I don’t know what it is with me and spa treatments but whilst some are bliss, the others are just disasterous. Some you don’t even get through the door…
Take Skingenesis, a seemingly professional chain of salons with one in Manchester. I bought the Wahanda offer a Microdermabrasion treatment (I still have that spot scar on my cheek!) and prompty emailed to make an appointment, because it says on the instructions, email to book…
I made is very clear that I have one requirement – I can go any day, take your pick, but it has to be at or after 5pm. Seeing has they have 3 days where they open til 7.30pm and I work literally round the corner from the salon, I figured this would be do-able.
First email reply, I was offered appointments before 5pm. No I said, it has to be after 5pm. I was told politely, that they don’t have anything later than 5pm (so why do you open til 7.30pm then?) but they could fit me in at 5pm exactly, on a Wednesday. Good.
Not so good – the booking system. They will only confirm with you if you give them your full card details, including the 3 digit code on the back in case you don’t turn up or cancel on them within 24 hours. If you do this you get charged £25.
Excuse me if I don’t like telling a stranger over the phone my full card information for no good reason. I know some salons do this, but many don’t and it makes me uncomfortable. It’s not that I have a problem with them charging me IF I were to do a no-show, but the fact that the voucher itself is only £15 anyway – why should it cost me more to miss the appointment than to attend? The treatment itself is only 1/2 an hour.
The logical thing to do would be to strike off the voucher (since they take the security code when you book) if you are a no-show. That would be fair.
Anyway roll on to 2 days before the appointment and I get a voice message telling me the appointment has been cancelled! Quelle surprise! No doubt they are rearranging their schedules so they can pack in as many of us Wahanda-ers as possible. They did offer me 2 earlier appointments…
For the love of GOD. How many times can I emphasize the fact that I can’t – I won’t – make it before 5pm? People work. People have jobs. People do not take a day off work or nip out during lunch to have microdermbrasion done. Well, maybe some people do. I don’t.
Would Skingenesis really, truly, screw around customers paying full price like this? I’m doubtful. I don’t know why companies open themselves up to these kinds of offers then are as awkward and as rigid as hell about offering the treatment/food/service. They’ve left an extremely poor impression of themselves quite frankly, and god help them if they charge my card for the appointment they cancelled.
Whilst I’m here, Destination Skin, another offer I got from Groupon – sucked!
I went for the treatment in March 2011. It was supposed to be a facial and it wasn’t – I basically had my face washed, then 2 masks applied. The girl who did it was lovely enough, but there’s no way on earth that worth £60 (as advertised!). Shortly after I squeezed (quite gently) a blackhead and I scarred (quite scary!) on my cheek. You could see purple marks where my nails had been but I promise I was gentle! Either their treatment was too harsh or it was fine but they should’ve told me to be careful not to touch my skin for a while after.
Anyway that’s not why I’m complaining.
It’s because I have had endless spam from them since. In July alone I had 5 text messages with offers. I’m pretty sure I NEVER allow marketing to be sent to me, and certainly not on my phone because there’s nothing more annoying then thinking you got a text from your hot lover from Aruba and it turns out to be Destination Skin with yet another offer.
Is there ‘unsubscribe’ or ‘opt out’ option….NO! Is there somewhere I can contact to opt out? If there is I haven’t found it yet. YOU SUCK DESTINATION SKIN!
That’s all really. Thanks for listening.
Had any dodgy service lately?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the illustrative cats!
Reply
Oh deeeeeear…I’ve got the Destination Skin voucher still to use :s Luckily I didn’t get the Skingenesis one. That said, a KGB offer I got for a 75min full body massage for £29 in the Marriott Liverpool was brilliant and well worth the money!
Reply
i love how you always do totally honest reviews. So many reviews on blogs only say good things and I know it can´t always be true!
Reply
WOW! That’s so sucky it’s almost unbelieveable. I am sorry for you to experience that kind of terrible customer service from a salon, or any store for that matter. I would be very annoyed too with their unfair rules.
And they are totally wrong about sending marketing via phone and not having an unsubscribe option…
Reply