The situation that just won't go away...

[redhen]

Its not your problem,.. and i would stop making suggestions to the boss about what she should do with the guy...
Its her business,..her problem.

 

[herfrds]

Some businesses run recorders on their phone lines so this company might too.

Just sit back and do nothing. Yeah it is hard to let this sort of garbage go but just take a hot soak in the tub and tell yourself that the guy was out of line not you.
Rude people are no fun.

 

[EweSheep]

I agree with the above posts. It is now the boss and the offender's problem. Let them dish it out.

 

[krcote]

Most importantly, kindly let your boss know you do not want to know what continues to go on between her and him. Not knowing will be the only way you can put this behind you.

 

[Anna_MN]

Thank you! All of your kind words have helped put this away. The only reason why I felt it was my problem is because he said he was going to "ruin us". Just hearing that freaked me out on my first day of actual work and it made me feel guilty for some reason. I know I shouldn't, but I just did. I know the salon doesn't pay to have their phones lines transcripted, so I highly doubt the phone company would have it, right?

 

[CarolJ]

I know a bully like that - someone who wants to make a big deal out of anything they don't like. The guy couldn't just accept that an appointment needed to be rescheduled. He had to make the salon out to be irresponsible and a bad business. He's a bully. I know the behavior well. Karma will catch up with him someday. In the meantime - do your best to put it in perspective - just one of those things you have to deal with occasionally. Don't let the bully win by upsetting you any further.

 

[SillyChicken]

In any job dealing with the public, you have to have a thick skin! Try working retail at one of the big box stores.. talk about petty people that think everything wrong with the company is entirely your fault and they should get everything for free!

I had one lady call the commercial desk where I worked (also the same desk where delivery is handled, not customer service).. anyway she was screaming in the phone about her order being late. Refused to give me any info... like her name or number so I could look it up.....ranting and screaming.... swore a few times. Finally I said ma'm, I want to help you, but if you don't calm down and give me the info I need, I cannot help you. If you continue to talk to me this way, I will hang up. She calmed down and we got it worked out... but still... people like that just need firm calm responses and time to vent a bit. NEVER let them bother you, it's their problem not yours.

One guy that came in the store, wore a turban, very traditional man, was giving a cashier fits...mid sale she asked me to help, he told me to get out of his business. I told him if he wanted to complete the sale and go about his business, he would have to finish the transaction with me. Whhhhoooo talk about some stink eye! LOL! Sometimes I liked the job for this reason too. Sometimes taking the higher road and control over the situation, is the best way to handle it.

If that were my salon, I think I would have offered his wife a free tint or manicure or something to make up for the inconvenience caused to her. Sometimes a small offering of services will help smooth things over. I also wouldn't retaliate against the man, esp on his site... Rather, I'd post a comment behind his to defend my business.

 

[RHRanch]

If that were my salon, I think I would have offered his wife a free tint or manicure or something to make up for the inconvenience caused to her. Sometimes a small offering of services will help smooth things over. I also wouldn't retaliate against the man, esp on his site... Rather, I'd post a comment behind his to defend my business.

This X2 - I have worked in customer service for many years. In the future, I would say, "I'm afraid its against company policy to do (whatever), but I can offer your wife a complimentary (manicure, haircut, $10 off, whatever). How does that sound?" Or something like that. Don't worry about this incident, every once in a while you get this kind of incident, especially with husbands. The wives will act like they are not upset with you, complain to the hubby and then you get an enraged phone call. I have run into that myself tons of times.

 

[dela1991]

Having reviews taken down is just as underhanded as what he did. I also don't see the phone company having a transcript of the call.

I second what you said about the phone company. There is no transcript of the call. Many folks think that there is though. Customer service jobs basically suck. I have worked for the phone company for many years and have been in a few jobs (operator, business office) that are customer service driven. I thank my lucky stars every day that in my current position I have no contact with customers. Having to put up with the situation like your experienced is just part of dealing with the public. You didn't cause the problem but had to take the heat for it because you represent the salon. I have heard things out of customers mouths that would make your hair stand up on its ends. But then there are also very nice people who make your day. I hope that things get better for you.

 

[mandelyn]

I am just biding my time to get into the warehouse side of things where I work. The manager said something to me about switching to "Installed Sales" and I cringed.

Yesterday a lady was in to buy mulch. Her trunk was full, her back seat half full, and she wanted 5 bags of topsoil and 5 bags of mulch. Wanted a ton of plastic to cover the car. Started getting an attitude when she attempted to pull the plastic from a parking sign we covered... she was just terrible. Acted like the entire store needed to revolve around her.

When people like that come up (trust me, he won't be your last in an upscale salon!)... the whole time I think about how it must suck to be them. It helps me make a real smile when I have to deal with them. Then a very nice customer will come in, and I will just bend over backwards for them. After the mulch lady, another lady came in, a new home owner, who had no idea how to garden or what to plant. We laid out her whole flower bed right there on the floor so that she could visualize it before she bought the plants. She said I was the most helpful person she'd encountered since she bought the house. Thankfully people like her out number the ones like the mulch lady.

I started out as a salon receptionist and later became a stylist. I lasted 2 months in a fancy place. Seems the higher the cost, the worse the people. My price limit on haircuts is $45... higher than that, the people start getting crazy. You should meet the ones who pay $250. Geeze.. and meet the stylist that charges that... eccentric doesn't even cover the half of it.

One lady brought in a photo of how she wanted her hair. Not at all do-able with her hair type. She demanded it though. So the stylist does what she can. The woman locked herself into the bathroom and had screaming fits for HOURS, totally disrupting the entire business. We had to call the cops and have her talked out. Makes you wonder what in her life made her act that way about a haircut. I felt bad for her, it was so much worse than just being rude. She had a complete meltdown.

If you're in the service industry, you're going to encounter this everywhere. There's no way around it, rude/bitter/defensive/resentful/hateful people need all the same services or products as everyone else.