My husband took me to Opal Foot Spa for my birthday, and what started as a beautiful, peaceful experience ended on an extremely disappointing note.
First, I want to be clear: **the massage itself was absolutely amazing.** The male masseuse did an excellent job. I was relaxed, comfortable, and genuinely enjoying what was supposed to be a quiet, stress-free birthday gift from my husband. I was so pleased with the service that I was already considering purchasing a membership and becoming a biweekly or monthly customer.
Unfortunately, the interaction at checkout completely changed that.
When we checked out, the woman behind the counter handed my husband the receipt. He signed it and clearly wrote **$0 in the tip section**. She looked at it and asked, "No tip?" My husband politely responded, "No, no tip. I put a zero there."
She asked him **again** about a tip. He again told her no.
Then, for a **third time**, she pointed to the receipt and questioned him about not leaving a tip. At that point, I responded, "No tip."
She then **snatched the pen and receipt out of my husband's hand and made a visibly disgusted face.**
That behavior was completely unnecessary, disrespectful, and unprofessional.
A gratuity is exactly that--a **gratuity**. It is not an entitlement, and a customer should never be pressured, questioned repeatedly, or treated disrespectfully because they choose not to leave one. We paid the stated price for the service, and we should have been allowed to complete our transaction without being interrogated or made to feel uncomfortable.
More importantly, **you do not know your customers' financial circumstances or why they make the decisions they make.** Regardless of the reason, "no" should have been sufficient the first time.
What makes this particularly disappointing is that the massage therapist provided such excellent service. I walked toward the counter thinking I had found somewhere I wanted to return to regularly. Instead, I left feeling disrespected and disappointed because of one employee's conduct.
**A beautiful birthday gift, excellent massage, and peaceful experience were overshadowed in less than two minutes by poor customer service at checkout.**
I was prepared to become a regular customer and potentially purchase a membership. After this experience, I will not be doing so.
Management should seriously address how customers are treated when it comes to gratuities. Excellent service can bring customers through the door, but professionalism and respect are what bring them back. read more
