I Just Wanted A Haircut

[TeslaRecoil]

So as it's getting warmer and my hair's getting longer, I figure it's time for a haircut. So after work last night, I stop by the local Super Cuts, as I've been doing roughly once a month for about 4 years. I stop in at 8:15 PM, and they close at 9:00, so I figure, no problem. I usually stop in around that time, and it's never a problem, since my hair takes all of 10 minutes to cut.

I guess it was a problem this time. The manager was there, along with two ... I guess the correct term in stylists, and she looked at me and said "Sorry, we're done. You'll have to come back another time."

I double check my watch, just to make sure I had the time right, and it was still 40 minutes to closing. I didn't really get it. There was no one else being cut or waiting, and they do not take appointments. So I didn't really understand what was going on. I didn't make a scene or rant and rave, I just said "OK" and left.

I was meeting my girlfriend for a bite to eat next door, and told her what happened. She seemed confused by it as well. We decided to keep an eye on what was going on during dinner. Sure enough, at 8:30, all three come out, lock the shop, and leave. One gets in her car, and two head to the bar across the street.

I didn't go nuts and call corporate or anything, but I was kind of bent by that. I understand that there may be reasons to close early, but I don't think going to the bar is one of them. And it looks like, if there was a reason for the one to leave, the other two didn't have to.

This was the second time something like this had happened at this location. The last time was about a year ago, and it was during the day. Istopped in around 2 PM, and there were two stylists, sitting in their chairs, reading magazines. One looked up at me when I walked in and said "Sorry. We're busy today." and went back to her magazine. I know I probably should have stopped going there after that, but they do a decent job and it's convenient.

After last night, though, I think I'm gonna push convenience to the side and head to another barber.

Am I expecting too much here? Is there some angle to this I'm not seeing?

Or am I right to be upset? And, if so, should I say something about it?

[CanadaGirl]

You're expecting them to do their job up until 9pm. Since they're denying you service 40 minutes before they close and it takes all of 10 minutes to cut your hair, you're not expecting much at all.

[MadMike]

I've had similar incidents happen, and it does annoy me a bit. I try to be a good customer, and don't come in at the last minute and then keep them from closing, but at the same time, if they say they're going to be open until 9:00, I except them to actually be open until then.

I'm like you, I don't like to raise a fuss either. I remember going to this place that sold used CDs that I visited frequently. It was open until 9:00, and I decided to stop by there one night, just before 8:30. The lights were on, there were people sitting around in there doing nothing, and yet the door was locked. I double-checked the sign to see if they had changed their hours or if there was any indication that they were closing early, but saw nothing. Then I checked my watch again to make sure I wasn't mistaken about the time, and I wasn't. Then I tried the door again to make sure I wasn't mistaken about it being lock, and I wasn't.

I was somewhat annoyed, but I just turned around and left, and came back another day.

[Becks]

I'm torn between making a complaint now, or waiting until next time.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

How do you know they didn't have something on the schedule up till closing? I mean, someone ahead of you might have been getting color or a perm. That takes time. Just because they didn't take you right away doesn't mean they were sitting around doing nothing for 40 minutes. They might have been booked solid and not taking any more walk-ins that evening.

People used to come into Kinko's all the time, and think that because there was no line, that we could do their order right away. I understand that thinking, because they don't work there and maybe don't realize that perhaps the machines are down, or that there's a big job running ahead of them.

It's understandable. But maybe you aren't thinking through all the possibilites.

[TeslaRecoil]

While I have admitted that I didn't think through all the possibilities, here's what I have seen:

1) There were 3 employees
2) There were no customers
3) They do no take appointments
4) They closed 30 minutes early

If there was someone ahead of me, I'd have no problem waiting or coming back another time. It's happened before, and it'll happen again. And if I came in 10, 15, or even 20 mintues to closing, I'd understand being turned away as well. But none of that seemed to be going on here.

If you're referring to the other incident I mentioned, well, there was no one else waiting, and it didn't seem like anyone was getting colored or permed, as the stations for doing so are visible from the front desk. But even if that were the case, why not just say so? Why the attitude?

And if perms and coloring takes time, why not take care of a customer or two in that time? That's happened before as well.

Overall, the place just left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't let the first incident get to me, but this second was was a little much.

[SnapAddict218]

How do you know they didn't have something on the schedule up till closing? I mean, someone ahead of you might have been getting color or a perm. That takes time..

Thats what I was thinking about the first incident. But they could have gone the extra mile an given an explanation so that there wasn't a misunderstanding.

I dont get the whole closing early thing......maybe the boss had somewhere to go? But that still doesnt make much sense......eh....I hope you ended up getting a hair cut, shaggy

[JustADude]

...maybe the boss had somewhere to go? But that still doesnt make much sense...

That sounds like the only sensible explanation right there (but we all know that if it makes sense...). If the one that left immediately at 8:30 when they locked up was the MOD, then yeah, the other two probably wouldn't have been allowed to close up without management on site, so...

Still, even if that was the case, they should have been nicer about it, and that still doesn't explain the incident in the early afternoon. Dr. Dude's preliminary diagnosis is that the stylists there are real s, and you're perfectly justified to be annoyed and go find someplace better.

[Gurndigarn]

Uh, mentioning it to corporate is not a bad idea, actually. The employees are stealing (I'm assuming they're paid a wage, which I believe is the case here) by not doing the work they're required to do. Just don't be sucky in how you tell corporate.

I had an employee do this to me, and I had to fire him, so anything like this still rankles me more than it would rankle most people.

[Bella_Vixen]

It's because of things like this that I don't go to Super Cuts or Cost Cutters, etc., to get my hair cut. Every single time I go in, there is, if I'm lucky, 1 person in the shop working on a customer, with at least 3 people besides me waiting. You can see into the break room, where there are at least 2-3 stylists sitting there, staring at all the waiting customers. They wander out when everyone else has finally been taken care of (and this takes a while!). Even better is when the one stylist who is actually working decides to take a personal phone call while cutting someones hair.

[powerboy]

Uh, mentioning it to corporate is not a bad idea, actually. The employees are stealing (I'm assuming they're paid a wage, which I believe is the case here) by not doing the work they're required to do. Just don't be sucky in how you tell corporate.

I had an employee do this to me, and I had to fire him, so anything like this still rankles me more than it would rankle most people.

Just because everyone left early, does not mean that they are stealing. Maybe they got informed, that for that night, to close early. To me, yeah I would be annoyed, but at the same time, I would go back. Now if they done the same thing, every time I went there. Then I would not be going back.

[Broomjockey]

This was the second time something like this had happened at this location. The last time was about a year ago, and it was during the day. Istopped in around 2 PM, and there were two stylists, sitting in their chairs, reading magazines. One looked up at me when I walked in and said "Sorry. We're busy today." and went back to her magazine. I know I probably should have stopped going there after that, but they do a decent job and it's convenient.

Just because everyone left early, does not mean that they are stealing.

I believe that is the part that is being referred to as "stealing" from the company.

[Sofar]

Y'see, my burger joint has a habit of closing early, but really never more than half an hour early. And we usually don't lock the door and shut off the grill before the normal closing time anyway.

It ain't necessarily stealing if they clock out when they leave. Leaving an hour early means they get paid eight dollars less. Of course, leaving early and coming back to clock out is something like stealing . . . ,

[AFpheonix]

You could probably complain, but I don't think I'd go get my hair cut there ever again.

I guess I'm lucky, the quicky hair place over by me is populated with pretty darn good stylists who are game enough to put up with me going, "Um, I want a short cut...some layers...use your imagination!"

And dangit, if they don't do a bang up job, too.

[Jack7957]

Mine's easy, buzz with a number 3 all over. Once I get seated, they're done in 7-8 minutes.