Did you know that you no longer have to act professional to get paid? It’s true! You, too, can have unreasonable scheduling demands, vindictive behavior against low tippers and cut hair however you please without regard for your clients’ wishes! Isn’t that great? Well, it’s not true, but apparently this article on Shine – 14 Secrets Your Hairstylist Won’t Tell You – thinks all that is ok. Check out their suggestions:

• First, hair and nail clients shouldn’t schedule appointments on Saturday mornings, Friday evenings, the first of the day, the last of the day, or around lunch time. Apparently stylists don’t feel like working if they are tired, annoyed, ready to leave, not settled in or hungry. Nope, no good haircuts that way!
• Second, they have to tip well – at least an astronomical 20 percent! No matter what. If they don’t, you might ruin their hair next time, obviously!
• And finally, clients should never expect to get what they want. They bring in that darn picture of another A-list celebrity but should know the stylist is lying if they say they can make that look happen on them.

Does all this sound a little ridiculous? We thought so, and so did the people who responded to this article – both clients and stylists who are trained and educated from cosmetology school. Of course, as a hairstylist you have every right to expect polite customers that respect you and your time. But if all stylists acted the way this article suggests they would have very few clients, wouldn’t they?

The best stylists know that the way to get clients is to accommodate their schedules. If working Saturday mornings means you get more paying clients who are happy with the timing and keep coming back, then it’s a win-win situation. Every good hairstylist will find a schedule, pay scale, and so on that works for them and their clients. Most people have a hairstylist they like and trust, and they prefer to give that person their business.

All you hairstylists and cosmetology students, hopefully you have or will have some of these loyal clients on your roster. They appreciate the way you cut and style their hair. They enjoy talking to you and trust your opinions about their hair. Most of them probably expect you to do a good job, be friendly and prompt, listen to requests and respect them.

But then again, maybe we ought to follow Shine’s advice and switch things around. You know, ask not what you can do for your client, but what your client can do for you.

Weigh in! What do you think about scheduling appointments, tipping etiquette and style requests?