I have been a customer of this salon for over six years, and I am honestly shocked by how little that loyalty meant when I made a scheduling mistake.
I accidentally booked an appointment for the same day, just 10 minutes before the appointment time, when I had intended to schedule it for another day. About an hour later, I received an email informing me that I had been charged a $57 no-show fee.
The most frustrating part is that it was clearly an honest mistake. Who intentionally books an appointment 10 minutes before it starts and then doesn't show up? The timing alone should have made it obvious that this was an accidental booking error.
As soon as I realized what happened, I called and explained the situation. I wasn't demanding a refund. I simply asked if the $57 could be applied toward another appointment that I was willing to book immediately. Considering I had been a loyal customer for more than six years and spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars there over that time, I thought this was a reasonable request.
Instead, the answer was no.
I was told they had called and texted me, at the start of the appointment, but I never received any calls or text messages. I followed up by emailing both the salon manager and corporate office, hoping someone would take a second look at the situation and use a little common sense. I have not heard back and at this point decided to just put this behind me.
What disappointed me most wasn't the $57 itself. It was the complete lack of understanding, flexibility, and appreciation for a long-time customer. Businesses make exceptions for loyal customers all the time, especially when a mistake is clearly unintentional. This salon chose not to. To add, I have never not showed for an appointment on all the years I have gone to them.
And unfortunately, this isn't an isolated concern. I later learned that the company has also faced public complaints and legal action regarding failure to properly pay employees for sick time and other labor-related issues. That, to me, only reinforces the same pattern: a business that appears to prioritize strict policies and profit over both customers and employees.
This experience confirmed what I've felt for a while: customer service is not a priority here. Policies seem to matter more than people, and there is little interest in building long-term relationships or treating either clients or staff with fairness and flexibility.
After more than six years, I will be taking my business elsewhere. There are plenty of salons that value their customers enough to show a little grace when an honest mistake happens--and also treat their employees with basic respect. Unfortunately, this is not one of them. I want to emphasize I have never not shown up for an appointment all the years I have been a customer.
In my conversations with local friends, I think many seaport residents fall into the same pattern of going back to this location due to proximity and convenience. However, they have all had the same experience of inconsistent quality and customer service. read more