This was my first time visiting the salon.
As I didn't receive a confirmation call, I called the day of to make sure I had the appointment right and was informed by the owner, Joy, that her reception staff was out sick. I said no worries, that I just wanted to confirm the time of 2 pm. The owner wavered, and requested I come at 2:15, but I said I was sorry, but that I needed to keep my time of 2, as I had other evening responsibilities. She said no worries, that she would be ready at 2.
I arrived at 2 and the owner Joy, who was also doing my hair, was very polite and friendly, and told me that she was almost done with her previous client. I sat and waited, noticing that she had already finished but was just "chatting" with the client. I waited, and waited, and waited, while they chatted. At 2:25, I was seated, and Joy began to mix my color. Five minutes later the phone rang. Having no receptionist, Joy answered the phone and went back to mixing my color, only to find out it set up wrong, because she had not mixed it entirely before answering the phone. After several other phone calls, both business and personal, and two more "mix jobs", we started my color. The time read 2:50 pm.
Joy proceeded to give me a beautiful color job and hair cut. The Groupon I purchased also allowed for a deep conditioning, which Joy re-read several times on my Groupon printout before believing me, telling me at one point during the service, "You know, what I am giving you is worth more than 300 dollars". It's one thing to itemize the original price on a bill for your customer, it's another to make them feel guilty for a deal they purchased, that YOU offered, on Groupon.
At 4:15, I was still in the chair, waiting for my deep conditioning treatment to set in (and for the water that Joy had offered me 30 minutes earlier), and so I decided to call my husband and tell him that I would be later than I had originally thought. The other hair stylist overheard me and only a minute later, Joy showed up, telling me, "You know, it is not a short treatment. I can't just snap my fingers and make it happen."
That's when I started to get angry: 1) I did not say anything to you; I simply called my husband to inform him I would be late. 2) I didn't expect a short treatment, but I certainly didn't expect to be waiting for FIFTY MINUTES before starting, or wait while you answered a million phone calls (some personal), or sit and watch as you accept dinner salads from other clients who walk in off the street to chat for 10 minutes and describe in detail the recipe to their vinaigrettes, instead of you attending to me.
At 5:30, I walked out of the salon. Now, I will say this. Joy paid great attention to my hair, giving me a fabulous cut and color, very detail-oriented, fantastic job overall. HOWEVER- when someone waits 50 minutes to even start, waits MANY times when the stylist answers calls on both her personal cell and business phone (if your receptionist is sick, you should hire a back up!), and is insulted by the stylist several times, both by inferring that I "owe her" for the expensive treatment she's "practically giving to me" and that I shouldn't expect her to "snap my fingers" and be done with the treatment, IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
I wish Joy the best of luck with her business. She is a lovely woman and her hair cut was great. But she needs to learn how to cater to the American woman. Although she speaks proudly of her homeland of Greece, we are no longer in Greece, we run on tighter schedules, expect prompt service, and expect to not be insulted when we purchase a deal that YOU offered on Groupon. read more
