I've got a bone to pick with MAC and I'm looking for advice, SVP.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m a good MAC customer, and have been for a long time.

I buy all the viva glams. I participate in the recycling program. I probably have $750 worth of MAC lipstick in my drawer right now.

Usually, I go to one particular store outlet, where I always get particularly good service. If it’s busy one of the makeup artists acknowledges me right away with a smile. They are friendly and helpful.

However, sometimes I go to a different store outlet. The service there has been almost consistently bad. Unfriendly. Slow. Rude. One woman is consistently rude to the point of being hostile. (Like “Oh, I’m a MAKEUP ARTIST I’m just too cool for school” - bite me lady). Today was the last straw.

I went to this store, because it happens to be close to my house. I had my 6 items to be recycled for a free lipstick and I wanted to get a new Viva Glam II because mine is missing. Fine. I waited for quite a while. I was ignored. I finally got someone’s attention and explained the scoop. She got my lipsticks and then left. (???) I suppose she was going on a break - why she couldn’t wait the 3 minutes it would take to ring me in, I don’t know. So fine. I wait to pay. And wait. And wait. Finally a woman looks at me and asks if she can help me and I tell her I’m waiting to pay. Great. So she leaves. And I wait. And I wait. And I wait.

Finally, I pay. I get my 2 new lipsticks and decide to try one on. I’m doing just that, when one of the women knocked and entire tray of open lipsticks on me. I got 13 shades of lipstick smeared all over my pants (and I mean ALL over) as well as my suede shoes. The woman looks and says “Ooops.” while my room-mate and I are picking up the lipsticks for her. She ignores me and starts helping another customer.

Um, excuse me. You just shmooed lipstick all over my pants. Do you think I could get a tissue or something you silly git? (I didn’t say that.) So she gave me a tissue, which did nothing but smear lipstick around. I said I was taking the pants to the dry-cleaner. My roommate had to suggest that perhaps MAC should pick up the tab.

So I did that and brought back the receipt. Apparently, I have to make ANOTHER trip because only the manager is allowed to give out petty cash and she’s not in until Monday. Fine. I’ll make another trip.

So here’s my question. I’m planing on complaining about EVERYTHING that happened, as opposed to just the lipstick incident. That was obviously an accident, and if it had happened at the other store I go to, I would just ignore it, but as it is, I’m really pissed off.

I always get crap service at this store. So - do I just get my dry-cleaning $$ and never go back to that location, or do I share my beef with the manager? I’m a very pro-MAC kind of girl and this store is really doing the company a disservice, IMHO.

Honestly some of the women that work at this store are un-frikin-believable with how rude they are.

Input, SVP.

(As a little FYI - no, this is not a problem of cosmic proportions, but I’m miffed, none the less - thanks)

2

If it were me, I’d get the drycleaning money, share the beef with the manager, and inform her you will never be returning to that location. If the manager gives any problems whatsoever, I’d stop by the regular location and share the story with the manager there and find out if she’d recommend going over the other manager’s head to complain to someone higher up as well.

3

What is this “MAC” store trade in thing? I’ve never heard of it. Is it Canadian?

Oh never mind I did a search.

Makeup Alley

Christ! This makeup board is huge! You gals don’t fool around.

4

Nope - they do it at all their locations.

Hey - I take my makeup VERY seriously!

Well, ok, No, not REALLY

5

Definitely tell the manager why you are upset…that’s the only way they’'ll know something is wrong. I have yet to set foot in the MAC store that opened in my mall (where I work, everyday) for two reasons: the lighting is way too intense and hot-looking (it’s in the nineties here…I don’t need to be hotter) and the salesclerks are the most extreme examples of fashion and hair and makeup…some are truly scary-looking. Since I’m not into extreme makeup, I worry that any advice from them is going to be way over the top. Tho I did notice last week that there is one woman working there now who looks…normal. I think I could trust her!

That makeup message board was a hoot…especially the woman who would rather keep her sticky lipgloss on than kiss her husband. Priorities are everything!

6

Hey - my favorite artist is a guy. What does a GUY know about wearing makeup, you ask?

Well, quite a bit, seeing as he wears a full complement of it himself. :smiley:

Anyhow - despite his rather unusual personal makeup choices, he always does and excellent job of helping me select things for myself. I’ve never been steered wrong by him yet. Oh - I’m pretty conservative in my choices as well, in case you were wondering. :slight_smile:

I think that most MAC employees (excepting the ones that the MAC Store From Hell[sup]TM[/sup] of course) are really well trained. I’ve been very happy overall with the help, advice and service I’ve received there. (Hence my ire over today’s incident.)

7

Actually, I’d probably be more comfortable with the two guys that work at mine. They seem to be more makeup artists than the girls…and this is just from observing them as I walk by. But it’s like going to a hairstylist. You want to go to someone whose idea of a great look isn’t a half-shaved head with pink frizz in front. Unless you want that kind of thing.

Now I understand that MAC’s image is all ulta-hip and cutting edge, and that they want their staff to project that. I’m just not bold enough to go in there and ask for some foundation suggestions. Oh, and their floor is always dirty for some reason…dust balls and scuff marks and litter.

8

alice_in_wonderland

I would definitely share my full list of complaints with the manager, after getting reimbursed for the dry cleaning. I would also write a letter to the MAC corporate headquarters and fill them in along with how I felt about the managers reaction.

If this store is consistently bad, that’s a management problem, not an employee problem, especially when the other MAC stores are so very different. (which points to it not being a corporate problem)

9

It sure sounds like a problem of cosmetic proporptions!!!

Heeheehee!

Ahem, sorry.

micilin

10

‘proportions’, dangit!

11

God, almighty! Pretty odd behavior for commissioned salereps…

I’m a makeup artist for :ahem: a very fine French company and what I’m hearing is unbelievable! Unheard of, even. That artist should be fired, fired, FIRED.
Do:

  1. Complain to store manager and MAC Account Executive (if that team has an AE)
  2. Get your dry cleaning money and shoe money (shoe them shoes and slacks)
  3. Demand free items (they should GIVE you gratis without you even asking, IMHO)
  4. Spill coffee on the pants of the offending MU artist (just kidding, but she deserves it.)

Go to a store where they believe in their clientele and treat you like a queen. You should have a personal artist and they should keep a client card on file for you. That’s how commissioned artists are SUPPOSED to behave. If they don’t, it’s just clerking and that’s a nasty word in our biz!
best of luck
–pink

12

Well, to be fair, my usual guy is fabulous. In fact, I love him deeply. Were it not for my boyfriend, and his gayness (the MU, that is, not my boyfriend), I would propose in a minute. :slight_smile:

I always thought the behaviour at that particular MAC counter was kinda odd too.

I figured perhaps they were all cycling together, and I just caught them at a bad day in the cycle…

13

Great to hear! Stick with him - the name of the game is service. Anyhoo, sorry, I realized that you said you had already dry cleaned your slacks (so that nixes the idea of showing them to the mgr.) It was late…

Bummer about your shoes. Try some makeup remover and a Q-tip…I think that should be ok on suede if it’s NON-OILY MU remover. (but, don’t quote me on that.)

regards,
pinky

14

???

apple sells lipstick?

What the heck is MAC???!?!?!?

15

Silly me…I thought this was going to be about Michigan State University, which of course used to be Michigan Agricultural College (MAC) a really long time ago.

So, it’s not about “Moo U.” (as we University of Michigan people like to call the former MAC) after all.

16

Silly me…I thought this was going to be about Michigan State University, which of course used to be Michigan Agricultural College (MAC) a really long time ago.

So, it’s not about “Moo U.” (as we University of Michigan people like to call the former MAC) after all.

17

Oops! Sorry about that double post!

And this is also not about the Mid American Conference, of which my undergraduate alma mater (Central Michigan University) is a member…

18

You should tell the manager everytime you get bad service from the BAD MAC store.

However if you always get bad service there the problem might be the manager. She/He hires, trains and supervises all these ‘gits’ (your word, I don’t even know what it means) so maybe the manager is to blame.

19

“Git” is a British expression which means something akin to “jerk”.

I’m calling the manager in 40 minutes and I’ve obtained the name and number of the district manager.

Vengence will be mine! Bwahahahaha!