A client in my chair last Tuesday told me my balayage looked 'like a raccoon tail'.

She was a new client, booked for a full highlight and cut. I spent almost four hours on her, sectioning everything super clean, using three different toners to get that perfect ash blonde blend. Right as I'm spinning her around to show the final look in the mirror, she squints and says, 'Hmm. It's a bit stripey right at the top. Looks like a raccoon tail got stuck there.' It happened in my own salon in Dayton. I was so stunned I just stood there for a second holding my comb. I know she was just being blunt, but man, it got under my skin. I offered to soften the root smudge for her, which she let me do, but the whole vibe was off after that. How do you guys handle it when a client's feedback is just... brutally delivered like that? Do you just nod and fix it, or do you try to explain the technique?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_burns728d ago

Remembered my friend telling me about a client who called her hand-tied extensions "doll hair" right after the install. She said she just took a slow breath, put on her best calm voice, and said, "Okay, let's talk about what you're seeing and how we can get it to feel right for you." She fixed a few pieces on the spot (the client was talking about the shine) and the lady actually rebooked. Sometimes just not reacting to the harsh words is the move.

faith_torres838d ago

My cousin does custom auto upholstery. A guy told him the diamond stitching on a headrest looked like a "cheap basketball." He just pointed at the material and said, "That's full-grain leather, it'll break in soft." He didn't argue the art, just stated a fact about the work. The guy shut up and paid. Maybe it's about picking what part of the insult to answer?