Customer Versus In-Laws - Kemi Jinadu

Indians will begin to make Africans hair someday, they just need to master the acts and skills. Our flaws and loopholes as Africans attract good business for Indians in the UK; they take advantage of every opportunity and it’s so sad.  True recent story, but I had to change the people who are involve's names for my intention was not to call out anybody but to highlight some point.

My hairdresser was fully booked for the weekend due to the half-term break, children were on holiday.

So I decided to book another hairdresser (Doyin not real name). I visited Doyin’s shop to book an appointment for my daughter.   Doyin told me to come the next day at 12.00pm, I told her to keep to time as I have another appointment on the same day.

“Oh I hate to disappoint people, I will keep to time,” Doyin answered.

I arrived the next day at 11.45am waiting for Doyin who was not at the salon. At 12.38pm Doyin strolled into the salon.

“Aunty I am sorry, I had to finish the cooking for the day at home,” Doyin sat next to me.

A petite lady (Bose) in short blonde coloured afro, who had earlier unlocked the salon door for us to sit and wait walked into the salon with two take-away covered bowl foods.

“Do you want the food hot or you are not ready to eat now,” Bose asked.

“Not now customer is waiting,” Doyin replied.

A lady wearing a green sequence scarf walked into the salon, “how many people’s hair are you going to do before mine?” the lady asked.

“Sit down Aunty, just this lady’s hair and you are next,” Doyin pointed at my daughter.   

The green sequence scarf lady fished out a magazine from the patent green bag she carried that has the inscription “Paul Smith” and she started to read.

So Doyin began to unpack the hair extension (Xpression) she would use for my daughter’s braid when her phone started to buzz.

“Hello, haaa a noo,” Doyin stamped her feet.

Our eyes met as she glances at me every-time she tried to speak into the phone.

“Emmmm Emmmm is difficult,” Doyin paused then walked towards the door.

“OK, ok” Doyin said as she finally hanged up and walked back towards me.

“Aunty your daughter’s hair would be so nice,” Doyin grabbed the hair extension she was about to open before her mobile phone rang earlier.

“Aunty I will start your daughter’s hair now but my sister-in-law is coming so I will stop to do her hair and then I will continue with your daughter’s hair.”

I starred at Doyin in shock.

“Aunty I am very fast, it will not take long I will be doing weave-on,” Doyin pulled the hair extension out of the wrap.

I collected the hair extension from Doyin not sure if it was my gesture or silence Doyin continued to explain.

“Oh my sister-in-law already booked an appointment for 11.30am. That is why my husband just called me to remind me they have a family party in Manchester tonight and she still needed to cook before going. I am sorry Aunty.”

My eyes caught the lady in green sequence scarf as she closed the magazine and put it back in her bag.

“If your sister-in-law had an appointment for 11.30am why is she not here and why did you not mention it yesterday when I booked and told you I had another appointment, I asked.

Before Doyin could reply Bose answered.

“Hee Aunty don’t be angry, it even happened to me the other day I just have to let Doyin do her in-law’s hair to avoid problem, Bose added in Doyin’s defence.

“Problem for who?” I asked in a fit of fury.

Bose moved closer to me “You know how in-laws are, they like to cheat person, are you married ma?”

I ignored her because at this moment I was furious, boiling with anger; exasperation was an understatement.

The words radiating out of Bose’s mouth made it worse not any better.

“Adeoluwa pick all your stuffs and let us go” I said to my daughter.

Obediently Adeoluwa began to gather her stuff.

 “We are all women, Aunty even if you are not married try and understand in-laws issue is somehow,” Bose said.

“Sorry I don’t think my in-laws would act irrationally” I was forced to answer as their sentimental utterance and ways had begun to sink deep into the most sensitive part of my anatomy.

I stormed out of the salon before I say another word that could trigger unnecessary trouble.

“Aunty please please please…,” Doyin pleaded after me.

The lady who was wearing a green scarf followed me outside as I briskly walked away she caught up with me.

“I just paved way for you, that was an opportunity for you to get your hair done quickly,” I said.

“No, I don’t have time for games, I can’t stand people who lack integrity; I was supposed to go see my friend in the hospital then thought against it but I think I should go now. If I stayed at the salon she will do the exact same thing because she might think I am desperate.”

I was a bit calm now so I chuckled.

“Hope all is well with your friend?” I asked

“She just gave birth, she’s fine,” the lady answered.

“It was my first time in that salon and her first impression sucks,” the lady in green scarf said.

“Same here I was there yesterday to book an appointment is my first time too,” I stopped to cross to the other side of the road.

“I am never going back there,” the lady in green scarf said as we exchanged pleasantries and I and my daughter crossed to the other side of the road.

The lesson here was that Doyin lost two customers while trying to use sentiment and act cunning.  We Africans exercise too much sentiment while running our businesses zero professionalism; yet majority wonder why most Africans operating businesses abroad are not successful.

The opening-times as stated on the salon door was 9am in the mornings, Doyin did not turn up until 12.38pm, Bose opened Doyin’s salon despite booking earlier appointments with customers.

I don’t mean to be rude or insensitive but what is the customer’s business with first, cooking at home when I don’t even know you like that?

What is the customer’s business with your in-laws relationship or the way your in-law might react?

Judging from Bose’s utterance it seems like a system they practised all the time; some customers are expected to give way to their close families or ally anytime they showed up unannounced at other customer’s expense.

They had expected me to sacrifice my time, act like I understood and just play along when I am going to pay for the service and is not free; but I’ve to think of me, customer first in business; like she taught of herself first.

It’s such a shame I had to share this bitter experience as I’ve observed in the past we Africans are losing our businesses in the diaspora to foreigners.

How many Africans/Nigerians sells our raw, uncooked food, the Indians have taken over!

Even cooked Nigerian food, the Indians have begun to dabble into the food business, some of them now sell dodo, Jollof rice, moimoi, iyan, fried yam and many more to Nigerians!!!!!!!