SINGAPORE: Staff at a beauty salon in Tampines berated a customer who attempted to make a late-night appointment, sending the customer a barrage of insults that have stirred public backlash.
Ms Low, who previously visited Qian Xiu Beauty at Block 820 Tampines Street 81 for ear candling services, told Stomp that she had simply reached out via WhatsApp to arrange another visit when she was unexpectedly subjected to verbal abuse.
“The service was average,” said Ms Low, recounting her earlier experience at the salon, “I communicated with one of the staff members who told me I needed to book an appointment if I wanted to come again—no walk-ins because she might have other appointments.”
However, things took a shocking turn when she messaged the salon at 11.33pm on June 6 to request a new appointment. A screenshot of the WhatsApp exchange, shared by Ms Low, shows the employee—identified only as “T”—responding to her message with: “Go see a doctor if you are sick. Disturbing in the middle of the night, you are crazy.”
Startled, Ms Low replied: “What crazy? Why are you anyhow scolding people? You are the sick one! I wanted to make an appointment.”
To which the staff member responded with an even more offensive message: “You have mental illness plus AIDS.”
Ms Low shot back: “Crazy! Ownself got AIDS still say other people!”
Speaking to Stomp on June 14, Ms Low expressed disbelief and disappointment at the encounter.
“This was totally uncalled for,” she said. “If it was too late, she—as a service frontliner—could have better managed the situation or just said, ‘It is late, can I reply you tomorrow?’ instead of insulting me out of nowhere and calling me crazy or saying I have AIDS.”
Ms Low, who works in customer service herself, emphasised the importance of professionalism and mutual respect in such roles.
“I am a professional working adult in customer service too and I hope she gets the message. We are not her venting machine and anyone who has been insulted by her can easily sue her,” she said.
She added that she hopes her experience serves as a warning to others, “When others respect her, she should not take it for granted. I hope no other customers will encounter an experience like mine.”