Not that I am surprised at the outcome but really, some people can be such a disappointment. There's a reason why every service provider should be changed every half decade max...because when someone stays long enough, they really dont cherish you no matter how nice you treat them.
For the last 5 years, I have been engaging the services of this HK lady for home massage. Initially her service was good but as every person on this earth, familiarity breeds "bad service". Despite the fact that I had always treated her more as a friend than just a service, she became more and more unreliable over the last 2 years.
There are always excuses. Always last minute cancellation on the actual day, or she will have sudden appointments and she cannot fulfil her 3 hours appointment with us. Sometimes she will promise to come but then dont with very vague reasons.
Just this year, she wanted to raise the price and we didnt even counter argue with her despite her declining service level. When her dad was in hospital, we were sympathetic and close an eye to her sudden cancellation and when he passed, we also gave her some "funeral money" as per custom. It was required since technically we didnt have to. When we go on hols, we would normally get her some food stuff etc back. I think we have been rather nice to her, too nice that I think she decided that she can shove us to lower priority since I have always told her we are appreciative of her presence since she is really a very good massage therapist. I dont know if that's why she felt like we cant do without her.
The past year, my man has been very unhappy with her shoddy service and we were already contemplating to look for a new massage therapist. I have been resisting to comment on her attitude because I know her character after all these years.
However today, again, she sent a message that she wasnt able to do 3hrs massage because she has another client at 7pm. So if i want, I have to move my time earlier.
This was the 3rd time she has done this and in view of all the bad attitude, I finally sent her a query sms.
I told her this because I am really tired of always accommodating my time with hers.
"I believe I have explained to you before that 3pm is too early for us, and we can only start at 3.30pm.
What is puzzling is that we have always been engaging you for 3 hours massage service and so this is not some first time or last min request. I would have thought you would allow us or expect the session with us to end at 6.30pm all these while since you have been coming to our place for so many years. So I would prefer not to change my time. Hope u understand."
I didnt think my sms is nasty or fiery but her reply was curt and quick with a fire icon, stating "I see. Then I have to suspend our session and thanks for the last few years."
I was really unhappy at her non apologetic brush you off attitude.
So I finally reveal what I had wanted to tell her off for a while now.
"I think you are overreacting. All these years, you know perfectly well that my only request from the start was to keep our 3 hours slot on Sunday which you agreed to since '08. We had NEVER changed that and its not a new request. When I used to remind you of our booking every week, you used to tell me not to worry and that Sunday slot is always ours. So I had trusted and taken your word for it.
I am not expecting you to not have new clients after us but it is only reasonable to expect no changes to our slot, esp without any discussion or advance notice. It would only be professional and reasonable to expect you to inform us in advance if you have serious last min changes in your scheduling. Since the 7pm are new clients, you could have told them that you could only start 7.30pm when they first booked you, rather than making me your old time customer shift our time. I knew nothing of your new scheduling until I realized recently that I can no longer book you beyond 2.5hrs. It's grossly unfair to us, especially since we have never once cancelled on you last min or change our time without one week's notice. Whereas you have consistently cancelled on us 2 hours before appointment for the past 2 years and now this?I find it strange that you should be so angry with my feedback and not willing to change my timing for you again repeatedly. Does it mean as customer, we dont even have room for comments on your service? If that is your stand, that you are right and we are wrong, then I wish u all the best."
I shared the incident with my man and am glad that he agreed with me, that I wasnt overeracting and that we were right to raise this since we are paying her for our service. He has been quite annoyed with her for some time now esp the last min cancellation with no reasons or fake reasons. His stand was we are already so used to her not coming at last min that it doesnt make us miss her service anymore. He added that this is often the outcome when you are too nice to people whose services you engaged.
I normally dont like to have that "I'm paying u so I am your boss or have all the say" attitude, but these people really piss me off. They make me feel like I must be distant and distrusting at all times which is not the person that I am.
Oh well. That's life.
We meet all sort of people.
I'm not sure what her problem was.
Maybe she prefer new customers that she can overcharged or maybe she got lazy, or maybe she is getting menopause. Regardless, her loss not mine.
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