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hair salon problem - Jo Partridge


JoJoED90

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I don?t usually leave reviews but I am absolutely devastated and outraged at the service I have received from Jo Partridge in East Dulwich.


My hair was very long, I had been growing it for a year, however it was time to get it tidied up so I booked in for ? head highlights and a cut at Jo Partridge last Saturday. I have the holiday of a lifetime coming up, I am away for one month from this coming Saturday.


I was debating booking the cut as the colour quote was fairly expensive (?80) and it actually only really needed a small trim as the ends were not that bad. I have been using my Dyson hairdryer for a year and a half it has really made a difference to the ends of my hair.


However, as I had the special holiday coming up I decided to also book the cut for the trim, just to tidy up the ends.


I was about 5-10 minutes late to the appointment which is obviously annoying for the salon. I had called to let the salon know I was running a little late and apologised on the phone and also when I arrived.


There was a strange atmosphere in the salon when I arrived. At first I thought it was because I was a few minutes late. The hairdresser who was doing my hair was clearly annoyed at someone, I don?t know if this was a colleague or a customer but both he and the receptionist were complaining about someone for quite some time into the appointment saying how it?s ?no on? etc etc?. This was a little uncomfortable.


The hairdresser was polite to me throughout the appointment and was helpful when I discussed colour options. After asking for just a very tiny trim I was told ?don?t worry I will go easy?. Just for the record, I was happy with the colour however I am so devastated about the cut.


I hadn?t booked a blow dry as it was already fairly expensive (the colour and cut was already ?140 without a blow dry).


It was rough dried back off my face and my hair hadn?t been parted. My hair is naturally quite frizzy so obviously rough drying it back off my face is not a good look. Due to this reason when he had finished I couldn?t actually tell that there was a major problem with the cut! It wasn?t styled and the front was off of my face. He did ask me if I liked the colour and I replied yes as I did like the colour.


It was all very rushed, I guessed that this was because I was a few minutes late. No mirror was held up so that I could check the cut but I didn?t think about it at the time, it all happened very quickly my gown had already been whipped off before I knew it.


Unfortunately for me, I didn?t tell how bad the cut was until I had got home and the hair had dried properly.


The front of my hair has been completely hacked and the back was given a thick chunky layer about 2 inches (at least) above the end of the bottom layer.


I never ever have layers, I haven?t had layers since the late 90s / early 00s. It just doesn?t suit my hair. I always have it one length and I had asked for a small trim, I made it very clear that I didn?t want much off. I definitely did not ask for layers and a strange choppy, feathered gone wrong, look at the front.


I called the salon as soon as I realised I wasn?t happy as I was very upset and wanted to let them know. I spoke to the receptionist who was polite (at first) and confirmed that someone would call me back. I was offered to go back in to have it sorted but I explained that I didn?t feel comfortable going back in, the person who did the cut was a manager so that is a huge warning sign for me, I didn?t want to risk it. I was very shocked at how someone could get a trim request so wrong.


This has never happened in the past. Everyone makes bad hair decisions which has obviously happened to me in the past but I have never complained as obviously if I had asked for something and not liked it that?s my fault but this was completely different. I had asked for a trim and had come out with my hair completed hacked and I was ?140 down.


I followed up with an email on Monday afternoon after showing my colleagues the disastrous cut and after getting a professional opinion at Toni and Guy. For the record Toni and Guy were also surprised with the cut and couldn?t work out what had happened, they think it?s a case of ?thinning out gone horribly wrong?. It is very uneven at the front.


Colleagues had all advised me that I should get my money back at least for the cut and use the money to have it sorted somewhere else that I could trust.


I followed up with an email to the salon as I had not received a call. I had already sent them photos so that they could see what had been done. In my second email I said that I was very upset and was happy to have paid for the colour but that I would like a refund for the cut.


I received an email from the owner saying that the manager would call me. I replied saying that it was the manager who cut my hair (I wasn?t sure if she was aware of this) and said that I?d be happy to speak to the manager but if they could ask them to please take a look at the photos before calling. I didn?t want for them to just suggest me popping in for it to be fixed and also wanted them to understand why I was so upset.


They seemed so very casual about the whole situation and not very helpful at all. I was clearly very upset with the cut and increasingly the lack of customer service I was receiving. I still hadn?t received a call back 3 days after the original call so I called the salon back today.


I spoke to the receptionist again who was very unhelpful and rude. She said that the manager had been very busy and hadn?t had time to call me. This really did annoyed me, I was very clearly very upset, I had paid a lot of money just before a big expensive holiday and it really seemed like they just did not care. They had my money and it was my fault that I was unhappy with it.


She kept talking over me and then asked me to stop raising my voice, however she was completely infuriating, it was impossible to not be frustrated with the situation! Our conversation got heated and the receptionist accused me of ?just trying it?.


I am completely outraged and have never ever been treated like this in any salon that I have been to.


Jo Partridge have refused to give me a refund for the cut, even though I was happy to go in to let them take a look. I will now have to pay out on top of the ?140 already paid to cover the cost of having it fixed elsewhere.


I would have happily provided a receipt but of course they are completely inflexible. Their only suggestion it to try their other salon in another part of Dulwich? no thank you!!! I feel offended that they would even suggest that after accusing me of ?trying it?.


I am leaving this review as I do not want anyone else to experience what I have gone through!


PLEASE DO AVOID THIS SALON AT ALL COSTS!


A colleague at work has also had issues with this salon and now goes to Willis B who I will be trying in the future.


If anyone has any alternative salon suggestions please do let me know. I will be paying to get my hair fixed at Toni and Guy this week as with it being so close to my holiday I need to get it sorted during my lunch hour mid-week.


Good luck to anyone who does decide on Jo Partridge? I hope you receive better service to what I have received!

I'm so sorry you had a bad experience. It's horrible when things go wrong with your hair.


Shingo at Kuki (in Bellenden Road) is absolutely fantastic, and has loads of good reviews on this forum.


I have only ever had Shingo, but it seems that all the other stylists there are excellent too.


I had been to just about every place locally before, with pretty mediocre results, and had resigned myself to having my hair cut in town, but Shingo gives me by far the best cut I've ever had.


BTW in view of what you say, you could consider reporting Jo Partridge to trading standards, if they have refused to refund your money or put things right (though I can understand why you wouldn't trust them to put things right).

I go to Changes on Rosendale Road, West Dulwich. Excellent staff who listen and advise as well. Use to go tobJo Partridge in West Dulwich - could never figure out pricing structure and in my humble opinion, expensive for what you get. I too had a Manager. Day I left was when I asked for a French plait only to be told would have to pay?20 on top of colour, cut and blow dry.!!

Hi JoJoED90. Now that your post is back I just wanted to sympathise as I can hear how upsetting this has been for you. I've been through it quite a few times myself over the years (including, sorry to say, with some who've been recommended in this forum). No matter how firmly you say what you do and don't want, and even if you show them pictures, sometimes it seems like they hear something else, or perhaps they're just preoccupied or having a bad day.


These days I deal with it by reminding myself that in a couple of weeks it'll look different and I'll have found a way to style it that I'm comfortable with, and then I try to fast forward to that point. If you possibly can bring yourself to give this a try, it might save you some heartache and stop it from spoiling the holiday. Straighteners are a help to get you over the worst bit as they make the most of the length you have left and layers are less obvious.


I hope JP pull their finger out and give you a refund or at least offer you a voucher for free colour or some nice products.


Let us know how you get on.

I used to work at the East Dulwich branch of Jo Partridge, and I honestly wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. I wasn't treated very well, and I'm afraid to say that the customers weren't treated very well either... I'm not surprised that this has happened to you, but I'm sorry to hear of your experience!


I can second any recommendations for willis b :)

Thank you so much for your kind words and recommendations, it's so helpful.


I will give Shingo at Kuki a go and see how I get on... although I am going to leave it as long as possible for another cut as I am pretty put off by the whole experience.


I never did get a refund for the cut just for everyone's information. They offered to fix it but I didn't want to risk it so close to the holiday and I have too much to worry about with the one month holiday coming up in 2 days time, so I have just dropped it.


Theron it's really good to know that I'm not the only one who has been treated badly. I have never lost my temper with a hair salon before, the receptionist really knows how to push buttons.


You live and learn! Hair grows, hopefully the sun will help :)


Thanks again all.

lolasid Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Try the training school at Toni and guy- ?5 or

> Vidal Sassoon. Takes about 3 hours but you get an

> excellent cut. I?ve used them for ever!



Maybe I was just unlucky, but I once had my hair cut at Toni and Guy's training school.


It was a horrendous experience. I was there about three hours, we were herded about like cattle, and my hair was washed in stone cold water because "the hot water ran out this morning."


It was then cut by a trainee who had never cut a bob before (I had a bob at the time). She was terrified to even start, and the result was what you might expect.


Her supervisor/tutor/whatever seemed to find this situation amusing.


I subsequently complained and was offered a free cut at one of their "proper" salons, which I didn't take up as basically it put me off Toni and Guy for life.


Hopefully things have improved.

JoJoED90 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


>

> I will give Shingo at Kuki a go and see how I get

> on... although I am going to leave it as long as

> possible for another cut as I am pretty put off by

> the whole experience.




Shingo gets booked up weeks and weeks in advance, so don't leave it until the last minute!

A few other local suggestions for when you're ready for the next cut:


- Hailey at Honeys in Cheltenham Road. She's been in the same place for years and I think really tries to give her customers what they want.


- Lynn at Balayage, if she's still there. Very down to earth and straightforward to deal with.


- Jeanette, if she's still doing her mobile service. Technically very good and tells it like it is.

Toni and Guy did a dreadful cut on my hair, I used to only ever go to Sassoon but I was desperate once and they couldn't fit me in.

I now go to Blue Tit on Peckham Rye

Alexis is brilliant and trained with Sassoon so he really knows how to cut.

I always go for a clean bob look and never do 'styling' so cut is key.

Firstly, I'm really sorry that you went through this. I've also had a similar experience (like Sue, with someone recommended from the forum) and it can be very distressing. 've also repeatedly had to argue quite forcefully that I was not having layers with many hairdressers and they did it anyway.


Definitely follow up with Trading Standards. Your rights are set out in the Consumer Rights Act 2015 btw - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/contents/enacted


In terms of future recommendations, I have only ever had one hairdresser actually listen to what I say. They are not cheap, but recommend http://www.hareandbone.co.uk/

Wow......


I'm shocked to read this I've been a client of Jo Partridge for 10 years and never had a problem. Staff have been around for years which you don't find in many salon. Always friendly and accommodating, wouldn't go anywhere else.


Emily , Miranda and Jamie have all done my cut and colour and are by far the BEST around. Elisha is fantastic at blowdrying. Willis B are shocking,rude and over priced. Only went for a blowdry when JP were booked never again.


It's a shame people feel the need to come on here with only negative comments so much more going on in the world.


Happy Easter folks

julianrainov Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> People are free to share their experience with the

> others. The same way you come here and let us know

> how you feel about Willis B.

>

> Also, it is a little suspicious you create a

> profile especially to reply to this thread. Maybe

> you are connected to JP?


As did the OP


(edited for clarity)

Elphinstone's Army Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


>

> As did the OP - at great length -



She had what sounds like a horrendous and very upsetting experience.


I don't blame her for sounding off on here, whatever the length.


And it would have been nice for somebody from Jo Partridge to come on here transparently and put their side of the story, though what that could be I can't imagine (which is perhaps why they haven't).


Just a thought - if somebody has been going to Jo Partridge for ten years, how can they say their stylists are "by far the BEST around"? They haven't actually got anybody to compare them with, have they?!


I had a fringe "trim" there once. I came out with a fringe so short it was scarcely there. I resembled Friar Tuck (without the bald bit in the middle). I haven't been back.


ETA: But I also had quite a poor cut from Willis B, when the stylist didn't appear to understand what a graduated bob was. Haven't been back there either :(

Kat80 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's a shame people feel the need to come on here

> with only negative comments so much more going on

> in the world.


It's a shame people feel the need to create fake profiles and stifle criticism of their businesses, rather than actually dealing with complaints when they had the chance to.

Jo Partridge here!

We are always very sorry if any of our clients aren?t happy with their hair- we want everyone to leave happy.

In this case I did send a second email to the client explaining that in any event of one of our clients being unhappy with their hair we have a policy in place and have used this policy for 10 years now.

If a client isn?t happy she needs to book in with a Senior Stylist or a Manager at any of our salons so the Manager can see what the the complaint is about.

We are totally confident that we can put any thing right that has gone wrong or change colour/ Cut/Style if it?s just the that the client dosn?t like it.

In this case the client refused to come back to the salon and refused to go to our nearby West Dulwich branch.

I did not refuse to give this client a refund- I advised that someone need to look at her hair!

This would happen at any salon I know.

My offer still stands and we would love the chance to help this client.

hairdressinglondon@y Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


> If a client isn?t happy she needs to book in with

> a Senior Stylist or a Manager at any of our salons

> so the Manager can see what the the complaint is

> about.



But the OP said that the person who cut her hair WAS a manager.


And she had other complaints than just a poor cut, for example not being called back, and being accused of "trying it on".

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