ComplaintsforFinally Lisa's, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Tuesday October 4th i had a scheduled appointment at Finally Lisa's Hair Salon on ********************************************* *********** *************. Prior to arriving at hair salon I called and asked for a rough estimate over phone. The employee who answered telephone explained to me that they do not give over the phone prices which is contridictary to what the businesses website explains. So as i arrived and sat down in chair the employee began to explain to me that for a "cut and color" it will take roughly 4 hours in chair and price should be around $500 dollars..to which I clearly explained that i cannot afford that amount. I then clearly explained that i can only afford to spend $250 to $300 maximum, to which hair stylst replied by explaining that she will spend less time on everything and total price will be no more than $300. At that point i accepted that price and was put at ease knowing i have enough money to pay for services rendered So after she litteraly trimmed my hair and put in a few highlights using tin foil she rang up charges at register and told me I owe her $375. After adding tip total bill came to $450! Being extremely emmbarassed and flusstered by being put on spot i paid the $450 dollar bill in complete reluctance. After calling multiple hair salons and after speaking with mutiple hair stylsts i have compared priceing and came to the conclusion that the priceing used at Finally Lisa's is not only arbituary and not relevent to any other local hair salons but they lied to me. I made it clear what i could afford and they said it will be no more than $300 to which they turned around and billed me 450 dollars regardless of previous conversation. I beleive i shouod be reimursed by this hair salon. I did not go into any detail regarding the fact that the overall results of hair was not even close to my expectations. What is wrong on every level is the fact that they deceived me into paying roughly 150 dollars more than i agreed i could afford. Unacceptable.

  Business response

  10/10/2022

  On Wednesday, October 5th, 2022, I *********************, owner of Finally Lisas Hair Salon, was notified of a complaint made to my hair salon. This is my first in over 35 years of business, and being a licensed cosmetologist in the State of Massachusetts. 
  

  In direct response to the complaint made:
  

  My business has an automatically generated website, by Google I do not contribute to this website, but rather Google takes information from my Google Page. There is a quote button on the website and when you click this button, it prompts you to email your question in regard to your hair and any service you may request to:  ******************************* Once you send an email in this manner, you will receive an email from me directly thanking you and instruction to reach out to the salon via phone number. We then say we would be happy to give you a complimentary consultation. Therefore, all quotes of chemical services we offer are given only in person, after the complimentary consultation. 
  

  In this situation, the complainant called and asked for a rough estimate and was told of our policy. Again, we do not quote prices over the phone for any chemical service, but we would be happy for the complainant to come in and receive a complimentary consultation. For reference, I have attached copies of the client notes in our computer software, that are written for every client that comes into Finally Lisa's. 
  

  Per our salons consultation protocol, our consultations begin with my team formally greeting our clients and asking them what they are looking for in their service. This could range from pictures they have for inspiration, past color pictures of themselves they like, or if they would like our professional opinion and input. Depending on previous color history, we will ask if the client has colored their own hair, or had it previously colored by a professional. We then explain the process of how we will go about getting them to their hair goal. We explain in detail that custom color work and/or corrective color is a whole different animal than a root touch, or as the complainant mentioned a cut and color. Continuing with the consultation protocol, this conversation exposes the reality of custom color work, its attainability, and most importantly, the cost and time commitment it will take to achieve the desired result. If this is not within the beauty budget of the client, we are more than happy to suggest and give different options, techniques, and looks for them, based on the clients budget. We show the client realistic pictures that members of Finally Lisas Hair Salon have done, to get a better understanding of the look and the cost associated with it. With all of our colors, we include a complimentary customized haircut, blowout, and style. Any service over $275, receives a complimentary hair treatment as well. We strive to make sure our clients feel and look their best when leaving Finally Lisas. 
  
  On Tuesday, October 4th, the complainant, a first-time client, came to the salon for her complimentary consultation at 3:15pm. My stylist explained that based on what they wanted to get done: the state of her hair (previously colored not by us, dark level 3- a dark brown), how much hair they had, and how much time and product needed to be used to achieve the look that is a custom color. My stylist explained that this custom color would take 4 hours+ to complete and therefore, would put them in the $540+ range. The client did express that she could not afford to be in the $540+ range and my stylist told her we could certainly do something else. My stylist suggested doing less foil work. She would still be coloring the roots, pulling through ends for depth, but only foiling through a halo section. This was suggested so that we could use less product and less time. My stylist informed the client that this alternative would start at $300 and could increase if more product was needed or if it took longer than anticipated. The complainant never stated that she could not go beyond $300. And never mentioned $250 at all. The complainant claims that my stylist literally trimmed her hair but prior to the color, my stylist cut off 3 inches and after the color she took off an additional 1-2 inches to clean it all up. The complainant claims that my stylist put in a few tin foils (Colortrak Professional Hair Coloring Foils), when in reality she did a full root color, pulled the color through the entire underneath, pulled the color through the pieces in between foils, and did about 6-8 foils per quadrant (4 quadrants). My stylist never used the phrase you owe me $375, at the register. She said Okay [name of complainant], based on product usage and time your total for today comes to $375. My stylist asked if she was paying cash or card and she asked to do both. She paid $225 in cash and $150 (including deposit) on the card. She gave my stylist a tip of $75 in cash (more than a 20% tip). The bill did not come to $450. The bill came to $375. Tips are never required. She claims that she had to pay $150 more than she agreed to but in fact she only needed to pay $75 more than what she believed (not what they talked about) would be the "max". The complainant never stated that she could not go above $300. It was made clear that the price started at $300 and could go up based on product usage and extra time. The service took a full 30 minutes longer than expected which in turn made my stylist run late for her next appointment. My stylist also used an extra bowl of lightener and color due to the thickness of her hair. As far as expectations, during the clients consultation, she did not have any reference photos when asked, they did not have a preference of the type of blue she wanted. My stylist specifically asked her, If you could pick your dream blue, what would it be? To which she replied that she had no preference because she wasn't sure how light she could get in one sitting. She asked my stylist to show her an example of blue that could be used on her that day. As soon as she was all done lifting my stylist showed her on a white paper towel the exact blue that we used in her hair before applying it and she said, I love it! When the client was all blown out and my stylist turned her around in the chair she said, Oh I love it! It came out so beautiful, my husband will be so happy. She also remarked that she was happy you could tell it was blue with a slight hue of purple to it (as planned and discussed before applying it). She also allowed my stylist to take a photo of her hair and asked for my stylists business card before leaving. She was also given a referral card. 
  
  On Tuesday, October 4th, at approximately 7:10pm (Tuesdays regularly being one of the busiest nights at the salon, plus we had a stylist out sick), our answering machine was on. On this same date and time, less than 4 minutes after the complainant left the salon, we received a phone call from a male, stating he was the complainants husband. The stylist who did the complainants hair, picked up the phone, while the answering machine was still on, thus, the male was recorded. The abrasive, demanding, and intimidating way in which the male spoke to my stylist, left her shaking and crying. A second stylist came to get me at my workstation and informed me there was a problem and I needed to go to the reception desk. I had to leave my client and attend to the matter. When I was handed the phone, the male began screaming at me so loudly that two other clients in the salon, roughly 35 feet away, could hear him. He was irate, threatening, intimidating, and verbally abusive. I told him that if he continued to speak to me in that way, I would hang up the phone. He then apologized but continued to be more enraged and could not control his anger when speaking to me. I told him if his wife was unhappy, we would certainly bring her back in and show us why she was dissatisfied, and that she just had to give me a call. His response to me was, How much is that gonna cost me?! I replied that it would cost nothing if she were unhappy. He kept screaming, YOURE BREAKING UP! YOURE BREAKING UP! I replied that I was on a landline, and it was most likely his cell phone. He said, CAN YOU HEAR THIS?! IM CALLING THE ******** BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND THE ********* ATTORNEY GENERAL! THIS IS NOT HOW YOU RUN A BUSINESS!
  

  After this disturbing and harassing call, I returned to my client of 37 years. She immediately said that she heard a male screaming on the phone, from approximately 35 feet away. When my client left the salon, I called the complainant on her cell phone. She did not answer, and it went to voicemail. I left a message saying that her husband called in the manner in which he did, and that I would be more than happy to have her come back into the salon if she was unhappy, regardless of her husbands scary and unnecessary behavior. The complainant never called back (as of October 10th). The complainant never expressed dissatisfaction, and even posed for a picture (attached). 
  

  In conclusion, as a business owner of 35 years and a working stylist for 38 years, it has and always will be my mission to make sure the client is always happy. Customer Service is my number one priority. My team and I are unable to fix something if we are not aware of it. As previously mentioned, the complainant NEVER expressed dissatisfaction, and instead, the very contrary of that, evident in her over 20% tip, posing for a picture, verbal affirmations, and asking for my stylists business card. 
  

  In all good faith, Finally Lisas Hair Salon will not be refunding any money. 
  

  Respectfully, 

  *********************
  
  

  
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩