I've been a loyal client of Robertson Cosmetic Center for several years, but unfortunately, I will…read moreno longer be returning.
As a mother of two young children, finding time or justification to spend money on myself is rare. To ease the financial guilt, I usually wait for special promotions or discounted gift card offers. That's exactly what I did for Mother's Day--I purchased a $150 gift card for $100 as a small treat to myself.
Yesterday, I received a message from Robertson staff reminding me of available gift cards, which prompted me to schedule an appointment. Since I was at work, I didn't want to make a call, so I used their online booking system. The first available appointment was with the provider I normally see, and I thought, "Perfect! Next Wednesday." I booked it and moved on with my day.
A few hours later, I received a voicemail saying I had missed an appointment 20 minutes ago and that I had been charged $100 for a no-show. My stomach dropped. I immediately called to explain the situation--that I mistakenly thought I was booking for next week, not today. I was even willing to leave work early (I'm only 9 minutes away) and come in right then.
I explained how I truly cannot afford to just lose $100, and I was hoping for a little understanding or flexibility. Unfortunately, none was offered. The receptionist said she'd check with the practice manager and placed me on hold for one minute before returning to say, "Sorry, it's our policy."
I asked to speak with the manager directly, and after several hours with no call back, I called again--this time the manager answered. She seemed prepared to shut me down before even hearing me out. I explained that I completely understand why cancellation policies exist--to prevent missed opportunities for other clients and protect the business from late cancellations--but this was clearly a genuine mistake, not an abuse of the system.
I asked if anyone had even tried to get in during that same window, which would have indicated a lost opportunity--but she refused to answer directly. Her only response was, "It's our policy."
I then asked to speak to someone above her, and the next day Dr. Robertson called me. Unfortunately, his response was just as dismissive. No empathy, no flexibility--just, again, "It's our policy."
It's really disappointing, especially considering how much I've spent over the years and how many people I've referred to them. I know most of my referrals probably didn't even use my name, but they were all based on the trust I had in this practice. That trust is now gone.
All this over $100.
What makes this even more frustrating is that I didn't receive the usual confirmation or reminder text for the appointment. When I asked why, I was told those only go out at 7:00 a.m., and I had made the appointment after that time. If that's the case, patients should not be able to book same-day appointments online without some kind of confirmation system in place. A simple text might have helped me catch the mistake.
I understand policies exist for a reason. But good businesses know when to make exceptions--especially for long-standing clients with genuine intentions. Life happens, and there are plenty of other providers who balance professionalism with empathy. I'll be taking my business to one of them.
