Alyssa
I visited the Guerlain store at ION to redeem a sample of their latest serum, and I was extremely disappointed by the service or rather, the complete lack of it from most of the staff. When I arrived, there was a small line at the booth with two staff members present: a trainee and a supervisor named Asmanirah (as shown on their name tags). The trainee was assisting customers, but Asmanirah seemed completely uninterested in helping. Despite a second iPad sitting unused right next to her, she ignored the line (which included myself and two other ladies ) and instead spent her time fiddling with products at the booth. Worse still, she soon walked off to join a group of three other staff, chatting and laughing among themselves. The store was otherwise empty except for one other customer who was already being attended to, so there was absolutely no reason for this neglect. What really bothered me was the impression of discrimination: I and the two other ladies waiting were non-Chinese (all Filipino), and we were left standing there for over 15 minutes. Yet as soon as two Chinese women queued behind us, both Asmanirah and another staff member rushed over with their iPads to assist them almost immediately — giving the clear impression they were prioritizing customers based on race or appearance. This experience was unprofessional and deeply disappointing, especially from someone who appears to be a supervisor. It made me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable, like I was seen as a freeloader simply because I came to redeem a sample. The only positive was the Chinese trainee who eventually helped me; she was friendly and professional throughout. I expected much better from a luxury brand like Guerlain. Management should train staff to treat all customers with the same respect and courtesy — regardless of whether they’re redeeming a sample or making a purchase, and regardless of race or ethnicity. Experiences like this make potential customers feel undervalued and unwelcome.
