In need of a mani-pedi I looked on Groupon to see what salons they currently had vouchers for in my area. I saw one for Salon Maria and checked Yelp for reviews - which were predominantly positive but with some major exceptions. I noticed that many of those who said they had used Groupons at this salon also mentioned getting 'dry mani-pedis'. One woman said when she asked why there was no soaking - or any water at all - involved she was told it was because they had found polish lasts longer on nails that haven't been soaked.
Turns out THAT is NOT the reason this salon is eliminating the soaking step - as well as other steps such as massage, buffing and polishing feet, etc. - for their Groupon customers.
I LIKE having my feet soaked and the dead skin scrubbed off before my nails are done. The buffing and massage feels great and leaves my feet feeling fresh - that is what makes it a Pedicure and not just a polish change. So I called Salon Maria to ask whether they ONLY do dry mani-pedis, or if the more traditional wet type are also available there.
The woman who answered had a very thick accent, which I was totally unable to understand, and she didn't seem to understand what I was asking her either. I asked if there was someone else I could speak with, and she gave the phone to a man.
I explained what I was asking about, and he said 'Oh, of course we use water and soak your feet'. I said what about hands and he said they soak hands as well. I told him I had just read the Yelp reviews and that many of them mention NOT having any water used or any soaking at his salon. And then came the REVELATION:
He said 'Well, OF COURSE, we don't use any water for people using Groupons. We do less for them and spend about 1/2 the time we do for people who pay full price.'
I told him that's not the way a Groupon is supposed to work. The whole point of buying one is to get a specific service for a reduced price. Not a LESSER service for the reduced price, because then there's NO 'DEAL' involved - which is what Groupon is all about. He told me 'All the salons do this'. I said, 'No, they don't. I've been using Groupons to get my nails done for at least 5 years and I've never encountered this situation before. I always get the same service that is advertised, with or without a Groupon.' i.e. - a mani-pedi at any given salon is no different when I go there the first time with a Groupon than it is when I go back (if I liked the place) later, without a Groupon.
In an obviously annoyed tone he said 'Well, that's how we do it HERE'. I said I would go elsewhere, and hung up. Then I called Groupon and reported the conversation to them. The man I spoke to assured me that the way Groupon is SUPPOSED TO WORK is that you get the promised service for a lower price in exchange for paying for it in advance. He also said he would report the problem to the proper dept. at Groupon and something would be done to correct it.
Not only are Salon Maria's owner(s) unclear on the concept of how Groupons work but they also don't seem to understand the idea of building customer good will. Groupons are one way for a business to expand their customer base. They allow people to try a place at a reduced price, and then IF THEY FELT THE SERVICE PROVIDED WAS EXCELLENT, they would go back and pay full price the next time. But if the service they got was of lower quality than expected, or they received a different (lesser) service altogether than the one for which they purchased the Groupon - as in the case of Salon Maria - it seems pretty unlikely they would ever go back.
Customers who have gone to Salon Maria with Groupons for 'A Classic Manicure and Pedicure' have just been getting polish changes, and perhaps a bit of shaping - although one woman's review said the beautician handed her the file and told her to shape her nails herself - which shows incredible rudeness and a total lack of understanding the concept of customer service.
One reviewer said she was shocked because her 'Pedicure' only lasted 10 minutes and used no water nor had other normal pedicure services. I've never had a Pedicure last less than 45 min., and an hour is more usual. So when the man I spoke to said they spend 1/2 the time for Groupon customers that they do for full price customers, I'd say he was grossly understating how much they reduce services provided to Groupon customers. You can get a polish change on hands for under $10 at most salons, and on feet for $10 - 12, or $20 for hands & feet together. Which means the $34 Groupon for a 'Classic Manicure and Pedicure' actually cost more than the NON-GROUPON price of the service that Salon Maria substituted for what they were supposed to provide those customers!
Those who got less service than what your Groupon was for should ask Groupon for a refund. OR DEMAND THAT SALON MARIA GIVE THEM THE SERVICE STATED ON THEIR GROUPONS. read more
