All We Want is a Haircut
Sigh. That's how this post will start, and probably how it will end too. Having worked in customer service/retail jobs my entire working career, I know how it can affect someone's day/week/career when someone complains about bad service they received. However, after reading this post, I hope you will see my side and agree that I've given said retailer enough times to get their act together, without much avail.
Said retailer is PetSmart. More specifically, their grooming department. My parents have always taken their dogs, Raven and Rusty to the vet at Banfield inside PetSmart and they have occasionally used the groomers inside as well. So, naturally, when I got Riley in March 2009 I decided to start taking her there to get groomed as well. Not to mention it was incredibly convenient to my parent's house (where I was living at the time)...only 5 mins away. Without knowing anything about any of the groomers when I first made an appointment, I just asked for someone who was good with little dogs. Whoever was on the other end of the phone suggested Jacob* (names in this blog have been changed to protect the incompetent...and rude. Except for Jacob. He was the only good one in this story. I must continue). So I made Riley's first grooming appointment with Jacob. I was so nervous while she was gone. Luckily it was only a puppy-trim so he told me I could stick around and she would be done in 15 mins. When, "Will Riley's mom please come to the grooming salon" came over the loudspeaker, I was so excited. She looked adorable and Jacob was doting on her. I told him I was please and continued to make all her appointments with him for the next several months.
The one mistake Jacob made was apparently scheduling an appointment with us on a day he was off. At this point I was living in Athens but continued to drive to Lilburn to get Riley groomed because Jacob always doted on her and made me feel like she was special to him. I had no problems whatsoever driving over an hour for my dog to get a haircut. However, this one Sunday we show up at our appointed time, only to be told my the salon manager that we weren't in the books for today and Jacob was off. Um, what? Okay, thanks.
I go back to my parents house, becoming more angry as each minute passes. I call up there and ask to speak with the manager again to find out what happens. Apparently it was a mistake and Jacob would give us a free haircut and premium service for our next appointment. Fine. That appointment comes and goes without a hitch. However, the next time I call to schedule Riley an appointment I am told, "Oh, Jacob doesn't work here anymore." WHAT? Okay. Don't panic. Just ask someone else to do it. I ask for someone else who is good with little dogs and they tell me the salon manager, Melissa, specializes in little dogs. Okay, let's make an appointment with her. The first few appointments with Melissa went fine. Not quite the hairstyling of Jacob, but nonetheless, fine. Then, things changed. And they went from okay to worst customer service in about 1 month.
Since then, I've had follow up appointments scheduled BY THE PETSMART GROOMING DEPARTMENT "lost" in their computer system, or forgotten to be put in the book. Now. If you're making me a reminder appointment...and I do everything in my power to show up to, even by taking the whole day off from work and driving over 2 hours...I wouldn't suggest you saying, "Oh...we don't have you in the computer for today." Uh. Check again.
On one such occasion, whoever checked us in...Let's call her Nina...gave me some attitude about us not having an appointment for the day and them being, "incredibly busy, so there's no way we can fit y'all in." When another manager, not Melissa, came over to investigate the situation, he told Nina just to accommodate us and fit us in. She got all huffy and said something like, "But I'm all booked up..." He simply said, "Just do it." And that was the end of that. Needless to say, I wasn't too comfortable with leaving my baby on that day. And low and behold, she came home looking like a hot mess. From this day forward, I request that Nina not be the one to groom my dog.
Here are some examples of my not-so-favorite-haircut moments:
After all this run-around of Jacob leaving, Melissa being a less than desirable manager to deal with, showing up for appointments that aren't actually there, and having less than cute puppy haircuts, one would wonder why I continue to go back to this particular salon. I often ask myself the same question. I think it's because that's the only place she's ever gone, and it's comfortable. Another reason is I haven't quite found another salon in Athens that I like. So we continue the trek to Lilburn every 6 weeks for our haircuts. About a week ago, I called to make an appointment for both Riley and Reagan, and when Melissa answered the phone and I told her what I was looking to do, she immediately put me on hold without a single word. There I was on hold for about 2 mins, until I hung up, called again, and gave the new person who answered the phone (Megan) a piece of my mind.
*I'm pretty sure they have notes under our name about me and how bitchy I am. Each time I call, they're pretty short with me until I tell them our name, and then they change their tune. I can only imagine what they say about me when I leave...how picky I am, how rude I am, how unsatisfied I am, etc. Well, I wouldn't be all those things if I simple received some elementary customer service.
However, I think we may have finally reached our breaking point. This past Sunday (Easter Sunday) Moms and I dropped off Riley, Reagan, and Reese at the groomers and began our day of shopping. A few hours into the trip, Court calls me and the first thing he says is, "Bad news..." OMG. WHAT?! He was hemming and hawing about Riley injuring her claw while at the groomers and that he wasn't sure about many of the details, but that they just called and said it was bleeding a lot and they had to rush her next door to the vet to get it looked at. At that point they weren't sure if it was going to require stitches or not, so they were going to "keep us posted," Um, keep me posted? No, thanks. Moms and I rushed over there to see firsthand what was going on. When then brought Riley into the room she was still wet from her bath and we saw her back paw's 5th digit (the one that isn't really attached) was cut. It was no longer bleeding but still looked pretty serious. They told us they would just bandage it up and wanted to see her back in 2-3 days. They gave me some pain pills and antibiotic for Riley and said that PetSmart was going to handle all costs associated with this. The manger for PetSmart rushed over to us and was apologizing profusely, saying if we needed anything...please let them know and they would be happy to take care of it for us. Yeah, because you think I'm going to sue the pants off you...(which is what my gparents thought I should do, by the way).
The newest groomer we've moved onto, let's call him Johnny, has done a really good job with both Riley and Reagan. He was apologizing repeatedly and kept asking me, "Are you okay?" I like Johnny and he's done the best out of anyone since Jacob left...so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. I'm just glad my baby was okay.
As you can probably see from the pictures, she didn't even get to finish her haircut. Apparently she was only halfway through at the time of the "incident" and only her body was cut. So her 3 non-injured feet and head weren't touched at all. She currently looks like a lion and will continue to sport this look for another week. Awesome.
When I took Riley back for her follow-up today, again the vets and managers were practically falling all over me to make sure I wasn't upset/angry/calling my lawyers. I appreciate their effort, but wish it wasn't due to this incident. They should always make us feel like we are wanted and important to them, otherwise we will go somewhere else. I think sometimes that it's my fault for this because I kept coming back there, time and time again, no matter what horrible experience we had. Well, I've learned my lesson. New groomers, here we come.
Bottom line, if you don't treat my dogs well...you're out of my life. Period.
Said retailer is PetSmart. More specifically, their grooming department. My parents have always taken their dogs, Raven and Rusty to the vet at Banfield inside PetSmart and they have occasionally used the groomers inside as well. So, naturally, when I got Riley in March 2009 I decided to start taking her there to get groomed as well. Not to mention it was incredibly convenient to my parent's house (where I was living at the time)...only 5 mins away. Without knowing anything about any of the groomers when I first made an appointment, I just asked for someone who was good with little dogs. Whoever was on the other end of the phone suggested Jacob* (names in this blog have been changed to protect the incompetent...and rude. Except for Jacob. He was the only good one in this story. I must continue). So I made Riley's first grooming appointment with Jacob. I was so nervous while she was gone. Luckily it was only a puppy-trim so he told me I could stick around and she would be done in 15 mins. When, "Will Riley's mom please come to the grooming salon" came over the loudspeaker, I was so excited. She looked adorable and Jacob was doting on her. I told him I was please and continued to make all her appointments with him for the next several months.
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| Baby Belle when she was yittle :) |
I go back to my parents house, becoming more angry as each minute passes. I call up there and ask to speak with the manager again to find out what happens. Apparently it was a mistake and Jacob would give us a free haircut and premium service for our next appointment. Fine. That appointment comes and goes without a hitch. However, the next time I call to schedule Riley an appointment I am told, "Oh, Jacob doesn't work here anymore." WHAT? Okay. Don't panic. Just ask someone else to do it. I ask for someone else who is good with little dogs and they tell me the salon manager, Melissa, specializes in little dogs. Okay, let's make an appointment with her. The first few appointments with Melissa went fine. Not quite the hairstyling of Jacob, but nonetheless, fine. Then, things changed. And they went from okay to worst customer service in about 1 month.
Since then, I've had follow up appointments scheduled BY THE PETSMART GROOMING DEPARTMENT "lost" in their computer system, or forgotten to be put in the book. Now. If you're making me a reminder appointment...and I do everything in my power to show up to, even by taking the whole day off from work and driving over 2 hours...I wouldn't suggest you saying, "Oh...we don't have you in the computer for today." Uh. Check again.
On one such occasion, whoever checked us in...Let's call her Nina...gave me some attitude about us not having an appointment for the day and them being, "incredibly busy, so there's no way we can fit y'all in." When another manager, not Melissa, came over to investigate the situation, he told Nina just to accommodate us and fit us in. She got all huffy and said something like, "But I'm all booked up..." He simply said, "Just do it." And that was the end of that. Needless to say, I wasn't too comfortable with leaving my baby on that day. And low and behold, she came home looking like a hot mess. From this day forward, I request that Nina not be the one to groom my dog.
Here are some examples of my not-so-favorite-haircut moments:
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| Flattop? |
*I'm pretty sure they have notes under our name about me and how bitchy I am. Each time I call, they're pretty short with me until I tell them our name, and then they change their tune. I can only imagine what they say about me when I leave...how picky I am, how rude I am, how unsatisfied I am, etc. Well, I wouldn't be all those things if I simple received some elementary customer service.
However, I think we may have finally reached our breaking point. This past Sunday (Easter Sunday) Moms and I dropped off Riley, Reagan, and Reese at the groomers and began our day of shopping. A few hours into the trip, Court calls me and the first thing he says is, "Bad news..." OMG. WHAT?! He was hemming and hawing about Riley injuring her claw while at the groomers and that he wasn't sure about many of the details, but that they just called and said it was bleeding a lot and they had to rush her next door to the vet to get it looked at. At that point they weren't sure if it was going to require stitches or not, so they were going to "keep us posted," Um, keep me posted? No, thanks. Moms and I rushed over there to see firsthand what was going on. When then brought Riley into the room she was still wet from her bath and we saw her back paw's 5th digit (the one that isn't really attached) was cut. It was no longer bleeding but still looked pretty serious. They told us they would just bandage it up and wanted to see her back in 2-3 days. They gave me some pain pills and antibiotic for Riley and said that PetSmart was going to handle all costs associated with this. The manger for PetSmart rushed over to us and was apologizing profusely, saying if we needed anything...please let them know and they would be happy to take care of it for us. Yeah, because you think I'm going to sue the pants off you...(which is what my gparents thought I should do, by the way).
The newest groomer we've moved onto, let's call him Johnny, has done a really good job with both Riley and Reagan. He was apologizing repeatedly and kept asking me, "Are you okay?" I like Johnny and he's done the best out of anyone since Jacob left...so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. I'm just glad my baby was okay.
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| in her Easter dress with her bum leg |
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| my sweet baby with her feel-better toy :) |
When I took Riley back for her follow-up today, again the vets and managers were practically falling all over me to make sure I wasn't upset/angry/calling my lawyers. I appreciate their effort, but wish it wasn't due to this incident. They should always make us feel like we are wanted and important to them, otherwise we will go somewhere else. I think sometimes that it's my fault for this because I kept coming back there, time and time again, no matter what horrible experience we had. Well, I've learned my lesson. New groomers, here we come.
Bottom line, if you don't treat my dogs well...you're out of my life. Period.
petsmart never seems to have us in the book either?? they always say "it must be at the other one, but we will do it anyway." um, no. i made it the last time i was here.
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