Have you ever felt the presence of a mysterious force interfering with your choices and decisions? Do you recall the state of mind you were in when things occurred contrary to your dictates? Have you ever felt powerless to alter the state of affairs, especially if those experiences are recurring? My experiences with the hairstylists at different salons have left me perplexed. Despite the fact that they are offered both the money and the hair on my head for experimentation, very few hair stylists are risktakers. If you are entertaining the thought that I am exaggerating I guarantee you that by the time you finish reading this piece you would realise that I am not and you would be in consensus with me.
Gone are the times when you request your hairstylist to try something new and in response they give you fashion magazines with innumerable hair styles to choose from. I have been to a few hair stylists who when given the freedom to choose a style they thought best suits me, leaps for the chance. The final outcome has always been rewarding. A new satisfying look that makes me look younger. Unfortunately, not all hair stylists understand the customers’ need for a style and look different from the previous.
It is customary on my part to request the stylists to shorten the shoulder length hair to just below my ear. My busy lifestyle leaves me no time to pamper my hair the way many other women with plenty of time on their hands would do. A short hairstyle has varied connotations for me; quick wash and dry, easy to straighten and maintain, smart look, suitable for weather conditions etc. Innovative hair stylists shorten my hair at the back of my head to keep it off my neck and leave a few longer strands at the sides of my face to give the “not too short” impression.
On one occasion, after an hour’s patience, when I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I wondered what the stylist had been doing. My hair did not look any short than before and when I looked around me I saw very little hair on the floor. Blow drying and straightening had consumed a lot of time. My recent experience with a stylist was hilarious and infuriating. Hilarious because she deliberately chose to ignore my instructions repeatedly and even came out with a ridiculous statement, “I am not cutting it shorter than this.” I suppressed my angry retort, “Well, it’s my head and my money! You do not know what is best for me…” with a herculean effort. Exasperating because the final outcome was not appealing to the eye as I did not see enough flips or layers on both sides. I was left with a plain, short hairstyle that looked nothing but ordinary.
Words such as frugality, miserliness and thriftiness came to my mind. As one would swallow a bitter medicine, I swallowed the experience, paid for the services and took my leave. Jan Carlzon was right when he stated,”If you’re not serving the customer, your job is to be serving someone who is. “
A Writer's Exposé 