Some of you will hate me; others of you will love me. But I’m not here to be your best friend or your platform for positive PR. I’m here to tell it as it is. A fairly new concept in the realm of media in Saudi Arabia, where reporters and critics — if you can even call them that — have a history of being biased and giving undue praise.
Now this is not entirely the fault of the reporters. Once these establishments become aware of our visits, we’re suddenly bombarded with over-attentive service, the best facilities and of course, “special care.” I realize most people don’t have a press badge or special privileges to flaunt and reap the benefits of every time they go out. Thus, to be very honest, it’s quite dishonest to report such experiences as they are not the normal standard.
Therefore, allow me to be honest. Brutally honest. I just hope that reporting on the daily services of these establishments will act as a sort of ‘checks and balances’ mechanism to get them to raise their standards and compete with each other in order to achieve genuine customer satisfaction.
The other day I showed up for my customary manicure-pedicure at Jacques Dessange, located in Al-Khayyat Center in Jeddah. They did the usual — soaked my feet, cut my cuticles, filed my nails. No biggie. I was there at 12:30, and by the time they were finished it was 2 p.m. I was actually impressed by the speed, as usually they take longer.
Yet I found out it wasn’t that they had been especially efficient and quick, but instead 2 p.m. was the girls’ shift change-so they were operating at sonic speed because they wanted to go home.
In fact, they were in such a hurry that after they sprinted out (of course, not too fast to forget their tips), I noticed my vernis was all over the place! It was horrible. The pedicurist hadn’t even bothered to remove the excess nail polish on sides of my nails and it was even smeared from when she had slipped my foot into my sandals!
I couldn’t believe it. And to make matters worse, I had to hop around looking for someone to correct it because the salon had become a ghost town in that purgatory hour of the shift change. Finally, after going up and down to find someone (the reception had sent me to go fish for a girl on my own, wet nails and all), the lady sat and redid the vernis, delaying me for another 30 minutes-apparently, she was in no rush to get home.
Then came the bill. There were seven items on it and the total was 290 riyals. Seven items!? I simply got a manicure-pedicure, with color, and my eyebrows threaded as I sat. Color is always listed separately as it is not included in the mani-pedi service-which I think is a topic for discussion on its own. And the French manicured vernis is an extra cost. Fine, I’m aware of this. Eyebrows are another 70 riyals. Okay. But the extra two charges?
Well, apparently when the lady asked me if she could use the blade on my feet, I had asked if there was really a need (I may have Fred Flinstone feet, but are they really that bad?) and she responded that it was not necessary, but would simply make it easier to exfoliate the dead skin. I was hesitant about her using it, but she assured me she would just use it very minimally. Well, for two shaves on each foot, I was charged 30 riyals for not one, but two blades! She had used one. But I didn’t argue.
I paid my bill and hobbled out. I was more perplexed that this sort of thing occurs with such internationally renowned salons and spas, and even more surprised that it happens to the one that is constantly full-sometimes too full, in which you feel like you’re part of an assembly line getting shoved from person to person, service to service.
And yes, this may have been an off day for Jacques Dessange. Fine, I’ll concede. Or maybe the service industry has just been getting away with mediocre and below par service for way too long? Either way, please feel free to comment online and share your experiences. Like I said, we don’t have to be best friends, but we can at least share some stories.
