Would give zero stars if I could. What a shame that I have to share my experience through this channel because the girl at the front desk had no empathy whatsoever to listen to my feedback in person.
I had a 10:00 AM appointment for my fifth laser hair removal session on my chin area. I arrived at 10:08 AM. From the moment I walked in, I apologized for being late. I was immediately informed of their 5-minute late policy, which I was unaware of because I had never arrived late to any of my previous appointments. On the contrary, I had consistently waited between 5 and 15 minutes for a procedure that takes no more than 2 minutes to perform.
I explained that I had driven 30 minutes to get there and asked whether they could make an exception. I was told no because they are very strict about their policy. While I understood that policies exist, that statement did not seem entirely accurate given the number of times I had personally been kept waiting. She then said she would ask the provider. She returned almost immediately to tell me it was not possible. Feeling disappointed and discouraged by her inflexible attitude, I decided not to continue discussing rescheduling options. I simply said "Okay" and left.
After noticing a farmers market across the street, I decided to walk over to feel as though my hour commute had not been completely wasted. I began connecting my thoughts and processing the event, and I came to the conclusion that I was not going to return for the two remaining sessions. The period between sessions is supposed to be approximately 8 weeks, and due to this rescheduling issue I was already approaching ten weeks between sessions. Additionally, my hair has proven to be quite resistant and continues to grow significantly, making it likely that I would need even more sessions.
I ultimately decided to return to the spa because I had to pass by it on my way back to my car, and I wanted to provide my feedback in person. For someone with a naturally reserved personality, this was a challenge in itself. However, I felt it was necessary to properly close out my experience. Having spent years working directly with customers, I have come to understand that empathy is the foundation of good customer service. I strive to balance the interests of both parties, be fair, and remain human in every interaction.
My goal was simply to feel heard in real time. I had absolutely no intention of asking to be treated that day because I had already decided not to continue the remaining treatments. Unfortunately, I was unable to accomplish that goal.
I began by clearly stating that my only purpose was to provide feedback because I had decided not to continue my treatment. I explained how my experience had unfolded and how the 5-minute late policy made me feel, particularly after previous appointments where I had been the one waiting and considering that this appointment itself had been rescheduled at the last minute by the spa.
She immediately responded that she could not address my waiting times from previous appointments (as if I expected her to solve that, or as if they had a time machine), and that she could only refer to today, when I arrived 3 minutes beyond their 5-minute late policy. However, something as simple as "I'm sorry you had that experience" would have made a tremendous difference. It would have shown empathy toward a customer who was clearly upset.
As the conversation continued, which I maintained respectfully from beginning to end, although my voice was trembling because I cannot deny that I was upset. Meanwhile, she kept trying to reinforce her policy over and over again without acknowledging my words--another opportunity she had to simply pretend to listen and make me feel appreciated, or even, if it wasn't genuine, to say she would take my feedback into account. But apparently her sense of superiority made it difficult for her to recognize that every business always has room for improvement. She became defensive and asked whether I was going to let her speak. She then told me that if I interrupted her again, she would have to ask me to leave. The tone felt less like a professional conversation and more like an attempt to demonstrate power and authority. It was demeaning and dismissive, as though my role as a customer did not entitle me to respectfully express my concerns.
I told her there was no need for that and that she was being very rude. Her response was to ask why I had even decided to come back, implying that my purpose was simply to create conflict. She suggested that if I had feedback, I should leave it on their online platforms instead.
And of course, I understand why. Why would she care about one more bad review when their reviews are already so low? It seemed easier to dismiss me than to face a customer who was clearly disappointed and who simply wanted to feel heard. In that moment, it became apparent that my concerns--and perhaps I myself--held little value in the eyes of the business read more