My unpleasant experience in new salon

paudgenator

Went to <SNIP> for the first time today, using a deal voucher, as I often pass by it.

I had looked it up to see if there were any reviews - it's only open a few months - so there aren't any yet.

This is the letter I've sent them this evening, which outlines what happened:

I am really upset by what happened today. I am a first time customer, whose business I assume you hoped to have again in the future - hence the purpose of the voucher. Without it - I would not have tried your salon. Yet I feel I was not treated well... because I had a voucher

I believe I was very pleasant throughout - I wouldn't have complained about the 20 minute delay in been seen, then been asked to fill in a long form, then been taken downstairs to the smallest treatment room I have ever experienced.

I would have overlooked the confusion over the booking, getting a " file and polish", rather than a pedicure, and the lack of choice in nail colour.

I wouldn't have mentioned being left mid-treatment so another client could be seen, sitting in a tiny area.

All this would have been fine, because we had a lovely chat and I was relaxed. Up until the time of payment - when it went all downhill.

I had looked forward to this pampering experience - I have children, a husband constantly travelling, and I cannot remember the last time I had a facial, or pedicure.

I did nothing wrong, yet due to a misunderstanding between you, I left feeling humiliated and embarrassed. Neither of you dealt with it calmly or professionally.

I don't want anything from you. I will not be returning for another visit. I just wanted to let you know how I feel this evening.


There was E37 in credit as the therapist didn't have time to do a full pedicure, just a file & polish. She said she wouldn't allow me to use it against another treatment because 6 others, with vouchers, had already cancelled today.

I don't understand why places use vouchers if not to encourage new customers?

abrr1000

That is mental - whose fault was it that she didn't have time?
And why should you care and who has and hasn't cancelled.

I hope you get treated better elsewhere in future.

Percyxoxo

Such bad service...how much was the voucher and what was it for?
You should maybe email the deal company too and see if they can refund some

paudgenator

Percyxoxo wrote: »

Such bad service...how much was the voucher and what was it for?
You should maybe email the deal company too and see if they can refund some

Thank you..it cost e49 and I was entitled to spend e100. I didn't mind that there was a misunderstanding between the therapist and the lady who took the booking (hairdresser) - mistakes happen.

I just thought I would get to use the difference of e37 towards another service. But I feel that because the therapist had some previous bad experience with cancelled voucher users, I took the brunt of it

Yes, I will contact the deal company, but they will get their cut anyway so probably not much they can do at this stage - I wouldn't even want to return as I was left feeling so horrible at the end of it all.

cee_jay

I used another voucher here recently. At the time, the deals site was running two offers - one for a mini 30 minute facial, another for a full one hour facial (which I bought).
I had the first appointment of the morning, and like you, I had to fill out the longest form - that I don't think the therapist even read. Then brought downstairs to the smallest room ever, which was in darkness.
Only after I left did I realise, despite telling the therapist twice I had the voucher for the hour long facial, that I was in and out in half an hour.
Would never go back there.

Aced_Up

The staff need training in customer service.

I hope you are sending the letter to the owner of the company.

Tiddlypeeps

I would contact the company that you got the voucher from and ask for a refund. You didn't get what you paid for and the company refused to deal with it in a courteous manner. Those sites rely heavily on their reputation so I would hope they take cases where the vouchers are not upheld correctly very seriously.

I would still send the letter to the salon, but in all probability it will just get thrown in the bin and ignored.

miamee

paudgenator wrote: »

There was E37 in credit as the therapist didn't have time to do a full pedicure, just a file & polish. She said she wouldn't allow me to use it against another treatment because 6 others, with vouchers, had already cancelled today.

I don't understand why places use vouchers if not to encourage new customers?

Other customers are not your problem and should not affect how they treat you, they have an obligation to provide the service that you paid for. You should contact the deal site and explain what happened to them, you should get a refund for the voucher.

If they are worried about people not showing up for appointments then they possibly don't get paid until after the appointment when they've taken the voucher - this means that the deal company possibly still haven't paid them for your voucher so should be happy to give a refund. Good luck!

Milly33

Sounds nasty I hope they get their com-up-ings

If by any chance it was living social, I know my mum got a deal with some makeup brushes there and the crowd made it so difficult to actually purchase the brushes kept changing the price so I got in contact on twitter and they refunded the money back to her

athtrasna

If you do an internet search for experiences of people who have bought these deal vouchers for hair/beauty treatments, you will find many similar stories.

Salons use these to get money in, but many don't seem to be in a rush to fulfil the services advertised. My friend got a shellac manicure one, phoned the salon, couldn't get an appointment for two months with the voucher, I phoned as a paying client and could get an appointment straight away. A girl in work had a similar facial experience to the one described above, in and out as fast as they could get her out the door.

My advice is to check out reviews for the salon before you buy, or ideally just buy the deals for a place you've used before.

paudgenator

Thanks for the replies. The deal company have already come back to me asking for further details so will update when I know more. No response from the salon yet, but I am not expecting one. As mentioned, their manner of dealing with the issue does not indicate that they are interested in repeat business, or customer service.

Which again makes me wonder why they bother with vouchers. Fair enough, vouchers attract new clients, but surely then the aim should be to impress with good old fashioned provision of a quality service at a good price..which will bring in business through word of mouth!

paudgenator

Milly33 wrote: »

Sounds nasty I hope they get their com-up-ings

If by any chance it was living social, I know my mum got a deal with some makeup brushes there and the crowd made it so difficult to actually purchase the brushes kept changing the price so I got in contact on twitter and they refunded the money back to her

Glad to hear that It wasn't them..another big one. Good idea, but I'm not on twitter, they have emailed me back though.

Milly33

Ah to be honest I was so annoyed at them because they did not answer I created the twitter account to get a response hehe slightly batty I know but it was very frustrating. I hope they give you some kinda money back or something for it..

Pythia

I avoid buying deal vouchers for beauty salons. Seems like no one ever gets treated well...

Tiddlypeeps

Pythia wrote: »

I avoid buying deal vouchers for beauty salons. Seems like no one ever gets treated well...

I had a voucher for an hour long facial and an eyebrow threading recently in a place on south williams st (can't remember the name off hand). It was great, the premises was a bit cramped (but then all the places I've been on that street seem to be the same). I got treated very well and the facial was great, it was my first time getting my eyebrows done and I was very happy with the results. The staff were really friendly.

Just letting you know that not all the vouchers end in a bad experience, you just need to make sure to look up reviews of the places beforehand.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Used to work in a salon where most of their clients were from vouchers, and our job was then to upsell. If they didn't upsell their treatment time was cut down, the therapists wouldn't be that bothered with you because you didn't earn them commission and why should they be doing your treatment cause as far as they were concerned you're taking up valuable time that could be spent on another client willing to spend money.

paudgenator

The deal company have emailed me back to say they will credit my account with the balance of E37, with 2 months to use it. I am happy with that. I definitely would not return to the salon again.