It isn’t an easy decision but sometimes you have to.
It takes a lot for me to fire a client. I never have liked to do it. Thankfully it doesn’t have to be done very often. I mean really most people know when it isn’t working with their stylist and just move on. But not some people.
I had a client that was never happy with her haircut. I mean never, there was always something wrong. Too short, too long, too many layers, not enough layers, the angle of the fringe was wrong. It was never quite right. But here is the thing she would always refer to that haircut I gave her two haircuts ago, that one was perfect she wanted me to do it exactly like I had then. Two haircuts ago.
I would stress out every time I saw her name on the books. I knew she would be a pain. Literally I would have to stop every step of the way and show her what I was doing and explain why. This was after a twenty minute discussion before I was even allowed to shampoo her. And yet with all this direction I would still not get it right.
I really did try but I just don’t think we were talking the same language. We would look at pictures, we would talk about what she wanted her hair to do. She wanted a lot of things that contradicted each other. Maybe it was me, I don’t know. But one day I just said to her “You know you are never happy with the haircut I give you. I have been doing your hair for a year now and I just can’t seem to get it right. I really have tried but maybe I’m just not the right hairstylist for you.”
She began to argue with me by saying “Well two haircuts ago….” I kid you not. I cut her off and said “No, two haircuts ago you weren’t happy either. You always say that but trust me, I know, you have never been happy with my work. I’m sorry but I think it might be time to find another stylist.”
That was that. I hope she found someone that could give her the haircut she wanted.
ephemeral filaments 
Some people are never satisfied… never… it is sad when that happens… good for you for firing her 🙂
I think it was the right thing, it made my life a lot less stressful. I don’t even think she was intentionally aggravating, there are some clients that I know like to complain just to make a person squirm. I have another post about the “high & mighty” queens.
DS,
On a similar note, your post reminds me of my Blockbuster years as a store manager back in the 90s, while I was still in clown college. I would have these clients who would be looking for a specific movie, and this is how they would describe it:
“Ok. It’s a movie with that actress who was in that movie with this other actor who was in a science-fiction that was also a ROM-COM by the director of that movie that take places in the USA with a little girl who runs”…….
Le Clown
That is why I always told them I didn’t need any help, just browsing thanks! I could never remember the name of the actors/actresses or movie, I would just end up sounding like one of *those* people. I’d rather meander around until something caught my eye anyways, never know what you will find that way.
DS,
Get out of my store.
Le Clown
WEll done! At the very least, that’ll give her a hint to stop whingeing!
She will probably still whine just not at me!