Picking the right hair stylist

[Alex39]

I'm a creature of habit. But I finally found a hair stylist and salon I like only 5 minutes from my house.  Been going there for about two years. I'm very picky with my hair. 

My stylist- April, is young. Only 2 or 3 years out of hair school. But I loved her young spirit and she did a good job on my hair. She worked for this salon under the salon owner, who helped train her. The owner often went to trainings herself, then would train the staff after. This is what the stylist April had told me. 

I booked a hair appointment for a few weeks from now. 

I get a text message from my stylist, April, saying that she left the salon, and now has her own independent run chair she's renting at another salon 25 minutes away. She's hoping I book with her still. But says that she isn't working on the day I booked originally, so I have to re-book another day. But she's super friendly and nice, asking me to still see her. 

Hours later, I get a professional and friendly text message from Raquel, the salon owner, notifying me that April left the salon. Then Raquel says she'd be happy to do my hair at the salon the same day and time I booked, just with her doing it, and she'll honor April's price. Raquel usually charges a lot more. Raquel has 13 years experience and keeps up with hair trainings. She also does a lot of weddings and even has wedding party's at her beautiful salon, where you can go with your bridesmaids and all get pampered the morning of your wedding. I'm not getting married yet, but it's a nice feature. I saw pictures and Raquel does amazing wedding hair. 

Now I have no idea what to do. Do I follow my stylist, who I've had cut my hair before and who I like? 

My stylist might keep salon hopping and I may have to keep following her. I love her personality and her hair style. She also charges less. $75 an hour.

Or do I try the salon owner. She does good hair from what I see online. She's experienced. Close by my home. Won't be salon jumping, since she owns the salon. But she charges $110 an hour. 

 

What do I do? 

 

[spinstermanquee]

Is the extra gas and time to see your previous hair stylist worth the difference?  Depends on how you value your time.  That's an extra 40 minutes round trip plus gas.  For example, if you value your time at $100/hour then I would spend the extra to see the salon owner.  You could also ask for her to grant you a loyalty discount - even though she charges new customers X dollars, her longtime ones probably didn't get raised at the same rate.

For me, personally, if I liked the salon owner's service I would stay with the location closest to home.  An extra 40 minutes every time I wanted my hair done would give me pause... YMMV

[Starlight925]

I would try the salon owner, Raquel.  She's close to home, she's very experienced, and she's doing her best to keep you as a salon customer by offering to keep your existing appointment, but at your original stylist's lower price.

I'd ask if her price will go up, if you end up becoming one of her clients.

I recently made the opposite switch:  After years of walkable hair (lol), I switched to a salon about 20 minutes away, with terrible parking, for about 25% more.  But I love my new stylist, been there several times now, and I'll stay at the new place.

Why did I switch?  I, too, had a new, young stylist, so she was less expensive, but eager and friendly. Over time, it became same ol', same ol', and she was consistently late to my appointment, but she would rush at the end.  She'd start off by saying, "So we're just going to trim it today?" and then start trimming.

My new guy looks at my hair, tells me I need color, and says, "Are you ready to go a bit shorter?  These ends need to be trimmed, and you'll get better swing", and he goes to town.  Be honest with me, and make me look better, which he does.  It's worth the drive and the extra money.

But I get it, it's hard to make the switch.  It's just business.  The worst that happens is, you try Raquel, and you decide to drive 25 minutes to April.  I have a hunch you're going to like Raquel.

[Cherylyn]

Raquel.  Less drive time for you,  more convenient and closer to your home.  Saves gas and time.  Raquel will honor April's price.  Win win situation.  🙂

I frequent my local hair salon and I'm very well aware of prices.  I found a great hair stylist and her prices while not cheap,  at least it's competitive and reasonable.  My previous hairstylist moved to Texas so he referred me to my current hairstylist within the same salon which is fortunately, close to my house.  (Since I know how to do hair and have all supplies,  I give my husband and sons their barber type haircuts which is economical and looks great, too.)  Taking good care of yourself makes you feel better or at least I hope it will! 

[Batya33]

I’d do Raquel. I had an individual lady for awhile but she kept moving around and geographically it no longer worked. When I started going to her she was down the block. My current one also moved but basically same distance so I still go to him. Also my husband goes to him so I fell like he treats us even better because of that. I like him and his work so much !

[spinstermanquee]

I've been doing a lot of moving so I've had to change hairapists 😉 several times.  The one we used in the place we lived for many years started coming to our house after covid and did my color/cut and husband's cut.  Then we moved and I found someone close by that did good work.  Now we moved again and I did get a referral to someone (saw a haircut I liked - asked the person who does your hair - made an appt with them).  However, that hairapist is 1/2 hour away.  An extra hour every month (I do every 4 weeks religiously).  So if I like her work I'll stay with her but only until I find someone closer.

[reinventmyself]

I was a hairstylist for about a minute. . in another life.  It's a long story.

You need to do what's right for you.  But from a hairstylists point of view, I take issue with Raquels offer. New stylists barely make any money while building a clientele and I can guess her reason for leaving is that there was a better opportunity for her elsewhere.

Raquel reaching out to you is basically poaching.  Of course she's running a business that needs to thrive.  As an owner she should be bringing in someone to replace April and/or focusing on retention.  It begs the question, why did April leave?

I moved salons to match my experience and skill set. I recall one salon owner told us to not give forwarding information out to someone who had just left. (but we did anyway) It was an entry level salon that no one planned on staying long term at.  There was no growth at that salon, and you only went there to get some elementary experience and move on.  Had the salon owner focused on educating, retention and esthetics, maybe we would have stayed. 

You don't build a business like this grabbing at others people's clientele.  You do it by being the salon that is known for having good talent that doesn't want to leave.  It's also a small world in the business and actions like this  . .the word gets around very quickly.

In the industry it's somewhat of an honor system and Raquel knows better having  been a new stylist at one point herself.  I'll go one step further and wonder if April and Raquels ethics might not been in alignment

ok . .off my soapbox

[MissCanuck]

I would stick with April. 

If you are picky with your hair and have been happy with April's work, I would not switch it up. 

[Batya33]

I hear you Reinvent and I went somewhere many years ago where the stylists had made up names and weren't allowed to give forwarding (but they did -some of them).  For me I had a hard enough time fitting in a 2 plus hour appointment let alone to work with someone's new location and often new schedule. 

My son had an awesome kid stylist for years and her new place -which would have been convenient enough -opened 3/20 - I mean -timing.  We went once but a year later post-vaccine (we went nowhere till then). But then she had to close because of the pandemic and emailed us that now she would do all mobile in people's backyards.  We don't have one. 

And she would have come from what I know to a location outside but when I texted her and emailed I got no answer.  We had to switch. Should I have tried harder? Others told me they did reach her.  It's a balancing thing.  Also if April goes out on her own that also means if she can't make it last minute there may be no one else or no one else the OP likes to have do her hair.

So I hear  you - but for many logistics/schedule/location matter a lot and the former salon - it depends on what the understanding was and yes it sounds unfair to me too with the price matching etc.  Also with price matching I'd be careful because that might be the client that gets the rush job especially if the tip is seen as a percentage of the price.  It's hard. And really hard work!

[Cherylyn]

With price matching,  sometimes it's a temporary hook and then Raquel could very well surprise you by increasing her prices gradually until she habitually charges you her going rate.  Sometimes with price matching,  it's the teaser rate until the real prices hit you with the reality check. 

Your option could be to compare Raquel's work to April's and determine which job you like better.  If you're dissatisfied with Raquel's work,  April will gladly take you back as her steady client.  She won't decline your business.  Many times,  you'll get what you pay for. 

[Starlight925]

Great insight, @reinventmyself.

Raquel is trying to swipe April's clients by offering them a deal.  As others have said, is this a one-time only offer, or will Raquel move up her prices in time, and by then, the clients won't even be able to find April?

It's a touchy business, changing salons.  

The two most important things here are, will Raquel do a better job for the OP?  And will April's new location be prohibitive?  If it's on the way to other things in her life, then it could be fine.  But if it's 25 minutes the opposite direction she ever goes, then it could be prohibitive.

Either way, I appreciate your insider comments!

[Cherylyn]

Even though from a client's end,  the convenience of Raquel being closer to home and offering a price match,  what would bother me is her lack of integrity.  Raquel is actually stealing clients away from April which is unprofessional,  breaking the honor code between hairstylists and humanity in general.  Her behavior is deceitful,  sneaky,  tricky,  underhanded and she's trying to pull a fast one.  Other than Raquel's skill to do the work on your hair,  pay attention to character because any shady character is alarming and will always remain a red flag in the back of your mind.  Your complete trust in Raquel will never exist which could become problematic eventually.

[Batya33]

Many years ago I went to a stylist I really liked who'd been referred to me.  I went to him a bunch of times and then he moved because his rent went up exponentially (shopping center was being sold or some such).  He moved about 15 minutes further -by public transportation.  I went once.  It was a pain to get to.  The issue was for the first time he ignored me.  He was cold in manner (no idea why -I was on time, I guess everyone has a bad day) and he also took a walk in lady and delayed me because of her with no apology.

I never went back.  I liked his work and there was no way I was going to travel out of my way and be ignored/treated like that. Had he not moved perhaps I would have given it one more chance but - no thanks.

[Wiseman2]

Try not to get involved in whatever professional turf wars they may be having. Do whatever makes the most sense to you personally. If you want to try someone else out, that's fine, you can always go back to the other stylist if it doesn't work out.

[Alex39]

See, I don't think Raquel is taking April's clients. I was a booked client at Raquels salon. Raquel marketed all her stylists out to get business in her salon. She also gave April a promotion and raise before April left and sent out a nice email to all salon-goers praising April weeks ago. April had told me that Raquel did a ton of training and trained her on all hair techniques, so she invested in her people. If anything, I saw it as April poaching clients from Raquels salon. 

[Alex39]

I decided to try Raquel this time. This is a one time deal if I want to keep seeing her, I need to pay her rate. From what I've seen in pictures, Raquel and April do practically the same hair. If I don't like her, I'll high tail it back to April.

[spinstermanquee]

2 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

If anything, I saw it as April poaching clients from Raquels salon. 

Yah it goes both ways!  In my case I decided against the drive downtown to see the stylist, I liked the haircut part but yesterday first visit she talked me into a multiprocess color thing and I wound up spending 3x what I'd like to in time and money.  So now researching closer salons/pros.