Unbagging the Cats 1

Unbagging the Cats 1

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The Waiting is the Darnedest Part

Perhaps I've mentioned Great Clips a time or two. Notably, with a reference to The Butcher of Seville. Now they've done it again. They've got an online check-in service. Customers can add their names to the salon wait list before they arrive. Yeah. That's what I said.

Am I wrong, or is that an appointment? You know, putting your name on a list to get a haircut. If I wanted to make an appointment, I'd go to a regular stylist and get a decent haircut. Not to The Butcher of Seville. The reason I go there, aside from the fact that my long-time stylist chucked it all to start her own catering business, is the convenience. I can drop in at the spur of the moment. You can bet that I won't take kindly to some usurper popping in and being shorn ahead of me. This is not a good business practice for Great Clips. Somebody's gonna get cut.

It reminds me of the people at the old unemployment office on Morganford, by the Bevo Mill. The claimants would come in, grab a number, and leave. We figured out they were going to a nearby bar, from which they would call every fifteen minutes to ask what number we were on. At least they showed up to get a number. They couldn't call in and get put on the list.

This is like those superpass people who get to jump line at amusement parks. I doubt that they are looked upon favorably by John Smith at position number 539, sweating his black sandal-socks off, trying to pacify his restless spawn with promises of Dippin' Dots as soon as they get off the ride.

How many people can a Great Clipper put on that check-in list? Suppose you are next in line, and Natalie Suleman strolls in with her fourteen children? Are you gonna take that sitting down? You'd better. Because if you get up, one of those kids is going to take your seat.

This is America, people! Fight for your right to wait in line. A real line.

7 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

I agree. This is catastrophic! We must open the windows of our highrise apartments and yell, "We're mad as hell and we aren't going to take it anymore!" Then, we need to show our rage by taking our thin,spindly head of hair and demanding that Great Clips give us a Dorothy Hammill cut...or scream that we want to look just like Farrah Fawcett when they get finished...They'll cave...

stephen Hayes said...

Thanks for the call to action.

Linda O'Connell said...

The old unemployment office? I lived a block away.

It is a hurry up and wait world, take or give a number.

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Maybe they took their cue from the restaurants that don't do reservations, but will accept a phone call to be put on the waiting list ........

Val said...

Sioux,
First, they started taking names for the waiting list at restaurants, and I did not speak out because I don't eat at restaurants with waiting lists...

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Stephen,
Failing to plan is planning to fail. We must all follow through on Sioux's plan.

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Linda,
Small world. I must say, I like the giving out side of numbers better than the taking. It is truly better to give than to receive.

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Kathy,
Thanks for the idea to answer Sioux. :)

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Interesting. I wonder how long they will continue the practice before calling it quits? I admit I do like the call-ahead at restaurants. The wait times around here on Friday and Saturday nights can be brutal...like 2+ hours, which I think is nuts. I'd rather go eat at McDonald's than wait 2 hours anywhere.

Val said...

Lisa,
Here's the thing. It's like a haircut reservation. And you can bet all those people sitting there are going to get mad when call-ins waltz in without waiting. So just start taking appointments already, Great Clips. And lose your walk-in business.