This is not a sponsored post
As I was confirming the flight tickets to BKK via Scoot, at the final webpages before I checked out, there was a pop-up advertising that I was eligible for a $28 facial session at New York Skin Solutions (NYSS). Thinking that it's been some time since I last had my face dug, I indicated my interest in the promotion.
Setting an appointment
A few days later, NYSS called to make an appointment with me. The salesperson introduced herself as Steph and shared that because of a special ongoing promotion, the trial facial session would be FOC! WHAT, FOC?! Mai tu liao!!
So we set on a date. Steph said the session would take 3 hours. I was like, huh?! She added it is the longest time it would take, and the session includes a detailed skin analysis followed by customized treatment. I was thinking to myself, aiya all this is sales talk la, confirm at the end of the free trial will sit me comfortably in a room and try to hard sell packages to me etc. Steph assured me that if I am not interested in signing up for packages, she can indicate in the note under my name. Still skeptical, I agreed on a date the following week.
I went home and told wifey about it. She asked me to be prepared for hard selling as she has read that NYSS are quite notorious for it.
A week passed. A day before my appointment, Steph called to remind me about it. I told her upfront I don't want to spend 3 hours of my evening doing facial, so I asked her to cancel my appointment, and I'll pass up the opportunity to another person. Steph tried to convince me otherwise but she knew I was not letting up so she suggested I can ask my family members or friends. I said ok but knowing that I wouldn't be bothered, then we hung up.
2 weeks passed without any phone calls and I thought NYSS wouldn't bother me again. I was wrong!
Steph called again and asked if I had family members/friends to recommend. I said no, and thought that would be the end of it. Bye bye, no more, go and call other gullible people, ok? But no, Steph said as I was the first 50 customers, the session would be FOC and I would also be able to bring home a cleanser and toner. That wasn't enough to sway my decision, nonetheless. However, I agreed to set an appt because I was keen to have my face serviced.
Thursday 9 Nov, Tampines 1:
Pre-session brainwashing
Here I was, seated in a room and having pictures of my facial pores taken by a scanner (that looks like the one used by the supermarket cashier), magnified a 1000 times and displayed on the computer screen.
Okay... what's that? Looks like craters... surface of the moon? Nope... it's dried orange skin with black pepper and black bristles. Yes. My face looked like that on the screen. But I wasn't surprised, to be honest. Nobody's skin looks great under the microscope! After more yada yada and sales talk that my skin requires collagen treatment, I was ushered into a small room comprising 3 beds separated untidily by white track curtains. Was told to don a gown and lie down on the bed.
My consultant, Angela, later stepped in with a bowl of water and cotton pads. The area was so cramped she couldn't walk past the equipment without spilling some of the water on the carpeted floor. So we started working on my face. She started off by complaining that shop spaces in shopping malls these days are getting smaller and smaller and more expensive. Anyway, the small talk went on before we found out we shared a common interest in steamboat. Lol.
Skills
Anyway, the facial works were completed in like an hour? I have gone for many facial sessions and I think that Angela's skills were not too bad, but also not the best. In her application of eye serum and mask, she didn't get anything into my eyes - that was good. Her black head extractions was not too bad, swift and fussless. However, her hand movements were too fast they felt hurried, and perhaps that led me to feel that the session wasn't as relaxing.
Room
- The small room air-con was quite cold I had to hide my hands below my bum.
- Soothing acoustic music was playing silently and during that hour I was in the room, I didn't notice any repeat songs.
- Another customer's session started midway of mine and due to the small room I could quite clearly hear what they were talking about.
Post-session sales talk
After an hour, I was ushered into the same room and was served some warm water in a styrofoam cup (zzz so environmentally unfriendly!). My facial pores were subjected to the same NTUC scanner again and then the photos were put side by side with those taken before the session. Okay, so there is remarkable improvement in the brightness, lesser black pepper and my skin boosted more collagen. But I don't know, maybe similar results can be achieved if I do a mask by myself?
Angela continued selling koyok for a couple of minutes before getting down into the numbers. I'm an engineer so prices are all that I look at.
Round 1
10 sessions of Collagen treatment with eye care - usual price $3600. (WTF??)
13th year anniversary, less 50% - $1800 (WTF? still)
Deliberately putting on negative body language (folded hands, slouched back), negative facial expression (no smiles, half closed eyes) and negative verbal tone (no errs, no inflection), I politely said no thanks, and explained I can visit my wife's facial place for periodic maintenance if I wanted to (fyi, my wife's facial place is about $50 per session). Angela wasn't pushy and accepted my stand. She left the room briefly to process something.
Phew, I escape! Or so, I thought.
Round 2
A minute later she re-entered the room with some good news. The salesperson seated at the counter had a voucher to spare and said I could use it.
Suddenly, 10 sessions of $1800 ($180/sess) was no more. The voucher entitled me to 4 sessions and only needed $300 ($75/sess).
HAHAHA, what a fool anyone would be, to have paid $1800!
My mind was set that yes, I needed periodic facial maintenance. But if it's more expensive than wifey's existing package, there's no good reason for me to sign up with NYSS. Angela shared that NYSS uses "plant extracts" and "peptides" which are safer and more effective. But I told her, I am not so
爱美 la, so I don't appreciate all these stuff.
Round 3
Sensing I was not swaying, Angela included 1 extra session into the package. But this is for your wife, she added.
With that, per session works out to be $60. Still no cost benefit.
I turned her down.
Round 4
"Ok la, I see that you have some interest, I give you complimentary eye serum on 4 sessions la," Angela counter proposed.
How about you give me one more face moisturizer cream? I handed the ball back to her court.
She explained she can't do that as the cream, toner and moisturizer come in a set. However, she can give me a travel kit.
Round 5
With the clear end in mind (i.e. either <$50 or I'm not buying anything), I presented my ultimatum to Angela.
"Aiya, the price is still too steep, let me go back and think about it la."
"Already give you so many freebies, and you still find it pricey? I tell you, you come and try NYSS for a few times, the effect is really better than (wifey's facial place) treatment. I used to work there, so I know very well."
So I replied, "Ok la you give me one more session, I'll take it."
Angela excused herself from the room to speak to her supervisor.
She returned quickly. "You see we are very good, one more session you can have it. But, you cannot use this session. You have to refer it to your mom."
What started off with $360/session, then $180/session, is now $50/session c/w the following:
- complimentary eye serum; and
- complimentary travel kit,
over and on top of the normal sized (150ml) cleanser, toner and moisturizer that I'd be entitled to any way, as part of the promotion.
Done. Deal.
Payment
In order to document correctly the final terms of the negotiation, I asked her to note everything down in the invoice. She collected my credit card and said, "that will be $300 plus GST of $21."
..........that sees us begin
Bonus Round
"HUH?!" I exclaimed in surprise.
"This money don't go to us la, this one give to government one!" Angela replied hastily.
"But... it's still from my pocket..."
Angela pacified me with 6 packets of collagen drink.
Conclusion
Despite the many rounds of negotiation, I think both parties walked away with some wins la. She closed a deal, and I signed up for a reasonably-priced facial package (plus some freebies) that I needed. I may have seemed to be very
ngiao and a picky customer, but I'd like to argue that the terms I requested for weren't over the top and demanding. In addition, my mom and wifey would be coming for their customized treatments and to NYSS that makes 2 more potential customers, no?
kthxbye.
Editor's note:
If you happen to chance upon my review as part of your NYSS research, please
do not quote my review as part of your 'negotiation' wager =)
