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Customer incentive gone wrong

I love great customer service, who doesn’t?  Overall, in New Zealand I feel the standard of customer service is pretty high. It’s rare to walk into a store/shop and not be acknowledged and asked if you require assistance.  In fact, it took a bit of time for me to get used to it as I found it a little overwhelming initially and if I don’t get that service now I walk out of the store!

Recently, though, I experienced customer service which has backfired.  I finally found a hairdresser I liked – he is from the UK, shares my disdain for thinning scissors, had some good ideas (although sometimes a bit bossy) and cut my hair well.  The salon is in the building where my office is so convenient and although expensive I receive a discount which is offered to occupants of the building, so whilst not making it cheap ($105) it certainly helps!

When I first popped in to Buoy to enquire about an appointment the receptionist told me that after five appointments I would receive a free haircut – I thought that helped justify the initial outlay of 5 x $105 a cut, so I booked.

I just filled my appointment card and enquired, as the appointment card suggested, about receiving my re-booking incentive.  The receptionist (different from the lady I first met) swanned off then returned and launched into information about a product he seemed to be giving me.  I asked him why he was telling me all of this and he said this was my incentive gift!

First of all, each time I have had my hair cut by the wonderful Peter he has used different products on my hair and given me the run down on why it’s beneficial to use it, etc. and I am pretty sure I can confidently state that this product given to me as an ‘incentive’ has NEVER been one of the products used, …oh and it only costs $35, and I am pretty sure the products used on my hair in the salon cost way more than that.

And, hang on…

Ok, thanks for the product you have never previously used on my hair but now important for me to use, BUT…. I was told the incentive was a complimentary hair cut.

With a wrinkled nose the response came back “Oh NO. Not. At. ALL“.  This news was bad enough, without the turned up nose and the ‘are you mad’ look I was given.

So much for incentive, I am insulted!  Give me a product you actually previously used on my hair in the past 5 visits, or give me a discount to my next appt but don’t treat me like an idiot who needs to be pacified.

That’s not customer service, that’s just patronising!

I am so irritated that I am off to try another salon, another one with stylists from the UK who hopefully share my disdain for thinning scissors.

Thanks for incentive, Buoy!

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2 Responses

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  1. Avalon says

    Bouy was the first hairdresser I went to when I came to Welly (I lived over the road in the Dominion Building). Crappest hairsut I have ever had!

    I never went back and tried George Janis at Queens Wharf – the hairdresser was Suzanne and she is Irish – trained by Toni & Guy. And old friend who moved away to Hawkes Bay STILL comes all the way to do Welly so Suzanne can do her hair!

    I really recommend having a chat with her – Im really fussy about my hair, and I have let her do allsorts to it – long, short, coloured.

    The salon has recently changed to Calibre Salon. Its worth the walk 🙂 I wrote a review of them a while back if that helps 🙂
    http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/01/brilliant-wellington-hairdresser

  2. Paola says

    Hi,
    Thanks for the recommendation, duly noted for next time!
    P