Rocket barbers Peckham overcharging beware

[wonderwoman]

I sent my teenage son with ?20 enough for a haircut at Rocket Barbers and something to eat after. They charged him ?20. I called and asked how much they charge for kids and they said ?14 up to 16 yes old. Having looked at the website even students pricing is up to ?18. I said why did you charge him ?20 then? They promptly said tell him to come back and we'll give him the money. Just a heads-up to people who may want to go there in future to beware.

[Robert Poste's Child]

That sounds a lot for a barbers, child rate or no child rate.

[JohnL]

It's difficult for teenagers to ask for change if a tip is assumed or if they're short changed (it was for me anyway at that age)

[wonderwoman]

Yes I agree my son is a bit shy about these things but it's all part of life building experiences I guess. He said he told them his age and they told him it was ?20 so there was no change to be asked. They would have got away with it if I hadn't called to check with them. The normal rate is probably ?10-14 at most for kids under 16 in most barbers or hairdresser s we've been to.

[tomskip]

How old is your son? Should they have charged him ?14.00?

I had similar with my daughter at Village Way, East Dulwich. I spoke to them on the phone beforehand because I wanted to make sure I sent her in with enough cash. They then asked her for more money than they'd told me on the phone. She had some extra in her purse and gave it to them as she wasn't confident enough to challenge them. Shan't be booking any more appointments for her there again! lesson learned.

[malumbu]

Explain the situation, ask for the money back. If they are playing hard ball either fire bomb the place (not recommended) or complain here. An open question why do people come on here before trying to sort things out first?

I went to Luxembourg once. All their money looked the same. I gave the cabbie what I thought was a fiver or tenner, but it was more like ?50. He did not tell me and kept the change. Don't go to Luxembourg as they are all thieves.

I got robbed by a major bike shop franchise who will not honour an out of date voucher. Don't shop there.

We were in America and got overcharged in a convenience store. Being jet lagged I was a bit grumpy. They were incredibly apologetic. Do go to America as they are all honest.

I'm sure that someone will point out my failings.

[Robert Poste's Child]

That was very naughty of them [ETA: this was in response to tomskip but crossed with above.]

Many hairdressers don't seem to have a clear price list that they stick to and the final figure can vary a lot depending on the length and thickness of your hair, meaning you often get a nasty surprise at the end. I tend to ask the cost when making the appointment and double-check with them when I get there. But I'm old and don't like being ripped off, and it would probably be an unusually assertive teenager who'd feel comfortable doing that.

[JohnL]

malumbu Wrote:

> I went to Luxembourg once. All their money looked

> the same. I gave the cabbie what I thought was a

> fiver or tenner, but it was more like ?50. He did

> not tell me and kept the change. Don't go to

> Luxembourg as they are all thieves.

An Italian at a motor station somewhere on the way from Venice to Trento once exchanged my 1000 Lira note for a fruit machine token :(

I sometimes actually wonder what 12 year old me was doing detached from the group talking to locals on a school skiing trip. I was really innocent.

[wonderwoman]

Malumbu if you read my post we did resolve the issue straight away. It's not about coming on the forum to complain necessarily but to give people the heads-up. Difference between your experience and my son's is that he is younger and less world wise and they took advantage. Like JohnL says teenagers aren't always that assertive but something which he'll learn from in future. I agree that sometimes pricing at hairdressers can vary depending on if they have to restyle or cut a lot. That's why I called afterwards to check and was told clearly its flat rate of ?14 up to age of 16. So she had to agree to give him ?6 back.

[Mick Mac]

Its ?12 at the barbers by the side entrance to PR station. Adult rate. Child rate may be cheaper still.

Owner used to work at Jazz on LL

Its good enough for me anyway..... :)

[JohnL]

I often get charged less for "No2 all over" as there's no styling required.

[malumbu]

Wonderwoman, I'm not sure why we use this website to complain about traders, I am sure that I have slipped into this bad habit at times.

Yonks ago I worked on garages - where there was a view that most workshops under the arches were dodgy. They are not. why not have a web site I suggested (this was pre-Google days)? Legal advice was that it is easy to defame, as the barber shop might think if they are reading this thread. It's a short leap from factual comment to insinuation.

Since those days in the early 00s we do in deed have some great comparison sites out there. Google scores the barbers over 4 stars. You can read many of my good and bad reviews on beer in the evening (you'll need to go elsewhere to have good beer and food!). Where would holidays be without Tripadvisor where I look at both good and bad reviews. They are reasonably well controlled and traders have the right to respond

[malumbu]

Now if you posted "advice on good barbers" this would probably attract a few positive recommendations. As you are already getting.

So in a spirit of good will I'll try not to post anything critical of organisations and businesses.

[DovertheRoad]

Well. I took my 3 year old son to Rocket today (Saturday) and they were great with him. And they were very clear on the charging. During the week a kids cut there is now ?14.99 but they have decided to charge ?21 for kids on Saturdays.I can kind of understand why as having your biggest taking day full of kids would be a 30% revenue drop. So go during the week. They are nice guys and we will be back!

[malumbu]

Exactly Dover. Should have explained that I worked in consumer protection for a few years.

This does remind me of the illustrative story we told in those consumer days of the early 00s. The council are considering a new bus route and go knocking on doors. In the posh area, no wait a second, they wouldn't have a bus route in a posh area. In the working class area they knock on the door and get a punch in the face when they ask 'would you mind having a bus stop outside your house'. In the middle class area the householder mumbles. After the door has closed they compose a letter of complaint to the Guardian/Mail/Times etc. Fast forward and replace this with a 'community web site'.

[JohnL]

malumbu Wrote:

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

> Now if you posted "advice on good barbers" this

> would probably attract a few positive

> recommendations. As you are already getting.

>

> So in a spirit of good will I'll try not to post

> anything critical of organisations and businesses.

People will though as the more publicly and louder you moan the quicker someone at senior level will say "sort it out I don't care how" whilst people who make little fuss get put to the back of the queue. I once effectively agreed to edit a bad review as part of a settlement.

Trust Pilot is the review site of the moment - and to be fair lots of good reviews as well as bad (and bad reviews are intrinsically more likely IMHO).

Edit: The caveat is that serial complainers eventually get their comeuppance

[Sue]

I don't understand.

The OP's son was ripped off by a barber, irrespective of whether another poster wasn't.

Yet some people seem to be suggesting it isn't OK to say so on here?

Have I got that right? We must all keep quiet about any bad experience with a local business, and let others find out for themselves the hard way?

Assuming someone isn't lying in order to do down a competitor (the crushed and devalued thing) or just out of spite, I would have thought a local forum was exactly the place to share good and bad experiences of local businesses.

Now, about the crap lunch I had at The Plough the other day .....

[maxxi]

Sue Wrote:

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

> Now, about the crap lunch I had at The Plough the

> other day .....

Did you have the bubble?

[Sue]

maxxi Wrote:

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

> Sue Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> > Now, about the crap lunch I had at The Plough

> the

> > other day .....

>

>

> Did you have the bubble?

Ha ha, no it was supposed to be a toasted club sandwich. Reuben salt beef.

It was appalling. Don't have it. In fact, don't eat there. I should have known better, but the grandkids were starving and it was the nearest place to where we were.

We sent them back (sandwiches not grandkids) to be actually toasted, and when they arrived for the second time they were slightly more toasted on the top (not the bottom, which was still completely untoasted) and the chips were cold. The filling was crap too. Couldn't be arsed to do anything more about it. Felt sorry for the barwoman, who was lovely.

Grandkids enjoyed their meal which was lucky as their only choices (as vegans) from the kids' menu were tomato soup (sweet and tasted like Heinz) and pasta with tomato sauce.

Oh and these travesties of toasted sandwiches were over eight quid each, grrrrrr.

[Mick Mac]

DovertheRoad Wrote:

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

> Well. I took my 3 year old son to Rocket today

> (Saturday) and they were great with him. And they

> were very clear on the charging. During the week a

> kids cut there is now ?14.99 but they have decided

> to charge ?21 for kids on Saturdays.I can kind of

> understand why as having your biggest taking day

> full of kids would be a 30% revenue drop. So go

> during the week. They are nice guys and we will be

> back!

?21 for a childs cut on any day of the week is frankly ridiculous. I dont care how well off you are, that is shocking for Peckham.

Station barbers is brilliant for both adults and children and has just opended new premises right by the station entrance.

[nxjen]

JohnL Wrote:

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

>

> Trust Pilot is the review site of the moment - and

> to be fair lots of good reviews as well as bad

> (and bad reviews are intrinsically more likely

> IMHO).

>

>

I don't know about TrustPilot. I recently placed an order from a company that had a 3.5 star rating which provided the worst product and service I have ever encountered from internet shopping though threatening a bad review on TP did bring about a swift refund. On the other hand, John Lewis currently has a one star rating and, hopefully without sounding too nauseating, I experienced a faultless internet shopping and delivery transaction last week.

[Sue]

I have had a number of poor experiences with John Lewis over the years.

And apparently they have recently introduced a new call centre, but unfortunately there is some major issue with communication between this and other parts of the organisation.

I imagine this accounts for its low rating on Trust Pilot. A friend of mine has just had a horrendous experience with a JL order, with one cock up after another.

Oh, and high ratings .... Probably a bit like eBay where however crap the product or service they will offer you the moon if you don't give them one star. So it's all completely meaningless, basically :(

[nxjen]

Maybe I just got lucky !

[DovertheRoad]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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

> DovertheRoad Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Well. I took my 3 year old son to Rocket today

> > (Saturday) and they were great with him. And

> they

> > were very clear on the charging. During the week

> a

> > kids cut there is now ?14.99 but they have

> decided

> > to charge ?21 for kids on Saturdays.I can kind

> of

> > understand why as having your biggest taking

> day

> > full of kids would be a 30% revenue drop. So go

> > during the week. They are nice guys and we will

> be

> > back!

>

> ?21 for a childs cut on any day of the week is

> frankly ridiculous. I dont care how well off you

> are, that is shocking for Peckham.

>

> Station barbers is brilliant for both adults and

> children and has just opended new premises right

> by the station entrance.

It's not the cheapest/best value on a Saturday agreed - especially for a 3 year old. It took about 15 minutes! But the point is that they now seem to have a clear charging policy. And I work weekdays. You pays your money...you takes your choice. And the Rocket guys were spot on chaps.

BTW - not a barber but a men's cut at somewhere like Blue Tit is ?45. But different beast - it's a head massage, a beer and an hour in the chair, not 15 mins with some clippers.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

9 quid and nae chat.That's my monthly routine with the barbers.

DovertheRoad Wrote:

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

> Mick Mac Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > DovertheRoad Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Well. I took my 3 year old son to Rocket

> today

> > > (Saturday) and they were great with him. And

> > they

> > > were very clear on the charging. During the

> week

> > a

> > > kids cut there is now ?14.99 but they have

> > decided

> > > to charge ?21 for kids on Saturdays.I can

> kind

> > of

> > > understand why as having your biggest taking

> > day

> > > full of kids would be a 30% revenue drop. So

> go

> > > during the week. They are nice guys and we

> will

> > be

> > > back!

> >

> > ?21 for a childs cut on any day of the week is

> > frankly ridiculous. I dont care how well off

> you

> > are, that is shocking for Peckham.

> >

> > Station barbers is brilliant for both adults

> and

> > children and has just opended new premises

> right

> > by the station entrance.

>

> It's not the cheapest/best value on a Saturday

> agreed - especially for a 3 year old. It took

> about 15 minutes! But the point is that they now

> seem to have a clear charging policy. And I work

> weekdays. You pays your money...you takes your

> choice. And the Rocket guys were spot on chaps.

>

> BTW - not a barber but a men's cut at somewhere

> like Blue Tit is ?45. But different beast - it's

> a head massage, a beer and an hour in the chair,

> not 15 mins with some clippers.