In my two decades of work to date, I have come across thousands of clients in my family salon and skin clinic. While I have always been a people person, there have been a few clients whose experience has become a life experience.
One such episode is what I would like to share.

One day, I was in my cabin in the salon, and suddenly, I heard a loud conversation between my client and my receptionist. I immediately reached out at the reception and asked the client, “How May I Help You?”
He said with full authority that he should be given a 50% discount on products as he is a childhood friend of Dr. Bharti Taneja (my mom), the owner of the clinic. Before I could introduce myself, he claimed that he visits our house often, and indeed, last night he was with Dr. Taneja, her husband, and her daughter for dinner. They only told him that he would get a major discount at the store on each visit. With each sentence, he became louder and more authoritative, and my smile grew wider.

Seeing me smile, he obviously got irritated, and the suggestion that he made was, “Madam, stop smiling; give me a 50% discount. Don’t force me to call her and complain about you.”

I simply said, “Sir, it will be convenient if you call her and then convey the discount to us.”

Now, it became a question of ego, and there came a mobile phone out of his pocket, and he started dialling some random number. While doing so, he asked me, “Madam, aapka naam kya hai? Apki complaint toh aaj hogi hi.”

I just smiled. My favourite thing to do, I folded my hands and said,
“Good morning, sir. I am Gunjan, Dr. Bharti Taneja’s daughter. You may not get her number if you are dialling the right one, as my parents have been on a Europe trip for a week. I am sure you were not home yesterday for dinner too, because I was eating home alone, watching a movie.”
And suddenly, there was an awkward silence.
Then both of us laughed, and the voice got modulated: “Arree beta, I love your products, but they are too expensive; all I meant was that you should give me a discount, na.”
“We are your regular clients. I have met your mother once, a long time ago; maybe she or you don’t remember.”
And I saw what I had heard from my elders: how face colours change.
Keeping respect for his age, I signed on his bill, gave him a 50% discount, and said, “You are the only person in my life to whom I am giving a 50% discount, but just for today, not because you know my mom, but because I will remember you for a lifetime, and I am sure you would never forget this episode either.”
He hugged me, blessed me, simply paid, and left with a bag of products and mixed feelings.

I am sure he would have never forgotten this episode, and now none of you will.
This is what our experiences are.
This is what our lives are made up of…
This is what we’ve all earned…
So, if you have any memories, simply join this group and type them, and share in any language direct dil se!

Till next time, enjoy shopping and earning discounts!

Gunjan Salon Guru
(Gunjan Taneja)