It’s never been easier to complain online, and your clients could be part of a growing wave of consumers sharing and viewing viral complaint content about service providers, which makes appeasing your clients as essential as it’s ever been.

Under hashtags such as #Salonissues and #hairsalon drama, which have over 16,000 posts between them, videos around salon problems are going viral on TikTok, as shared by content creators with millions of followers speaking to real-life salon issues between hair professionals and clients.

Hairdressing expert Nicole Petty of Milk + Blush is here to outline these viral problems, and then help you solve them, so you don’t end up as the headline yourself.

Colour Corrections

Clients asking for impossible colour corrections stretch the notion that the customer is always right, with TikTok scenarios outlining clients with bold transformations wanting to go back to a natural hue, or booking in a lesser service in cost or time for a major colour overhaul.

“The reality is that stylists should be open and honest with their customers about what is possible to achieve in a single appointment,” Nicole shared. “By setting realistic expectations from the offset, the stylist and their customer can maintain trust, respect and good-looking and feeling hair.”

Clashing Schedules

We often talk about no-shows, cancellations and hairdressers arriving late, but this viral social media content focused on the less discussed notion of arriving early and expecting service immediately, in a video of a client arriving during the hairdresser’s lunch break, which garnered nearly 400K views.

“While the customer is always right, as the stylist rightly says, her lunch may be the only quiet time she gets throughout the day and should be respected,” Nicole shared. “To avoid similar problems happening in the future, stylists should set boundaries, encouraging them to arrive on time, no earlier than five minutes before their appointment.”

“Being late can cause havoc to your schedule, but being too early might even cut into another customer’s appointment time – which could disrupt your relationship with them, too. Establishing mutual consideration between the stylist and the client is crucial.”

Vacation Time

Clients rely on hairdressers on often a strict cut and/or colour schedule, and hairdressers taking well deserved breaks can intrude on this routine. Strong communication is, again, a crucial solution to this problem.

“Stylists should ensure they book annual leave well in advance and alert their customers at the earliest opportunity, either during an appointment or via social media. This way, customers won’t be blindsided and without crucial hair services when they need it most, and stylists can establish an alternative time for the appointment that works around their break without upsetting the customer,” Nicole shared.

Retail Woes

Another viral point of salon contention is clients not using professional products, particularly in the current cost-of-living crisis, and having their hair suffer for it between appointments.

“To avoid similar issues, stylists should be completely transparent about the products they are recommending and how much they cost and consider finding and suggesting suitable, cheaper alternatives,” Nicole shared.

“It’s important to remember that, for many, getting hair done is a luxury, and the best products aren’t always the most affordable long-term. However, it’s the ingredients in the products that make them worthwhile, and the benefits should be explained to maximise hair health between appointments.”

For more information visit www.milkandblush.com