I am one of those people that go everywhere to get my haircut done. Instead of going to a salon and staying with the same hair stylist that I am comfortable with, I choose where I get my haircut because of promotions, coupons, availability.
Over the weekend, I went to get a haircut from Sport Clips Haircuts – a place that is tailored for men. When I sat down, this is basically the conversation that took place.
Stylist: Hi, my name is X, how are you doing?
MoneyNing: Doing great, nice to meet you.
Stylist: Is this your first time here?
MoneyNing: Yup.
Stylist: Great, let me upgrade you to our MVP package.
MoneyNing: What’s that?
Stylist: It includes your standard haircut and a massaging shampoo, steamed towel, conditioner, and a neck and shoulder massage.
I did not want the extra service that cost more money since I came here for a haircut. If I wanted a massage, I would go somewhere else. I didn’t decline the offer since I didn’t want to upset him before he took my haircut, but I declined afterwards.
When I was at the cashier after the haircut, the stylist came out and told the cashier to put in the system that I didn’t get the first-time MVP package yet.
Is getting the MVP package and paying more a requirement to have a haircut from Sport Clips? Also, the stylist mentioned that it was an “upgrade”, but yet I have to pay for it. How strange?
Apparently, this is supposed to be a free service but I was told by the employee there that day to pay extra for it. Is it just one poorly trained employee or is there something else at work? I’m not sure but perhaps one day I will find out.
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You can use the free upgrade whenever you want, even if you didn’t use it the first time. When I went there the personnel was nice and I got a good haircut.
RE Dave’s paranoia: they only ask you for the last four digits of your phone number. It’s a database key which allows them to make sure the notes they took and your history is tied to the right guy.
And you’re not “required” to give the number. Just don’t expect them to have notes on wwhat they did to make you happy if you don’t give them your info.
Investigating the business… You sound like you are in the same position we are in regards to looking for a business. We are also looking at Sport Clips, any information you could provide? Having a heck of a time getting the UFOC even though we signed their profile, the area manager is requesting multiple meetings which is slowing us down. Anything you can add would be helpful. Thanks.
I like to politely pass when a business ask for my personal information. When I did this at Sportclips they told me they could not cut my hair without having my information in their system. This is just absurd so I left. Maybe this is an isolated incident, but anything less than “ok, no problem!” is unacceptable in a service industry!
Another reply to Dave:
Why not just give them phony information? that way if you become a regular they will have info in the system that will allow them to know your service history.
my understanding of their operating procedurtes is that they should have said “Ok, no problem” and just entered you in the system as “john doe”. my bet is the franchisee would be upset if he knew what happened.
BTW, i assume that you pay cash everywhere. if not, what is the point of not giving your personal information?
Reply to Franchise Looker:
i’ve learned a lot since my earlier post. can i include my e-mail address in a post here? if so, we should be able to arrange a way to chat.
BTW, have you checked out California’s dept of corporations site? you should be able to download it there.
if you’ve already signed the non-disclosure and he won’t give you the UFOC, go over his head. call their HQ in TX.
Thanks for the reply. We had another discussion with the area manager and decided it was not in either of our best interests. We need to generate immediate income.
Reply to Franchise Looker:
Sounds like you made the right call, as it appears that most of the franchisees are losing money!!! Outside of TX, the majority of owners are losing their shirts. On top of that, the founder/franchiser seems to be a bit of a bully.
Good to know. We did not get a good vibe from the area manager anyway.
To answer alot of your questions, SportClips is an exciting sports environment to get a great haircut. I’m sorry that some of you have not had a great experience at sportclips but just like with all businesses that doesn’t represent the entire franchise. I have been with the company for over 5 years and wouldn’t have stuck around if it wasn’t fun for me and the clients. I enjoy my job and my clients enjoy their experience, whether it’s a MVP or a complementary necktrim! Maybe some of you need to relax a little,try a MVP it’s a bargin for only $5 more bucks!
I sound like a salesman but once you try it and realize the value you’ll get one everytime! Well, gentlemen hope you have a great and relaxing day!!! By the way, my franchisee isn’t losing their shirt and we are out of TX!
The facts are that the majority of stores are losing money. A current owner told me that in her part of the country (the south) the average store is several hundred dollars below breakeven each week.
Manager: what state are you in?
Franchise Looker: same question. I got a funny vibe from the guy I talked to in CO too.
I spoke to the manager in Ohio.
How is giving something away a scam? It sounds to me like it’s a good marketing approach to get you to come back and pay full price for their service. I have been going to Sportclips for years and I think the concept is great. You get pampered, your whole head feels great from the hot towel treatment and scalp massage. And it’s a place for guys. What’s so wrong with that?
Well it does not sound like a scam, you do get your hair cut, but it sounds like some teenage hyped “cheap computer” store approach with the pressure for “upgrades” oh well I guess if you want a “Sports Haircut” it is good marketing whatever that is…
The first MVP is free. That what was offered.
The mvp consecpt is what sport clips does to try to seperate themselves from other chans such as Supercuts, Great Clips, and other franshised chain salons. If I were a man going into sport clips i’ be mostly concern with the sports. why is this the only salon that turns you away from the mirrow and distracts you with the television. I’ve been a stlyist for 6 years and its virtually impossible to work without using your mirrors. Another thing is that the stylist are required to spend no more than 15 mins on a Varsity haircut and 25 mins on a MVP. This is no differnt than supercuts and there 15 min rule. So you can make up your own mind about wether or not sport clips is just a maketing gimmik, but remember these salons are owned and operated by enterpanuers whom most never had any salon nor baber experience what so ever.
It is not a scam maybe you should try it.You will not be charged extra on your first time in. Mary you are wrrong .We have total vision . I am a stylist of over 20 years have been in Best of Boston!! I choose to work here for less stress as for my hubby has cancer.This is one of the best companys to work for I worked for Regis for many years with large clientell. We spiend more than 15 minutes is far apart from Supercuts .I worked for them years ago.2 diff concepts.
As I read these comments I am really shocked by the women that have responded. You women go to salons and spend all kinds of money, for perms styles, cuts and colors. Someone comes up witha great idea to pamper the guys a little bit and try to give them better service than the old barber shop and people take issue with it. Give me a break…
I am a stylist at Sport Clips. This is a response to Dave. You are not required to give your entire personal information. Asking for the last four digits of your telephone number is solely for the purpose of identifying you in the event that there is another person with your first and last name. We keep notes on exactly what we did for you (what guard attachment left, maybe a razor/texture cut, etc.). That way, there is NO mistaking that you are you and not the other person that may be in the system. We keep notes so you don’t have to remember. Or, maybe you’ll say “well, I think I’d like it longer than last time”… something like that. That way we can work from there.
We are not a scam. And I agree with the other Sport Clips stylist that says she’s worth more than a $6 haircut. We are trained extensively, and I myself and very confident at what I do.
I’ve been going to SC for several years – after moving back home and having a similaor-themed barber shop where I went to college. I love the place and only get my and my son’s hair cut there. Don’t be so paranoid just because someone tries to upsell a product. Have you never shopped in America before??? Good grief.
Nice one Thinker… way to use that vocabulary. I belive this site is of no more value when these are the type of posts being made.
I can’t believe how many whiny people there are in these posts. Everytime I read these things I wonder what is wrong with you people. Get a life. Quit being such a stickler about everything.
Sports Clips sounds like a great place and I plan to go there this week. Your paying for the cool theme and the extra services, which I am looking forward to. I may extra tip my stylist just to get an longer massage. If the cut is quality then I will be a regular customer.
If your having financial issues then you shouldn’t even think of going to a place like this. Go to a local barber. You will get a great haircut for much less.
Hello I am proud to say that I am a sport clipper! I have worked there for three years. I reading some of these not so good experiences truly makes me sorry that we didnt make a wonderful first impression. But is also shows me the things that my area can work on. We are a company that strives for excellence. We have on going constant training for all employees and really we learn how to focus on the client and the experience that we are offering him. I have done hair for 15 years and never before have I been trained to focus only on the client I am working with.(Most chain salons have time limits to be fighting against sport clips has a limit on how many cuts max should be done.They dont want you to run a chop shop).And I must add It is kinda funny that you would be asking if this is a scam because at the top of this page there is like four links the great clips how many of those do you own? Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
I work for a sport clips, and at least at our location we do a free upgrade to the MVP for first time customers, which means they get the whole service (MVP)for the price of just the haircut (VARSITY). We are franchised so I don’t know if the policy nationwide.
Based on your story, I suspect there was a miscommunication between the stylist and the receptionist, i.e. the receptionist didn’t realize you were new, saw that you received an MVP on the ticket, and charged you the regular price.
A note to Dave with the privacy concern: that was just stupidity on the part of the person checking you in. The information system is for your convenience: it calls up the date of your last haircut and any notes from the stylist about details, cowlicks, etc so you don’t have to repeat yourself every time you come in. But you can certainly opt out! We DO have to enter something into the computer to get the register to function, but at our shop, we have a client called “Mr. X” that we use to ring out clients concerned about their privacy.
LOL! That is so true! I’m a stylist who works for sportclips and it cracks me up when I get a client who refused to give me his name because he’s concerned about his privacy but then hands me his credit card to pay! One time that happened and when I handed him back his card I said, “Okay, have a nice day Mr. White!”
He stared at me like he’d seen a ghost.
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My husband went to Sports Clips a week before our wedding to get his usual trim, and they make a huge mistake and cut a line right above one of his ears. It showed up in pictures and was definitely noticable. He was really upset about it. I wasn’t that upset because I can just photoshop it out in the pictures later, but it did prompt us to find a better place for him to go.
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1: Funny how many women are complaining that their hair got messed up AT A BARBER SHOP!!! The front of the building explicitly says “Haircuts for men and boys”. If you’re a woman and you go to a place that says it’s for men, then you get what you get for not following directions. You’re the people who get pissed at McDonald’s because they don’t sell tacos.
2: If you were so concerned about how your hair was going to look before a MAJOR EVENT like, oh I don’t know, A WEDDING, then maybe you should have not been so cheap and gone to a high-end place. This is a BARBER SHOP, not a salon. You pay $20 for a cut instead of $100 before your wedding, then it’s on you. “Gee honey, we spend $2,000 on a dress and $less than $20 on your hair. I wonder if that could cause a problem?”
Good grief people. Have you never gotten your hair cut before? First time wandering out of the cave? Mistakes happen . . . and I don’t even cut hair. One lousy stylist doesn’t make a company bad. Ford vehicles caught fire with regularity and people still buy them. A restaurant has one lousy server – you still eat there. No company is 100% perfect. Again, visit isle 5. There you will find a life. Take it to the checkout counter, pay and apply it.
you guys are retarded lol
sportclips sucks
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[Quote]you guys are retarded lol
sportclips sucks
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That’s SportsClips – with an ’s’. Well, you got the retarded part right. Thanks for demonstrating – tard.
Ummmm…. Twitchie….. first, get off the meth. Maybe you’ll stop twitching.
And second…. it IS Sport Clips…. NOT Sports Clips. Look it up and swallow your vomit, moron!
LMAO, yup you’re right. There is no ‘S’. Swallow my vomit? WTH is that? Haha. Get off the meth and I’ll stop twitching? Hahaha. I’m blown away by the originality. LOL. I’ll bet you you’ve done more drugs than I have in our lives. My statements remain the same. It’s a great place to get a haircut. If you don’t like the place, don’t go there. It’s not difficult. Hahaha.
First of all, I want to thank all the folks that shared their experience about Sport Clips, good or bad. Although we all want to make our clients happy, sometimes things go wrong. For the groom to be, I am so sorry to hear about the bad hair cut, right before your wedding. As a Stylist, this news is like nails on a chalk board. Please keep in mind your experience is from one Stylist, who works at a Sport Clips. I have heard the same painful story of bad haircuts throughout the country, from many different companies, including the expensive salons. Regardless if you pay 20 bucks or 100, make sure you find a Stylist that can exceed your expectations.
Sit back, relax, watch TV, get a hot towel on your face and a relaxing massage, great hair cut-what a concept!
I’m sorry, but this post is totally ridiculous. If you’re all about saving money, then why go to Sport Clips?
Sport Clips isn’t about saving money, it’s about offering a better experience to a niche market. You don’t go to Starbucks to save money on coffee, do you?
By the way, I have no connection to Sport Clips at all. I’m just a regular guy who appreciates companies that want to give more value than their competitors.
I was the same as you, I used to go to places that were the cheapest or that I had a coupon. But them Great Clips pretty much tried to skin my head. The first time I went to Sport Clips they gave me the MVP package for free and man it feels good- hot towel, massage. I hate massages by the way but they use that thing they dont use the hands. It feels good. It is still under $20- go ahead spoil yourself, I only get a haircut every few months so $5 more is worth it plus they are no Great Clips.
I think it’s just good marketing on behalf of Sport Clips. It is very similar to going to a fast food restaurant and ordering just a burger or burrito, and having the order taker ask if you would like a drink with your order. It brings in a great deal of additional revenue.
As far as them putting into your “file” that you haven’t had a first time MVP, they may give out discounts for first time customers who upgrade to the MVP service.
Lastly, if you refused the MVP service prior to getting you hair cut and they didn’t cut your hair to your expectations, then you can have them cut it until it meets your expectations, or you can refuse to pay.
There is no scam here.
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