Gallery Nails & Spa, Tacoma WA complaint

February 7, 2007

COMPLAINT MESSAGE SUMMARY LINE:

The following is a complaint for inapproriate client service by "Tami" at Gallery Nails & Spa, 1816 S. Mildred St., Tacoma, WA 98466, phone# 253-565-2965.

I had been getting my acrylic nails done at this salon for about 4 months by various nail techs in there until I had a fill done by a nail tech by the name of Tami. So my complaint is specifically towards her and not any other tech there.

My complaint isn't about the quality of the "fill" Tami performed...it has to do with the rude comments she made about my engagement ring that I was wearing that day. Comments that should never have been made as it is not her job to analyze the diamonds on her clients fingers, her job is to do their nails. She needs to keep her opinions of her clients' jewelry to herself unless those comments are positive in nature.

The following is what happened that day in December 19, 2006, three days after I received my ring:

She was doing my "fill" and we started discussing my new diamond engagement ring and I mentioned to her that it may be "cracked". That I could see "something" that I didn't see in the jewelry store.

She proceded to tell me that her best friend was in the jewelry business and she knew alot about diamond shopping.

She stated that she could see what I was talking about (which in the end ended up being just small feather inclusions, so it wasn't cracked as I originally thought) and when she shops for a diamond she looks at it from "top to bottom, left to right, and upside down to make sure I can't see anything" and that "you should have done that" also. Well I responded to that by telling her I did look at it carefully, even under a microscope, and didn't see anything then. What I failed to do was look at it from the sides because it was in a set of jewlery tongs. But even with that stated she still implying to me that I didn't know what I was doing when it comes to diamond shopping and she does.

She then proceeded to ask me what cut it was (as it was an unusual cut called "Radiant") and when I told her it was a Radiant cut all she had to say is "I only like round diamonds" and " I like round the best, they are the prettiest". Did I ask her what she liked the best? No I didn't. So basically she was telling me mine wasn't "pretty".

As she continued to look over my ring she bragged about the her own diamond in her engagement ring. She said it was "near colorless" in color and "near flawless" (a VVS), so again she was rudely implying to me that her diamond was higher in quality than mine. But she is wrong in that sense. As some of you may know though, the color and clarity of a diamond does have some impact on the beauty of it but if you ask any reputable jeweler they will tell you the "cut" is MOST important. And mine was cut "very good" and therefore very sparkly (high in scintillation). And I was happy with that aspect of it.

I was pretty offended by this point and politely ended the conversation by telling her that I was going to take the diamond back to the jeweler that I had purchased it from in a few days to have it looked at again to make sure everything was ok with it and it wasn't cracked. She agreed that I should and mentioned "if you can see something now and you aren't happy with it you should return it because you'll be wearing it for the rest of your life". Apparently not keeping in mind how rude that would make me look to my fiance who spent quite a bit of money and time with me searching for that "perfect diamond" for "us".

My last experience at that salon ended with her carrying my purse, directing me over to the drying table and as I was sitting down her last words to me were "take it easy on that diamond" and walked away. Again I felt that was another rude statement implying that she thought my diamond was cracked so I better "take it easy" on it or it will crack in half.

I told my fiance about this experience and he debated for days whether or not to go into that salon and talk to the owner about how she treated me. He hasn't done so as of yet, but may still do so.

This entire experience still bothers me to this day that is why I decided to post a complaint on this site. My "desired outcome" of posting this complaint is that everytime someone is researching this particular nail salon or for nail salons in general in the Tacoma WA area that this complaint "comes up" as part of their search. That way they can ask for someone else other than Tami in Gallery Nails & Spa.

~Tina

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Comment On This

Tina, you started the whole thing complaining about the alleged "crack" in your ring..had you not wanted her opinion you would have stuck to a different subject..I do agree though Tami came off as a bit of a know it all..it would have been less rude of her to have said "yea I see it too, you should take it back to the store and have them look at it just to be sure" that's where her comment should have ended..btw the comment which included "getting laid" was a personal attack and it was way out of line..we are suppose to be helping each other not insulting one another..

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Call 1-800-wah-waah :-(

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Oh my goodness, you really need to 1) Get a life, 2) Grow up, 3) get over your self, 4) Go get laid, 5) Probably listen to advise, 6) Find a boyfriend who can shop for a diamond, 7) Go get laid, 8) Get laid again... My goodness, what a whinner!!! You really should quit being so childish and learn to take criticism especially if people are simply advising you... Are you really that inmature?? And dumb???

Caroline

Comment On This

Grow up. If the diamond was good enough for you and your husband, that should be all that matters.

I have been going to Gallery for years and have always found the techs extremely nice. It seems that you forget that, with most of them, English is not their first language and it IS difficult to learn--IN ANY LANGUAGE--the polite way of saying things, although they mean no ill (Take French for a couple of years and then go to Paris; Take note of all of the confused looks you get when you slip up and say something "impolite").

In summary: Try to be a little more understanding and a little less insecure. Your ability to overanalyze Tami's comments is just... phenomenal.