So I outlined how to find yourself a good tattoo shop here. But...now what?
It can be scary walking into a tattoo shop, particularly if you've never been in one before. Heck, sometimes I don't even like going into other shops...fear of the unknown artists, I guess. The important thing to remember is that as long as you've picked a professional shop (and I'm sure you did with my tips!), no one is going to judge you, talk about you, or treat you in any unprofessional manner. We get clients from all walks of life- 18th birthday-goers, 70 year olds, males, females, transitioning gender clients, lawyers, doctors, dentists, professional athletes, teachers, exotic dancers, zookeepers, fishermen, bank tellers, servers, other tattoo artists from other shops...seriously, there's no one "marker" anymore that determines who gets tattoos and who doesn't. That's probably the thing that surprises people the most when they walk in and see who's sitting in the tattoo chairs (well that, and my immaculately clean shop thanks to yours truly, but I've told you about that already).
So my first piece of advice- don't let your fear get the best of you. If you want the tattoo, just go for it. Don't let your fear of the shop and staff turn you away.
But...let's back up. You need to do some homework before you go to the shop. You can be a walk-in, sure (and I'll outline that in a later post), but more often than not, the tattoos that people want are going to need to be drawn up. The reality TV shows like Miami Ink and Bad Tattoos have been great for exposing our industry to the general public. However, they also create unrealistic expectations for our clients. It's one thing to walk into a tattoo shop and ask for a small star the size of a quarter. It's a whole different thing to want a giant tiger that spans from your hip to your armpit, wrapping around your side with a killer background. Can we do it? Absolutely, and my guys love designing the larger pieces! Can it be done in an hour like the TV shows (I'm envisioning Kat Von D telling one of her clients to go "grab a bite to eat" to give her time to draw up some rad sketch) want you to believe? Nah...my guys need some time. Creativity takes time, ya'll.
In reality, custom pieces take various amounts of time to draw up. Something simple might take a few minutes, so sure, you can have it right then and there if there's time and availability. It might take an hour or two to draw up if it's like palm-sized, which may lead to you getting it that day if the artist is having a slow day, or we might book you on another day to give him some time (this is especially true if you are going to a busy artist, more on this later). If it's something real big like a thigh piece, full back piece, or a sleeve, then we'll usually book you out a week or two to give the artist some time to draw such a large piece, reflect on it, make changes, and come back to it and finalize it. Now, I've seen my guys do all of this quicker, and I've seen them take weeks on designs. It just all depends. They're perfectionists, which is a good thing considering these pieces are permanent. This is their livelihood, and you are basically a walking billboard for their work. They want that thing perfect!
So my second piece of advice- be realistic about the time frame of your tattoo. It might take some time to draw up. Small tattoos usually can be done same day or a day or so out. Larger tattoos might take weeks to get to your appointment date.
Now I mentioned busy artists. It's natural to want the best artist to do your work. We all want the best! However, be realistic about how long you are willing to wait for a tattoo. For example, my boss is one of the best in the business. People are sometimes not happy when I had to tell them that he was booked out a year or more in advance. "But it doesn't take a year to draw a tattoo!" True. But, consider all of the other people who came to him first wanting tattoos by him. This creates traffic in the appointment books, so to speak. I literally make appointments for a year or more into the future, and people keep these appointments because they want the artist. If you don't want to wait that long, that's fine, but you'll need to look for a different artist. I always tell people it's not necessarily a bad thing that you have to wait- it gives you time to save up! :)
Therefore, my next tip if you have your heart set on a certain artist- call the shop and ask how long _____ artist is booked out until. The kind shop girl/guy will tell you :) If you don't want to wait that long, find another artist.
(note- if you DO decide to book far out in advance and you want to inquire about seeing your sketch before your appointment date, keep in mind that the artist usually won't get to your drawing until about a week before your appointment date. He/she has other tattoos to draw for the people in line in front of you)
Ok, so you are cool with the wait time and you summoned the courage to go into a shop. My last piece of advice is:
Bring every reference material you have for your tattoo to the shop. It saves much time and energy for the artists (and your shop girl/guy!) when you come prepared.
I say this because just describing something to the artist, while entirely possible, sometimes leads to disappointed customers. If you are SUPER into an artist just creating their own masterpiece, then great! Many people do that. However, often times people have a very specific idea in mind. It's best to bring reference materials. If you want something super realistic, make sure you bring sample pictures of the idea. Now, it doesn't have to be another tattoo. Let's say you want a portrait of John Lennon. You can just bring in a photo of him, you don't need to bring in a picture of someone else's portrait tattoo. Or let's say you're really into cars and you want this specific hot rod. You don't need to find someone with the same tattoo you want (that might be hard to do, anyway). You can just bring in pictures you found of the actual hot rod. Some people have even brought it small models or toys of things that they want. Pictures from magazines, newspaper clippings, or even pictures downloaded onto your phone will work. Whatever works for you. That being said, you should know by doing your research on your artist whether or not they tattoo the style you want. Most talented tattoo artists can do many styles, but a lot of them have styles that they are just best at. I'll get into styles in a later blog post, but for now, keep this in mind- if your artist specializes in old school traditional, for example, he/she probably isn't the best candidate to do your rad new school music sleeve.
Woo hoo! So you've talked to your artist and they booked you an appointment (or, maybe your kind shop girl/guy did). Now if you are able to get this tattoo same day, you just fill out your paperwork, show your ID, and get tattooed. You pay at the end. And tip, if you are so inclined. If you have a tattoo in the future, you are going to most likely have to put down a deposit. This irritates some people, but think of it this way- while cancelled appointments at say, a hair salon, are annoying for the stylist, they only lose out on the money for the actual cut/color/whatever service. With tattooing, not only are the artists out the tattoo money if someone cancels, but they are out all of the time they spent drawing your tattoo and making sure it is super awesome and perfect. The deposit will go towards the cost of the tattoo at most shops, so it's not an extra amount. It's just insurance for the artist so in case you DO skip out, at least he/she gets paid for drawing up a tattoo. As for what kind of money to bring...cash is always best in a tattoo shop. My shop has a card machine, but we have to charge tax to run it. It's cheaper for you to do cash. Plus, since the guys get paid out at the end of the night in cash, they prefer it. With the cards, they have to wait a few weeks to get paid.
So, last tip for when you go into a shop- have your money ready for a deposit. Also have your government-issued ID on you in case you get tattooed that day.
The TL;DR cliffnotes of what to do once you find your tattoo shop and are ready to get tattooed:
1) Just go in the shop and make an appointment already, don't be scared!
2) You might not be able to get your tattoo that same day...expect to make an appointment for a later date
3) Double check on your artist's availability if you aren't willing to wait too long for an appointment
4) Have money ready for a deposit and bring your ID!
That's all for today, folks. I have a blog article coming up about what to expect the day of your tattoo, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Thanks for reading!
Showing posts with label shop etiquette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shop etiquette. Show all posts
Monday, January 11, 2016
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
How to find a good tattoo shop
So you've decided what you want to get. You've saved up your money and you are now itching to get new artwork on your skin. Maybe it's your first tattoo and you want to make sure it not only comes out perfect, but you don't catch any creepy diseases while getting it. Maybe you've got a bunch of tattoos, but you just aren't happy with the artwork from your old shop. Maybe your wife has finally laid down the law and says you can't go to your cousin Jimmy's basement anymore to get tattooed. Whatever the case may be, I'll give you some tips on picking out a good tattoo shop.
In the past, it was really common to just drive down the street and stop wherever you saw a neon "tattoo" sign in the window. Another method is by word of mouth. Although people still do both, many people tend to research the shop they saw or were told about before they even step foot into it. So...that shop you always pass on the way home from work? The place your coworker Erin swears is the best? Go ahead and Google those bad boys. Do they have their own website? Good! I am weary of places that don't (and yes, there are still places that don't). In today's day and age, it is essential to have a website. Not only does it show that the shop is serious about their work, but it allows the customer to do some background research before they even step foot into the shop (which makes life easier for us shop help, let me tell you).
The most common place that people research is Yelp. Haven't heard of it? Google it or go to Yelp.com. It's basically a site where people write reviews of businesses. The app is pretty neat, too...out of town and feel like seafood? Yelp a good seafood spot. Out of gas and need to find the closest station? Yelp. It's amazing. Anyway, with the popularity of Yelp, shops have really been benefiting from this modern-day word of mouth website and app (my own shop, included-we have a perfect 5-star Yelp rating, thank you very much). You can read the direct thoughts of real customers about hundreds and hundreds of businesses. Yelp has increased our sales quite a bit, and I've noticed that over the past few years we've gained a lot of business from further away cities, due to Yelp's ability to rank a certain mile radius search by star ranking. Whenever I ask new clients how they heard of us, the answer is almost always Yelp.
That being said, I've noticed that a funny thing happens when people use Yelp as a recommendation. At my shop, the guys that are usually available for walk ins are almost always the new guys. It makes sense; the guys that have been there for a long time have clients that they can book themselves the whole day, every day, for weeks or even months at a time. The new guys just don't have that popularity yet. Whenever a walk in comes in from Yelp, they usually get "the new guy". Now, my shop is awesome, so of course the tattoo comes out awesome, and the client will almost always Yelp about the artist by name. This leads to more and more people coming in and requesting this particular artist by name...people think they're going to "the best" artist, and trust me, our new guys are good once they get done with their apprenticeships, but they aren't necessarily the "best" because they have the most shoutouts by name...it's just people choosing someone because a bunch of other people happened to call him out by name on Yelp. So basically what I'm getting at is...beware of bandwagoners. At my shop, you'll get some sick work regardless...but I can't guarantee the same thing at other shops.
Therefore, the best thing you can do as a customer is to RESEARCH YOUR ARTIST. This is so important to ensure you know what you're getting. Even if a shop as a whole has a great rating, you never know if they have a "bad seed", so to speak. Start by checking out artist artwork. You've probably already found some shops you want to check out at this point, so go to their websites and see if they have online portfolios (the actual shop will have artist portfolios inside them, of course, but the advantage here is that you can peruse the work without feeling like someone is watching over you, expecting a response. Sometimes people get intimidated and just say "yes", even if they really don't want to get their work done there, just because they feel pressure). Another place that is becoming more popular is Instagram. The guys at my shop all have their own Instagram pages where they post their work daily. Try Googling the artist's name along with the shop name and see what you find. If they have one, it'll probably pop up in the first few listings.
Now, the most important part...is this artist good? For the non-artist, this can be difficult to decide. Your first instinct is usually right...if you like how the work looks, great! If you don't, that's ok, too! They might not even be a bad artist, but if the work isn't how YOU want it, then they aren't the artist for you. Simple as that. Artists all over specialize in so many different styles, so it is important that if you have a specific vision, you go to someone who can pull it off. Otherwise, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. For example, we have a phenomenal artist who specializes in traditional work (bright colors and bold lines-think Sailor Jerry). He is booked out for at least six months at a time. It's ridiculous! People love him, and for good reason. However, sometimes people hear that he is the best, so they'll come in asking him to do some crazy black and gray work, like a portrait. Now, can he do it? Probably. Is it his specialty? No. He almost always recommends them to one of our portrait guys in the shop, because he knows they'll do it better. As far as the actual artwork goes-when you are looking at the work of an artist, make sure that the example work shows clean lines (like the artist made the lines in one single stroke, rather than having to keep picking up the machine to draw a long line) and solid colors or shading, if there is any (no funky spots that look out of place in the tattoo, like it isn't finished). Again...if it looks good, you're probably in the clear. Don't be shy to ask friends what they think of the artwork, too. Just remember that style preferences are different from artistic ability.
So you found your shop and your artist. Time to go into the shop! You'll want to bring in your references for your tattoo (information on how to do that is going to be outlined in a future post) in at this point. When you walk in, how do you feel? What is your first impression? Does it appear clean, like a doctor's office? Do you see cobwebs in the corner of the shop with dust on the windowsills? These things matter. If they don't care enough about the appearance and cleanliness of their shop, then they probably don't care too much about tattoo cleanliness, either (and hence one reason why I am employed-to keep the shop looking it's best). If you can, check out the stations. Are they clean? Do you see someone breaking down stations to get ready for new clients (This is a timing thing, you would have to enter the shop just as someone was done getting tattooed).
Are you greeted by someone, or are you awkwardly standing at the front, waiting for someone to approach you? I really hope you're greeted by someone...I think it is essential to make someone feel comfortable in an environment that can potentially be very intimidating. Ask the person if they use single use needles (they should), if they ID every client (they should), if they use sterile coverings and dressings as required by law on each client's station (they should), and if they sterilize all non-disposable items, such as tattoo tubes, in an autoclave (they should, and on this one, if the answer is yes, ask if you can see their spore test for their autoclave-it should be tested MONTHLY by law). If any of these questions come back as no, then don't walk but RUN out of there. Think about it- would you eat at a restaurant that served you on dirty dishes? I didn't think so. Tattoos are the same idea, but tenfold...you can catch gnarly diseases, and any shop worth it's salt will do everything within their power to follow all body art laws and practices to keep their clients safe.
Perfect, your shop passed all the tests. Go ahead and ask to talk with your artist, or grab a business card and come back with your references for your tattoo, which I will be explaining how to do in a later post. If you talk to your artist at this point, I always tell people that it is super important that you feel comfortable. If your artist gives off any weird vibes, then I don't care how talented he or she is, you should find someone else. Depending on what you're getting, you're going to be sitting with this person for a LONG time. Some people don't talk to their artist much during tattoos, and some do. Both are fine...but still. Do you want to be paying your hard earned cash to someone who you don't feel comfortable with? No. And I don't want you to, either. You deserve the perfect artist, and I'm sure that you'll find him or her if you follow these tips.
In the past, it was really common to just drive down the street and stop wherever you saw a neon "tattoo" sign in the window. Another method is by word of mouth. Although people still do both, many people tend to research the shop they saw or were told about before they even step foot into it. So...that shop you always pass on the way home from work? The place your coworker Erin swears is the best? Go ahead and Google those bad boys. Do they have their own website? Good! I am weary of places that don't (and yes, there are still places that don't). In today's day and age, it is essential to have a website. Not only does it show that the shop is serious about their work, but it allows the customer to do some background research before they even step foot into the shop (which makes life easier for us shop help, let me tell you).
The most common place that people research is Yelp. Haven't heard of it? Google it or go to Yelp.com. It's basically a site where people write reviews of businesses. The app is pretty neat, too...out of town and feel like seafood? Yelp a good seafood spot. Out of gas and need to find the closest station? Yelp. It's amazing. Anyway, with the popularity of Yelp, shops have really been benefiting from this modern-day word of mouth website and app (my own shop, included-we have a perfect 5-star Yelp rating, thank you very much). You can read the direct thoughts of real customers about hundreds and hundreds of businesses. Yelp has increased our sales quite a bit, and I've noticed that over the past few years we've gained a lot of business from further away cities, due to Yelp's ability to rank a certain mile radius search by star ranking. Whenever I ask new clients how they heard of us, the answer is almost always Yelp.
That being said, I've noticed that a funny thing happens when people use Yelp as a recommendation. At my shop, the guys that are usually available for walk ins are almost always the new guys. It makes sense; the guys that have been there for a long time have clients that they can book themselves the whole day, every day, for weeks or even months at a time. The new guys just don't have that popularity yet. Whenever a walk in comes in from Yelp, they usually get "the new guy". Now, my shop is awesome, so of course the tattoo comes out awesome, and the client will almost always Yelp about the artist by name. This leads to more and more people coming in and requesting this particular artist by name...people think they're going to "the best" artist, and trust me, our new guys are good once they get done with their apprenticeships, but they aren't necessarily the "best" because they have the most shoutouts by name...it's just people choosing someone because a bunch of other people happened to call him out by name on Yelp. So basically what I'm getting at is...beware of bandwagoners. At my shop, you'll get some sick work regardless...but I can't guarantee the same thing at other shops.
Therefore, the best thing you can do as a customer is to RESEARCH YOUR ARTIST. This is so important to ensure you know what you're getting. Even if a shop as a whole has a great rating, you never know if they have a "bad seed", so to speak. Start by checking out artist artwork. You've probably already found some shops you want to check out at this point, so go to their websites and see if they have online portfolios (the actual shop will have artist portfolios inside them, of course, but the advantage here is that you can peruse the work without feeling like someone is watching over you, expecting a response. Sometimes people get intimidated and just say "yes", even if they really don't want to get their work done there, just because they feel pressure). Another place that is becoming more popular is Instagram. The guys at my shop all have their own Instagram pages where they post their work daily. Try Googling the artist's name along with the shop name and see what you find. If they have one, it'll probably pop up in the first few listings.
Now, the most important part...is this artist good? For the non-artist, this can be difficult to decide. Your first instinct is usually right...if you like how the work looks, great! If you don't, that's ok, too! They might not even be a bad artist, but if the work isn't how YOU want it, then they aren't the artist for you. Simple as that. Artists all over specialize in so many different styles, so it is important that if you have a specific vision, you go to someone who can pull it off. Otherwise, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. For example, we have a phenomenal artist who specializes in traditional work (bright colors and bold lines-think Sailor Jerry). He is booked out for at least six months at a time. It's ridiculous! People love him, and for good reason. However, sometimes people hear that he is the best, so they'll come in asking him to do some crazy black and gray work, like a portrait. Now, can he do it? Probably. Is it his specialty? No. He almost always recommends them to one of our portrait guys in the shop, because he knows they'll do it better. As far as the actual artwork goes-when you are looking at the work of an artist, make sure that the example work shows clean lines (like the artist made the lines in one single stroke, rather than having to keep picking up the machine to draw a long line) and solid colors or shading, if there is any (no funky spots that look out of place in the tattoo, like it isn't finished). Again...if it looks good, you're probably in the clear. Don't be shy to ask friends what they think of the artwork, too. Just remember that style preferences are different from artistic ability.
So you found your shop and your artist. Time to go into the shop! You'll want to bring in your references for your tattoo (information on how to do that is going to be outlined in a future post) in at this point. When you walk in, how do you feel? What is your first impression? Does it appear clean, like a doctor's office? Do you see cobwebs in the corner of the shop with dust on the windowsills? These things matter. If they don't care enough about the appearance and cleanliness of their shop, then they probably don't care too much about tattoo cleanliness, either (and hence one reason why I am employed-to keep the shop looking it's best). If you can, check out the stations. Are they clean? Do you see someone breaking down stations to get ready for new clients (This is a timing thing, you would have to enter the shop just as someone was done getting tattooed).
Are you greeted by someone, or are you awkwardly standing at the front, waiting for someone to approach you? I really hope you're greeted by someone...I think it is essential to make someone feel comfortable in an environment that can potentially be very intimidating. Ask the person if they use single use needles (they should), if they ID every client (they should), if they use sterile coverings and dressings as required by law on each client's station (they should), and if they sterilize all non-disposable items, such as tattoo tubes, in an autoclave (they should, and on this one, if the answer is yes, ask if you can see their spore test for their autoclave-it should be tested MONTHLY by law). If any of these questions come back as no, then don't walk but RUN out of there. Think about it- would you eat at a restaurant that served you on dirty dishes? I didn't think so. Tattoos are the same idea, but tenfold...you can catch gnarly diseases, and any shop worth it's salt will do everything within their power to follow all body art laws and practices to keep their clients safe.
Perfect, your shop passed all the tests. Go ahead and ask to talk with your artist, or grab a business card and come back with your references for your tattoo, which I will be explaining how to do in a later post. If you talk to your artist at this point, I always tell people that it is super important that you feel comfortable. If your artist gives off any weird vibes, then I don't care how talented he or she is, you should find someone else. Depending on what you're getting, you're going to be sitting with this person for a LONG time. Some people don't talk to their artist much during tattoos, and some do. Both are fine...but still. Do you want to be paying your hard earned cash to someone who you don't feel comfortable with? No. And I don't want you to, either. You deserve the perfect artist, and I'm sure that you'll find him or her if you follow these tips.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Don't walk behind my wall!
Today, friends, I am going to rant about something that doesn't happen often, but when it does...irritates me. In my shop, like many businesses, there is a counter. Well, it's more of a half wall-type thing with a tiny ledge on it for portfolios to sit on, but I digress. That is where you'll find me, ready to greet you into our humble abode (as I described in my previous blog post- I'm always on the ready when it comes to customers walking in).
Now, I have always assumed that people knew what the social customs and appropriate norms of behavior were previous to working at this establishment. For example, boundaries. Now, boundaries can mean many things...conversational boundaries, relationship boundaries...but today, we'll discuss physical boundaries. As in my counter. Blocking your way from your side, as the customer, from my side, as the employee of the business.
Perhaps it is silly of me to think that people should just KNOW that walking behind my wall isn't appropriate. Or should I say, it isn't appropriate unless you are invited. I mean, it is perfectly acceptable for you to come behind the counter upon one of the artists or I requesting you to do so...and we might do this for many reasons. Either you have an appointment and we're ready for you to come back, or we need a tracing of part of your body (so the artists know how big to draw stuff), or maybe I need you to come back to talk to an artist while they are tattooing someone else because they can't take a break at the moment. Any of these are fine reasons to be behind my counter. Or, maybe you need to use the restroom and you ask if you may do just that. Wonderful! I love that you asked! Even if you didn't ask...it's not a huge deal, because you're just going to the restroom, and who am I to stop someone from going to the restroom?
Here's when it ticks me off when you walk behind my wall. When I greet you at the front counter and you seem uninterested or even annoyed that I am greeting you...and then you continue to just WALK BEHIND MY WALL to talk to the artist you want to talk to...no. Just no.
There is a REASON, people, why I am employed as the receptionist at this shop. Besides the obvious stuff (phones, appointments, etc.) and the not so obvious (cleaning, setting up, etc.), I am there to GREET you. To help you out with whatever you may need. And, like it or not, I am also there to facilitate with the discussion of tattoo design ideas and things. I must talk to you first about what you want before you start yapping to an artist. Not only does it help them out (for example, if you tattooed them before and they don't remember it when they talk to you, then they look dumb. Forgive them! They have lots of clients! But if I ask you if they've tattooed you before, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary by me asking, and then I can relay this information to the artist, saving them from looking foolish), but it saves them from talking to someone who really isn't serious about getting tattooed. Read-it saves them from wasting their time.
Now, I understand that anyone who needs to find out more information about how to make their tattoo idea better, pricing, location suggestions, etc. needs to talk to an artist. However, if I can talk to you first and perhaps help you out with the main details, it ultimately is much easier on the artist. I can't tell you how many times people come in and they don't really know what they want, and I end up talking with them about possible ideas for the next thirty minutes. Now, I don't mind this at all...but an artist might, if he has a whole week's worth of tattoos to draw and you're just babbling on about what you MIGHT get. You feel me?
I guess that's another rant that I have...when people don't understand WHY they must talk to me, just to end up talking to an artist about the same exact thing. Well, the reason is simple...and I just explained it above. It can also be because sometimes, people just come in to change an appointment or make an appointment with someone who isn't there that day. Both of those situations involve me and me alone...and discussing the matters with an artist would just result in the artist coming to me to complete the task, anyway.
Either way, I'd appreciate it if customers would at least acknowledge me in a friendly manner, or even just acknowledge me. I'd like to think I'm pretty welcoming, but sometimes I don't even get a response from people when I greet them- they just dart towards an artist and start talking to him. It makes me feel bad. I understand that I'm not an artist, so it may feel like a waste of time to even talk to me, but even so...there is a reason as to why I'm greeting you first. Why else would I be there? If I wasn't needed, my boss wouldn't have me doing that part of the job. Still, I don't understand how people justify walking behind a counter that is very clearly supposed to be a barrier from you to me.
So, the bottom line of today's blog post is to say hi to me, even if you don't want to...and STAY BEHIND the counter, until you are asked to come back :)
Now, I have always assumed that people knew what the social customs and appropriate norms of behavior were previous to working at this establishment. For example, boundaries. Now, boundaries can mean many things...conversational boundaries, relationship boundaries...but today, we'll discuss physical boundaries. As in my counter. Blocking your way from your side, as the customer, from my side, as the employee of the business.
Perhaps it is silly of me to think that people should just KNOW that walking behind my wall isn't appropriate. Or should I say, it isn't appropriate unless you are invited. I mean, it is perfectly acceptable for you to come behind the counter upon one of the artists or I requesting you to do so...and we might do this for many reasons. Either you have an appointment and we're ready for you to come back, or we need a tracing of part of your body (so the artists know how big to draw stuff), or maybe I need you to come back to talk to an artist while they are tattooing someone else because they can't take a break at the moment. Any of these are fine reasons to be behind my counter. Or, maybe you need to use the restroom and you ask if you may do just that. Wonderful! I love that you asked! Even if you didn't ask...it's not a huge deal, because you're just going to the restroom, and who am I to stop someone from going to the restroom?
Here's when it ticks me off when you walk behind my wall. When I greet you at the front counter and you seem uninterested or even annoyed that I am greeting you...and then you continue to just WALK BEHIND MY WALL to talk to the artist you want to talk to...no. Just no.
There is a REASON, people, why I am employed as the receptionist at this shop. Besides the obvious stuff (phones, appointments, etc.) and the not so obvious (cleaning, setting up, etc.), I am there to GREET you. To help you out with whatever you may need. And, like it or not, I am also there to facilitate with the discussion of tattoo design ideas and things. I must talk to you first about what you want before you start yapping to an artist. Not only does it help them out (for example, if you tattooed them before and they don't remember it when they talk to you, then they look dumb. Forgive them! They have lots of clients! But if I ask you if they've tattooed you before, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary by me asking, and then I can relay this information to the artist, saving them from looking foolish), but it saves them from talking to someone who really isn't serious about getting tattooed. Read-it saves them from wasting their time.
Now, I understand that anyone who needs to find out more information about how to make their tattoo idea better, pricing, location suggestions, etc. needs to talk to an artist. However, if I can talk to you first and perhaps help you out with the main details, it ultimately is much easier on the artist. I can't tell you how many times people come in and they don't really know what they want, and I end up talking with them about possible ideas for the next thirty minutes. Now, I don't mind this at all...but an artist might, if he has a whole week's worth of tattoos to draw and you're just babbling on about what you MIGHT get. You feel me?
I guess that's another rant that I have...when people don't understand WHY they must talk to me, just to end up talking to an artist about the same exact thing. Well, the reason is simple...and I just explained it above. It can also be because sometimes, people just come in to change an appointment or make an appointment with someone who isn't there that day. Both of those situations involve me and me alone...and discussing the matters with an artist would just result in the artist coming to me to complete the task, anyway.
Either way, I'd appreciate it if customers would at least acknowledge me in a friendly manner, or even just acknowledge me. I'd like to think I'm pretty welcoming, but sometimes I don't even get a response from people when I greet them- they just dart towards an artist and start talking to him. It makes me feel bad. I understand that I'm not an artist, so it may feel like a waste of time to even talk to me, but even so...there is a reason as to why I'm greeting you first. Why else would I be there? If I wasn't needed, my boss wouldn't have me doing that part of the job. Still, I don't understand how people justify walking behind a counter that is very clearly supposed to be a barrier from you to me.
So, the bottom line of today's blog post is to say hi to me, even if you don't want to...and STAY BEHIND the counter, until you are asked to come back :)
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