Service 1/27/11. Thin, fine hair w/highlights, damaged 11/10 at my long-time fav Institute. Tried several fixes, found a gal who does “breaking the base” (new to me) between highlights, minimizing further damage. (Imagine no roots!) I need it done now, but timing wasn’t working with new person, so I call Visible Changes to see if they can do and for how much. Held for several minutes, then told an artistic director is available now (at 12:30). $57-67 is full price of single process, but minus $20 b/c it’s just the roots. I’m thinking $37-47, and go in. ""No"", the artistic director tells me, ""it’s full price, there is no $20 off."" Hum, where did the phone person get that? But I'm there, so I agreed. Then he suggests an Express Blowout (EB), which would help the damage. ""How much?"" ""$80 for a 1 hr EB, I can do it now."" ""Okay."" Color done, hair rinsed, it’s 1:00. Chemicals on and I’m taken to someone else to finish the EB (blow dry/flat iron to set it, part of the $80). “When was the last time you had a hair cut?” “3-4 weeks. Why, does it look bad?” I’m pretty sensitive about the damage. “Yes. A little trim on the ends would be good.” “Okay.” “Do you want layers?” “Huh? No, not w/fine thin hair!"" Less than two minutes and 10 or 15 snips later, the blow drying began. 35 minutes or so later, it was finished and looks fine. Odd I’m paying at 1:40, a color process and a 1 hr service done in 70 min. Then the bill: $205. WHAT? $80+$57=$136. What are the charges? $57 base break, $80 EB, and $68 ""haircut"". WHAT? ""That can’t be right."" ""She’s the top level."" WHAT? ""Must be a mistake, get her up here."" “Oh, sorry, it must be a misunderstanding.” Huh? No, there was no communication about anything to misunderstand. A couple of damaged ends were being trimmed. “Oh, that’s why you didn’t want layers.” Huh? I wasn’t there for a haircut, although damaged ends were trimmed before the EB process was completed. Stupidly, I guess I must have thought it was done to minimize more damage, before the heat of the dryer and iron. So they 1) changed pricing, 2) “tricked” me into a haircut, 3) did a 1 hr service in ~40 minutes? Wonder how long it will last. $20 was subtracted from the haircut (her tip), so $48 for a few snips. I bet she regrets asking me to give a shout-out here. “BOOOOO, you should be ashamed!”
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