In cosmetology school, they teach how to cut, curl and color…but what about another C: customer service? I was taught in economics that all things sold fall into the category of a good or service, so in which category should I put hairdressing?
Yes, the tangible result of efforts being put forth is a good hairstyle, but that requires an element of interaction between customer and stylist that is in line with a “service.” So tell me why stylists feel they can disrespect your time and still ask you to pay them the money you actually went out and worked hard for?
Case in point: going to the salon should not be an all-day event. The assumption when scheduling an “appointment” is that the stylist has given you a time when he or she is logistically free to work on you. If you tell me to come at 10:30 a.m., am I wrong to think this means I will have your attention from 10:30 until you satisfactorily complete my hair?
Why would you tell Keisha to come at 10 a.m., me at 10:15 and Kelly at 10:30? Know your limitations. You know you can’t do three heads at once!
These stylists trap you by getting started on your hair, then trying to multitask with another client, thereby leaving you looking crazy in various undone phases of the process; you can’t even leave if you want to! People, how many of those dirty old 1993 hair magazines can I browse through?
Men, you think we get weave because we’re trying to look good for you. Stop flattering yourselves! I get it because I like the convenience of getting my hair done once and then not having to experience the time-consuming ordeal of going to a salon again for several weeks.
Not to mention, I don’t worry about sweating it out in the club. No umbrella? No problem! My Italian wave looks even better wet.
But I digress.
Friday I got to the salon at 10:30 a.m. Plenty of time, I thought, before I had to go to work at 3 p.m. Because the stylist was playing games with my time and trying to style all the women in Tallahassee at once, TELL ME WHY I STILL WOUND UP LATE FOR WORK?
There is no reason in the world a perm should take five hours; my hair barely reaches past my ears. I have been to basement salons where mothers were on the phone, watching their kids and doing my hair at once, and I still got out quicker than that.
The stylist even had the nerve to ask why I was no longer smiling. I usually bite my tongue, but I told her “because I’ve been sitting here an hour and a half.” OK, check her response: “Well, if I could help that I would.”
I think she was confused about her role in that scenario.
Thanks to that foolishness, I can now see why people get locks.
Driadonna Roland is a senior broadcast journalism student from Detroit. She can be reached at dria.roland@gmail.com.