What Would You Do? (kind of long scenario)

A woman named Dee is in her first year getting started in her career at a high-end salon, and she is part of a tight-knit team. The salon team occasionally does charity work: $10 haircuts in the mall for charity, raffle tickets for services, etc. The donations are not tax-deductible since they are services and never over $2000 per person.

One day, one of Dee's clients approaches her about a charity drive she is organizing. Dee agrees to raffle a haircut and style, and although this will probably cost her the time slot for a paying client, bringing in a new client usually pays off in the long run.

Dee talks to the manicurist and massage therapist and they both agree to also donate their services as part of the raffle ticket. The services on the ticket are now worth over $200.

The next time Dee sees the woman, Dee is cutting her hair when the woman informs Dee that this haircut is free because her husband bought her the raffle ticket for $50! The woman also gets a manicure and massage and doesn't leave a tip for anyone.

Dee feels betrayed by this woman, and embarrassed that the woman also took advantage of her friends and co-workers, especially since she had personally asked them.

If you were Dee, what would you do? Would you keep this woman on as a client?

Or was the woman within her rights to buy and use the ticket?

I hope that it wasn't a scam. If she won the raffle fair and square, Dee should just accept that she donated and didn't get a new client out of it. If I were her, I would mention to the maincurist that I'm suprised and sorry it worked out that way.

As far as her not tipping - that is rude, regardless of whether she won or paid for the services.

I would keep her on as a client though, but the price of a haircut and style just went up.

If I were Dee, I'd tell her that the raffle ticket only entered her name in for a draw and that the free hair cut and manicure was the prize for the winner of that draw. It wasn't in exchange for buying a ticket.

The woman has the right to purchase a ticket in her own raffle, but they should have made some sort of proof for the person that won. I've received some sort of gift certificate as proof. That way you don't have 3 people trying to claim the same prize. It is also on the certificate that you must make an appointment and state that it is the raffle prize when you make the appointment.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

If I were Dee, I'd tell her that the raffle ticket only entered her name in for a draw and that the free hair cut and manicure was the prize for the winner of that draw. It wasn't in exchange for buying a ticket.

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So you think it was a scam? I don't know all the details but I assumed the husband bought $50 of raffle tickets... unless it was an auction... sounds fishy now.

What strikes me as wrong is that she solicited the free services. I would think that would take her and her family out of the running for being awarded those prizes.

And, yes, also very wrong not to tip, especially when the services are donated!

I think I would find that I had no openings for cuts/manicures every time she phoned in from this day forward.

I would think she should have had proof she won the services in the raffle.

I think she took advantage of everyone at the salon. Either way she should have been confronted and if the hair stylist is uncomfortable having her as a client I would refer her to someone else.

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

So you think it was a scam? I don't know all the details but I assumed the husband bought $50 of raffle tickets... unless it was an auction... sounds fishy now.

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Did they draw the raffle yel?

It's entirely possible that she bought a ticket thinking that that ticket entitled her to a hair cut and manicure, in addition to being entered into the raffle for a draw.

If she said she won the raffle I would have asked for proof of having won. Usually when you win, you get some kind of certificate. The salon should have provided a printed page saying "This entitles you, the winner of X raffle, to one hair cut and manicure. Expires X date." That way the winner would have something to present upon arrival.

It's possible that she won. But it's also possible that she thinks that just the purchase of the ticket entitled her to the free salon treatment.

I wonder whether the services were ever entered as one of the raffle prizes at all. Maybe she just decided to keep the whole thing to herself.

Yes, there should be a certificate of proof, and yes, of course she should have tipped everyone -- how could she be so completely oblivious?

I'd refuse her as a client, too, but first, I'd give her one more appointment... during which she would have an unfortunate accident with the buzz-cutters...