A hairdresser has revealed a comment she sometimes receives from customers that she considers a ‘red flag’.
UK-based hairdresser Sarah Louise Tyne, known as the The Mobile Hairdressing Guru, took to TikTok to reveal the one thing customers say that grates on professional hair stylists.
Sarah revealed in the video that the phrase ‘my old hairdresser used to do my hair like this’ gets on stylists’ nerves.
The content creator said this type of comment can be counterproductive, as your current stylist might not know what exactly you mean or they may have a different skill set to offer.
She started the clip with: ‘Your new client sits down in the chair and says to you ”my old hairdresser used to do it like this’.’
UK based hairdresser Sarah Louise Tyne, known as the The Mobile Hairdressing Guru, took to TikTok to reveal the one comment that customers make that grates on professionals
When a client sits down in the chair and says this, Sarah said the initial thought is often one of frustration.
She added: ‘Your first thought in your head is ‘I’m not your old hairdresser’.
‘In fairness though, their old hairdresser might have moved away, they may have retired, they might be looking for some common ground with you, a way of communicating with you how they normally like to have their hair done.
‘It can be useful to have some reference points, but when does it cross the line? When you feel like you are in competition with a hairdresser that you never met.’
Sarah went onto recommend a number of different ways to communicate the look you truly want that won’t offend or upset the hairdresser.
Explaining the importance of visual cues, she said: ‘Rather than showing me how your old hairdresser used to do your hair, can you show me some images of what you’re hoping to achieve and I’ll see if they will work with your hair type/texture?’
Taking to the video caption, Sarah also had advice for hairdressers themselves, urging them not to get annoyed by the comment.
She wrote: ‘How do you answer/respond? You could get really a**ey and say, ‘Well go back to them then’.’
Sarah revealed in the video that the phrase ”my old hairdresser used to do my hair like this” gets on stylists nerves
Other hairdressers took to the comments to leave their own thoughts on the topic with some saying they don’t mind the comment
‘Or rather than getting annoyed by the comment say, ‘I appreciate you may be nervous about having your hair done by another hairdresser, but you really are in safe hands,’ reassure them and help to calm their nerves.
‘If it seems that no matter what you do/say nothing seems to reassure/relax and your client continues to say ”he/she/they didn’t used to do that, it doesn’t look like XX used to do my hair’.
‘The two of you just may not be a good match, it happens. Do your best to offer the best possible outcome, and politely explain that you may not be a good fit for each other.’
Other hairdressers took to the comments to leave their own thoughts on the topic with some saying they don’t mind it when a client brings up their old stylist.
One person said: ‘It crosses the line when they say. My old hairdresser ONLY CHARGED me XYZ.’
Another added: ‘I normally ask what they liked about how they did it or I’ll explain why I do it differently.’
Someone else added: ‘I don’t see this comment as a problem, if they liked that way I would try to do it the way she wanted.’
To which Sarah replied: ‘Totally, but it’s also about establishing a new relationship. Also what if the client is keeping to that style because they’ve never been offered anything different?’