Friday 13 February 2009

Wellness group gets flak from customers


True Spa is being taken to court by a group of 16 disgruntled customers frustrated with its service

1 comment:

Guanyu said...

Wellness group gets flak from customers

Complaints pile up online and at Case; unhappy spa clients file collective suit

By Jessica Lim
13 February 2009

COMPLAINTS about poor service are piling up against the True Group, the wellness empire that runs yoga, fitness and spa businesses here.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 331 last year, more than double the 155 filed in 2007. And barely two months into this year, True's business arms have already drawn 15 complaints, mostly against True Yoga.

Online, the forums and blogs are abuzz with gripes against the yoga arm, with customers venting their frustrations in at least 50 postings. A group of 16 disgruntled customers have also banded together to file a collective suit against True Spa.

Last month, True made the news when a court bailiff went to its True Fitness outlet in Suntec City to seize equipment to raise money to make good on a customer's court-ordered refund of $2,500.

True's customers have so far been angry about repeated cancellation of appointments made for spa treatments, pressure selling and the unavailability of slots despite bookings being made five weeks ahead.

Assistant marketing manager Tan Siang Mei, who bought a $4,000 spa package in 2006, said she has hardly been able to get through the booking hotline and has had appointments cancelled at the last minute. As a result, the 29-year-old has used only $580 worth of services in two years.

Of her attempts to make spa appointments, she said: 'No one picks up the phone. And when you are lucky enough to get some attention, spots are fully booked for weeks on end.'

Going online in the middle of last year, she had no difficulty finding 80 others with bad experiences at True Spa. Out of that number, 15 of them joined her to file the collective suit.

One member of the group, a 27-year-old teacher who declined to be named, wants a refund for the $6,000 package she bought. She is frustrated in having snagged appointments for only three sessions in her eight months as a member.

A True Spa spokesman confirmed that the spa received a writ of summons through the group's lawyer on Jan 24, but said True has ruled out refunds.

'In these cases, we have offered them ways to make bookings easier. There is really nothing else we can do,' he said.

He explained that the existing system allowed customers to book spa slots two weeks in advance for peak hours and a day or two ahead for off-peak times; some of those who complained were assigned personal representatives to help them with bookings. He said these customers had earlier sought refunds for entirely different reasons, such as financial difficulty or because their favourite massage treatments were no longer offered.

But one of two lawyers representing the complainants, Mr Michael Loh of Clifford Law, said: 'It's not a case of wanting their money back due to making a bad decision. They are coming forward with what they have experienced, which should not be discounted in any way.'

He said his clients were asking for a full refund, though they were open to 'any sincere offer' to settle the matter.

Case, which has described the number of complaints as 'quite high', advises consumers to be clear about the terms and conditions of membership and to go online for reviews before signing up.

It added that, it may, if needed, invite True to sign a Voluntary Compliance Agreement, that is, admit to unfair trading practices, compensate its customers and clean up its act.

Mr Peter Sng from the Spa Association of Singapore put down True's problems to its membership base being too large.

Marketing manager Nora Yusoff, 43, took True Spa to court last year, where an agreement was made that allowed her to make bookings a week in advance.

She said: 'It improved for me after that, and I was able to use my whole package. But I am never going to sign up with True Spa again.'