How do you say goodbye to a salon (nail/hair) you have been going to for years and developed a relationship with the operators? When you get a message from them asking if you are okay because they haven't seen you for awhile, do you respond?

Beth says:  Remember that these are not your friends--they are a business and you are their customer.  Again, I always go with the most passive of responses.   If they happen to catch you by phone again, assure them that all is well and brush them off with a "I've been really busy" type of excuse.  Otherwise, I wouldn't respond at all.  If it is absolutely killing you, return their call after hours and leave a message on the machine with the all is well/I'm so busy message.  

Kevin says:  The relationship you have with the salon is a professional one --- no matter how intimate. If you find that you need to leave a salon, you should never feel guilty. That said, what those calls are really saying is, "We have noticed that you haven't been in in a while. Is there something we've done or didn't do that could have made a difference?" You should decide how you'd answer that question before you decide to respond. As a small business owner myself, I internalize every unreturned voice mail: "Have I done something to push my client away?" A few things to consider in deciding how or if to respond to such queries: The length and quality of your relationship (the longer the relationship, the greater the argument for responding --- so is the quality of the relationship, even if it has cooled over time); the actual reason for your leaving the salon (Did one of the employees treat you badly? Have you simply found a salon closer to home? Are your family's finances tighter now?); or the likelihood that you may decide to return in the future. Being a small business owner is a tough proposition, especially in this economy. If you've had a positive relationship with the salon AND if you think the answer to these questions would put the salon owner's mind at rest, or help him or her improve their business, I'd encourage you to consider responding. If not, feel free not to respond at all.