Another lesson learned disguised as a post about my hair

I treated myself to an expensive haircut today, thanks to my generous mother's birthday check. I walked in and told the stylist that I really had no idea what I wanted.

"Fix it," I said. And boy did he.

I have thick hair, and now it's thin, thin. I had split ends that needed to go, and he took them off and ADDED split ends, calling it "shattering" the ends for volume. My hair is a thousand different lengths and will never look good in a ponytail at the gym. And the ends are dry as sticks and look dead.

My immediate thought: THIS GUY SUCKS! But then I thought for a minute about how he came to the conclusions he did about what would work.

Here are two places this relationship went bad...

One, as the customer, I didn't know what I wanted. I came in with a problem and said I'd like a solution. And he gave me the solution he thought was best.

Two, when I didn't know what I wanted, he didn't ask any questions that would perhaps help him to help me figure out what I wanted. "Are you looking for something more professional?" he could have asked. "Are there any people who come to mind with hair you like?" But he didn't ask any questions. He just went forward as an expert and assumed he was doing what I wanted.

This is what happens with professional service providers if we don't ask enough questions. "I have a problem" a client will say. As a professional writer, I need to help the client to define the problem, to identify what solutions would solve that problem, to recognize concepts that would solve the problem in a way that fits into their business. But sometimes I'm guilty of saying, "Right. You've got a problem. I'll give you my solution." And this doesn't work, which is why I was summarily dismissed by a recent client.

So, for now I'm going to wear a hat, and I'm going to use the lesson I learned to make my business thrive so I can afford to find a better stylist.

Comments

[Beth Ziesenis]

Update....

I sent pictures of my fried hair to my good friend Sherri, and she INSISTED I write to the salon to let them know I was dissatisfied. Actually, she suggested I throw a brick with a note on it through their window, but she settled for the email.

Today I got a call from the salon owner, and we settled on a refund of the haircut to be put back on my credit card.

Now Sherri wants to call a salon she went to in the '90s to get a full refund. She's got her brick ready if anyone else has a problem.

[Erin]

Woo hoo! That's another good thing! Along with the cute pink shoes you're on a role!!! :)

[Beth Ziesenis]

Ahh... nothing like a thrift store to unearth the perfect pink shoes. Thanks for shopping with me, Erin.