A
female
age
36-40,
anonymous
writes:I feel a bit awkward and need some advice please. I've been going to my beautician for the past 5 years, I go every month for waxing and facials and then 3-4 months for nails and other treatments and spend quite a bit of money there.I've also become very good friends with her, which is why my situation is awkward.Over the past year or so she has become a bit shoddy with her work- for example I notice that my eyebrows and legs aren't waxed properly and my nails don't look professionally done and chip within 2 days. I've had a couple of spray tans which end up patchy (even though she exfoliates me 1st).But what really annoys me is that my treatments keep getting shorter. My facial should last 40 minutes but I'm done in 25-30 minutes. Also my friend got me a voucher for Christmas for a deluxe back, neck and shoulder massage- should have lasted 1 hour and included a back moisturising treatment and whilst that set I should have got my head massaged as stated in the pack but she didn't massage my head,she just left the room for 5 minutes and I heard her outside on the phone to her boyfriend about him preparing her dinner! She then came back in and started chatting (not very relaxing) and the treatment finished after 45 minutes!! I did mention to her that the treatment went quick and queried whether it should have been an hr and she said that the 15mins is for the client to get dressed/ undressed- now it doesn't take anyone 15 minutes to put their top on or take it off!She owns the business and only has 1 trainee who works for her who infact does a better job than she does ( and does the treatment the correct length of time)but she rarely works evenings, when I go.I feel awkward bringing this up and don't feel comfortable with just going elsewhere as I don't want to hurt her feelings. I have in the past casually mentioned how quick she is and hinted about treatment times but she just laughs it off.What do i say/do without offending her and possibly ruin our friendship.
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female
reader, Ciar  +, writes (9 February 2015):
 I agree with Honeypie. I don't see how you can bring your customer dissatisfaction to her attention AND remain friends. This is why they say 'never mix business with pleasure' and 'higher fences make better neighbours'.
Someone who expects me to pay what others pay while receiving less than what others receive is no friend and I'd just quietly cut her loose. Change salons without saying anything to her and don't contact her socially. If she calls you don't bring up the topic of haircuts but if she does, be honest and matter of fact (knowing the friendship, as you know it, will be officially over at that point).
You've dropped some pretty obvious hints, in my opinion, and she's dismissed them and from what you've described she doesn't sound like she'd be receptive to a more frank discussion. I suspect it will just lead to bad blood.
In future, don't mix business with pleasure. Keep it friendly but formal.
A
female
reader, Honeypie  +, writes (8 February 2015):
 I would take my business elsewhere. That simple.
I think BECAUSE you two are friendly she is not putting in as much effort, because she thinks a "friend" wouldn't complain. And in my book, THAT is wrong.
If she asks, I would tell you feel like you weren't getting what you paid for and thus went elsewhere. I can't see how you can get what you pay for AND stay friends. (sorry)
I had a hairdresser, I had used for YEARS in my hometown, when I moved out of my parents house, I still booked appointment to see HER, because I felt she HAD done great work with my hair. But over time she just didn't really bother it seemed and would actually ARGUE any suggestions I might have (like try an new color/cut) (now she might have had personal issues or whatever) but you would think she would make more of a effort for a customer who not only came in twice a month but also referred her to others. She did my mother's hair too.
I had a wedding to go to, and had planned to have my hair done by her, but due to booking schedules I ended up going to a little salon down the corner from my house in the city and guess what? I got the BEST haircut/styling in YEARS. So I simply stopped going to the old place. SHE did call maybe 2 months down the line, and I DID tell her that I had found a new place closer by. My MOM started to visit my new hair dresser and used her even after I moved overseas.
MANY women are VERY loyal to their hairdressers/beauticians, but that doesn't mean if you feel like you are getting a shoddy product that you OWE that hairdresser anything.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (8 February 2015): She is slacking off and it highly unprofessional. I had similar problem with my hairdresser with hair coloring. She "forget" to run the color through my long hair the last 5 minutes, and once I didn't notice and my routes were fine but the ends were a different lighter color. I live in a sunny place, and my hair become lighter very fast. If she does routes she needed to realize it and make hair look even. So, I told her. Next time, I t happened again, but that time I was on a phone with my husband, and she called me to wash it off. I asked her what about routes, she goes: o, you have time for that? Meaning what, I don't understand ? That I spent a minute extra on a phone instead of getting up immediately? I was a bit upset by that, and told her that I don't understand why she started doing this without coloring the ends. She laughed it off too but then the incident never happened. Remember , it's your money. You are absolutely entitled to speak you, don't even think twice about it. And, no, that's a total BS, that 15 min. Islet for a customer to dress or undress. It nly takes a minute. She is acting very lazy and unprofessional, if I were you, I would just find someone else.
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A
female
reader, Aunty BimBim  +, writes (8 February 2015):
 Is the friend who gave you the voucher and the owner of the business one and the same?
Either way its going to be awkward.
Ask her if she has changed her products because your waxes and nails don't seem to be as good as they used to be, tell her your nails are chipping after two days and the wax doesn't seem to be doing a good job either.
When getting a facial look at your watch first, and let her see you looking at your watch.
All the above are fairly strong hints that you are expecting more from her....... and if you continue to get second class treatment look for another supplier. Unfortunately the line between provider and customer has become very blurred, but she doesn't seem concerned about offering you shoddy treatment and not giving you the service you pay for, so you should be unconcerned about offending her.
I think the friendship may have run its course.
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