Once Can Be One Too Many
For several months I got manicures and pedicures at the same place. I was content with the service. It was close by, and inexpensive. The last time I called for an appointment, I should have taken a clue from the owner’s hesitant reply, “Uh, oh well, I guess we can handle it, come on down”.
What I wound up with was an apparent inexperienced person that kept asking the technician next to her (in a foreign language) for advice as to what to do next.
I tolerated this incompetence until she drew blood on my toe. The owner of the salon, who assigned this person to me, may never know why I will never be back.
Customers can be very unforgiving for any sort of poor service or inconsiderate treatment.
Is my decision to go elsewhere too harsh? Should I give them another chance?
May 20th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
The saga continues. Needing a manicure I called an exclusive salon to book an appointment. “The only opening we have is on Sunday” I was told.
I took the Sunday appointment (today) and went there expecting to pay more than I had been at the old place, but also to delight in the experience.
As the manicurist was finishing up I said, “I wanted my nails buffed”. She said, “That’s what I am doing”. I said, “Everywhere else I have had my nails buffed they used a polish and a special buffing file.”
This nice “manicurist” began searching the salon, looking for some polish and a special buffing file. She returned to me saying, “I’m sorry, I guess that this shows you how few men come in here.”
I asked her how often that she works, and she explained, “My full time job is the office manager for an eye doctor, this is just my hobby.”
As I paid for my insufficiently buffed nails I noticed that the price was twice what I was paying at the old place.
Now what should I do?
I have a haircut appointment at that exclusive salon tomorrow afternoon. I know I will be satisfied with the haircut since it will be done by the owner whom I have done business with for years. If I were to cancel that appointment and never return, would she know why? No! That is not my intention, but I am debating whether I should tell her about my treatment today or not. I hate to get the “hobbyist” in trouble, but I also hate the way my nails look. Maybe I will ask her how much to get them buffed. Maybe she will read this blog.
May 20th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Ron,
I think it is ungenerous and even cowardly to not tell people (especially owners) about dissatisfaction with their services. Don’t they deserve to know what they are doing wrong? Wouldn’t all of us want to know why people are doing a disappearing act? There is always a polite and supportive way to give feedback.
Pam
May 21st, 2007 at 7:31 pm
In case you are following this little saga… I surely don’t like to think of myself as a “coward”, so while getting my $200 haircut today (that no one will notice); I told the salon owner about my manicure experience and asked if I could get my nails buffed.
She was a bit horrified by the “hobby comment”, got me a great buff job, gave me a free mini-facial, and booked me for a free pedicure with her best nail person.
As for the original toenail butchering, I feel confident that she will figure out in time why I am not coming back and give it a lot more thought than she would had I had the “courage” to tell her, and let her make excuses or attempt to make amends that I don’t want.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:36 am
“I think it is ungenerous and even cowardly to not tell people (especially owners) about dissatisfaction with their services.”
Whoever said this surely doesn’t know Ron like I do. “COWARDLY”? NO WAY! I’m surprised that he even let this comment come through.