soulie
Well-Known Member
Something I wrote a while ago, based on what I observed in a lot of Black operated salons:
I showed this to my stylist at the time, and she showed it to the salon owner. The owner posted it on the employees' bulletin board with a note to say if she found out any of them did these things, that person would be dismissed.
Black Hair Salon Rules:
1. Always wet client's hair immediately upon arrival -- then they can't leave no matter how long it takes you to get to them.
2. Always schedule appointments 15 minutes apart, especially when scheduling services that take 2 hours or more; hell YOU gotta be there all day, why shouldn't they stay with you?
3. When somebody's sister comes in to get lunch orders, stop what you're doing to discuss menu options. Don't worry about that woman in your chair -- if her relaxer stays in longer, her hair will be straighter right? After all, that's what she wants.
4. Never ever ask if your starving client wants to order lunch. If she buys food, that might take the money that she could have spent on your tip.
5. When someone delivers your lunch put it on your station and eat it while working. If possible, make sure your client (who has had nothing to eat since arriving 3 hours prior) can smell it.
6. If your client who has been sitting in your chair has to go to the restroom, be sure and start someone else in your chair while she's gone. That'll teach her to get up!
7. After conditioning, be sure to let your client sit long enough that hair is completely dry, so that you have to wet it again before blowdrying it. That way you'll guarantee she's sat long enough.
8. If your client's head dips while you are styling it, jerk really, really hard on the hair to raise the head. The pain will remind her to sit up STRAIGHT.
9. After styling, if client asks you to comb/curl a little differently, get the "look" on your face, move very slowly and say 'well... if that's what you REALLY want...."
10. Whenever a client is finished in another stylist's chair, stop all work to loudly admire the client's style -- no matter HOW jacked up it is. Actually, the worse it looks, the louder you should praise it.
11. Eighty percent of your attention should be focused on listening to the conversation at the next stylist's station... 10% should be on thinking about what you want for lunch, and 10% should be on the head sitting in front of you.
12. When your client pays you, look at the tip and say loudly, "DIDN'T WORK NO OVERTIME THIS WEEK, DID YOU?"
13. Do not have any window coverings, and have your half-done clients sit in the lobby. This lets passersby know that your salon is doing good business and makes them want to come to you because you must be a good stylist.
14. If you work at home, be sure to not ever put any deodorizer in your garbage disposal; when you wash clients' hair in the kitchen sink they will remember they are at your house and will tip bigger so you can get a real salon.
15. Pretend to listen to your client's styling requests. Then style it as you want. After all, you're the one standing up all day, so you should get to choose the style!
16. Learn the art of not working while you talk. Practice until it is a reflex to stop washing, blow drying, rolling, flatironing, curling, etc the second you open your mouth. Be sure to talk frequently -- this contributes to keeping your salon full.
I showed this to my stylist at the time, and she showed it to the salon owner. The owner posted it on the employees' bulletin board with a note to say if she found out any of them did these things, that person would be dismissed.
Black Hair Salon Rules:
1. Always wet client's hair immediately upon arrival -- then they can't leave no matter how long it takes you to get to them.
2. Always schedule appointments 15 minutes apart, especially when scheduling services that take 2 hours or more; hell YOU gotta be there all day, why shouldn't they stay with you?
3. When somebody's sister comes in to get lunch orders, stop what you're doing to discuss menu options. Don't worry about that woman in your chair -- if her relaxer stays in longer, her hair will be straighter right? After all, that's what she wants.
4. Never ever ask if your starving client wants to order lunch. If she buys food, that might take the money that she could have spent on your tip.
5. When someone delivers your lunch put it on your station and eat it while working. If possible, make sure your client (who has had nothing to eat since arriving 3 hours prior) can smell it.
6. If your client who has been sitting in your chair has to go to the restroom, be sure and start someone else in your chair while she's gone. That'll teach her to get up!
7. After conditioning, be sure to let your client sit long enough that hair is completely dry, so that you have to wet it again before blowdrying it. That way you'll guarantee she's sat long enough.
8. If your client's head dips while you are styling it, jerk really, really hard on the hair to raise the head. The pain will remind her to sit up STRAIGHT.
9. After styling, if client asks you to comb/curl a little differently, get the "look" on your face, move very slowly and say 'well... if that's what you REALLY want...."
10. Whenever a client is finished in another stylist's chair, stop all work to loudly admire the client's style -- no matter HOW jacked up it is. Actually, the worse it looks, the louder you should praise it.
11. Eighty percent of your attention should be focused on listening to the conversation at the next stylist's station... 10% should be on thinking about what you want for lunch, and 10% should be on the head sitting in front of you.
12. When your client pays you, look at the tip and say loudly, "DIDN'T WORK NO OVERTIME THIS WEEK, DID YOU?"
13. Do not have any window coverings, and have your half-done clients sit in the lobby. This lets passersby know that your salon is doing good business and makes them want to come to you because you must be a good stylist.
14. If you work at home, be sure to not ever put any deodorizer in your garbage disposal; when you wash clients' hair in the kitchen sink they will remember they are at your house and will tip bigger so you can get a real salon.
15. Pretend to listen to your client's styling requests. Then style it as you want. After all, you're the one standing up all day, so you should get to choose the style!
16. Learn the art of not working while you talk. Practice until it is a reflex to stop washing, blow drying, rolling, flatironing, curling, etc the second you open your mouth. Be sure to talk frequently -- this contributes to keeping your salon full.
