Hair salon apologises after refusing to let customer leave over $15 dispute
A Sydney hair salon has been forced to apologise after a customer named and shamed them on social media for effectively holding her hostage over $15.
Kerrie Davies vented her fury on Facebook after a visit to Blondes & Brunettes Hair Salon in Mount Druitt on Saturday morning.
“I’m naming and shaming,” Mrs Davies started off in the post from the same afternoon.
“Went to have my hair blow dried today and when I got to the counter to pay the $30 I discovered I’d left my wallet in my other bag.
“I had $15 tucked in a zipper of my bag but no wallet so no cards or cash.
"Mortified, I explain the situation. Hairdresser tells me I have to get someone to bring the $15 and I’m not to leave the store."
Mrs Davies said the salon effectively forced her to stay in the store until the outstanding money was paid.
“I explain that I have our car so I can’t get [my husband] to bring it to me. Can I leave my bag, phone and race home and get it? No.”
“Since I have my phone can I transfer it to you? No.”
“Can I speak to the manager? Same deal from the manager. 'We gave you a service and you are not to leave here until we are paid in full.'”
“I say I’m trying to figure out how I can organise that, work with me a little. Can you call a security guard maybe? ‘Oh I’ve already called security on you’.”
Help finally arrived for Mrs Davies, in the form of a security guard named 'Drew'.
“Security guard arrives and rude Manager is barking ‘she’s not leaving here’ over the top of me while I’m trying to explain the situation to the security guard," Mrs Davies wrote.
“He looks at the Manager as if she has three heads, reaches into his wallet and pulls out $15, gives it to her and says to me “Just drop it in to concierge when you can. Sorry, I can see how embarrassed you are.”
“I drove home and got my wallet and gave him back the $15 and a $10 scratchie. Hope he wins a fortune! Thank you security guard “Drew” for being such a nice guy."
The owners of the salon finally made contact with Mrs Davies on Sunday afternoon.
“Well.. What can I say? When I took to Facebook yesterday to have a rant about the way I was treated at the hairdressers, I certainly did not expect this viral reaction,” Mrs Davies wrote.
“A short time ago I received a call from the owner of Blondes & Brunettes and he apologised to me on behalf of the staff and said he will be introducing customer service training.
“Sad that it had to come to that.
“I am pleased though that Drew the security guard has been recognised and thanked by so many. Champion bloke!"
Mrs Davies thanked her followers for their comments and support.
Reaction from social media to Mrs Davies' initial post was instant and unanimous.
"Let's just say that salon will be getting no more business, that is absolutely disgraceful, they obviously don't value their customers, don't worry, karma will come and bite them in the a*** when they least expect it," Maureen Siddel wrote.
"I cannot believe how a business would choose to shoot its self in the foot over $15," Trevor Lucas said.
"They have just lost more business than any advertising could possible attract."
Mrs Davies' post has reached 52,000 people, and been shared more than 24,000 times.
News break – September 19
