HORRIBLE customer service. Phoenix in the grooming salon seems to think that greeting a customer…read morerudely is appropriate on the job.
Worse than this, the manager was standing just a metre away, and either condoned said rudeness, or didn't seem to have any control over the situation.
My dog is a little under 3. We have been going to the Petsmart grooming salons for a long time now, and I've often purchased the highest end cut/bath/add-ons and packages.
Today I did something different: we went to the park beforehand, and Molly got wet in the water. That being said, her hair is still pretty short and was in no way matted before the Dog Park , nor after.
I was first greeted by the manager when I got into the grooming salon. I said so sorry, she normally doesn't come in like this. And the manager said no worries at all, we'll make it work.
I felt relieved by that, because of course we don't go to the dog park or get wet just before an appointment!
Then the groomer PHOENIX came out, and she seems to struggle with a basic hello, or a friendly greeting...? Because she moved onto saying "I'm gonna have to charge you extra" right away.
Wait what?
Haha customer Service and politeness on the job has left the chat!
"Yeah, she's matted. I'm gonna have to charge you extra."
First of all, back when my dog used to have long hair, and when she was matted, no groomer at Petsmart or any other salon in the city ever made this claim. And if they were concerned, they still had customer service skills.
No one has spoken this rudely to me in regards to grooming ever, nor should they.
Somehow Phoenix circumvents the need to have Customer Service skills, looks at something that isn't severe at all, and claims that she needs to charge me extra.
Phoenix seems to think that it's appropriate to speak rudely to people. Or, it's not her fault and she was trained or allowed, somehow, to be this way with some new management..?
As I was pretty surprised at both, her lack of politeness, and at hearing her proclamation of needing to charge me extra, she then stepped over to my dog and checked for any mattedness.
And low and behold? My dog wasn't matted! And Phoenix had to concede that my dog was not matted, as she could see all the skin underneath easily.
But somehow that was insufficient for Phoenix, and she immediately moved onto the tail.
Latching onto the tail, she said "well I'm gonna have to charge you extra because the tail is matted."
I was surprised to hear this as well, as in the previous two appointments I noticed that my dog's tail wasn't really fully brushed out. But I didn't want to mention it because if the service is at least of average quality, it's not always necessary to point out an issue. You can let some things pass. It's called social skills to know what you have to bring up, rather than bringing up any little thing and in a rude and unprofessional manner *cough Phoenix cough *
Except now, Phoenix claims that her tail is matted but who, Phoenix, also claims that she's been grooming my dog this whole time? Lol who? YOU!!! So it's on who...? to have made sure that my dog's tail has not amounted to a matted tail after months of being with you?
Phoenix then proceeds to say "yeah I'm gonna have to charge you extra because I'm gonna have to comb this tail out."
Then she also says: "I'm gonna have to cut it. So if you want your appointment today, I'm gonna have to cut it."
So which is it Phoenix? Are you going to have to charge me extra because the entire dog is matted?
Oh no, that wasn't true and you had to concede to that not being true, because you can't make stuff up...
So then you are going to have to charge me extra because the tail is matted? Is that it now?
And then you're saying, you'd have to spend extra time combing that tail out (and like I said, the tail has not been combed out very well for a couple times now), all slowly adding up to a matted look.
And then you're saying that you'd have to charge extra because you're gonna have to cut the hair off the tail.
Which is it?
If you're going to want to be this stressed out, rude with your customers - in front of the manager no less - changeable and tricky to deal with, might I suggest 10 years of therapy to get your emotions and stress hormones under control.
I've gone through lots of challenges in my life as well. But I have a tad bit of wisdom to never speak to a customer, client or any person at work in that way.
Does Phoenix know any of this at all? Or is she being enabled, because her rudeness is encouraged by management?
I cannot imagine such a lack of social skills, professional conduct, impolite communication being enabled by management.
No one deserves to have to communicate with someone in a store who is erratic, easily agitated, and rude.
THUMBS DOWN.