Dare to Compare!

I had decided that I needed a new hair style but I was a bit unsure of the one I wanted so I decided to check with my friends and get their opinion. They informed me that if I decided to wear any form of hair extensions, I would have to factor in the cost of the hair as well as additional products, so that meant a trip to local beauty stores in Kingston.

I decided I needed to visit the stores because I was not really sure what type of extensions to ask for over the phone.  I experienced a wide range of responses from the beauty care retailers.

Responses

At one store, the prices were sky high and the attendants seemed uninterested in answering my questions or building any sort of rapport.  It was as if they were saying, hurry up and buy or leave so we can get back to whatever they were doing before I came.

Other stores had sales clerks, who while friendly, were not knowledgeable about the products they sell. So my questions were met with blank stares and shoulder shrugs.

One particular store sales clerk’s response left me reeling, she objected to me writing down the prices of the hair extensions!

She said under instructions from the management, customers were not allowed to record prices as they could use the information by giving it to their competitors. These rivals would then sell the item for less which would result in them losing customers.

I countered that argument by stating that as a customer I had the right to record any information that I wanted to about the price of products in order to make an informed decision.

I left those stores without making a purchase and feeling very disappointed at the entire experience.

The day was not all lost however, as I went to a beauty store that showed they knew the meaning of customer service.

They answered all my questions and were able to give me advice on hair extensions as well as show me a variety of suitable styling options.

So what is the route anyone should take when venturing into a new experience in hair care?

My advice is shop around! Ask for feedback from your friends and if you are uncomfortable by how you are treated, high prices or ignorant sales clerk then keep going to the next store.

A number of stores will continue to lose customers if they do not address the glaring holes in their customer service skills!

What’s your take on the issue? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: customer service