I did it. After two different reschedulings, I broke down and FINALLY went to the salon yesterday. I was given a great referral to see Mary at Tangles (she actually moved to Mona Lisa). I am trying to be conservative with the budget, so I figured I would just take care of the roots with a touch up of blonde for my partial weave. Mary was super nice and did a fabulous job, I decided by the time I left. However, she had an assistant/shampooer? that rubbed me the wrong way. Not literally. She was just annoying with the way she talked AT you, her fake attempt of caring about any conversation, mannerisms, and so forth. I decided I didn't want to get my hair trimmed at that time, the extra $60 was a little hard to swallow. Any way, after the color, the Assistant shampooed my hair w/o head massage, added toner, and then dried my hair with the blow dryer and brush. At this point, she started actually speaking to me. My hair is pretty long as I am trying to grow it out, so it took her a while. Plus, my hair was a bit snarly. The girl totally pulled and yanked at the knot with that darn big ROUND brush without even apologizing. I don't have a tender head nor a hard head about medium, so it did sort of hurt. But how would she know? And she didn't even apologize! Finally she finished. I told her I didn't need it straightened, because it was late in the afternoon, she proceeded to grab the hot iron and said she'll just smooth it out a bit.
I'm pleased with the color even if Mary didn't follow the pattern from my previous color. (It must be difficult or something???) So I look extra blonde. Ivan LOVES it! I gave her my VISA card, but Mary couldn't take it, because she wasn't programed in the card swiper machine yet. The Assistant was like, cash or check only. (Luckily, I brought my checkbook, because I never carry cash especially $115.) And then the Assistant said do you need cash? "The bank is across the street." No, I am fine thanks.
Needless to say I wrote out the check and gave it to Mary. She gave me her card and I shook her hand (cheezy i know), but she said it was nice to meet you and I said it was nice to meet you too, it seemed appropriate at the time.
After that I walked out and did the just-got-a-hair-do; no-more-roots catwalk down the sidewalk in Downtown Los Gatos. Pretty hot! In the car, I felt incredibly guilty about the no-tipping the Assistant. I didn't even know her name, so I couldn't have written her out a check or maybe I should have.
Side note - I don't think she is only Mary's Assistant, because while I was writing out the check, she was telling Mary that she was working for so-and-so that week and asking Mary if she could get paid, "she needed money". I thought this was a bit unprofessional in front of the customer. (When I was a busser at a restaurant I didn't ask the waiters to pay me in front of their customers.)
So, should I go back and tip the Assistant or does the stylist tip her out of her tip? If so, then I probably short tipped Mary. BTW, what is the right percentage for Mary, the stylist? I could send a little card and put some money in there for Mary/the Assistant. But I wasn't very please with her. I liked Mary's service and I'll probably go back there, but not for another 4-5 months, since I am coming to UT in July. What would you do?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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9 comments:
Tip the assistant? Why not tip everyone we come across then that's nice to us? Like deacons passing the sacrament? Or delivery boy? Or husband who did the dishes?
That's a silly American tradition. I'm sure her life being doesn't depend on the few bucks you were going to give her (she's not a waitress after all), so I'd forget about it. She did a terrible job serving you, and she deserves to learn a lesson.
I just thought it was a stereotype. But, obviously, some Europeans do not understand the tipping standard.
BTW, that was a pretty sacreligious comment...
I think you did the right thing Becca. If the assistant had done an amazing job and made your experience great then tip, but it sounds like she wasn't very professional or considerate of your head!
I have to agree with Ivan. Americans have been brainwashed into tipping waitstaff and service-industry workers no matter what. If someone does a good job, they get a tip. If they don't, well...
The Europeans really have it down.
The only point I was trying to make was that while I understand that some people need to be tipped due to their low pay (waiters, tax drivers, etc), there is no point in tipping people that already get paid well, and especially when they did a mediocre job. I don't expect people to tip me for delivering a presentation or a a spreadsheet, because I am simply doing what client will pay for anyway.
If people don't get feedback from customers, they'll never learn and will never try hard. We can tell them directly in the face in front of everyone, or we can simply send them the message by not tipping. It's that simple.
Ivan's comments are funny! Deep down inside, I am a tip grinch. I just don't get it at hair salons, where you are paying a premium for the service of having your hair done, and then you are expected to pay more if the person is nice and does a good job??? Shouldn't the niceness and doing a good job be included in the price? I know, I know. There are many ways to look at it. Sound like you did the right thing Becca :)
I don't think you ever need to tip the assistant. You are paying the hairdresser and tipping the hairdresser, and the assistant is assiting the hairdresser...so she can work things out however she wants. The hairdresser (not you) is the one who decides she needs an assitant. You did the right thing, and I'm glad your hair looks fabulous!
I want to see a picture of this new do!
well, 1st off-Ivan is hilarious! And...as a hairdresser (your's might I add ;) stop trying to make yourself feel guilty. If she sucked, she sucked. I, myself, leave great tips if I felt that the service was exceptional. However, one time at Applebee's my waitress was (excuse me) a bitch and kept making excuses for it (such as, "it's been a long day") but that is NOT my problem. Put your freakin happy face on and do your job right. If not, screw yourself out of a tip, I don't care. If they didn't earn it, don't give it! Besides, it is exactly what Ivan said, Mary is the one who NEEDS her, let her tip the crappy assistant.
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