Category: Customer Service

Customer service interviews are featured by industry professionals in the Documentary!

Corporate Employment In The Beauty Industry Leads You Only To The Working Poor.

~ Joseph Kellner

 

Working in a fully developing economy in the United States jobs are very plentiful.  Any one can go out and get a part time job or full time job with out education in the food service industry and come home with $13-$15 dollars a hour.  You can practically go into any restaurant and get $13.00 dollars a hour to start off with.  Which is good for a lot of people since they are in college or semi-retired people looking for added income.  But in the beauty industry the corporations are making the professionals the working class poor. Never in my mind would I have though these corporations would treat  beauty industry professionals with such little respect and poor wages. So many of these company’s will tell you they are for there employee’s, providing false medical insurance and lack of pay raises. Working for these corporations is the same as working in a sweat shop in China or a Asian nail salon in the U.S.

The chains salons and the franchised salons are pretty much the same when you go for employment. They give you a all caring “Gun Ho” lecture of how important you will be to the “TEAM”, the “TEAM” is the management and owners of the salons that are franchised. A all promising future you will have with there company and how much they care but in the end employment with these corporations they will chew you up and spit you out. Not caring about you as a employee, in here minds they know there will be another coming through the door in a few weeks to take your place when you quit.  You are just a number, that’s it a human body to make money and make you follow there rules. And not caring if you have any family, “Its all about the company”. But in there advertising they will let the public know its all about there employee’s.

If you are new to the beauty industry I would not recommend employment at the following company’s.

How many interviews I have done with fellow professionals who have worked at the above named company’s and have not had good experiences.  People have worked for years at Regis corporation and have not received pay increases. The same goes for anyone who has or now works for Great Clips. These company’s will force there employees to do a haircut service under 15 minutes, and will also time you on how long you take to sweep up your hair after a haircut service.  If these practices they teach and tell you to do are not met they will fire you.  I had a sit down with a former employee of Great Clips and was told to me that there was a academy were the owner of the franchised salon has to send you to learn the computer, hair designing methods and customer service skills required by the company. This was not given to her when she was hired and never got it.  But was required by Great Clips Corporation for all franchises owner to do for all new hires in there salon.  She was paid a minimum of 9.00 hourly and was told she could give herself raises by selling retail and talking customers into washing there hair for 4.00 extra. Most of the time she told me she would work on people who have not washed there hair in days and was filled with hair spray etc. The made for a very unclean atmosphere to work in.  But that’s Great Clips promising and not delivering. Twisting there words into falsehoods to there new employees.  While the whole time banking on your efforts, especially when they have $7.99 haircut specials that Great Clips has all the time.  You make no money but the owners do.

Split shifts were required of her but no compensation for gasoline. Her day would start off at a 10-2 shift and was let go and told to come back at 5-9 shift. And of course she lived in a area that was 45 minutes away, so what could she do sleep in her cat till the next shift. Again no compensation for gasoline to get back and forth. SAD!  These are the new times of corporations and how they make the beauty industry professional the “Working Class Poor”. Working a full time job with part-time pay will get you nowhere in this day and age except into debt.  So letting you know as a customer when you walk in to one of these establishments let it be known to you that the stylist is really working for tips. Because there wages date back take home pay from the 1980’s. These stylists are under a lot of stress to make money, and when you are in a atmosphere like that people are trying to get you in and out so they may take another client who has walked in and is waiting for there service. In that atmosphere there is a lot of “CAT FIGHT” on who gets the next client, and who is up next. People will skip one another for that extra client.  You the consumer will only get a 10-15minute haircut if you go to Great Clips. WHY? Because that is what the company wants.

So if you are a employee of one of these company’s 9.00 a hour times 30 hours weekly gives you 270.00 times 2 gives you 540.00 and then they take out for credit card tips, which gives you a bi-weekly salary of nothing.  They will not give you full time because they will not pay for your insurance. And they will also give you a “BS” story of how much more you can make but it is merely penny’s on the dollar.

You cannot make a living with these corporation. And they really don’t care if you do or not!

 

Professional Salon Products- Ingredient Disclosure Victory!

~ Joseph Kellner

On September 14th, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the Professional Salon Products Labeling Act (AB 2775). Previously, ingredient labels were not required on professional salon products, leaving workers and consumers in the dark about harmful ingredients. Thanks to AB 2775, companies that sell professional nail, hair, and beauty salon products in California are now required to list ingredients on product labels. As companies move to comply with this new labeling law, the impact will be felt across the country. About time everyone!

 

Salon Product Ingredient Disclosure Bill Is Now Law In California

~ Joseph Kellner

 

Salon workers, who are overwhelmingly women, are exposed to a broad array of very toxic chemicals in the nail, hair, and beauty products they work with every day. They usually don’t have access to information about the toxicity of these products because professional beauty product ingredients aren’t required by law to be labeled.

The California Professional Cosmetics Labeling Requirements Act (AB 2775) co-sponsored by BCPP requires an ingredients list on professional cosmetic product labels. This bill gives nail, hair and beauty salon workers vital information about the chemicals they are exposed to day in and day out.  On May 30, 2018 AB 2775 passed the CA State Assembly with unanimous bi-partisan support (76 to 0).  On August 24, 2018 the bill passed the CA State Senate again with overwhelming bi-partisan support.  California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2775 into law September 14, 2018.

Nail and hair salon workers, who are overwhelmingly women, are exposed to dangerous chemicals in hair dyes, straighteners and relaxers, make-up and nail products. In California, this means nearly a half million licensed nail and hair salon workers are exposed to chemicals like formaldehyde, toluene, phosphates, and other chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive harm, respiratory, and neurological harm every day.  Several studies have found elevated rates of breast cancer among hairdressers and cosmetologists. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer lists “occupational exposures as a hairdresser or barber” as a probable carcinogen[1]. Studies show hair dressers experience an increased risk of miscarriage, giving birth to low birth weight babies, neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s. Nail salon workers suffer negative impacts to maternal and fetal health as well as respiratory harm.  Currently, manufacturers must list ingredients on the labels of cosmetics sold at the retail level—this is good for the people who sell, buy, and use those products. However, the ingredients in professional cosmetics do not have to be listed on product labels. This lack of transparency makes it impossible for beauty professionals to make informed choices about the products they use and how to protect their health.

 

California Assembly Bill 2775 (CA AB 2775) gives salon workers the information they need to protect their health.  While federal regulation requires the labeling of ingredients in beauty and personal care products marketed to consumers and sold in retail settings, there is no equivalent disclosure requirement for products used in professional salon settings including nail, hair and beauty salons. This lack of transparency prevents salon professionals from getting the information they need to protect themselves and their clients from unsafe chemical exposures.  Introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, AB 2775 requires manufacturers of professional cosmetic products sold in California to provide a full list of ingredients on products starting July 1, 2020, excluding fragrance and colorants.  BCPP co-sponsored California Assembly Bill 2775, introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, along with Black Women for Wellness, the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, and Women’s Voices for the Earth.  The bill has broad based support from nearly 3 dozen leading NGOs including American Cancer Society Action Network, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, NRDC, Clean Water Action, and Consumer Federation of California. AB 2775 also has the support of various industry trade associations and a leading multinational cosmetics company including the Personal Care Products Council, the Professional Beauty Association, California Chamber of Commerce, and Unilever.

My Short Time At A Ulta Salon.

~ Joseph Kellner

Two months ago I applied to a position at ULTA to see how the company is organized and how it treats its employees. And when I say employees I mean Hairdressers. A position was offered to me as a hairdresser from the company. And I accepted the offer and did not know how much I was to be offered, but assuming in the beauty industry it would be a low commission.  I started the first week in April as a hairdresser. ULTA provides all the tools a hairdresser needs without including shears. Shears are a personnel choice of all hairdressers. All the tools used where given to all to use since the company sells these name brand tools. You can provide what you want as long as the tools are what is being sold in the store for retail purchases to consumers. A lot of video training is provided to the stylist and a lot is expected of the stylist. Such as how to greet customers and direct them to the proper aisle to find there product they are shopping for. Mind you if you have a client in your chair you are to politely leave your client to help the consumer in the store to find there hair care needs and answer questions to them.  Also if you have a client in your chair you are to politely leave your client to answer the phone and make appointments. Which I feel professionally that is not good, especially if they are a new or returning client. There are no receptionists in the salon, but there are plenty of sales people in the store to help you with makeup and “RING UP” YOUR PURCHASES.

On my second week at the salon a employee who I worked next to had to go ahead a pick up there child at school because she was sick. A makeup appointment was then moved from her schedule to mine. I have been doing makeup for about 10 years so I thought to myself no big deal. But when the client came in she had a appointment with a stylist who also does makeup and had a full consultation on what would be used and types of color for her private. She informed me that she wanted the stylist who she originally talked to at the consultation and not me. I tried to calm her down but to no avails she did not need my services and wanted to know why the stylist she talked to was not there. I had no information for her and she then turned around and walked away. Tried to do my best I told myself. Also to let you know I had a customer in my chair while attending to this client also. So for ten minutes I had to take away from the paying customer.

She walked away and moved over to the makeup counters and soon got her service completed from a sales attendant for her function. I went back to her and gave her a managers card and asked her to call the manager if she needed to speak to someone. I also went to a store manager to explain the situation to her from my side. All seemed well. No information from my manager was given to me about the consultation she initially had, and no information on makeup color choices. NOTHING. If YOU ARE GOING TO MOVE A CLIENT FROM ONE STYLIST TO ANOTHER GIVE THEM THE CLIENT INFORMATION FROM THERE CONSULTATION. So things will run smoothly. Photo’s also help from the consultation. Later that evening when I was leaving for home another store manager came to me asking what had happened. I thought to myself who is this person nor did I know she was a store manager. Thinking to myself she must be looking for gossip I said it was none of her business. She came to me and said the other employees said I was very rude to her and would not accommodate her. That is when I noticed to myself there are a lot of chiefs here than employee’s.  I respectfully denied to answer her comments and the following day told my manager the whole situation. Nothing was ever done on the situation. Yes the salon manager had there favorites in the salon as per the industry. So you where at times pretty much left alone in the salon to clean and make appointments and play receptionist. You were not allowed to sit in your salon chair and had to sit in the back if you needed to get off your feet. Everything had to be in clear plastic bags so they could inspect when you came and also when you left the salon. I was told the meaning for the tight security of personal effects was there was a employee who would place makeup in there sandwich and leave with it. That person was using that technique to steal. I had once told a sales person on the floor she had lovely makeup and she could not even understand English. She latter told my salon manager that I was making fun of her makeup and that I would be written up. If something again came up. This is after 3 weeks mind you.

There were a few nice people to work with in the salon and you also had your “QUEEN’S” there also. I refer the them as “QUEEN’S” because there are the one’s who will smile in your face and then take all the clients that walk in. When you take a break or leave the store during or after your shift you must go to the front of the store and empty your pockets and be searched by a manager on duty to make sure you are not stealing. And it doesn’t matter if the store is busy it will be done in front of the customers. The search’s were done in front of a camera in the front of the store .Very, very embarrassing. That tells you something about the business.  I was hired as a hairdresser which meant to mean the had a position to fill in the salon. I brought some of my own clients to the salon which kept me busy for a short time but as time went on there was less and less business. I was told it would get slower because of the season. The store itself was only open for a 10 month period and not yet a year. I was told to upscale my tickets as much as possible and seen some stylists charge as much as $250.00 for a simple foil highlight. I was also told to go outside the store and bring in clients or customers. Even if that meant to stand in front of “TARGET” and give out salon business cards. To me that told me everything.  They did not have the business and wanted “YOU” a professional to go out and pretty much beg people to come in for serviced.  If a customer was walking around in the store especially in the hair product department, I was to help them find what they wanted but also at the same time “TALK” them in a conditioning treatment. Saying the product they were looking for was not as good as what the salon uses. Which was untrue we used the same products from the floor in the salon. SNEAKY!

After being asked to give out business cards in front of “TARGET” I knew this was not the place to build a clientele. That pretty much told me they were deceitful from the start and lied about the position they had for me. They had no business at all. And wanted me to beg for business. This is a old technique in the beauty industry to place on a professional and ask them, ‘Well how are you going to build a clientele, Joseph”. I told them by my work I will build a clientele. ULTA is a large corporation that can afford to advertise for there stores. But would rather go the cheap way of using the employees to do all the clientele building. If you have no business in the salon why would they hire me.  FREE LABOR!

I get paid to do hair, hair coloring, makeup etc. Not to go out and beg and lie to people to come into the salon. If you don’t have the business don’t waste peoples time. All in all if you are looking for a career in the beauty industry, I would highly recommend not going to ULTA, for any employment.  Professionals spend a lot of time in there craft and need to be respected, but in this day and age corporate business have prostituted the  beauty industry.

SAME SHIT DIFFERENT DAY!

 

Is Ulta Repackaging and Reselling Used Makeup to Consumers? A New Lawsuit Says Yes

~ Joseph Kellner

A new lawsuit filed in Chicago last week alleges that beauty giant Ulta has been repackaging and reselling used makeup to its unsuspecting customers for years.

Attorney Zimmerman represents Meghan Devries, a Chicago woman who works in the beauty industry. She became suspicious about some of the products she purchased from Ulta.  A woman claiming to be a former Ulta employee first brought the allegations to light in early January. Posting under the Twitter handle @fatinamxo, she wrote that whenever a customer returned a product, employees were instructed by Ulta to repackage or reseal the item and put it back on the shelf for sale. This practice, she said, included everything from makeup to hair and skin-care products, fragrances and hair styling tools.

She said that makeup palettes, for example, were cleaned up so that they looked new and returned to the shelf for reselling, unsanitized. She then shared screenshots of other Ulta employees making the same claims. Those tweets were cited in the class action complaint (pdf) Zimmerman filed in Cook County, Ill., last week. The suit also cites the claims of former employees that Ulta has a limit on how many returned items can be thrown away. “Managers will take used products out of a damaged bin, and if they look good enough to resell, they’ll put them back on the shelves and resell them so they don’t exceed their quota,” Zimmerman told ABC7.

He said that some of the products purchased from an Ulta store on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago seemed to have been previously used, including eye shadows missing a brush and face cleansers that were already open. Those products, he said, could have pathogens on them that remain for weeks. “There is E. coli and Klebsiella bacteria, which is commonly found in intestine and expelled with fecal matter,” Zimmerman said.  Zimmerman told ABC7 that the goal of his lawsuit is to change the alleged company practice that limits the number of items that can be thrown away, as well as to provide compensation for customers who may have bought used products.