What to Know When You’re Running Late
Even the most type A person you know was late to an appointment once. Perhaps it’s human nature, but distractions, traffic, and emergencies happen to everyone. Many people say that’s life, and, for the most part, salons would agree. For the other part, salons ask that you follow a protocol. Like similar appointments you’d make with dentists and mechanics, there’s a timeline they’ll only stick to if everything goes off without a hitch. That means everyone, stylists and guests, are on time, and none of the services yield any surprises. Guess how often all of that happens.
Forget about rush hour.
Starling Salon formally invites you to read their Tardiness Policy (and you might as well read their Cancelation Policy while you’re there). It’s nicely asking you to give the salon a heads-up when you’re running behind. It’s the bare minimum, and those dentists and mechanics probably don’t ask as nicely. Other salons might have different policies, but Starling Salon functions best with two-way communication, as Hallie Kastanek puts it.
The real kicker for some is when it becomes necessary to reschedule your appointment. Hair services, like medical appointments and auto shop visits, aren’t a perfect science (even when the plan is, presumably, the exact same process as an earlier appointment). Your hair professional needs you to understand that no two appointments are identical, so assuming each one will take the exact same amount of time because it’s the same service isn’t fully true. They always leave room for a hiccup or two, so running 15 minutes late might mean you’re coming back another day. Regardless of why you’re late, this is always a possibility, but communicating with the salon and your stylist helps minimize the chances.
That communication is important for the scheduling process, sure, but on a personal level, it shows your hairstylist that you respect them and their craft. Megan Brockman says, “I appreciate when they acknowledge that they’re late, so I know they value my time.” It’s a simple kindness. It’s a kindness your hair professional reciprocates by working hard to be on time for you.
Traffic and accidents happen, as do other emergencies.
Imagine arriving 21 minutes late to the salon. You’re a considerate person, so you called ahead to warn your artist and they agree to keep the appointment. They understand the flat tire you just patched could happen to anyone unexpectedly and they don’t want to extend the drama in your day. You flop into their chair like a shaggy dog and finally exhale because the good part is about to start. Now they’re explaining they won’t have time to dry your hair, but because you’re so magnanimous, you assure them that won’t be a problem. As you leave (later than you would have if you’d arrived on time), so overhear your stylist apologizing to their next guest for being late. Sadly, that guest isn’t as generous as you are.
Now imagine if you were that guest. From their perspective, the salon is responsible for their appointment, and they’re right. They have no idea your appointment ran over, and most hair professionals will silently absorb that responsibility. Communication and a little acknowledgement are small things to ask of guests in these situations, since you’ll definitely run over time sooner or later (for understandable reasons).
Policies and penalties aren’t meant to upset guests, they’re meant to discourage repeat behavior. Again, stylists can run late too, and sometimes for no other reason than the service took an unexpected turn and they needed more time. That’s nobody’s fault, but it happens. Hair is never an exact science, even when cosmetologists stand in a line and confidently map out the science. Remember, your body chemistry is unique to you and the day or week you’re having. If you’ve experienced stress since your last appointment that caused excessive hair shedding, your hair might process in foils faster. Or, if your lifestyle intensified, leaving you little to no time to wash or brush your hair, there might be a surprise nest in there. That’s an easy 20 minutes of combing nobody accounted for. Your tardiness isn’t any more criminal than these scenarios a hair professional is likely to encounter. So, breathe, and call the salon. They won’t sentence you to a timeout for a traffic jam.
Pull over and call. Everyone wins.
On that note, if you’re running late, Starling Salon asks you remove yourself from traffic if you’re driving before calling. Pull into the nearest parking spot and stop the car, then call to let the front desk know what’s going on. If you’re already going to be late, another couple of minutes won’t kill anyone. Driving and texting might, so please stay safe and in touch.