Why I drive over 30 minutes and tip nearly 50% every time I get my hair cut...

As with most guys, I hate going to the barber shop! I can’t book in; I have to time my arrival right so I don’t end up with Eddy ‘Butter Fingers’ McGee haplessly chopping at my locks and making small talk; I have to pretend I know what cut I want when I have no real idea; I have to constantly check my car isn’t being towed because I’ve been waiting longer than expected and left it in a pay-bay; I have to awkwardly say ‘yes, that’s great, thanks’ when Eddy holds the mirror behind my head even though it looks like I’ve tried to cut my own hair with a pair of nail scissors and a blunt potato peeler…. I could go on.

One day just under 2 years ago I was in Hove, UK after meeting a client and had a rare spare hour.

A 10 second walk from where I was is the barber shop I used to frequent before I moved out of town - it was average at best. I figured an hour was maybe just enough time if there was only one person in front of me so I thought I’d risk it cuz’ my barnet and beard were making me look slightly homeless. I parked up and strolled over.

There was a new barber in there and his seat was empty - I had the fear you get when even though your semi-regular barber is shady at best you still trust them more than the ‘new guy’, but all of the English in me allowed me to nervously sit down even though I would have rather waited for one of the more familiar faces.

So this spot charges ￡17 to get your hair fixed, and a further ￡5 for a beard trim. I always got both and tipped an extra ￡2 to make it a round ￡25. I sit down. The new guy introduces himself and asks me if I would like a drink. This hasn’t happened before. Before I can answer, he says “I can get you a soft drink, coffee or tea, or a beer if you want?” I had never been offered a beer in a barber shop before and it was after 9am so I said “A beer would be awesome, thanks!”

He tells me to make myself comfy and says he will be 1 minute, and then asks me what beer I prefer. I said “err, lager”, and he said “which one? Stella, Moretti, Amstel?” I answered anything other than Stella or Kronenberg and he shot off out the front of the shop.

Less than one minute later he comes back with an icy cold beer. “Did you just go to the shop for me?” I asked, he said, “yes, of course, now relax and let me take care of you. What were you thinking, or would you like me to suggest a cut?”

I explained roughly what I wanted but said to do what he thought would be best. He got to work. Now, usually, once you’ve finally sat down in the chair, a haircut here would take 30 ish mins and for me would be a fade, a quick trim, and then a beard clean up with an electric razor. On this occasion, what I can only call my ‘treatment’ started with a hot towel on my face.

My guy explained the hot towel aids in comfort for a beard shave and allows the pores to open. I relaxed into my chair and this crazy mofo starts massaging my shoulders! Next thing I know the towel is off and he’s cutting my hair - he asks me about my job, my life, my friends - the complete opposite of small talk. He gave me opportunities to sip at my beer in between questions and once he had finished my hair he put another hot towel on my face while setting up a headrest for me to lean on so I wasn’t hurting my neck while he cut my beard - something a lot of previous barbers had missed out. He used shaving foam and a fresh razor and began to cut throat, continually checking in that my experience was great and that he was getting the job right. He then waxed my nose (not pleasant initially but made for some great content and felt amazing afterwards!) :P

At one point he asked the rest of the room if the music they were playing was okay and if the temperature was right.

This guy!

He finished up and I swear down I have never been so impressed with a haircut. I am yet to be treated so well at a barbershop or experience a better barber. You know why?! Because now I don’t go anywhere else or want another barber!!! After the trim, he gave my arms and hands a quick massage and offered me different product options to put in my hair, a welcome break from the usual horrible cheap gel that I was used to.

I finally got out of my chair and went to get out my ￡25 to pay him. Before I could he said: “This one’s on me, Lee, as it’s your first time in my chair. I’d love you to come back and please let me know if you have any feedback you feel would help me improve my service. Also, for the future, if you do come back, here’s my personal number so you can check the queue before coming so you don’t waste your time waiting”.

I have been back every single fortnight since and received exactly the same experience every time. I pay him ￡25 for the work and always tip ￡10! That’s a BONKERS tip!!!! Why would anyone tip that much? Because he has always done what none of his competition would - my tips alone have probably put his kids through private school! :p

His worth is so obvious that his reviews speak volumes - every customer wants him personally and in my case I drive past about 20 other barber shops en route to get to see him, traffic or not!

So, the moral of the story… ADD VALUE!!!! It pays dividends!