Last week I had a hair appointment at 2:00. I arrived at 1:50 and checked in. At 2:15, I inquired whether my hairdresser had gotten the message that I was waiting. The receptionist checked, then said, “She’s finishing up with someone else. She’ll be out in 5 minutes.” At 2:25 I got up and told the receptionist that I was leaving and did so. The next day I made an appointment with another hair salon.
My question is this: How long should we wait for an appointment. I’ve heard horror stories of professionals, especially doctors, keeping people waiting for * hours *. Now I can understand an ob/gyn occasionally being late because of an emergency, but a * hair dresser *?
I’d guess a lot would depend on how long you’ve been going to the hairdresser. Fr’instance, I’ve been going to the same person for at least 5 years. She extremely efficient and reliable, so her track record tells me that if she’s delayed, it wasn’t something she could prevent.
A 25 min. delay is ridiculous, but in justice I’ve been disgusted by people who blow in 20 minutes (or more) for appointments and expect the schedule to be adapted. Really good hairdressers are in demand and usually scheduled down to the wire. Inconsiderate slobs who show up late always seem to be the most demanding and irate, too. It’s really an awful situation for the salon, but part of the job. A high maintenance jerk pitching a bitch at the desk over losing an appointment due to lateness can be a real nightmare.
But wait almost a half hour for a hair cut? Nah, not reasonable. It’s the job of salon to juggle the appointments, even in tough situations.
Hates bad hair days,
Veb
I’ve been behind schedule myself (rarely, but it happens). The most, though, has been 10 minutes. If I knew I was going to be later, I check the appointment book. If it’s not a request and can be moved, I move it. If it is a request I call them at home, explain the situation and they have the option of coming in a little later or getting mad at me (but that’s never happened. They are grateful that I call. I’ve only had to do that twice, but to me that’s twice too many).
I agree, though, 30 minutes is too long to wait. Some people want more things done than what they made the appointment for (and a lot of girls will comply even if it puts them behind), some people are late and the hairdresser will still do them and fall behind schedule, or sometimes a hairdresser will have a hard time doing the customer.
That is why, if someone asks for more things than what they made the appointment for and if I don’t have time to do the extra service, I will tell them that. If someone is too late I will either move the appointment to someone who can do it (if it’s doable) or tell them to reschedule. If they get mad, too bad. (BTW, I’m nice when I tell people those things, but I’m not a butt-kisser. I’m firm in my stance).
I’m not condoning being behind schedule, but please realize that the hairdresser isn’t doing it on purpose. They don’t overbook or things like that.
Now, any doctors out there who can tell us why we ALWAYS have to wait about 30 minutes on average for you?
I have a wonderful doctor, have used him for almost 25 years now… He schedules an appointment for (say) 2:00 and he’s ready for me at 2:00. He made it clear early on that he expects to be on time, and he expects me to be on time. In those 25 years, twice he has stuck his head out the door at my appointment time and apologized, he’s running ten minutes late because someone had a critical problem that morning.
Of course, this is a doctor who is interested in treating patients, not in herding them in like cattle and trying to handle 400 an hour. He also spends time at the beginning of each session doing an overview, checking my record, talking to me like I was a human being instead of a money-paying slab of meat.
I agree totally, Lisa, though my bad experiences have mostly been with doctors (my mother once had to wait three hours for an appointment, and couldn’t get up and leave because she needed a medication that day).
Doctors have got us by the–well, they HAVE us, and they know it. Especially since so many of us CAN’T change doctors, because of the goddam HMOs. Miss Manners (Judith Martin) once suggested that everyone get up and leave if a doctor is more than 15 minutes late–this would be great, but we’d ALL have to do it for it to be effective.
After taking my kid to the pediatrician for her scheduled appointment and waiting for 1 1/2 hour we left and I took her to an emergency walk-in clinic. We got in within 10 minutes. Never went back to the peditrician.
If they have too many patients they ought to quit taking new patients.
I personally thing a coalition of Democrats and Republicans should move for closure now. New Zealand is important enough that we need someone with President’s confidence representing us there, even if she did say nice thinks about a nasty Nigerian.