How to handle hard-selling of SPA treatments, products and packages !

[Borgen-breeze]

Dear fellow spa going sisters,

As part of my effort to give the spa industry a big wake-up call to their unethical bad practices such as:

• hardselling
• promoting mediocre products at ridiculous prices
• bad attitude and services
• pressure tactic
• constant put-down and humilation of all our "womanly" flaws
• bogus discount vouchers at unbelievable low prices
• unfair and unjust treatment of their own staff

I want to use this opportunity to get everyone to share with us how do you deal with unethical spa management and practices ?

As educated women of today, walking away and giving in to their pressure is NOT the solution and we must STAND UP to it. We worked hard for every penny and cent and we should not allow unethical spa practices to get their own way.

Let's all give each other the encouragement, idea, tactics and courage to deal with these unethical practices ! How do you decline an up-sell experience when you've already got an existing package with them ? How do you turn down their pressure to sell you their mediocre products ? How do you get them to shut-up during your treatment when you do not want to listen to any sales pitch about their products? How do you voice out your unhappiness about certain aspect of their services ? How would you advice other spa goers how to deal with unethical tactics by the spa industry ?

Let's hear it from everyone so that we are all empowered to deal with all kind of scenarios everytime we visit one of these spas.

Join me in spreading the SPA revolution manifesto on dealing with the unethical spa industry in Singapore. Click on the link below to read more on the manifesto from another forum. (you might need to refresh the page twice)

Bad Experiences at Beauty |Slimming Centres | Spa

But for all ideas and tactics of dealing with unethical spas.. please post on this thread. Together, let's outsmart them !

[Borgen-breeze]

Okay I shall start first !

I have a package with Atos Wellness. They gave me a "free" Chinese new year promotion treatment choice of either an electric current face treatment OR a slimming treatment.

I went for the electrical current face treatment. Just before I began the treatment, the "consultant" came into the room to try and sell me the other slimming treatment at the same time looking up and down my body.

I looked straight into her eyes with an annoyed face and in my firmest tone, I said:

NO THANK YOU. I'm very happy with my body. I'm very offended that you think I'm fat and I will definitely not be signing it up. PLEASE PROCEED WITH MY OTHER FACE TREATMENT as soon as you can as I'm running out of time here.

She was taken aback by my reply and left me alone after that.

My learnings:

• Never take up any free promotions treatment - as we know it's never free !

• Do not allow anyone, let alone strangers to criticize our womanly flaws just because they are in the spa industry. We shall be happy with our own body and no one can take that away from us.

• Stand firm like you mean business. Never back down.

[Borgen-breeze]

And oh by the way, I"m slightly on the plump side. But even though, that doesn't give anyone the right to think I should be altering my body so that they can be pocketing more of my hard-earned money !

Stand up to humiliation and put-down of our flaws by any member of the spa industry.

We pay to chill out and relax at the spa - not to get criticised in any way or form, direct or indirect.

[Borgen-breeze]

I just got back from a facial treatment from a neighbourhood beauty salon. I had a package with them as it was a convenient location from where I live. Owner of the salon was nice and sincere but still she couldn't resist trying to sell me one of her special lotion at $180.

HER: I really hope you can purchase one of our special lotion. Just a few drop here and there and you can maintain the glow of the treatment in between appointments.

ME: No, thank you. I'm very pleased with the treatment I"m getting here once at month and that's enough for me.

HER: The lotion really works wonder and trust me. Trust me, you should try it. It last you for a year.

ME: JANE(her name), look, please don't pressurize me. I feel very stressed out whenever you do that. The reason why I left my previous usual spa place was because of the hardselling. I don't wish this to be my last package with you. And I mean it. You know I've switched over to you because of your sincerity. So stop trying to sell me any products. If I need any, I will come to you. Thanks for recommending them though. I appreciate.

HER: Oh... I'm not trying to pressurize you. I'm just trying to let you know about our products.

ME: Thank you. I'm already aware of them and if I need any I will definitely come to you.

She left me alone after that and did not even try to have a "consultation" with me after the treatment, trying to push her products.

Learnings:

• Dominate the conversation before they dominate you

• Use their name, call their name in the conversation..... let them know you know who they are and that you are in control.

• Let them know you feel pressurized UPFRONT and you are not afraid to tell them. Use examples about you leaving your last spa place precisely of hardselling.

• Speak in your firmest tone like you mean business. You must be the one in control not the other way round.

[efai]

sometimes i have to be a little rude.
like just giving a "no" to every line she says.
or i will rebutt or counter her points because i know she is just cooking up a sales story.
until she is too p@is3h to continue pushing and let me go

and i will also be frank about what i think of the place. (after first visit)
i think your therapist's skills not very good. i had better ones elsewhere.
the environment not good. i can hear staff chatting along the corridor or next door (rooms not "sound-proof" enough or they use really cheap and thin partitions)
so difficult to book and appointment even if i tried to call 2-3 weeks before. always full, sorry no more slots.... or inflexible opening hours.... like close at 7pm.... Sundays and P.Hols not open.... if you already have a huge members base taking up the slots, then don't bother advertising to get more customers.

they also like to pump up the prices then make it look like the discount is very attractive.... massage usual price $168, now if you sign package it is only $68 per session. if you don't sign today, next time you walk in you have to pay usual price....or they will say, this promo is for this month only. we will not have such good deal next time.
please l@h. they think we stupid? every other day also offering promos and packages what.
the cost of a massage is very cheap. and i know they are paying the therapists peanuts.
and not as if they using premium essential oils

[Borgen-breeze]

Hi Efai,

Thanks for sharing!

Not being afraid of upfront and frank with their services and attitude gives them an opportunity to improve !

I'm curious as to how the staff reacted to your comments about their unpleasant environment and difficulties of appointment booking ?

As to very ridiculous price promotion such as the ones you mention, I will always say the following:

THEM: We have a promotion of $68 now instead of $168.

ME: No thank you.

THEM: You should really take advantage of the promotion blah blah blah

ME: It's okay, I'm prepared to pay $168 the next time I walk in. Thank you for offering. Money is not an issue if the service and treatment is good. So I don't need the discount. Please continue with my usual treatment.

THEM: Speechless.. ( ha ha ha!)

I love it whenever I get an opportunity to turn around the conversation and their speechless face is simply priceless !

[crystalsee]

I heard that there is this interesting company which is offering infoseminars and workshops for free and sponsoring free consultation with aesthedtic doctors and plastic surgery so that consumers, not only enjoy discounts, but also be more educated with what treatment are on offers and the service providers providing treatment.

this way, there is no hard selling at all. I am interested in joining them but woukld love to hear feedbacck from people who have already tried their service.

So, has anyone heard of Aesthedex epitomecard? www.epitomcard.com. I understand they provide free workshops and infoseminars to keep consumers informed about all the treatments across not just beauty but also aesthetic and wellness. I think they are doing a good thing and am considering to sign up. If anyone is already a member, would love to hear your opinion.

is their website.

[Banyanresort]

Some can be way over pushy, i have had my own share of really bad experience before. Now i will learn to be tough, to be rude, to be firm, when i say no means no. Next time if they try to sell me any package again i will just tell them that i have no money, i'm jobless. If their products and skills are really good, even if they don't push i will be very willing to take up package from them.

[efai]

with so many previous cases of spas closing down and customers left hanging with a few K worth of packages/sessions unable to be used, many spas have offered smaller packages. but with terms and conditions of course. like an expiry date, or non-transferable, or less freebies.
im sure they are trying to keep in the business as it is very competitive, but they are also providing a service to the people, especially when it concerns our face and body.
some are just not sincere.

there were a few that i went for the trials and promos, and i was totally disappointed in the service and skills.
when the sales consultant see my face, i think she also can feel that im not ever coming back so she just said the few basic things and let me go.

[Borgen-breeze]

Some can be way over pushy, i have had my own share of really bad experience before. Now i will learn to be tough, to be rude, to be firm, when i say no means no. Next time if they try to sell me any package again i will just tell them that i have no money, i'm jobless. If their products and skills are really good, even if they don't push i will be very willing to take up package from them.

Hi Banyan resort,

Thanks for sharing.

Telling them you are jobless or just lost your job sounds like a great comeback. I will keep that at the back of my mind !

Sometimes, I tell them straight in the face that I'm just not willing to part with my money as I have other priorities in life. They will usually try to counter it by offering me to let them know how much I can afford ! (Don't ever fall for that... because they will then use that amount you just mentioned to corner you into signing onto another package which you may be too embarrassed to decline by then! )

I will again say I'm simply not willing to part with my money.. so there is no amount that I will be able to actually afford it as such. It's not about affordability here.

I've heard from other forums that some spas even encouraged their customers to take up the package they can't afford on a credit card ! How despicable is that and I totally condem those practices !

Girls - please do not fall for it !

Remember, our hard earned money should not fall into hands of unethical beauty industry !

[sherry.breeze]

I usually leave my credit cards at home when i go for facial. =P

[Borgen-breeze]

I usually leave my credit cards at home when i go for facial. =P

Hi Pink rose,

I've been doing this as you advised and it worked !

Without my credit cards, I automatically switched off all my temptations to sign on anything !!!

Great suggestion !

[orangeyjellybeany]

I usually leave my credit cards at home when i go for facial. =P

Yes great suggestion! Also make sure not to carry much cash. They cannot do anything if you cannot pay right?

Facing hard selling ladies is the worst experience. Don't they know that customers are getting tired of them. And it makes customers don't want to come back to their shop!

[Borgen-breeze]

This is also partly the reason why I'm gradually trying to switch over to the more exclusive hotel spas who are always happy to entertain one-off sessions. They may be a little more expensive but I figured out it released the stress of always dreading having to come up with ideas to deal with the hard-sell. So I'll go for less number of treatments and sessions instead and get some quality time at the spa.

[_waxlyrical]

I agree. and some hotel spas have the wet spa facilities like sauna, steam room and jacuzzi for complimentary use with the facial or spa treatment

And yes I shall leave my credit cards at home more often, esp the two weeks after payday