It's a sad day...

I have been going to the same salon for more than 11 years to get my hair cut and colored. If you know me, you may know where I'm talking about, and you know I love my hair-guy, and he is not cheap! I also go for massages, facials and I had my wedding hair and makeup done there too. After my visit today, there's a good chance, I may never go back.

I got a gift card for my birthday, and another gift card for Christmas. I finally got around to using my b-day gift card two weeks ago, and I had an awesome massage. Today, I went for a haircut. While paying, the woman was confused with my gift card and couldn't find the record of it. She didn't make a big deal about though, honored it and I left. On my way home, I missed a call from her, and she asked me to call back. I called, and this time she wasn't very nice. Our conversation went like this:

Monica: "Hi, Jessica - you just used this gift card when you were here for your massage on the 28th"

Me: "No, I had a different card that I used then."

Monica: "No, this is the same card, with the same number."

Me: "No, the one I used when I was there for my massage was from my mom, a birthday gift in August. The one today, my husband gave me for Christmas."

Monica: "No, its the same one. I'm telling you. I'm just telling you."

Me: "I had two different card, I don't understand."

Monica: "Well, I'm telling you, you used this already."
Me: "That's not possible, I wouldn't still have it if I paid with it for my massage. My mom gave me the other one, do you want to look that up by her name?"

Monica: "Uh, yeah, I guess. what is it?
Me: "Linda Tiani:"

Monica: Well, OK. These are the same gift card. I'm telling you, you already used this"

and she hung up on me...

I was floored, disgusted, annoyed and frustrated. From the text I included, it's impossible to understand how condescending and cold she was. She was very matter of factly, telling me that I was wrong, and she was essentially doing me a favor with a free cut, because that gift card had already been used. First, what in the heLL are you talking about? That doesn't even make sense, since I surrendered two different gift cards with each visit. B - you didn't try to get the facts to understand what was going on. She gets a F in problem solving technique. C - don't talk to me like that, I've probably paid you thousands of dollars over the last 10 years. Show me a little more respect than to just assume I'm trying to pull a fast one on you. 

Maybe it's because I'm in customer service for a living, but that whole conversation did not sit well with me. Obviously, you can't use a gift card twice, I'm not being shady, and their records are incorrect. I was trying very hard to be nice and help her figure it out, and she just argued with me. She kept saying, well, i'm telling you. Well, Monica, you are wrong. Some customer service I get for being a patron for so long, clearly they don't care. 

I came home all fired up, told Brian all about it, and decided I'd call back and ask to speak to a manager to tell them that I was unhappy with how that conversation went. Monica answered when I called, ugh. I asked for the manager and she replied - "I am the manager, how can I help you?" Double, ugh. I asked for someone else and she goes "who is this?" Really??? So, I said Jessica. She goes - "Jessica, it's fine. You used the gift card twice, but its fine." Oh no she didn't... This doesn't really happen often, but I kinda lost my cool. In the nicest way possible, I told her I'd been a patron for so long, massages, hair, makeup, etc, and this whole thing was not cool. Again, she said it's fine, like she was doing me a favor. Again, not admitting fault, or trying to figure out the glitch in their system. She offered me a free spa mani/pedi - it's vegan and all natural. My blood was literally boiling, are you kidding me right now? I don't want a free mani/pedi. And, I'm sorry would have been nice. I told her that was nice, but I don't think I'm coming back. 

I'm in a bit of a quandary, because I'm in desperate need of a mani/pedi and a free one sounds delightful, but more importantly, I LOVE my hair guy. I tell everyone I know, it costs a fortune, but every time I leave, I'm so happy with what he does. I've tried other people, to save $50 here and there, but he's just the best. I especially, love my cut today. Damn it. Why is it so hard to be nice to people, and provide good customer service? Especially when it's your job, AND you are the MANAGER? Maybe like chivalry, it's just a thing of the past? 

What would you do?

 #worstexperienceever