprocity due to my loyalty, perhaps, if that makes sense? I’m left with a really bad taste in my mouth over this and don’t know what to do.

Right, but I bet the salon charges her for the hour of chair time even if no one is sitting in it, so her charging you the fee is her way of remaining whole. I assume if she's the one canceling on you, she is the one eating the cost of the chair time when she doesn't have a client in it.

You're missing the point. Besides financial she's also inconviencing the customer who booked it and made plans around it. So she eats the cost, but she's also doing bad business by canceling on OP a bit too much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simple. If you're happy with her work, treat her in a straightforward businesslike manner moving forward. 20% tips not 45% (save the latter for holidays). And make sure you complain loudly if she ever cancels on you again.

I agree with this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been going to the same hairstylist for the past 15 years. I’ve followed her to three different salons. I tip her 45%. I give her a similar tip if I come in around the holidays.

I had an appointment today at noon for a simple trim (no color or anything else). Early this morning my child woke up sick and I had to stay home. I sent her a text at 9am and even called the salon when it opened at 10am to cancel my appointment. She is now working at one of those salons where you rent the chair/space and run your own company, hers is her own LLC. She has a policy where if you cancel within 48 hours, you are charged a $35 fee. I mention this to say that this policy is her own, not mandated by the salon. More than once she’s called ME to cancel when something has come up and I’ve simply rebooked—life happens. So you can imagine my surprise when she texts back that she’s sorry but she still has to charge me the $35 because it’s policy. I don’t know how to feel about this, because that was a choice. I don’t expect preferential treatment, but maybe a certain level of camaraderie and reciprocity due to my loyalty, perhaps, if that makes sense? I’m left with a really bad taste in my mouth over this and don’t know what to do.

Right, but I bet the salon charges her for the hour of chair time even if no one is sitting in it, so her charging you the fee is her way of remaining whole. I assume if she's the one canceling on you, she is the one eating the cost of the chair time when she doesn't have a client in it.

Much more likely that the stylist pays the salon owner a flat “rent” each month, the chair is used exclusively by the stylist and the stylist can schedule her clients as she sees fit.

It is possible the salon charges her per chair use, as you say, but that’s a logistical nightmare. Stylist would have to align her bookings with other stylists, ie when the chair is available and the stylist would have to set up and take down all of her supplies after each client. That would be super inefficient.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been going to the same hairstylist for the past 15 years. I’ve followed her to three different salons. I tip her 45%. I give her a similar tip if I come in around the holidays.

I had an appointment today at noon for a simple trim (no color or anything else). Early this morning my child woke up sick and I had to stay home. I sent her a text at 9am and even called the salon when it opened at 10am to cancel my appointment. She is now working at one of those salons where you rent the chair/space and run your own company, hers is her own LLC. She has a policy where if you cancel within 48 hours, you are charged a $35 fee. I mention this to say that this policy is her own, not mandated by the salon. More than once she’s called ME to cancel when something has come up and I’ve simply rebooked—life happens. So you can imagine my surprise when she texts back that she’s sorry but she still has to charge me the $35 because it’s policy. I don’t know how to feel about this, because that was a choice. I don’t expect preferential treatment, but maybe a certain level of camaraderie and reciprocity due to my loyalty, perhaps, if that makes sense? I’m left with a really bad taste in my mouth over this and don’t know what to do.

Right, but I bet the salon charges her for the hour of chair time even if no one is sitting in it, so her charging you the fee is her way of remaining whole. I assume if she's the one canceling on you, she is the one eating the cost of the chair time when she doesn't have a client in it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been going to the same hairstylist for the past 15 years. I’ve followed her to three different salons. I tip her 45%. I give her a similar tip if I come in around the holidays.

I had an appointment today at noon for a simple trim (no color or anything else). Early this morning my child woke up sick and I had to stay home. I sent her a text at 9am and even called the salon when it opened at 10am to cancel my appointment. She is now working at one of those salons where you rent the chair/space and run your own company, hers is her own LLC. She has a policy where if you cancel within 48 hours, you are charged a $35 fee. I mention this to say that this policy is her own, not mandated by the salon. More than once she’s called ME to cancel when something has come up and I’ve simply rebooked—life happens. So you can imagine my surprise when she texts back that she’s sorry but she still has to charge me the $35 because it’s policy. I don’t know how to feel about this, because that was a choice. I don’t expect preferential treatment, but maybe a certain level of camaraderie and reciprocity due to my loyalty, perhaps, if that makes sense? I’m left with a really bad taste in my mouth over this and don’t know what to do.

Right, but I bet the salon charges her for the hour of chair time even if no one is sitting in it, so her charging you the fee is her way of remaining whole. I assume if she's the one canceling on you, she is the one eating the cost of the chair time when she doesn't have a client in it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's $35. I'd let it go personally. Maybe tip $7 less the next 5 times. I get she has cancelled on you, but this is her livelihood.

I get that, but I would have thrown an extra $25 at her as an apology the next time, and she knows that’s my style.

So you cancel at the last minute a lot? If so, honestly she's probably tired of it. If not, how would she know that's your style?

So just don't give her the $25 next time and you're only out $10 net.

Anonymous wrote:I totally forgot my appointment one time. Rescheduled when they called. Didn't charge me the $50.
Unless that stylist is so in demand that she fills every hour, her livelihood would have been fine if OP rescheduled. And $35 isn't a full service anyway.

I would look around and certainly not tip 45% anymore.

Anonymous wrote:I would quit with the 45% tip nonsense. Just give 20% from now on.

Anonymous wrote:I would take the tips down to the standard 20%, if you are both now following standard policy. That way you can more than afford any cancellation if you or your kid is sick again.