Tirade against the loss of manners and polite service:…read more
I don't know why, maybe it's expecting too much, but when I pay for a manicure I expect my nail technician to be fluent in the language of customer service.
When I pay for a service, I want fast, courteous and proper service.
Being as I don't usually pamper myself, I can count the number of manicures I've received in my lifetime on one hand. (okay, two.) And it's hard for me to sit still for that long anyway so it had better be good.
However, for those instances when I do get any type of treatment, be it a wax, manicure, pedicure, or cut and color, I expect my technician to be present with me and polite during our interaction. She should not be slapping my hand to swap them out so she could work on the other one. Nor should she be answering the telephone and making appointments as she files my nails. The hole in our mouths is for more than chewing gum and yammering on our phones- I know your name, do you know mine?
A couple of my colleagues had mentioned today that some of their technicians have full blown conversations while working on a patron. I'm sorry but your job function does not require that you receive emergency phone calls. Hire a receptionist to answer your phone and take messages. Or hold onto your cuticle clippers here, this may shock you - turn off your cell phone and LET IT GO TO VOICEMAIL. No one will die if they can't reach you. Unless you're Edward and you just can't reach Bella on her cell phone to tell her Jacob's got a baby mama so forget him.... Just kidding....
And just so you know - a phone call from an 18 year old son who doesn't know how to defrost chicken for you to make dinner when you get home is NOT considered an emergency. Neither is locating a mysterious article of clothing that you washed for him. You ask how I know these things? Remember- if the person sitting across from you looks remotely Asian, they MAY be able to understand you. (I guess being dragged by my mother on Saturday mornings to Korean language school served some purpose.)
Lastly - as far as full service salons go - please don't make my waxing or any other grooming element be situated in a public area for passersby to see. Trust me -any woman who is worth her salt will not want some snot nosed kid staring at her half mustache while the technician runs to get more gauze strips. I'll pay double for a private room in the back with a candle and some hooky Enya on shuffle.
These are private bodily functions I would like to relax, if possible, and enjoy someone taking care of my needs for once. I do not want to feel like I am prodded and poked around for the best angle to work on, but rather, gently coaxed into the right position for them to work on me. This is not my job, this is YOURS.
I am not asking for out of this world service, this is basic manners and the minimum when it comes to customer service.
Either way, back to this particular salon - today I got a shellac manicure and so far it looks pretty good. The sides and the tips weren't completely covered as well as I found a bubble - and that of course drove me nuts as soon as I walked out into the sunlight (breath sasha, breathe!) but it was okay. This is the first time I'd gotten this type of manicure done so I don't really know what to expect. (Please be forewarned, this rant is NOT for Elite nails. This is a general rant aimed at insensitive aestheticians who complain about their business slowing down.)
Happy to say that the nail technician did NOT answer the phone or engage in any otherwise unseemly behavior but the whole experience did seem a bit rushed, which is not what I'm looking for. I'd like to find a salon or a technician that will pamper me, and I in kind, promise to treat them with loyalty and better gratuities in appreciation for their service. In this economy it is amazing that the women in my office are griping that they would pay double for a salon that actually gave them a relaxing experience!
I'll report back in two weeks to let you know how well the shellac manicure weathers an Easter egg hunt, spring planting, and dog groomings.