Out
of the blue, I received a call from Oriental hair solutions two week ago and
they were providing me a complimentary hair scalp treatment. My hair is perfectly
healthy and I thought it was a scam. So I rejected the offer. But last week, I received
the call again. This time, the person over the phone said Jean Yip subsidiary –
Oriental hair solutions is pleased to provide me a complimentary hair scalp
treatment.
Now,
the difference is - Branding. Nobody knows Oriental hair solutions, but everyone
knows Jean Yip group. I gladly took up the offer, since it is FREE. Yes, I like
free stuff!! Who doesn’t? But one thing kept ringing in my mind. I have never
step into any Jean Yip salon for hair cut or treatment. Where did they get my
information from, and why are they so nice??
So
last Friday, I went down to the salon, with anticipation. The salon was inside a
pretty nice building, standing alone in the middle of some older structures,
right next to the road. The six floor building is called Jean Yip loft. Clean
and classy, with a little tinned of coziness. The staff welcomed and guided me
into a consultation room, where I filled in my particulars on a yellow form.
The form
My
consultant was Sharon, and the first question I posted to her was – why me? I
then found out that there was a friend’s referral program going on and my
contact was deposited into their system. So whoever wrote my name down, I thank
you!!!
Sharon
scanned my scalp and took some pictures to find fault about my hair. And
according to her, my hair was greying, scalp too oily, and pores were blocked. She
proceeded to recommend additional treatments to solve my problems, which cost a
whopping $88. HAHAHA…. I knew it, sales gimmick.
Of
course I rejected her offer since I came with the mindset of a FREE treatment
and have no intention of pulling out my wallet. With no choice, Sharon ushered
me into a seat and served a cup of ginger tea. It felt very much like a salon,
except having no hair on the floor.
A cup of Ginger Tea
A
hair specialist then came over with a bottle of purple spray, which she claimed to
open up the pores. She rubbed the cooling liquid all over my scalp and massaged
my head. I fell asleep~
Then
she poured some shampoo and continued massaging my head, I proceeded to drool~
Next
I lied down as someone washed and conditioned my hair. It was so relaxing that
I dreamed~ I love it!!
Then
I was back at my seat when the lady and poured a bottle of ampoule into bowl,
which she claimed to cleanse and nourish my scalp. It has a strong herbal smell
but very cooling on my scalp. She then steamed my head after putting on a
shower cap attached to a machine. This time, I couldn’t sleep because it was
hot and water vapour kept escaping from my forehead!! It felt rather funny and
weird.
Looking weird in an expanded shower cap. Haha!!
After
20 min or so, the treatment was done. My hair was dried and some serum was
pattered onto the ends of my hair. Sharon then ushered me back into the
consultation room and took some pictures of my scalp again. This time, she began
selling me scalp treatment package at $688 for 6 treatments. When I won’t concede,
she tried to convince me into buying a bottle of 300ml shampoo for $48. So I asked
her what was the difference between Ba Wang, System 4, Natur Vital, Iden and
the shampoo she was trying to sell me. To my surprise, she had never heard of
all the shampoos I talked about, except Ba Wang!!! So I asked her to explain
the different between Ba Wang and her shampoo.
Top row - Ampoules, Mid Row - Spray used during the treatment, Bottom row - Shampoos
She
started to look nervous, and answered my question with only one statement – 终止Ba
Wang 不好，你不要用就对了(Ba
Wang is not good, just don’t use it). So apparently, she didn’t know the
differences and have limited knowledge on their competitors’ products. After
which, she was in a hurry to get me out of the salon, no longer pestering me
into buying anything. Hahaha!!! Did I scare her?
Anyway,
I enjoyed the treatment very much but I will not take up a package because it
is more of a “want” than a “need”.
P/S:
This is not an advertorial. I am only sharing my experience on scalp treatment
at Oriental hair solutions.
4 comments:
I had same experience
I took 18$ package promotional,
After that consultant nearly presurrised me to take 10 sessions in 1800$..I was like wtf
Then she reduced to half ...even then I was not interested she reduced to half.. I denied and to my surprise she further reduced to half almost 450$....quite hard selling
But no luck for her
Can we get a refund. I felt scam. I have purchased till package C. I'm in bank debt
I was a client of Oriental Hair Solutions for around three years. As a new client, they convinced me that I had a series scalp problem. Over the first two years I was manipulated into buying products and services that did nothing to address a non-existent scalp problem. Once I started pushing back on spending more money, the pressure placed on me was incredible. Having read through Singapore’s Fair-Trading Act, I believe this business and its practices are in break of clauses 12 and 14 namely:
12. Taking advantage of a consumer by exerting undue pressure or undue influence on the consumer to enter into a transaction involving goods or services.
14. Making a representation that appears in an objective form such as an editorial documentary or scientific report when the representation is primarily made to sell goods or services unless the representation states that it is an advert or promotion.
In addition to the above, the level of customer service is atrocious. Specifically:
1. Staff stand around chatting while people are waiting. They have been occasions where I am the only person in the salon and I still need to wait.
2. Your assigned ‘consultant’ only sees you when they want to sell you something.
3. Consultants and assistants are not well-trained and know more about sales techniques then your hair and scalp. The certificates that they hang in the consulting rooms are for a course that cost $300 online that literally anyone can do. It is worth noting that less than 20% (I’m guessing) of the consultants even meet this minimum requirement.
4. The hard selling is relentless, and, on some occasions, I’ve had to resort to arguing with the supervisor in front of other clients. In addition to the bullying tactics, other sales techniques include praying on people’s vulnerabilities and using voodoo science to convince you that you will go bald if you do not buy their products and services. The bullying extends to blaming you when you question the effectiveness of the treatments. The hard selling is well coordinated with the assistant reporting an “issue” and then a consultant coming to check and demanding you go to a consulting room. On the occasions I have resisted going to a consulting room, my treatment has stopped, and they won’t finish it until you go into the room. Usually your hair is wet so you can’t just leave. Another technique is talking at you while you are attached to a machine. I have got up and left the consulting room in the middle of a hard sell so from then on they would only talk to me when I’m attached to a machine and cannot escape. One occasion my consultant threw a tantrum when I didn’t buy.
5. The pricing is inconsistent and opaque. Nothing has a set price and often depends on how hard you resist. I have never paid the same amount twice. One technique they us is to come back and ask for more money because ‘the lab’ is insisting that you buy 20 treatments rather than the 10 you originally singed up for. There is no price list and it is often unclear as to what you have bought.
6. The contents of the herbal treatments are opaque. I have been given bottles of essence to use at home that have no labels, so I have no idea what is in them.
I was a client of Oriental Hair Solutions for around three years. As a new client, they convinced me that I had a series scalp problem. Over the first two years I was manipulated into buying products and services that did nothing to address a non-existent scalp problem. Once I started pushing back on spending more money, the pressure placed on me was incredible. Having read through Singapore’s Fair-Trading Act, I believe this business and its practices are in break of clauses 12 and 14 namely:
12. Taking advantage of a consumer by exerting undue pressure or undue influence on the consumer to enter into a transaction involving goods or services.
14. Making a representation that appears in an objective form such as an editorial documentary or scientific report when the representation is primarily made to sell goods or services unless the representation states that it is an advert or promotion.
In addition to the above, the level of customer service is atrocious. Specifically:
1. Staff stand around chatting while people are waiting. They have been occasions where I am the only person in the salon and I still need to wait.
2. Your assigned ‘consultant’ only sees you when they want to sell you something.
3. Consultants and assistants are not well-trained and know more about sales techniques then your hair and scalp. The certificates that they hang in the consulting rooms are for a course that cost $300 online that literally anyone can do. It is worth noting that less than 20% (I’m guessing) of the consultants even meet this minimum requirement.
4. The hard selling is relentless, and, on some occasions, I’ve had to resort to arguing with the supervisor in front of other clients. In addition to the bullying tactics, other sales techniques include praying on people’s vulnerabilities and using voodoo science to convince you that you will go bald if you do not buy their products and services. The bullying extends to blaming you when you question the effectiveness of the treatments. The hard selling is well coordinated with the assistant reporting an “issue” and then a consultant coming to check and demanding you go to a consulting room. On the occasions I have resisted going to a consulting room, my treatment has stopped, and they won’t finish it until you go into the room. Usually your hair is wet so you can’t just leave. Another technique is talking at you while you are attached to a machine. I have got up and left the consulting room in the middle of a hard sell so from then on they would only talk to me when I’m attached to a machine and cannot escape. One occasion my consultant threw a tantrum when I didn’t buy.
5. The pricing is inconsistent and opaque. Nothing has a set price and often depends on how hard you resist. I have never paid the same amount twice. One technique they us is to come back and ask for more money because ‘the lab’ is insisting that you buy 20 treatments rather than the 10 you originally singed up for. There is no price list and it is often unclear as to what you have bought.
6. The contents of the herbal treatments are opaque. I have been given bottles of essence to use at home that have no labels, so I have no idea what is in them.
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