The most horrible experience at Munyaka Camelot Spa in Jonnesburg

I’ve had the worst experience of my life getting into an altercation with the manager of Munyaka CSpa named Nomsi. She has publicly embarrassed me in front of other ‘loyal’ customers that did not even have the full story but now being mentioned as witnesses to the situation???

The problem started when I called the spa to let them know that after 1 week (or so I thought) the gelish done on my nails were chipped, peeling and cracked. To my understanding having a cracked or chipped gelish nail at the top of your nail is a health hazard and could cause a fungal infection. An educated nail tech or manager of a spa would know that. I sent through 2 pictures to show them which ones were the worst. In the first picture I showed 3 fingernails and the other picture showed one fingernail. Truth be told all of them had terrible application and were starting to lift, not just grow out. I was told they would fix it and was asked when I would like to come through. So I made the appointment for 3pm on Friday the 27/09/24.

I pitched up for my appointment and was told that in the system when they had checked it’s actually been 2 weeks since my application and not 1 week therefore according to the policy Nomsi- the manager cannot help me, the only thing she can do is offer me a soak-off. So I proceeded to check my calendar to confirm and saw that I had a missed call from a guest was meant to visit me. So I told her I will be right back. I came back in after a few minutes and asked her if you knew prior to this that you couldn’t help me because you checked the date against your policy, why did you not give me the courtesy of calling to inform me. She says I thought it would be better to tell you in person. I left my work for a period of time to accommodate this appointment so the right thing to do would be to call and let me know. She lets me know that she cannot fix all my nails but according to the nail tech that responded on whatsapp and saw the pics let her know that 2 nails needed fixing and she could help me with that. I told Nomsi that I sent a picture with 4 nails so why can you only fix 2? So the manager hadn’t even looked at the images I sent as a complaint before even saying she couldn’t help me. She asked which nails need fixing and I showed her the 4 that needed attention. She responded that fixing so much as 4 nails would be like fixing all my nails. So I picked up my hands and said I have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs how is fixing 4 nails redoing all of them? She told me it’s a business and her taking a decision like that will lose money for the spa. I then did not want to stand there and beg to fix 4 nails In front of the other customers so took the soak off.

After the soak off I went to her and asked who else can I talk to other than you about this situation. She asked why. I said because I was not going to stand here and beg you to fix 4 nails for me that is clearly in bad shape because of either an incorrect application or product being weak. So I need to talk to someone else about why I wasn’t helped. She says I can ask my operations manager to call you. I asked to see where in the policy it says I have 1 week to report that this happened before I am offered no help. She took my email address down and confidently stated she will send it to me asap(I am still waiting for that policy).

Then I proceeded to say whilst I’m here I also need to address something else with you that I didn’t get a chance to do before. On the 7/09/24 I had an appointment at 15:45. I called you at 15:15 to let you know I am struggling with menstrual pains and I just took a tablet. I will call back before my appointment to let you know if I can make it or not. I then called back at 15:30 to tell you the pain isn’t going away and I cancelled and made a new appointment. I then started feeling a bit better just before 3:45 and thought I could get my appointment back since I am the last appointment of the day and it’s unlikely someone would now take that slot.

When I called to ask if I could have that appointment back you just told me “no I can’t” (no explanation). She denied that it was her. I told her Nomsi I know your name I said it many times that day with all the calls I made to you. She denies it again. She responded to say that I can’t cancel my appointment at 15:30 and still expect the appointment to be there for me at 15:45 when I was meant to be here 15 minutes before. But the appointment does not start 15mins before, to my knowledge a customer is asked to come 15mins before if they need any info from you or just to make sure you’re on time so the next appointment does not incur a delay. She says you telling me you cancelled your appointment and still expect it to be there is like you testing my intelligence. I said excuse me? She says yes you are testing my intelligence. She proceeds to tell me that they had a guest and 2 walk ins that she can prove. I asked, being a manager why couldn’t you let me know the reason why you couldn’t accommodate me? She says so I must explain myself to you? (With attitude I might add) I was shocked at that point. I sarcastically laughed and said yes as a manager that’s exactly what you should have done. She starts raising her voice “now you’re picking on me, you’re just picking on me. My clients sitting here can see how you’re treating me and picking on me. Before this point we had been talking with our inner voices to not disturb the other clients but when she pointed to the clients and mentioned the above statement she got their attention. She says you come here 2 weeks later when our policy to report this is 1 week and you expect us to fix all your nails. I said hold on I didn’t ask you to fix all my nails. I sent you pictures with 4 nails and that’s what I asked for and you even agreed when I told you about my nail being cracked in the middle it’s an indication of bad application or a weak product. She then tells me she did not say that and I am putting words in her mouth. I am baffled. At this point I realised I am dealing with a person who can completely twist a story and lie for her own benefit. She then pushes her chair back and says I don’t have to deal with this I don’t have to take this. Starts crying and leaves to go into the room. I want to ask, if she is the manager how does she not have to deal with this? It is literally her job description even if it’s about her. At that point I walked out the spa then realised I didn’t have the operations managers number so I went back in to get it. She says she cannot give it to me the manager will call me. We argued again.

Because these ‘loyal customers’, who did not know the full story, saw her crying one of the customers told me I think it’s best you leave and let the operations manager call you because we are here on a Friday to chill and we don’t need to be hearing this. So I was the one who now was turned into the villain and she had a someone stand up for her now she felt she was right in her behaviour and responses to me. I was now so embarrassed in front of everyone. At that point I just could not believe she is a manager and before I left I told her she is not fit to be a manager. To which she rep****, thank you!

Later that day I told my husband and my cousin about the situation. Being residents at Munyaka we felt as though my dignity had been compromised, I was embarrassed to a ridiculous extent and it also took away the convenience of using the facilities that we pay so much to enjoy here at Munyaka. Nomsi has compromised the business because she got personal with the situation and could not handle criticism which at a managers level she should be trained to handle in order create resolutions. She relayed the story in a completely different light to my husband and cousin which entailed many lies. One of which I kept walking in and out of the spa. That I insisted I wanted all my nails fixed and did not understand that she could not assist me with that request. That she agreed to fix the 4 nails but because I could not have what I wanted I went with a complimentary soak off to which she added in a hand massage. They only put my hand into a bowl of soap water and rinsed it off. I don’t know how anyone calls that a hand massage. She says I continued screaming at her that’s why she couldn’t take it and left. She was calm the entire time and tried to explain everything to me and I chose not to understand. Her loyal clients are her witnesses. My husband and cousin responded that if your clients are loyal Ofcourse they will take your side, number 2 my wife sent you a picture showing you 4 nails that she asked to get sorted out so how did she insist for all her nails to get done. Thirdly Lola Lee states on their brand page that their gel lasts up to 3 weeks with NO CHIPPING, PEELING OR CRACKING which I’ve experienced all 3 so the right thing to do as a manager, especially for a returning customer that stays in the complex would be to fix it because it looked really bad and it wasn’t just growth that we were dealing with for you hold onto your 1 week policy.

I am completely appalled at her behaviour. I’ve been a manager close to 8 years myself and I have never behaved this way with a client. This is not the way any manager that is client facing should behave. The company is free to view the cameras and if they have access to the audio that would be even better because I stand by the way this situation happened even though Nomsi has bluntly **** about multiple things and how it had happened, what was said and how she responded to the situation.