You’ll Pay For This… One Way Or Another

Technology is a wonderful thing. Modern advancements to assist us in our everyday lives, making menial tasks a little less mundane or even replaced entirely, so we can focus on what’s truly important: Season 4 of Stranger Things (have you SEEN it yet?? DUDE!). Even in barbering, many advances have been made to simplify the job and optimize our time, as professionals; hand powered clippers made way for electric clippers, which cleared the way for cordless models, digitally calibrated machines and so on. Why then, should the way we charge for our services be any different?

Of course, both of our shops have a computer or an ipad connected to our cash register but with the rise of smartphone technology, came a series of ways to not only budget your finances but now you can handle all of your banking in the palm of your hand.  Many of my own clientele use such things as Samsung Pay or Apple Pay, in lieu of carrying cash or their bank card. Many even use Venmo or PayPal for tipping but what happens when the client expects to just send the full amount of the cut and tip to you, directly, rather than go through the system? On the outset, many have thought since we’re independant businesses to ourselves that we pay a monthly chair fee and we keep the rest.

While this can be convenient to the client, this -I feel- presents more hassle than it’s worth. Now, I have to ensure the money has been transferred via my own bank account, put the money in the register to cover the services rendered (assuming I happen to be carrying that amount) and if I need the money to transfer right away, typically there’s a fee tacked onto the transfer, so now I’m actually getting $27 from a $30 haircut, that I’m only getting a percentage of anyway! Now, rather than get my normal say, $21 for that one haircut, I’m going to be pulling $18 and over time, that adds up.

There’s also the aspect of personal security; wireless transfers are proven to be among the most secure methods of making payments, hands down but what level of information do you have to give in order to accomplish the goal? With such services like Zelle, all you really need is a phone number but what if you don’t want to have to give that kind of information out? I’ve always been a rather private kind of guy and the less my personal information gets out there, the better I feel.

Now, I realize there’s often no malice on the part of the client and they’re just trying to pay their bill and move on. Often times, these small details aren’t even on their radar, nor on the part of the professional. This is to be looked at though, if you as a professional want to continue making a living absent of unnecessary expenditure. If you are among our beloved clientele, I hope you’re reading this from the perpective of a working stiff, just like us and want your favorite barber to make a living, free from having to compensate for lack of planning on your or other’s part. Sorry to be so blunt but facts is facts.

So the bottom line here, is that while these apps and services may be a boone to some and save them the hassle of having to find a nearby ATM (ever notice there’s never one nearby when you need it?) and pay those annoying fees but those then fall onto the professional, whether it be in time, energy or monetarily

-Written by our very own COVINA BARBER TIM DREW