Is it just me or are customers treated without any kind of respect nowadays

[treehousesgal]

Recently I was looking to have some beauty treatments done and read through some of the therapists terms and conditions and the tone was just absolutely awful.

In addition to the appalling and aggressive tone of the terms and conditions, the cancellation policy was also just so extreme.

The therapist says that there is absolutely no exception at all when you cancel an appointment with less than 14 days notice... in that case, you would need to pay for the entire cost of treatment and if you had not yet decided which treatment to get on the day- you would have to pay for the most expensive type of treatment. Needless to say, I chose not to have the treatment.

Then I enquired about a different treatment with someone else, where I was also asked to provide bank details. I didn't read it properly and thought you needed to enter the details within 24 hours of the appointment. ( my mistake ) and I got a pretty rude message saying my appointment is being cancelled unless I pay immediately. I don't disagree with the fact that I needed to pay to hold the appointment, but it could have been asked in a more polite way. Rather than ' we are cancelling your appointment immediately unless you pay '.

I work with clients in my job every day and I would never ever speak to someone this way. I need to ' lay down the law ' frequently. Clients frequently forget stuff or don't read things properly and I have to chase them on things and always stay extremely polite. ' you may have missed my last message, but this is a gentle reminder that due to many bookings we will need you to accept with your card details within X time frame, otherwise we can't guarantee your appointment '.

Just a simple example. I don't understand why people think they need to be so rude to their clients ? I think it's really unprofessional.

Has anyone else noticed this ? Or just me ?

Perhaps it’s them responding to the fact they rely on people turning up for their income and last minute cancellations are a massive issue for them?

14 days with no options seems extreme but perhaps they need to order in specific items for the treatment so end up even more out of pocket?

I've noticed too OP, and like you I'm client facing and wouldn't dream of speaking to anybody like that (unless they'd really driven me to it over a period of time!).

Are you self employed in your job, so no client no pay = no money at all?
I think that's why most beauty/hair etc are doing this now, and LOTS of goodwill from them has just gone. It really doesn't initially read well, but financially they are broken still!

Sounds like two places to avoid. I don't book beauty treatments but tbh I wouldn't book those. Sounds vvv unfriendly.

I'm self employed and never do that

I think the issue is that some customers have started treating them badly. Like with restaurants where they book and then don't show up. There isn't enough slack in their prices for timewasters. Genuine cancellations yes. But it's the customers who take the p who are ruining it for everyone.

You can't judge all customer service on two beauty salons and get an accurate view.

Well, the examples given are both from a sector where prospective clients turn out presumably not to be that interested after all, or to make appointments and then not turn up.

So not your run of the mill "customer service". I find customer service in the UK in general to be second to none. Shop Assistants, call centre operatives, people working on public transport, London underground employees. All unfailingly lovely. In positions where lots of people treat them like shit simply because they're the ones parting with the money.

Just to add, I also work in an industry that was one of the worst affected by the pandemic, and we have also tightened up our terms, but we are never rude or aggressive about it and there's no need to be.

If your talking terms and conditions, there is a camper van hire place near me, there dog friendly so have been keeping an eye on them as we’ve always fancied it.
you have a 20 min slot in which to collect the van, it’s always the same for the specific van and you must return it within a set 20 min time slot on return. No room for movement.
oh and all signs of dog must have been removed, even down to ALL hair!
and you pay a cleaning fee.

they were quickly unfollowed

This will be in response to the behaviour of some customers.

I'm self employed and don't take bookings at all without payment up front. I have bills to pay and cannot afford them when people mess me about. I have a strict cancelation policy directly due to the disrespectful behavior I've experienced multiple times.

It's because people reserve appointments and then cancel when something better comes up. Thry often lie about being ill or having an emergency. If they've paid upfront then it's because they intend turning up and prioritizing that appointment.

The bit about paying for the most expensive treatment sounds extreme but again, one can imagine the scenarios that led to this being necessary.

People are unreliable and it's becoming worse since covid.

Yes it’s shit now. I took DD to a cafe a few days ago, it was order at the counter and I ordered 2 hot chocolates. When they were made the lady behind the counter just pushed them towards
me, she didn’t offer to carry them to a table as I had the buggy and didn’t put them on a tray or anything. Yeah yeah I could’ve asked but it was clear I needed a hand and she couldn’t be bothered to walk the length of the room to help me. There was nobody else in the queue and the place was dead. When I was a barista I used to just tell customers I would bring the drinks over unless I was rushed off my feet, and even if I was I would carry them over for somebody disabled/very elderly/with small children.

Ditto supermarkets, they just scan stuff at the speed of light then virtually throw it at you. You’re then left fumbling around bagging it up while they tap their foot and wait for the payment. Even in Boots the other day I bought 2 items and asked for a bag. They handed them to me separately! 🙄

Oh and my dog groomer is now sacked. After every groom she would message to say my lovely dog had been ‘difficult’ that day. The first time I was shocked and presumed she had been aggressive (would be very out of character for her), but no, she was just ‘not sitting still while I clipped her tail’. Fucking seriously 🙄 what dog sits nicely while having its tail trimmed? And what kind of dog groomer can’t handle that?

Im sure I’ll be back with more complaints 😆

The bit about the 'most expensive treatment' may be more, if you book for a full restyle so cut, colour and blow dry and on the day say 'nah just a wee trim' then they will have lost significant revenue for the huge space booked out?

I've noticed in my town that service is worse in cafes etc. We've a major staff shortage.

I think the 14 days is a response to 'I've tested positive for COVID' cancellations.

I would just like a please and thank you.
I am getting to the age I am going to wait for it before I pay😁

Yeah you are unlikely to get that until you pay

Well she doesn't know which treatment the customer may decide on at time of booking as she will consult with them when they come in and the decision will be made then.

I think there is no excuse for it and I refuse to do business with people who think that's acceptable.

But that's ridiculous, of course the stylist/beauty therapist needs to know what they want! How else can they fit the rest of their diary around them?

Totally agree ... the list of places I now avoid is getting very long! I too work in a customer facing role and would never be rude or offhand to my customers ... it's very easy for them to take their business elsewhere.
I believe there is a difference between being politely assertive and downright rude.

Going into shops lately I’ve really noticed how much staff just don’t give a shit anymore. Outright rude and hostile, don’t want to engage or help. After having my items scanned in pretty much silence while trying to make small talk with the cashier it’s me telling her to have a good day and getting a grunt in return. I’m that fed up of it I’ve started online shopping instead, who gives a shit if the high street goes under with shop workers like that!

I pay a monthly subscription to my salon for unlimited brow shaping lashes & Tints and I get my eyelashes Infilled every week so it’s worth it
I book online via fresha so even if I cancel I don’t get charged as I have paid in advance

they do have a 24 hr notice to cancel or you pay 50 percent .

but I’ve only ever cancelled once in two years

It's definitely worse especially with younger employees I find. It's almost as if young people on minimum wage aren't particularly bothered about going above and beyond the bare minimum in a demanding and insecure job.

I can understand why they have these terms, but 14 days is extreme. I have two friends who are self employed and the amount of people that take the absolute piss with appointments is unreal! They seem to think that they are the only person in the world and it revolves around them! My df had someone cancel an appointment 30 minutes beforehand and then get extremely aggressive and abusive because they were not refunded their £10 deposit!!

My dd favourite saying is " minimum wage equals minimum effort" 😂

@bloodyplanes not true for everyone though
I'm in a job where people probably don't think I earn min wage and if I didn't put effort in I would be sacked