Day spa and salon--beware-over price
 

Today i made an appointment with Tuscany Day Spa and Salon in Lake Sumter Landing:
I was quoted $37.00 for a partial perm. The lady on the telephone told me their prices were ala-carte--There was no mention of any additional charges with the perm-- I asked the price for a hair cut and style and was quoted the price. They made an appointment for me today at 10:15 due to a cancelation this morning--there was no mention of any additional charges.
I was very satisfied with the service, paid my bill and returned home to find they charged me an additional $32.00 for a
"shampoo/finish"---I did not have a shampoo or finish to my hair--I left with my hair wet and made an appointment for the 16th of the month for a cut and style.. When I called them to dispute the additional charge, they were rude and said they had explained to me the services were "ala-carte" and they had every right to charge me the additional amount" " their explanation was they put product on my hair and washed it off!"

beware of this practice--no other salon charges for rinsing the perm. solution off of your hair--I asked why they did not quote me $69.00 for the perm and be done with it? They said this is not their way of doing business--has any one encountered this sort of pricing from a beauty salon?
They have lost my business forever !
SUSAN JOHNSON-DORAN
southwood villas
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE VILLAGES FOR ONE YEAR AND I HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL SALONS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS PRICING PRACTICE?
IN CALIFORNIA WHERE I LIVED MOST OF MY LIFE --A SALON GAVE YOU A PRICE AND THAT IS WHAT YOU PAID!

Do you mean that you paid the extra $32 without looking at your bill? If you knew the price was somewhere around $39, why would you have signed your credit slip for $69? I am presuming you paid with a credit card and not cash. If you had brought it right to their attention at the time of paying, the outcome might have been to your favor.

Setting aside whether you noticed the charge or not before you signed, any salon that makes a point of telling you that everything is a la carte, means just that and their own interpretation of that phrase is whatever it is, without regard to you.

I personally would not choose to go to any salon with this protocol. In my opinion, this practice is not conducive to fostering happy client relationships that endure, but evidently that is not a priority they are projecting, anyway.


If a salon's image depends on being haughty, chic or whatever you want to call it then the salon IN TOTAL AND those who work there had better absolutely look and live the part, graciously and perpetually. The place better look like the salon/spa at The Bellagio.
$$$ does not equal class. Attitude does not equal class. A la carte does not equal class.
In the end, your work better justify the $$$


I WAS an upscale salon owner for 15 years before I decided to retire. For 16 years prior to that I worked in the Gold Coast district of my metropolitan city. The fancy schmansy salons. You can't help but learn a thing or two. In the end, it is STILL a service industry.

I hope at least that your partial perm was done well. :ohdear:

I agree with this poster that I "quoted". Just because a place advertises as a spa etc etc etc it better "deliver". We've lived here going on 4 years---I've yet to find a place I'm totally satisfied with that will cut my hair exactly as I ask. My hair is thick, fine and somewhat curly with several cowlicks. "IF" the stylist doesn't do a good job...it will show. Most times I can't tell til I get home and do it myself. I HATE it when a stylist tries to tell me something different than what I know to be true. That has happened here as well. I had a great stylist before we moved here, who explained everything to me. She charged fairly and the salon where she worked was considered upscale (Aveda). There were never surprises!! I have had a couple of experiences here where there was a surprises upon payment!!!

When I first moved here I tried to make an appointment at that "spa" but couldn't get beyond the attitude. First problem was the list of rules (check out their website), I resented being treated like a shack dwelling philistine. They also wanted a credit card to guarantee the appointment, I just don't do that sort of thing.

They could possibly give a good cut, never found out.

Too funny, Patty 55.

I had a bit of a runaround with Urban (across from Wamart). Ihad received a coupon for a free haircut. I needed cut and color. They would not take the price of the cut off of the total because they said the cut comes automatically with the color--or some da** dumb thing. So I gave the coupon to my friend who only wanted a cut, but they wouln't honor it because they said it was "too old," despite the fact that the coupon had no expiration date. (It did have a date, but it was the date issued, and no mention of any expiration).

I would no longer use this place except they are the only ones arount TV that use Wella haircoloring, a that is the only coloring that will completely cover my coarse, very gray hair.

My friend had some issues with a salon who made appointments but also took walk-ins, and she and her mother walked out after waiting 45 minutes past their appointment time because their stylists were both donig walk-ins.

It seems as if the almighty dollar comes first with some hair salons down here, as opposed to customer service.

I am trying to find out what a "shack dwelling philistine" is.

I know for sure that some posters on here could be one.

It has a nice ring to it.

While I have never used their hair salon services, I have been to the Tuscany Day Spa on many occasions including just last week when I treated my future daughter-in-law to a hot stone massage and I had a delightful spa pedicure. I have always been treated with the utmost respect and even pampering. I am so happy that a place like this exists in the Villages!

NotGolfer - I have had exactly the same experience as you. I have gotten my hair cut / colored 3 times since I moved here and I have NOT gotten the haircut that I asked for yet. All three stylists gave me a layered/feathered style. I try to tell them but can't really tell how it turns out until I get home and do it myself. Not only that the prices for cuts/styles here are ridiculous. Finally, I don't like an add-on that I didn't ask for.

I am done venting.

I had a similar experience at the salon in Colony Plaza. I never heard of "tiered pricing"...and I learned the hard way. I brought my haircolor "recipe" with me from my salon in NYC. It didn't matter...the "Level 7" operator knew what was "best" for my hairtype and the color was horrendous. I complained. The fix was equally horrible. I ended up having my hair cut to within 2 inches of my scalp, let the color grow out (the cuts were good!) and finally gave up on the place when I was charged $26 for a blow out which I specifically declined. I refused to pay. Who needs a blow out on 2" worth of hair? Anyway, lesson learned. Unfortunately, I haven't had a really good haircut in over a year, no matter where I've gone.

yes I really like the expression "shack-dwelling philistine." I'm looking forward to using that one.

Ladies, most of us at this age know what our hair will and will not do.
Here are a few hints (in no particular order) when searching for a new stylist:

1) Take a look at your neighbors and friends. Do they have hair like yours?
(coarse, fine, curly, etc) If you like the way their hair looks, ask them who they go to. It's somewhere to start. Do you like their cut? Color? Take a picture of them and print it out on computer paper. Repeat, PRINT it out. 8x10 if you can, front, back and side view. VISUALS are the best, once you are in the salon, even if they are celebrity cuts from the internet. But they have to be good sized and clear, or the stylist is left to guess the details.

2) If you want a certain brand of hair color, ASK before you make the appointment if they USE that brand. Get a yes or no. Then ask if they have your color # in stock. Request that the brand/color #info be noted on the appointment schedule. Some places, like Aveda salons will only use Aveda products. It is corporate policy.
If you get there and they do not have your product as agreed, cancel your appointment immediately and leave.

3) Pay attention when you are getting your service. Ask to sit FACING the mirror. If the stylist is lopping your bangs and that is not what you want, you have a chance to stop and correct her.

4) Try your best to be realistic and clear about what you are asking for. Listen to yourself as you speak. Don't use vague terms, like 'feathering', 'sort of' or 'straight-ish'.

5) BEFORE you begin, briefly confirm the agenda with the stylist. Example: "I would like a chin length bob with bangs touching my eyebrows."
or "I am allergic to sulfites and have brought my own shampoo."

6) Always ask what your cost will be at the time you make the appointment. It is not rude to ask what that charge includes... or doesn't include.

I could probably come up with lots more. You are free to p.m. me if there is something I have not covered that you may want my meager insight on. I will answer as truthfully as I can.

Lastly Ladies, I DO NOT respect nor favor 'tiered pricing'. It is arrogant in my opinion to ask what level of expertise you are willing to pay for. I would hope that a Salon would give the best, personal service to EVERY client that walks in the door.

If there are stylists who are mediocre, they should be let go. If there is truly a unique and brilliant "star' of the salon, I assure you they would be moving up to the finest place their talent would take them and they wouldn't be in your neighborhood salon.
Expertise has nothing to do with how many years you have under your belt.
Being the owner does not automatically make you superior at your craft.
That stuff is baloney sausage.

Just be careful, my niece got in trouble with her second grade teacher for cursing when she used it. I had to explain that the teacher was an insipid twit, then it was all good.

We are being taken advantage of.....
 

I, too, am having a hard time finding an affordable talented hair stylists. I was going to Root 466 and was very pleased with my hair cut but from the beginning I knew I was way over paying for my hair cut. It was a tier salon so you pay for the more experienced stylists. My particular stylist was part owner so her fee was high. I went 3 times and the third time when I checked out my price was 5.00 higher than the last time I went. I questioned it and they said my stylist just got moved up a level and according to them was hard to do in the company. I was never informed prior to my hair cut that it would be a higher price. I paid it and never rescheduled. While I was pleased with my cut I always felt taken advantage of due to the pricing. I'm now on the hunt for a good stylist who isn't going to rob me. I was paying 52.00 and I have pretty short hair. Add the tip and I was almost at 60.00. I just can't justify that kind of money for a 20 minute hair cut......

Uptown Girl, what would you consider to be the standard tip for a hairstylist down here? Up north it is generally 25%, but I really don't know what to do down here. I give the lady who washes my hair $5 and my hairdresser $20, which is about 25%. Am I over-tipping?

It's awkward for me to talk about tipping in general, but I could probably write a book. The loveliest tip I ever received when I was in the industry was a banana. It makes my heart smile to this day to think of that very wonderful client.


I believe tipping is a gift of appreciation, but should be an earned one. To my mind there is no set rule. I try to be considerate as a client and expect to be treated likewise in return. I consider many factors.

If I am attended to appropriately, it is a plus.
If my stylist delights in trying to juggle three clients all in the same time slot.. and one of them is me... and it's not working well... and she doesn't care... it is a minus.

Generally, I think 20% is generous and reasonable at the same time. Exception: NEVER less than $5. If a bang trim is $5, they'll get a $5 tip.
Extraordinary efforts will elicit more sometimes, if I have it to give.
It also matters to me in what spirit the tip is received. That will guide me as to my generosity should we meet again.

I applaud the $5 tip for the lady who washes your hair. (if she does it with a bit of kindness) Typically these ladies are paid very little. Some earn tips only, no pay. She absolutely knows she is lowest on the totem pole. A genuine smile to her at the same time will be a very much appreciated gesture, I'm sure! :) You are a very nice lady.

Thanks for that, Uptown Girl. I am getting good, caring service from both hairdresser and hair washer. I will soldier on. That level of tipping feels comfortable to me and seems to be well received.

Seems to me the time to challenge being over charged was when you paid for the services. Was it not apparent the bill was more than you expected?
Seems odd!!

Anyway we all can have an opinion of what happened at any business establishment. However, the proven most effective way to challenge any dissatisfaction is right then and there and not with the "help" but with the management or owners when appropriate, especially if there was also a dissatisfaction with those you raised the problem with.

My wife is a regular of Tuscany Day Spa & Salon and like many, many other residents of TV find Tuscany, it's help, it's service and customer satisfaction to be outstanding....7 years running!

If you have not talked to the owner yet about your claim, then it seems a little unfair to publicize a dissatisfaction, that now may include a rude encounter.

btk

call around and see if a salon in your area will let you bring your own color! Many will and you may be asked to sign a waver that they are not responsable for any damage due to using a product they do not carry! The reason i went to this salon was that they used the iso perm--and i needed one right away! I have gone to fantastic sams several times and they allowed me to bring my own perm.
As stated before i did not realize the over charge until i returned home they gave me a credit slip to sign that only had the total amount due--i bought some product as well --they put my detailed credit slip in the bottom of the bag!

But where would I get the wella hair color? I thought you had to be in the profession to buy that.

My neighbor goes to Fantastic Sam's and is very happy with them. I would try them if they would procure the product for me.

i bought some shampoo and two other items and did not see the over charge until i returned home and took the product out of the bag and there was my detailed credit card charge--the credit slip i signed was only the total amount, no break down!

Bad way of doing business and i will never return--in looking over their pricing -- their spa services are reasonable but beware there are additional charges as well!!!!!!
Lesson: Never sign a credit slip without reviewing the detailed charge slip!!!!!!!!

When my wife told me that they wanted a credit card to hold the reservation for a haircut I was shocked.

I was happy with the perm not the way they price things! Will I go back? Never! Did you know the TOTAL price before you went???????

Yep, that's how far I got.

WELLA:

You can try calling a Sallys beauty supply and ask if they carry it. They can sell some products to non-professionals. (Licensed professionals get a small discount.) I do not recall if they sell Wella brand or not.

Often your hairstylist ( if she is an independent contractor and not an employee) will run there and get it, if that is the brand you request ahead of time. She should show you the box when you arrive. Expect to pay her for the product, as she is making a special trip to accommodate you.

Add me to the list of unhappy customers. I have tried Tuscany, Root 466, Aveda in Mt. Dora and Fantastic Sams....all over the playing field.

The stylist at Fantastic Sams told me that because of my natural, mousy brown, color, I shouldn't have a one step highlight...I needed to dye my hair a brighter brown, then highlight it. Well, I have been having my hair highlighted for the past 30+ years, all over the US, Canada, Caribbean and even South America. THEY all managed to do it in one step, usually with excellent results. However, sure enough, the highlight at Fantastic's was awful....just awful!!!. So, I asked him to just dye it brown and get me out of there. They charged me for the highlight and then charged me for dying my hair to cover the highlights.

Now, since I am all one color, that means I have to deal with roots....I think I will just shampoo in temporary color, as needed, and let it all grow out, have it cut into a bob, which any idiot should be able to do, and then leave it alone!!

does one know the price of the bill before going into a restaurant? No? Do you see a menu and choose what you want? Yes. Would you pay the bill without any comment if it came back double what you thought it should be? Of course not.

Something just doesn't hang together in this "story".

btk

I think that's being a little unfair to the original poster. She has already said she didn't realize she was charged extra until she got home.

Plus...not all of us are comfortable with being "confrontational" with someone who has just provided a personal service. Can't tell you how many times I have paid, tipped, and then sat in my car and cried, while I tried to comb out whatever they had done....then went home and tried to find another stylist to fix the problem. Sometimes you don't realize how bad the style is until you wash it and try to fix it yourself. That was not the op's problem, I realize.

Then, of course, there is the akwardness of "money". You don't want to appear cheap, and trust me, that is exactly what they will consider you if you complain about the price. Yes, you can talk to the owner, but the owner is the one who sets the pricing policy to begin with. They may cut you a "deal" that time, but once you have had an issue, you probably will never go back, anyway....just my opinion.

The credit card issue is an interesting one...I personally have never booked a service at a Spa anywhere and NOT been required to provide a credit card number.

I would also think that if they only charged $37 for a perm people would be lined up out the door. You cannot get a perm for $37 at the beauty school much less a business with licensed stylists.

I also have never liked the "tiered" pricing, but to say that someone right out of school should make the same as someone who has been in the industry 30+ years has zero validity. Does a person with a high school diploma make the same as someone who obtained a Masters?

I respectfully disagree.
Booking a hair appointment is completely different from booking a spa experience. MOST salons do NOT require a credit card # to book a hair appointment.
$37 for a PARTIAL perm is typical and reasonable.

Someone right out of school is a novice. They are almost NEVER hired to work in an upscale salon because of that, unless the owner is desperate for a 'warm body' and can't find better. Shame on THEM if they squeeze them out of salary in spite of that and even a novice should NOT accept those terms.
Small places, charging modest prices are typically where novice barber/stylists gain their experience and develop work ethic, before moving up to a high end salon. That should be disclosed at school, but today is NOT. SHAME on the schools.

It is my opinion, and was my practice that all barber/stylists be on an equal pay scale, including myself. Some made more money because they did more work, or more INVOLVED work that day. Our pay was determined by work performed, it was not a weekly salary. You didn't work, you didn't make money. You took time off, it was on your dime.

If clients asked for you, they were booked in your chair. Walk-ins or new clients were given to EVERYONE on an equitable basis and everybody knew how to book them.

To do it any other way is a breeding ground for resentment. I treated them the way I would want to be treated, always. There were no divas in my shop, That applied to me, too.
If you are in the industry, don't be sold a bill of goods on this one, no matter if you are a stylist or owner. It truly is poor practice.
And I will say again, years under your belt do not automatically give you better skills. The DESIRE to focus, devotion to improving, continuing education and ALWAYS being open to learning, do. There are many professionals out there for whom mediocre is good enough for the duration of their careers.... no matter WHAT field they are in.

[
And I will say again, years under your belt do not automatically give you better skills. The DESIRE to focus, devotion to improving, continuing education and ALWAYS being open to learning, do. There are many professionals out there for whom mediocre is good enough for the duration of their careers.... no matter WHAT field they are in.[/QUOTE]

I have to agree that years don't equal skill. I tried a woman who cuts hair...she's a stylist and not a barber...who did a terrible job on my hair. It's curly and that's how I wear it. She tried to tell me not to "work it" so they were obvious (the curls)...saying that wasn't the way to style it. I'm still on the look-out for someone who can cut well. I'm willing to pay a price (within reason) to get it done.

We have a school right here who turns out folks---many of whom work at the shops here in T.V. In my opinion, there should be someone amongst all these who are up on the styles and can do it right. Still haven't found that to be true.

That is exactly right. However, there MAY be an error, so it is REASONABLE to call or visit and go over the charge again.
If the owner has integrity, they will certainly listen and assess.
if they do not, then at least you know for certain and can make your future plans accordingly.

My understanding is that it is a Day Spa with a Salon, not just a salon. Don't know of any two story salons in TV.

Even places like the Hair Cuttery charge over $40 for a partial perm. I think it boils down to perceived value. Some may think $100 hair cut is better than a $10 hair cut...maybe...maybe not.

Well, i won't pick bones on the Day Spa/ Salon vs Salon image and maybe over $40 for a partial perm IS the norm today. The price is usually based on product cost / time involved.

I DO agree with your $100 hair cut statement, however. I worked for 5 years at a men's salon that was mid-priced ($27) quite respectable and happened to be two doors down from a very expensive men's salon. I LOVED IT.
I spent most of every day fixing the $75 haircuts that their men had received and hated. Once I fixed them, they were my clients from then on....I never had to critique or say a word. So, I agree. Price is not necessarily an indicator of quality:)

Yes, I agree, and she did call. Once she was told it was not a mistake, that it was the salon policy, then my point was that anything over and above that might save her the $37, if the owner made a judgement call, but it would probably be too late to save the relationship with the salon. Who knows, though....maybe the OP would have been satisfied with that and continue to go there, since she did like the perm. Maybe she would be willing to pay the extra next time, since she would know about it. I got the feeling it wasn't the money, exactly, as much as it being a "hidden" add on, but I don't know.

I have had my hair done at Dimensions Hair, had a leval 1 stylest do my hair cut and style and it was great- Their pricing is for the level of stylist you use a #7 is the highest one and sometimes it is better to use a new stylest I did so and was very happy--I used a #1 this means the stylest was out of beauty school a short time-I would have gone there for my perm but they did not use my perm ISO 2 and would not let me bring my own So I went to the Spa and every one knows this story due to my first post.Please also note Dimensions is in a group of salons owned by the beauty school here--They only hire their graduates!

I think the OP's point that it was unfair to quote her a price for the perm without telling her rinsing it out wulld cost additiona is a good onel. What was she supposed to do, leave it in?

When we built our first house, we were drawn to one builder because his prices seemed so reasonable. When we got to choosing the model, they said, "Now which second floor do you want?" Turns out the base price was only for the first floor!

We've had many a laugh over that down through the years. "Oh, you wanted BEDROOMS???"

After reading this post, I thought no, that's not what they charged her for...of course not. You HAVE to rinse a perm. So, I went back and read Doran's original post, and to tell you the truth, I'm not clear on what they did charge her for. I simply can't believe they quote a price for a perm and a different price to rinse it out. Does not make sense. Maybe they put a conditioner of some sort??

Doran, can you please clarify this? It's starting to be a bit like beating a dead horse, but I think it's important that we know what the actual complaint is about. After all, some may decide not to patronize Tuscany because of misunderstanding this thread.

I LOVE that story! Thanks!!!!

You're right. I was affirming that what the OP did (by inquiring) was indeed a very reasonable thing for her to do.