Fantastic Sams Ain’t So Fantastic!
Ok, so I have calmed down now since this afternoon but this story still needs to be told. Let me give you some background first. I have been going to Fantastic Sams in Brandon Florida for some 3 years now. I am pretty picky about who cuts my hair but I found someone that is very good and knows exactly how I like my hair cut so I basically stick with her…she will remain nameless here. In either event, I called this morning to find out if she was in and how the wait was. When I called, she answered the phone, said there was no one there, and I was good to go. I told her that I would be there in 20 minutes. Ok, so it turned out to be more like 30-45 minutes but that is not the point. In either event, when I got there, the place was packed. So I ask how long the wait is, she tells me 45 minutes….what? I asked her if she had put my name in when I called and she told me No, but they do not allow you to call in and put your name in. I can’t fault her there, so I said fine and that I would be back in 45 minutes, but I was not Happy.
So I go off and run a couple of errands, exchange some shoes, and now I am coming back to Fantastic Sams. I gave her 50 minutes instead. I walk in and she is still cutting hair. Ok, that’s ok, so I go to the front and the Manager approaches me and says, “Didn’t you already check in”, I explained that I had and I asked how long until I am in. She says “45 minutes”. WTF. Now I am getting a bit upset since I was told 45 minutes some 50 minutes ago. So the Manger tells me “I guess they are taking longer than expected, you wouldn’t want her to rush your haircut would you. She will be here 12-5pm tomorrow as well”, in which I explain “I will NOT!” Then the woman that cuts my hair comes over and says that some of the people ahead of me had already been taken care of and it will take another 20 minutes. I am a bit upset at this point and really debated whether I was going to stay since I was on a very tight schedule, which I had told her I was at the beginning, so I decided to stay the 20 minutes longer. And then it happened. As I turned to sit down, the Manager, says to the person that cuts my hair, “Take your time on those clients”. Oh no you didn’t!
Since I am not 100% positive of what that comment meant, I asked the girl that cuts my hair to get clarification for the next time I come in so that if it is what I think she said, I will have a bit of a sit down with her regarding the comment…it ain’t gonna be pretty!
The reason I tell this story is a prime example of customer service failing in America. Here I am, someone that has been going to the same place for the past 3 years, every month without fail, I go back here to the same girl. When you have such a loyal customer base, you don’t talk trash to them, and you bend a bit to ensure they come back and they tell all their friends. You certainly don’t piss them off. When the place closes down because people stop coming and they are all let go, I will be the guy that will go up to the manager and all the employees and tell them that you pissed everyone off and thats why you don’t work here anymore. Treat your customers like gold, and they will treat you the same. I am in a customer based business as well and if I pissed off everyone I speak to, I would be out of business, real fast!
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