Increase Your Standards

As I stepped into the salon I felt uneasy. I had heard rave reviews about this place but it didn’t seem like it had the spunk that I needed. The floor had left over hair on it from the night before. The garbage bins were filled to the brim and the stylists complained that they didn’t feel like doing hair on such and such day because they had “other appointments”

Wasn’t this your job? You signed up for this business and now you are refusing business? If you haven’t guessed already this is a black owned hair salon.

Finally I take a seat and wait for my turn. My hair just needed a wash and set but I also wanted  deep conditioning and trim. I couldn’t take the risk of doing it myself. My appointment was at 10:30am and  it is not 10:45. I peruse  magazines and try to make conversation with the gum-snapping women that “work” there. The ones that are sitting in their own chairs not asking me if I need assistance or what I need done to my hair. Finally at 12:20 my stylist comes in and does what she needs to with my hair. She doesn’t apologize for her tardiness and for what usually costs 40 has cost me 65 dollars and all of my day. The purpose of me going there early was so I can leave early. I left at 5:00 pm and now I am driving ten miles above the speed limit so I can get my kids from aftercare at 5:30pm because my stylist decided to take her sweet time and none of her dingbat co workers cared enough to lighten her load and represent her company properly.

You do all understand I am making a point here. There were many issues involved in this scenario and the main one was PROFESSIONALISM. When you represent a business you must adhere to the rules of the customer. You are on their payroll and their clock. Do not show up to work late and be disrespectful of others time. Do not half ass your client and do not have them waiting on you. Do not have your co workers bitch and moan about not having work but they are turning it down when it comes your way. THIS is why people do not support black businesses because at times we do not represent ourselves accordingly. My instructor a few years ago said to me after I got to his class five minutes late. He said You are late. I said, no sir I am on time. He said, that’s the problem Allie. In life, everyone thinks they have enough time. Be fifteen minutes early for everything and you are on time. Be on time and you are late. Be fifteen minutes late and you have just missed an opportunity! Don’t let life slip away from you ladies and gentlemen! INCREASE YOUR STANDARDS!!!