Balayage Salon - SE22 - horrible customer service - is this normal?

[lauracg]

Hi

I normally do not leave negative reviews but this salon really topped the records for worse possible customer service ever!

I had booked a treatment with Treatwell for a 30mins massage at 11.25am this morning.

I arrived at 11.15am, 10mins earlier, I was told to sit and wait, they promptly offered me a cup of tea but they did not wait for my reply - so no tea. Meanwhile I overheard that a therapist had not arrived (most likely mine!) After 15 mins of waiting (at 11.30) I asked whether there was a problem. The receptionist disappeared in the back to check, came back at 11.40am apologizing that the therapist was running late and offered me to either wait another 20-25 mins or reschedule to the next day with a 50% discount. When I explained that I could not reschedule nor wait any longer and expressed my disappointment for not having being told immediately (upon my arrival at 11.15am) that there was an issue, the receptionist became very defensive and aggressive, telling me that I arrived early (so it was my fault -??-) and that she was not originally aware of the problem. I pointed out that Normally for a massage there is a 10mins change over for cleaning the room so by the time I arrived they should have seen that the room was not being sanitized. I had to make it clear that I wanted a full refund and that I will leave a negative feedback as they wasted my time unnecessarily. At this stage The reception addressed me ?my love? with contempt, when I asked not to address me ?my love? and re-iterated that I expected a full refund and that I will leave a negative review, the receptionist raised her voice, stood up from her sit and ushered me out telling me that my custom was not welcome! I was shocked! This is the worse customer service I have ever witnessed. I wish to report this and to leave a negative review but the Treatwel system won?t let me as the salon cancelled the treatment. I bet the salon knew that once they cancelled the appointment I would have not been able to leave a review.

So here I am venting my disappointment and letting our local community know about the negative experience I had so that others will be warned. I wasted 30 minutes of my time and was treated worse than a criminal in front of all the other customers. The saloon might have the habit of cancelling and rescheduling but treating with contempt a customer that does not want to reschedule and offering a refund only after it is requested is not acceptable.

I wish I had read the negative reviews before booking, but they have so many reviews that obliterate the negative ones, all pointing out the fact that they do not use masks (the space is very crammed) and that whenever there is a problem the customer is treated with contempt at best.

I hope this review will help others.

[KidKruger]

Pissed-off customer in beauty salon mess-up shocker.

This threat of negative reviews as a knee jerk reaction to real-world mistakes is interesting.

[jazzer]

From what you've described you ended up leaving (being ushered out) without a refund or the massage, probably telling them you'd leave a negative review before you got a refund wasn't the best way to respond to the situation. Clearly you are annoyed (and from what you describe) rightfully so, but not sure how you you can proceed to get a refund or satisfaction, apart from what you have posted here.

[lauracg]

No threat at all. The right to post an honest review and the expectation to be treated with basic respect and courtesy are legitimate. Zero Customer care and zero customer service should be reported - I do have a busy agenda and wasted over an hour of my time to arrive on time and wait for my treatment which never materialised, to top it all I was humiliated by being ushered out.

Dear KidKruger I guess you are a much more understanding person and you never complaint when people make you wait without explanation and kick you out badly if you ask for a fair no quibble refund. Somehow I think you would be very pissed off had you been in my place. However, rather than pissed off I was truly shocked and wanted to let other people in our community know what could happen to them too. The shopkeeper attitude was clearly one of habit, my review won?t harm their business, as they are fully booked all the time, that?s what allows them to be so rude. Yet shut up and put up with substandard service is not my way of life.

[lauracg]

@jazzer in the end I did get a refund but only because by refunding me they blocked the possibility of letting me leave a negative review on Treatwell. They get lots of business through the Treatwell portal. The point of my review on east dulwich forum is to alert our local community (as explained to Kidkuger above).

[theron]

Hi Laura, I have also had a bad experience of the customer service at Balayage. They cancelled my appointment without telling me, and instead I found out once I had arrived having taken the day off work. They were rude and dismissive when I let them know how frustrated I was and that I would have much preferred some notice - not a lot to ask in my opinion!

Avoid!

[theron]

Can however, thoroughly recommend the lovely Crab Salad in Peckham - lovely and chilled, no job too big or too small and fab customer service!

[NewWave]

theron Wrote:

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> Can however, thoroughly recommend the lovely Crab

> Salad in Peckham - lovely and chilled, no job too

> big or too small and fab customer service!

I LOVE Crab salad! They really are the best!

Loveliest team fantastic hairdressers (I highly Recommend Jackson-Best hairdresser I've found in 10years!) and they always make me smile with their lovely relaxed vibe