-DISHONEST - RUDE - UNPROFESSIONAL-…read more
I only give one star reviews when the business fails to treat me like a human being. If you are polite, even if your product sucks, I'll give you at least 2 stars.
As you can tell from my reviews and my rating distribution (https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=v1P1mFlnPjVTJredlhJuwg) - I *almost* never report negative experiences. I much prefer to use this forum to sing the praises of local businesses in hopes it helps them thrive.
However, there are sometimes rare and extreme circumstances that make me break away from that mentality to use this venue as a warning to others (like being served raw chicken in a restaurant that won't make it right, or being blindsided by inexplicable personal attacks from a business manager, such as the case here.)
Weeks back, I scheduled an appointment at SoHo Salon for my hair and nails for my pre-bachelorette party beauty treatment. Yesterday, two hours before my appointment, the technician (Tina) called and had to cancel; her vacation had run long. I was disappointed but understood. Things happen. She asked to reschedule. We rescheduled for this morning at 9:00, before the salon even opened. I moved around several other appointments and went on with my life. The last thing she said to me was "see you in the morning, thank you so much for your flexibility."
This morning she did not show up, nor did she answer her cell phone. No one answered the Salon phone. I was disappointed, but not angry yet ; maybe she had an accident? Maybe she overslept; people make mistakes. I left a message on the salon voice mail, saying she missed our appointment and to please have a manager call me back.
No one called me back. I continued calling throughout the day, at least 4-5 times, but did not leave additional messages. I wanted to talk to a manager because I knew a good, professional manager would have:
(a) Acknowledged me. Because I am a human being who now had wasted hours of my time.
(b) Apologized, because that's what professionals do when mistakes are made. The apology would them open the door for me to give them another try.
(c) And most importantly, and the reason I kept calling back, a good, professional manager would have bent over backwards to fit me in for an appointment today, before my trip.
No calls returned.
On my call #4 or 5, someone did answer. The manager came on and was absolutely disgusting. I was very caught off guard. I had not been rude and I had no idea why he was so angry at me (unless they were screening their calls, and were frustrated I hadn't gone away yet?) ~
Manager Chaz said that she rented a booth from him and the missed appointment had nothing to do with him. To which I replied, "Sir, in all due respect, it does affect you. I hired her under your business name. When I go online and write about having a wonderful or terrible experience, that is on your business-"
He hung up on me.
Moments later, the owner called me. Told me that my appointment was in the calendar for next Wednesday, not today. To consider it cancelled. They didn't want my business. And HE hung up on me.
I was even more confused. How did I misunderstand the words "See you tomorrow?" or the other words, "We will get it done before your trip on Thursday, so sorry I messed with your schedule."? Better still, how come the manager and owner were so angry at ME? I had done nothing but try to give them my business. And even if I screwed up in a way I don't see, how do they think it is okay to treat a fellow human being like that?
I checked my email, and there was one from her, sent yesterday, confirming my appointment for this morning at 9am. I forwarded it to the manager... Still, no apology.
So either the owner lied to me, or the woman who missed our appointment changed the schedule to cover her a** and lied to the owner. Either way, I had an appointment made weeks ago canceled and rescheduled, then a no-show, then no calls returned, then rudeness and hung up on, then called back to be hung up on again.
These people are absolutely nuts. I am new in town and have been bouncing around trying to find a stylist I like; they just lost out on years of potential business.
I am not upset Tina rescheduled. I am only a little annoyed she overslept and missed the appointment. But I am livid at the way I was treated in the fallout.
In this situation, the manager took no responsibility at all and put the blame on his employee that he claims no longer works there. But despite the mistake of his worker, she is not the person who elevated this rectifiable situation with unprofessional and personal attacks - that was him. Yes, his employee didn't show up and then lied about it, but it is his responsibility as the manager to make the situation better for his clients. Instead, he made it much, much worse.
Please, for the love of humanity, take your business elsewhere.
