Rude Saleswoman @ Shu Uemura Counter Tangs Vivocity & Rude Watsons Loreal & Guardian Sales Staff

Louise Yong.  Rude, tactless, definitely made me think she shouldn't be earning any commission from me (if I even decide to purchase).

I am considering making a list of all the rude service line people. If I had started sooner, the list would be quite long by now.

Why do makeup/cosmetic companies hire rude staff? Staff should undergo training first before being put up as counter staff.  Things the staff must never say to a customer should be taught. Bottom line is to sell the products, customers must feel comfortable and encouraged to buy. SALES.  Supposed to Sell your product. Never offend the customer in any way.

I was rather offended by this older saleswoman Louise Yong at the Shu Uemura counter @ Tangs Vivocity today at about 6.15pm.  First glance at her, she already looked unpleasant. Her rough makeup face looked very hard and unfriendly.

I was interested in the Whitefficient Essence and asked about it.  After she showed me the counter area with the displays, I  squirted some on the back of my hand, but more came out than expected as the bottle was quite empty.

I asked about the products and how long a bottle of the Essence could last.  She said the amount I put on my hand earlier was too much. Said a little was enough and the bottle could last 3 months. -.-  I didn't bother explaining that the pump had squirted out more than I wanted.  (I doubt 30ml can last 3 months when L'oreal White Perfect Laser Essence with the same amount don't even dare claim to last that long. Only a person who is super stingy can maybe stretch 30ml to 3 months. And with such stingy use, I doubt there can be results.). 

#1 Never fault the customer for using a product. Never say the customer has used too much.

So, she is an unpleasant, rude staff with poor customer relationship skills and also stingy.  The amounts of the emulsion and cream that she later squirted on the back of my other hand were so little, it was amazing.

That aside, I asked whether it was possible to just use the Essence alone without combining with the cream or emulsion.  I was thinking that the essence might need the cream or emulsion to work better, just like L'oreal White Perfect Laser.

She said the essence can be used alone, then gave a crude explanation of the function of the cream and said in a discourteous tone, "Do you understand?". 

#2 Never say "Do you understand" to a customer. Never attempt to belittle the customer. Such a staff should be fired without salary.  

She had poorly described the cream as preventing the essence from "running away" (this was said in Chinese to mean "evaporating") from the face. The Shu Uemura website which I had earlier checked out says that the function of emulsion or cream is to seal in moisture (I didn't tell her this).  I wanted to see if she would confirm it.  Instead, when I prompted at the beginning, whether it was to seal in moisture, she had looked in doubt and said it was to keep the surface of the face clean from dust etc..  Then when I asked if the essence could be used alone, she exasperatedly said the cream prevents the essence from evaporating into the air and then had the gall to say "Do you understand?" in such a rude tone.

Throughout, her tone and words were rude. Certainly, she does not make the customer feel welcome. Definitely, she left an impression--to not buy from her or from this Shu Uemura counter.

Intentionally rude or not, staff should be trained. This has to be emphasized. Train Your Staff.

#3 Always smile & encourage the customer to come again even if the customer didn't buy anything. This is something very easy but very few sales staff do. 

I don't  know why aunties make very poor cosmetics/skincare sales staff (Should hire young people who are fresher and more polite).  These aunties are very offensive in their words and tone.

Examples:  

1) BHG the new level selling cosmetics at the end. This auntie promoting makeup brands at the end.  Rude comments to my inquiries.

2) Auntie at L'oreal shelf @ Takashimaya Watsons.

When I said I was considering whether to buy the Overnight White Perfect Laser cream and inquired if there was perhaps a sample to take home to try (as testing on the back of my hand in store is different from applying it on my face at night + I showed her I was buying the White Perfect Laser Essence), she said there are no samples for the cream but sarcastically continued that if I could provide a container, she would scoop out some of the used tester on display and give me.

What a rude and offensive thing to say. Only an auntie can say such a thing. That jar of cream tester on display has been used by the public.  You think the customer is a beggar? Get a container? If you have no samples, just say so and stop there.

It wasn't as if I was asking for samples for free. I am after all buying the essence and would like a sample to try the Overnight cream (I wasn't interested in samples of other products that she said were available).

Truly very offensive. She should certainly be fired.

I subsequently bought the Overnight cream from Guardian elsewhere.

3) Watsons has always been having very persistent and very offensive aunties to promote their skincare brands.  I have been wanting to talk about this for a long time.

The moment customers walk in, they hang onto the customers and point out customers' flaws just to sell their products. Very bad. 

How do you think that makes a customer feel? Customer is in a good mood to buy stuff. The moment customer enters, meet such auntie sales shit, and right away the mood ruined. Customer don't want to buy anymore, just want to get out. In any case, the customer's  mood has been changed negatively.

Is this the way to do business?

(While you are browsing, they will also bug you to look at their more expensive products.).

4) The same thing at the "new" Guardian Plus @ Takashimaya.  When they opened recently, I went there to check it out. Right away, tailed by more than 6 saleswomen, one after another pestering me. Worse of all, they became purposely annoying. Wah, buay ta han.  Totally bad, made me angry. If just 1 more sales shit approached me again, I was going to shout at the person.

I walked out in a foul mood.

Can you imagine? A customer walks in smiling, wanting to Buy things. But walks out empty-handed and angry.  Cash walking out. And not coming back in again. I haven't stepped in there since then.