I wish I can give them zero stars.
This place is the typical run of the mill neighborhood nail shop where you come for your no frills in and out mani pedi. Nothing spectacular about the place, but its not bad either.
I've been to Touche a few times before while running errands in this neck of the woods. They are on a face recognition basis with me. I went one evening after work to get a mani/pedi.
It came time to pay. I handed them my debit card. Unfortunately for me Bank of America Fraud Detection services froze my card due to suspicious activity, and it was the only card I had with me. I walked over to the BoA ATM in the same plaza, but I couldn't even use the ATM because of the freeze on the account. And it was after work, so all branches were closed. It was an FML kind of moment. I understand that for the nail shop, they don't care about my situation, and just want their payment. But what could I do when my only card on hand was frozen?
I thought of two things,
1 - I can come back tomorrow and pay you (my word is good - although I understand for a business, they run the high risk of not getting paid)
OR
2 - Luckily I had my checkbook on hand, and offered to write them a check for the full amount, plus tax, tip and inconvenience, whatever. They put their foot down and reiterated their no check policy.
Well then, what do you want me to do?!
This was their recommendation - come back and pay tomorrow BUT as a guarantee leave my Movado watch. WTF?!?! My jaw dropped. You really think I am going to hand over my Movado watch for a routine $30 mani/pedi?! Its a sorta pricey watch, but for me it has extremely high sentimental value, a very special birthday present. It offends me and disgusts me they would even make the request.
Funny thing, I felt them scanning me up and down and all of my belongings. They didn't ask for my Longchamp purse as hostage, they didn't as for the Ferragamo wallet, no...they spotted the Movado, and of course asked for the most expensive thing as a guarantee. The acetone fumes must be making you f****king crazy. They kept giving me a really hard time and impudently demanded they wouldn't accept anything else but my Movado. They weren't open to any other solution, and no way in hell I am leaving my watch. I did not care anymore, so I wrote them a check anyway and told them if they don't cash it, I'll be back tomorrow to pay up the $30. They knew how shameful they were being, they knew they were being shady fks, because they just let me walk out without saying a word.
I returned the next day with cash, got my check back and left still very disturbed.
I understand as a business, the worst is when the customer does not pay. I was completely apologetic, and it was a difficult situation to be in. I offered the best remedial solution that I could, offer to write a check plus extra for the inconvenience. I was shocked at how impudently they kept pressing for the Movado and closed-minded to other solutions. I am extremely offended and will no longer be returning.
As for BoA fraud detection service.. as annoying as it is, they freeze my account on every suspicious activity, but sometimes it actually does serve a good - someone tried to buy baby formula online. I don't have kids and prolly never want to...mani and pedi before baby formula for me. read more