Help Needed please...A bad experience.

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   Hi everyone, 

We really need your expertise!

A recent issue with a client has left us entirely shellshocked and undermined our confidence. Despite a mutual resolve, the said client is posting on a different forum and painting a very negative picture of us.

This is long! Sorry...

After two initial consultations the client, who was given a comprehensive guide to our methods and products (not to mention an upside/downside of having extensions), agreed to have extensions installed with us. The date was set, the hair purchased and the process took 3 1/2 hours (colour blending took a little time - 4 colours were required.) 
We all chatted, had a pleasant morning and it was very satisfying to have a client both pleased and genuinely suprised at how natural and well-blended they were. At every step, information was given as to where extensions were being placed, in full view of a mirror and the reasoning behind bonds being placed higher than normal with every opportunity to refuse or question our suggestions.
When we explained about stray hair snags (something we've tried umpteen methods of preventing) absolutely NO mention of a problem was given. Therefore, when at 8.00am the following morning the client arrived with her mother, stating how unhappy she was, it came as a bolt out of the blue. Feeling like a fool, my Mum (business partner) in dressing gown, 
asked the nature of the problem and it appeared to be 'everything'. Tenderness, hair snapping, no receipts, uplifting roots, not flush with the head, unable to sleep, unnatural looking, large bonds, too high on the head, too low at the nape and the list goes on. NOTHING was right. People had laughed at her, which we found to be nothing short of cruel . An appointment was arranged for her the next morning at 10.00am so that I could be present with my Mum to address these issues more seriously and professionally. After 2 hours of my Mum (still in dressing gown) trying to tackle each matter in a polite and professional manner, the only course acceptable to the client was full removal and full refund. 

Apparently, a certain forum had given opinions of our work (as hadmany other individuals). We respect all of these opinions and take constructive criticism willingly. However, we do feel that we have been treated somewhat unfairly. All of our clients are treated respectfully and professionally, many are now close friends. We have letters of thanks, testimonials and, until now, great satisfaction in what we do. Any complaint is taken seriously, from shedding issues to tangles etc. NEVER have we in 3 years of trading (we are a registered company with H.M Inland Revenue, we have audited accountants and have been professionally trained, our certificates are always in plain view and we have public liability insurance) had a problem such as this. 

We have been accused of damaging the clients hair (hair that was installed for less than 48 hours) and of being at best unqualified and untrustworthy, (the receipt issue was at no point mentioned to us, instead being posted across a forum). We have consultation forms for each client and any deposit is cleary stipulated. No-one has ever suggested prior to this incident that we would dream of cheating a client or destroying all evidence of them as this client did. We had absolutely NO opportunity to defend ourselves as the officers of our solicitoror governing body were closed for the weekend. 

What offends us completely is that prior to this installation there are 3 postings by the same client on the said forum (dated Sept 19th, 25th and 30th). The posting on Sept 30th states that , alledgedly, the shampoo used by another company had caused her hair to be really brittle and 'snaps when I pull it a little.' So the question is, just how culpable are we of any damage? There was no evidence of any breakage at all, either at installation or scalp check (after the client had removed some of her own bonds). We would NEVER knowingly cause damage to ANY of our clients hair, we have post chemo patients whose hair has grown beautifully whilst the extensions are in place. 

Maybe we seriously need to reconsider our methods as this is far too serious an issue for us to disregard but we are really not the ruthless villains that we have been perceived tobe. At no point have we intended to offend, upset or cause damage to anyone but where are our rights? 

We are offended, our skill has been open to criticism (I think the term 'she looks like a yeti' posted on the forum covers this). Our website is accessible for all to see with before and after shots. The only bonds that were not in straight lines were those near the crown of the head as they were slightly scattered to break up the top, short layer of her own hair. 

We have in NO way been aggressive or unreasonable as has been stated that we are and we are utterly AMAZED that the client has suffiecient 'photo and video proof'! Proof of what exactly? The head of the client was firmly attached to her body when she came in for installation. At no point did it leave the room for us to do anything UNDERHAND while she wasn't looking! The contract was for her extensions to be installed and indeed they were. Video proof is unnecessary, we installed them,we know we did, we were there. We do have photographs of the clients installed hair which looks beautiful. We are unable to show these pics as it is illegal to use them without the clients permission. THEY WILL BE DESTROYED. 

Her forum statement, 'there certainly less hair there' we assume to mean that the client, since our installation has less hair is also subjective. We unfortunately did not count each hair prior to installing and doubt that they will have been counted now. We reluctantly accept that there may 'appear to be less hair' but we firmly believe that anyone having had hair extensions will feel like this upon removal. We also wonder why there will be a 'slow growing out process' because with absolute conviction we are at a loss to see what exactly we have done wrong. 

The client was fully refunded as we were given no other option and the last thing we wanted was for her to be in pain for any remaining time. 

What do you guys think? If you're still awake that is...

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