Great Hair Comes to those who WAIT

Fortunately and unfortunately, I’m in this business, but not in this business. As most of you know from either following us here, or knowing each of us on a personal level, I’ve grown up in the industry and developed my love for it through the salon and my ‘Ma,’ Missi. I handle many-a-things salon-related, but not the hair- that’s where she comes in, and that’s why she’s the rock star of this show.

With that said, there are days where I wish our roles were reversed. Say, when a woman leaves her chair in tears because she’s “never felt so beautiful.” Yea, I wish I was her. Or, when she puts out killer hair that leaves half the town wondering and asking, “Who cut your hair?” Yea, that has to be a good feeling. Even more so, when I ask her to do anything and have to remind her for days before she even thinks about it. On those days, I wish our roles were reversed!

However, there are many-a-times, I thank the Lord that she’s the one in the seat, or behind it rather. Prom Day. Need I say more? Or, the infamous “change my look, but don’t cut or color my hair” appointments—I’d lose my mind. (If you haven’t gathered this quite yet- she carries her patience, compassion and heart on her sleeve…I carry mine in the bottom of my purse—just in case of an emergency.)

One of the most amazing things about her “role” as a stylist is her dedicated, loyal [and sometimes needy, although she would never say this] clientele. After 25 years, she has a following many stylists could only pine for. She’s forever grateful for each and every client, but at times I think it’s still a bit overwhelming to even her.

Currently, a well-known fact in the salon is that it is indeed overwhelming for the assistants in the salon, as they have now become the recipients of this new type of client. That’s right; a new breed of clients are calling the salon: The “Irate-I-Want-My-Hair-Appointment-Today-Even-Though-I-Know-I-Normally-Schedule-Three-Months-in-Advance” client. Read on…

It’s apparently all the rage; Call a seasoned stylist that you know books appointments [solid] for three months in advance, but demand to have your hair cut tomorrow!

Now, it’s always interesting to answer a call from a new client requesting to get in her book. “I heard she’s the best around, and I want my hair cut tomorrow at 2 p.m.”

Really? You hear she’s the best around, but you think she has an opening tomorrow? Seriously?

And then, when they decide to argue or bargain with you it gets so much better.

“Well, what if I come in at 3, can she do me then?”

WOMAN: She’s BOOKED. B-O-O-K-E-D…Can I spell it out any clearer for you? I’m not making it up. I’m not being mean. I’m not “joshing you around.” She’s booked. She’s booked for you. She’s booked for your sister. She’s booked for your Mom and your brother. She has not singled you out and decided that only YOU will not get an appointment until November- She’s honest-to-God booked!

Of course, I never get to say that [Don’t worry, Ma!]

Before I can get out the words, “Actually, she’s booked then also,” the next question comes full force around the corner, “Well can’t she squeeze me in somewhere at the end of the day or something?”

Naturally, I want to jump through the phone at this point.

Sure, she can squeeze you in! Sure, she can stay late! Let me just see here, let me cancel her lunch. Oh wait, she doesn’t take a lunch. Ok, let me cancel her dinner for you. Oh wait, she doesn’t take a dinner break either. Oh, here, I know. Let me cancel anything remotely close to sleeping. There we go; she can indeed squeeze you in at 1 a.m.

The baffling aspect about this recent phenomenon is not the new clients calling, however. It’s her every-month-sat-in-her-chair-for-years clients. The ones who realize she is stretched to the ultimate lengths to maintain her 60+ hour work week, not to mention her household and family. These clients have faithfully scheduled to sit in her chair month after month, for years. Many clients schedule vacation time just to make their appointments; for fear that if they cancel it will be months before another appointment is available. Those faithful clients are the ones that rave about her, and in turn, those word-of-mouth referrals have loaded her appointment book.

So, why? Why all of a sudden are you calling and throwing royal fits about not getting in the exact day you want to be scheduled for? When you call to schedule your child’s dentist appointment do you demand the dentist stay late to accommodate your schedule? No! When you call your favorite restaurant and they don’t have any reservations for the time you requested, do you ask them to call the chef and open early? No! When you call to schedule a surgery, of all things, do you demand the surgeon rearrange other patients in order to accommodate a time that’s best for you? Absolutely not!

So, why all of a sudden is your stylist supposed to put their life on hold because you don’t get off work until 4?

Clients, friends and consumers alike, work with your stylist. She’s most likely working more hours than the average woman and already stretching herself to the limit—just like the rest of you! So, while your hair is crucial to your stylist- it’s truly not of extreme importance that you get your bangs trimmed tonight.

To our Secrets Family, you must know how closely she holds each of you. The Secrets team does some extraordinary hair on some extraordinary clients. They truly would turn this world upside down to accommodate all of you…if there were only enough hours in the day! Hang in there—Good [hair] comes to those who wait, and great [hair] comes to those who wait longer.



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