Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/09/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On April 25th at 11:00am, I visited Rainier Hair studio for an appointment with a stylist named ****. The appointment was for a full foil/balayage, haircut, wash and style. During this appointment, my hair was done very poorly. The color was wrong and very visibly uneven. The cut was uneven and looked very unnatural. Additionally, my hair was burned and broken from the lightening products. During my appointment, the stylist shared with me that she was neurodivergent and just back into the field after a long break due to an injury and being on unemployment. Because I knew this information, I felt very badly that I hated my hair so much and didn't want my negative feedback to cause this person to lose her job, so I sent a very gently worded email to the business owner with photos, describing the problems with the outcome of the service I had paid for, along with some kind feedback about my experience interacting with the stylist. I reached out to the business email that is listed on their website and received no response.I then decided to reach out to the business via social media to see if I could get a response on another platform. The business owner agreed that the goal was not met, and offered me only an opportunity to come back and have the same stylist "fix it with toner". I explained that I didn't feel comfortable returning to have my hair done in the same salon that had caused so much damage. After several days of back and forth, she told me that my only option was to return and if I chose not to, I would not be allowed back in their salon and would not be getting a refund. I explained that I had lost my job and was only getting my hair done so I could feel confident in my job interviews, and that I really needed that money back to pay another stylist to fix the damage that had been done. The business owner didn't care and simply stopped replying to me.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/19/2024

  The client came in and asked for a foil, the stylist and her talked about price and changing the placement as she waited a year to come in for a color service. The stylist wanted something that would be easier to grow out for her she agreed and because she complained about being without a job the stylist even discounted her work giving her a free haircut and not charging the full price for the color. The client then wrote an email saying her stylist was amazing but that the color just wasn't what she expected and that her daughter didn't like it, she then asked for a refund on the color but to let the stylist keep the $100 tip she left for her in cash because she was so great. I emailed her back and asked her what was wrong and invited her back into the shop. To which she said no she wouldn't be coming in and that she now wanted the service charge plus her $100 back totaling $370 because it was "a shame" she had to ask twice for her refund. I explained that in the hair industry refunds are not given and that we would be more than happy to have her come in and fix anything she wanted or give her a whole new service. She declined and said she again just wanted the money and that she would be slamming our business where ever she could. We tried working with her but in the end, she got a full service that the stylist went above and beyond for, she loved the stylist even tipping her $100 , 3 witnesses in the shop said she was raving about how much she loved the color, we have photos of before and after and everything done. It wasn't until she got home days later that she reached out with a complaint and couldn't point to a problem with her hair just that her daughter didn't like it and she was unsatisfied. We tried working with her and would of been happy to do another service but she was unwilling and then her emails became unprofessional/insulting making me as the owner and the stylist very uncomfortable. As a hair studio that believes in everyone feeling comfortable and satisfied a clients satisfaction is our highest priority, in this situation the client was unwilling and turned down any offer for help. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/24/2024

   
  Complaint: 21680665
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  My appointment with **** was on 4/25 at 11:00am.

  I emailed ***** using the email address listed on her website on 4/26 at 10:19am, less than 24 hours later. I received no response. I sent a follow up email on 4/29 at 4:35pm, giving three full business days to respond. I still received no response. I then reached out to the business page via ******** messenger on 4/30/24 at 9:29am. In every communication with her I shared my experience that **** was lovely, but my hair looked terrible. I provided numerous photos. 

  As shown in all the provided photos, both through email and ******** messenger, my hair was severely damaged and looked terrible. I did not use the verbiage that my hair was burned because I did not know that was the case until I went to have my hair fixed and the stylist told me.

  In casual conversation with the stylist at Rainier Hair Studio, she shared she had just come back from unemployment, given a job by her friend ***** the owner, to which I related and shared my experience being currently unemployed. This was not me complaining about being unemployed. This was simple conversation and connection between a stylist and the person cutting her hair. At no time did I ask for or expect a discount, the stylist provided that out of the goodness of her own heart. I will again reiterate, that **** was a lovely person who I enjoyed speaking to and getting to know. I did want her to keep the tip for her time and effort until I was met with hostility and a lack of understanding from the business, at which point I expected all of my money to be returned. Kindness, understanding and empathy cannot be expected from a paying customer when not provided by a business. 

  I did not openly complain in front of the many people in the salon about such a terrible job after the stylist told me she shared with everyone in the shop that she was so excited to do my hair, and that "blonding was her specialty", as also listed on the company's website. I did not want to embarrass her or make her feel bad in front of her brand new colleagues. I did tell her how much I loved the bangs she cut for me, which is still true. Although I have since had my hair fixed, I asked her to leave the bangs. In the moment, I focused on what **** did well, and then shared my feedback via email to the salon with photos and explanation included of why I didn't feel comfortable returning after such a poor result. 
  

  There is a difference between trashing someone's business and sharing their honest experience. I absolutely did say that I would be sharing my experience, and I will. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ************************;