I’m not a fan of Clarins Malaysia
Filed Under (customer service, skincare) by rinnah on 24-01-2009
Tagged Under : clarins, isetan, klcc, parkson
It’s a pity, really, because I have a friend who swears by their facials and I really love her clear, flawless skin. But the thing is, every time I get anywhere near a Clarins counter in Malaysia, I get very put off by their beauty consultants. They don’t seem to realize that their service is the make or break factor for customers. The break factor for me was my bad experience with one particular beauty consultant as detailed below.
Clarins recently ran an online promotion (valid until 31 December 2008) giving away two samples of their skincare line, a hand massage and eyebrow grooming. If I’m not mistaken, it had to do with their “Clarins We Care” charity promotion? Anyways, I put down my contact information and printed out the e-voucher that allowed me to redeem the items above. My voucher told me that I could collect the same from the Clarins counter in Parkson KLCC and I headed there on a weekday after work with a colleague. My colleague also had the same e-voucher, but for some strange reason, hers was printed as the Clarins counter in Isetan KLCC. Weird.
Anyway, we went over to Isetan first, being nearer there and my colleague was attended to by a very sweet girl who mentioned that she was temporarily assigned there. All went well and we (my colleague and I) were quite pleased with her service. She did say apologetically when we asked that she couldn’t assist me as my voucher was clearly printed as redeemable at Parkson KLCC but I was fine with that.
So after we were done with Isetan, we walked over to Parkson KLCC, where we were greeted with an empty Clarins counter. No beauty personnel around. We walked around for a bit before coming back to the counter and saw one of the Clarins personnel come out from the door behind the counter. When we approached her to redeem my e-voucher, she brusquely said that I could not redeem the items listed on the e-voucher as I did not make an appointment. I then asked if I could just get the skincare samples – I was willing to forgo the hand massage and eyebrow grooming as I was more interested in testing out Clarins’ skincare products – but again, the beauty personnel brushed me off, saying that I could not get anything from them because I didn’t have an appointment and she didn’t have time to do a skincare analysis for me. Instead, she told me to go to the Clarins counter at Isetan KLCC to redeem the e-voucher. When I mentioned that we had just come from there but since my voucher stated Parkson KLCC I couldn’t redeem it there, the beauty consultant then said disinterestedly that I should come back tomorrow if I really wanted the products. I had enough of her uppity attitude and we left the counter.
I just can’t help but compare the difference in attitude and service rendered between the beauty consultants at Isetan KLCC and Parkson KLCC. It is also pertinent to note that my colleague did not make any appointment at Isetan KLCC before redeeming the exact same e-voucher that I tried to redeem at Parkson KLCC. What’s also interesting to note is that no skincare analysis was done on my colleague before she was given the skincare samples at Isetan KLCC. Hmm. Was it an oversight by the beauty consultant at Isetan KLCC or merely an excuse by the beauty consultant at Parkson KLCC?
Anyway, I don’t think I will be going back to Clarins for a long time, if at all, because of the attitude of one beauty consultant.
Sounds like someone needs to pull a stick out of her arse. I’ve never liked Clarins in Malaysia (especially the spa at KLC), cause of their “Holier than thou” attitude.
Ya, they are ‘hole-lier’ than me..that’s for sure.
rinnah says : Hahaha… that’s a way of putting it! Yup, I don’t know what’s with all the SA’s displaying “Holier than thou” attitudes nowadays…
Write a letter to Clarins HQ. At the very least they need to know these things.
rinnah says : Hmm. Do you think the Clarins HQ will care?
I’m just hoping that Google picks this post up so that if anyone searches for Clarins at Parkson KLCC…
this sucks! i second the idea of PB, should write to them and complain complain! make sure the SA be outta a job! hehehehe
rinnah says : That was how I felt initially… but now, I don’t think I want to make the girl lose her job – CNY season mah. But I just want to publish the incident so that others will know about the sucky service there.
HI.. I also had the e voucher from the same promotion but requested to redeem them at the Clarins Institute in KLCC.. and i did call up to make appointment.. it is intimidating going to the institute but I am fully satisfied with the service given. eventhough my printout was blur due to my printer running out of ink but they accepted it with no question asked.. the girl attended to me was very nice and friendly. makes me feel so comfortable and not intimidating at all.. i had 3 samples in the end had joined as a memebr recenly. go to the institute.. they are better than the counter…
rinnah says : It’s funny, but I couldn’t select where I wanted to redeem the e-voucher. The selection was automatically generated after I selected KL city.
I went to the Clarins counter at Parkson 1 Utama a few days ago to check out the Instant Light Eye Perfecting Base and didn’t have a good experience too. However, there’s a nice SA at Clarins Jusco 1 Utama. Could it be the Parkson air?? lol
By the way, the eye base is good.
rinnah says : LOL! But I used to have a favorite Dior beauty consultant at Parkson KLCC previously until he left, so yeah, maybe it is the Parkson air indeed.
Aww that just sucks out all the fun in buying beauty products – crappy sales people *shake head*
I third the suggestion; complain!!
rinnah says : Indeed! No fun at all…
Hi,
I hav been to klcc isetan. And service at counter is bad. I went to look at RMK Japan. I use this in Japan.
I sit there to try them doing skincare on my face. But,.. is very bad. the person is man who smell of smoke cigratee smoking.
WHy smoking and attend to the customer?
I really dont undrstan, why service allowed to this.
Thankyou.
rinnah : Hi ayako, oooh, I know what you mean, cos I don’t like being attended to by a smoker since I’m a non-smoker. It just puts me off buying the product and it doesn’t represent what I’m looking for in a brand and the consultant is actually a brand ambassador. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi there!
I had a very bad encounter at the Clarins Skin Spa KLCC yesterday!
I did call up to make an appoinTment for my body treatment. I signed up a body treatment package for the 1st time and this was my 1st treatment.
My appointment was at 730pm. Ushered by the consultant to the room and she told me to shower first.
15mins later another consultant which is the therapist came in. She told me about the treatment that she going to do. Its the body treatment. I told her to checked what body treatment that I signed up for as I remembered I like body wrapping treatment.
She told me she already check twice with other consultant. Then continued on with the explanation..she told me to mention the treatment type to the consultant whenever making appointment. I told her i only signed up for 1 kind of treatment! I told her again, my treatment is the wrapping type. She said today is the Andes treatment. I told her the 3rd time to check again! (I should get up and go out and checked at the front counter but i was already naked!!!). She smiled, ignoring my instruction and repeatedly told me its the right treatment for me???
After 60min, and of course without the wrapping. The consultant the treatment is over??? I was in like huh??
I dressed up and went to the front counter. She told me to sign the acknowledgement card and on that card it stated Extreme Brightening from the Taurus Mountains!!! and it should include a wrap! Damn!
The other consultant said sorry saying its their fault to give the wrong treatment. She explained that their computer system is down?? I told her off saying you have the manual tracking card! Its obviously stated the treatment that I signed up for!! Boy! I was boiling to the mAX at that point that made me walked off from the spa without signing anything!
I m not sure I m going back there!
rinnah : Gosh, that’s a pretty bad experience you had there! Didn’t the consultant who made the mistake attempt to rectify the matter besides just apologizing?
Oh Gosh…sorry to hear about your ‘misfortune’ at the Clarins Spa Institute, Mel..that’s very sad isn’t it… Have you tried sending your complaint to their HQ/GM?
I always think Clarins has a range of good products considering that they use all natural plants extracts and ingredient…And so, few days ago, I was at Isetan, KLCC wanting to buy their mask to try out….Imagine this. There were about 4 beauty consultants at the not very big counter…two were attending to customers..and the other two – only God knows what they were doing…I was standing and walking to-and-forth in front of them hoping either one of the two who were free to actually attend to me…..And after like 10 mins…one of them only attended to me…and also she looked quite reluctant. I wonder if she could possibly thought I am not rich enough to buy their products…(maybe by looking at my normal appearance while carrying a backpack)…Hmmm….I seriously think the management of Clarins should know how their consultants are behaving at the counter…What a shame when you have excellent products but lousy customer service, isn’t it?
rinnah : Yup, many’s the time when I walked away from a counter because the attitude of consultants (in general, not limited to any one brand) suck.
I agree that Clarins consultant sucks and poker face. I have been signing up facial with them (BU outlet) for the past few years and most of the time i buy their products. When i buy, i usually ask for sample to try out other products and also i travel alot for work, those sample comes in handy instead bringing the actual size of the products while travelling.
Just after when i made a product payment recently, i saw them updating my facial records paper sheet and i notice a comment writeen saying ‘ Becareful of this customer, is a Sample Queen and Stealing’ I was annoyed with the accusation made and i walk off! How could they say such thing especially the Stealing part. I still have 5 more times facial with them, am thinking should i contact the HQ to complain or just leave it till i finish up the package and not signing up as Clarins customer anymore.
rinnah : Hi Jane, the part about stealing was a pretty strong statement – did you confront the SA about it?