THE BREAK-UP

We’ve all been through a break-up or two in our lives (if you haven’t you are LUCKY)! Some break-ups are hard, some are necessary, and others are just awkward. As a business owner, sometimes we have to break-up with our clients, and while it might be necessary, it definitely does NOT have to be awkward.

This week I am going to tell you the story of how my hairdresser of over 12 years broke up with me, and how she could have done it differently to make it way less awkward for both of us.

Any woman knows it can be a real chore to find a hairstylist that you can trust to just KNOW what to do with your hair. When you find that stylist, you never let them go! I was lucky enough to find a young stylist who was a perfect fit for my whole family. We became friends, watched each other grow our families, and had a great working relationship. I never had to tell her what to do with my hair, I trusted her to just know what to do and I knew I would love it every time.

12 years into this amazing hair game, I went to an appointment as usual. It went great, she did as she had always done and made my hair do the amazing things only she could make it do. We finished the appointment, I tipped her very well, and asked to book my next appointment. Then it happened “I’m breaking up with you.”

Just like that.

No inkling, no indications, not even a “hey, I’m cutting back on clients and need to let you go, but here’s a recommendation of someone I know will take good care of you.” NONE of that. Just a “thanks for the payment, see ya never.”

I was completely caught off-guard, I thought she was kidding. Then I realized it was over and left.

Like any break-up, it stung for a minute. 12 years of loyalty (I even traveled to her for hair appointments when I lived out of state for a couple years) and friendship were gone. I was hurt. To think that she wouldn’t even have the courtesy to say something sooner, so I could at least know it was coming, was a bit of a shock.

I thought about it a lot for a few days, then I thought about ways I would have handled that same situation. While a few different approaches came to mind, I will share two with you here.

1. At the beginning of the appointment, as I sat in the chair, we always dove headfirst into conversation. If I had been her, I would have said at that point, “you know, I’m looking at changing my business a bit and cutting back a few clients. With your schedule, I am going to have to let you go, but here are some recommendations for stylists I trust that could be a good fit for you.”
2. At the end of the appointment, as she was charging my credit card for the $300 service I just had done, she could have said “it has been so great working with you over the last 12 years and I really appreciate your loyalty, but unfortunately I am cutting back on clients and I won’t be able to rebook your next service. Here are some other stylists that could be a good fit for you.”

Either of these would have been a huge improvement over the way she broke up with me, and I would have had greater respect for her if she had handled the situation in one of these ways instead of the way she did. While I wish her well, it would have been nice to at least know she appreciated 12 years of loyalty in a saturated market where she had some of the highest prices in town.

Did she owe me an explanation of her decision to let me go as a client? No. It was none of my business why she decided to change her business or cut back on clients. But, when you operate a service-based business, and your best way to get and keep clients is by word-of-mouth referrals, you should probably think about that before letting your best long-term clients go without any warning or explanation. The WAY you break up with clients is just as important as the way you treat them throughout your business relationship.

Remember, people talk, and they tend to talk far more about BAD experiences than good ones. Just because one client isn’t a good fit for you anymore, doesn’t mean they can’t refer other clients to you – if you communicate with them openly, even in departure, they can remain a good referral source for you!

Need help knowing what to say to your clients in various situations? Follow me on Instagram and click HERE to get on the waiting list for 1 on 1 coaching and be the first to know when enrollment opens. I can’t wait to help you master your communication!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ciao for now!