Making this as short & sweet as possible. I usually go to my regular hairdresser every week without fail for a wash & straight blow dry. On Friday, she was fully booked, so I last minute popped into a local boutique salon thinking it would be a simple service that any hairdresser would be more than capable of. The cut was fine, but when it came to blow drying my hair straight, she admitted she didn’t have the proper flat head nozzle and tried anyway. — the absolute basic tool for this. I already knew this wasn’t going to end well, but I stayed polite and let her continue. By closing time (6pm) she tried to kick me out mid service because she had to “pick up her son” — even though my hair was still half done. After still being charged the whole amount I told her calmly that wasn’t right and i’m not comfortable paying full price for a service that wasn’t finished (and wasn’t done properly), that’s when everything flipped. If anyone knows me, they know I am the nicest, most polite girl you’ll come across. Gets along with anyone and everyone, always smiling and respectful, and I would never try to be rude or have a bad intent. I was calm, I was polite, I simply voiced that I wasn’t happy with paying for something unfinished. She just took it the wrong way, got embarrassed that I gave negative feedback, and lashed out. Instead of owning her mistake, she turned on me. She got defensive and started pointing in my face, swearing at me in her own salon, calling me “disrespectful”! She said my opinion didn’t matter because I’m not a qualified hairdresser — as if I don’t know what a proper blow dry looks like when I’ve had my hair done professionally to my standard EVERY single week. But instead of fixing it, I was abused, embarrassed, and kicked out of the salon. and YES I ended up paying the full price and leaving because she never would’ve stopped. She even made personal attacks about my age, intending I’m “too young to have a voice,” and then went as far as to insult me for bringing my 2-month-old daughter with me without notice— even though she slept silently in her pram the entire time? Never would I think to bring her If I thought she would be an inconvenience. when I say lashed out — she quite literally got up in my face, even almost swung at me while I had my daughter in my hands. Thank god I stepped back, because if not, I would’ve copped it right there. And she’s lucky because trust me, old me would’ve clocked right back… 😂. To me, this is all beyond unprofessional — it’s aggressive, childish, and shows zero respect for clients. Sitting on this for days deciding whether this treatment deserves to be held accountable or not. Of course it does! Here you go.. My fellow hairdressers — is it wrong for clients to politely say they’re not happy with the work? And if a client does give negative feedback, do you see that as an insult and verbally abuse— or do you find a way to fix and make it right? This woman chose her salon reputation over accountability. #brisbane #hair #hairdresser #fyp #viral
From my own experiences, visiting a salon can sometimes be unpredictable, especially when it comes to getting exactly the service you expect. I recall going for a simple blow dry once, and the stylist didn’t have the right nozzle either, which made my hair look uneven and unstyled as I left. Like the story shared, I felt uneasy about paying full price for a service that felt incomplete, and I politely mentioned it to the stylist. What helped in my case was clear communication about the issues and a willingness from the hairdresser to adjust things or offer a refund. It's crucial for salons to have proper equipment like a flat head nozzle for straight blow drying — it's a basic tool that can significantly affect the outcome. When the equipment isn’t available, the client’s expectations should be managed upfront to avoid dissatisfaction. Also, the attitude towards client feedback matters immensely. If a client voices concern politely, it shouldn't be taken as an attack but as an opportunity to improve service and build trust. Bringing small children to appointments can add an extra layer of challenge to a salon visit. I’ve found that informing the salon ahead of time can help both parties prepare, making the experience less stressful. Silent, calm children in prams typically don’t cause issues, but it’s understandable some salons might prefer notice to accommodate their environment. In any service industry, it’s a fine balance between professional pride and customer satisfaction. Everyone makes mistakes, but how those mistakes are handled makes all the difference. When a stylist gets defensive or aggressive, it not only damages their reputation but also discourages honest dialogue. Personally, I always appreciate when a stylist owns up to a slip-up and offers to fix it, whether through a correction session or a discount. At the end of the day, respectful communication from both the client and the stylist promotes better outcomes. If you feel uncomfortable paying full price for unfinished work, it's your right to express it calmly. Most professionals understand that and will act responsibly to maintain good customer relations. Unfortunately, incidents like the one shared show why accountability and professionalism must remain priorities in any business.
