I am not a business owner. I had to stop myself from adding thank god to the end of the sentence because I think it is so hard to be in business in this day and age. Since qualifying as a Beauty Therapist I have had my eyes opened to many of the trials and tribulations that face the people who are brave enough to try and work for themselves.
From high rents and health and safety to Brexit, it’s an absolute minefield. The aspect of business that I was not expecting to be so difficult was the customers. Yes, you and I and all the other people who spend money on goods and services can be total assholes. I can say that because I am not a business owner and I don’t have to bite my tongue to rely on your custom to keep a roof over my head.
The biggest issue I see from the people who I know is the ‘no show’. I don’t meant to be patronising but I’m going to explain this to you. This is where a fully grown adult makes an appointment to avail of a service and then does not show up to the aforementioned appointment without contacting the business in question.
Some people don’t see the harm in this.
Allow me to illustrate the harm! I am going to use the example of a self employed Beauty Therapist working alone. In this scenario a patron has made an appointment for a couple of services. The total time that all this top quality work will amount to is 2 1/2 hours and will cost €80. She’s doesn’t show up. The therapist is left sitting there with nothing to do. Now if the valued costumer had bothered to call and say that they couldn’t make it then some of the time might have been able to be filled with people who were turned away.
That therapist is now short 2 1/2 hours worth of wages, but still has to hand out for costs that are ongoing to keep the salon open during this period. This ‘no-show’ has real life consequences and might be the difference between meeting ends or making a loss at the end of the month.
What’s that? You think I’m being dramatic?
Well yes if you were to take it as an isolated incident of course I’m being dramatic but what if this was a daily occurrence. What if someone decided to deduct two hours a day off your wages…. would you be happy? I would imagine that you would think it to be incredibly unfair because it’s through no fault of your own.
I think it all boils down to basic manners. I’m not saying that emergencies don’t happen but this is more than the odd unforeseen circumstance. It’s stretching across all industries from doctors offices to restaurants and I think people need to become more conscientious. If you make a commitment you need to follow through. People’s time is not disposable.
Entrepreneurs are stuck because even if you don’t show they will welcome you back with open arms because that’s just good business. They can’t chastise people and call them out but I can!!!
It a modern phenomenon that needs to go. If you make an appointment show up and honour the commitment that you made. You wouldn’t be impressed if you turned up to get a facial and your therapist wasn’t there or to a restaurant and they had given your table away. In fact you’d be livid and wouldn’t be quiet about it. Maybe that’s what we need, somewhere businesses can review their customers. Now that would be interesting.
Blush, Belly and Babies 