I don’t normally do this, but this comment left by a reader yesterday on my previous article on why I don’t use MAC Cosmetics, struck a chord in me.
Here is what Leia wrote:
This evening (Oct 5 2007) I visited the latest M.A.C. outlet in Kuala Lumpur. This is the new mall in Kuala Lumpur, Pavilion. I was there around 6.30 -7.00 pm. I was served by a sales girl. I told her I was looking for a waterproof eye shadow or eye liner. She showed me some colors. She tested a few colors on my wrist and then I asked her if I could try on my eyes. She said yes and I chose blue cream eye shadow. She handed over the cream and a brush but she walked away. I was puzzled and waited for her return. After few minutes, she came back and we looked at each other. So I asked her what to do with the cream and a brush that I was holding. She said I am supposed to put on myself. I told her I had not used cream eye shadow and asked her to help me. So she put on one eye for me. After looking at the mirror, I did not like the color on me so I told her the same. She gave me some remover to clean one eye that I tried the color. After that, I said I could not go around the mall with one eye bare and the other eye colored (my original make up was on). So she said I could use one of MAC color to put on the side that did not have any make up. Then I said I would have different color on my eyes so I asked if she could find the nearest match to the color that I had on my eyes. She said she could find and asked me to look for the color myself. As I could not find any color that is almost like the color that I had, so I asked her if she could help to put on (eye shadow) the side that had no make up as well as covering over the existing make up on the other eye. She said that would cost me RM80.00. I was jaw dropped. I asked to confirm and she replied the same. Then she said I could pick one base color and do it myself. I am totally lost. I had no choice but picked one color and put on myself. Guess I was upset over this and putting on the color badly. She then offered to help and she did but, that was it. I left the place. The reason I walked into the shop because I was told about the product. Just that now thing has gone the wrong way and I was humiliated. What have I done to deserve this
This experience is also part of the reason why I find it hard to patronize MAC Cosmetics, products notwithstanding. Bar a couple of helpful staff, the majority have not been helpful to me – I’m sorry to say. My own encounters have been with unhelpful and patronizing staff, but never one as rude as in Leia’s encounter above or they would have definitely heard from me!
I have written to Leia to advise her to please please take this up with the company – no, not M.A.C itself but the company that brings them in who in turn, hire the staff here. There is no place for rude sales people in a service industry and M.A.C Cosmetics needs to understand that.
Update 2010: 3 years later I now drop by MAC once in a while. I’ve found that there are some helpful MAC sales assistants in the MAC stores at KLCC notably. I have also met helpful MAC assistants at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Isetan Lot 10 so perhaps things have improved. I still don’t go to MidValley Megamall as I still don’t get served well there unfortunately.
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By the way the dont go to cosmotolgy school and the way they do their make up is sometimes a bit extreme but you have to understand that it is a “High Fashion” brand and if you look on the high fashion run ways you always see crazy make-up. MAC is known for there vibrant colors and great make-up, they are just different and thats why they make millions more every year then all the other labels combind. PLUS they help certain AIDS funds and they RECYLCLE! all very good things for the world!
oh lucky amanda. it doesnt work here in malaysia. yeah, no doubt bout the great MAC makeup. oh well, i love fashion and paintings. enjoy seeing all the extreme makeup on runways. only problems is that the SA in most of the mac counter here always leave somethin for us to say. overall, the products is GREAT. maybe i should just fly to US just to get mac with good service and friendly staff there.
if i’m not mistaken, MAC is under Estee Lauder…
I didn’t really stop from going to MAC because of the bad service…but I do have preference to WHICH outlet to go to and who to find when I’m there. I’ve had bad experiences before there, the MAs are so snobby sometimes it really pisses me off that I know more about their products then they do. I wish they would hire ppl who are passionate about the brand as well, here they hire you only if you have a cert or diploma from a beauty school or whatever. In the US, people get hired because of their skill and their interest for the brand. Blah. So unfair.
But well, I recommend going to the KLCC one if you ever wanna try to buy MAC again. Find Yean or Reyo. They’re very nice.
Or if you’re in Midvalley, find Harita but I don’t like the staff for this outley…so I lean towards KLCC more.
I’m not a fan of M.A.C but I would like to share my view here. If I want to buy cosmetic on the day, I’ll wear very liltle makeup such as moisturizer and loose powder. This will actually benefit myself to buy a correct shade of foundation, get the true color of lipstick, coverage of concealer…etc. But there also people who were buy cosmetic being seized by whim or other situation (after working…etc). So, leia’s case might happen. As a SA, they should try and do their best to serve their customer. Some company will provides refund or money back just for their good reputation. It’s unfair to charge $ in leia case, the SA could propose to remove eyeshadow of both eye and let leia to choose a color she like to wear. In emily case, I don’t know what’s in the male SA mind, but some man are jealousy and don’t like other man to approach their gf/wife (even SA). In mim’s case, I’m curious does M.A.C give incentives to their SA? If they did, why those SA not bother to serve mim since everyone is potential buyer. I have learn that I need to give clear instruction to SA just like If I don’t want the SA to follow me, I have to tell them. If I want something, make a request.
Customer have high expectation espcially if the product is expensive or the company is reputable, retailer has reponsibility to make their customer leave their store satisfactory. Of course, if someone is humiliating, then just shun away. I would never go back with unpleasant experience.
I totally agree with this. I find this similar no matter what country it is. In London, it is exactly the same. The staff are stuck-up, and so full of themselves it’s ridiculous. As soon as you walk in into a MAC store, you have like five members of staff look at you up and down- not even at your face, with a fake “Hiyaaaa darlin’” Ok, not all MAC staff are like that, but they have to agree that the majority of the staff that they hire seriously need re-considering.. and possibly some proper CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING!
Emyli: So its an attitude that transcends borders eh? Pity it was the bad attitude that did. Thanks for your comment
the same happens at MAC counters at Dubai – they ignore you (ofcourse this is done after they scan you to see if you’re worth their time and effort – Like they would know!!!)
i’ve been using MAC for quite sometimes now and i normally go to lot10 outlet .. but the stock is rather limited there…so i try the midvalley outlet..gosh the SA there is such a snob.. and i end buying lotsa items from Bobbi Brown (2 doors away from them)..
I wonder always wonder what options we have after being recommended the wrong type of product?
My friend S, went to MAC MidValley early last year and was recommended a foundation powder to use. When she got back home n used it the following day, it was the wrong shade. She went back to MV to ask if they could change it, but they refused to do anything about it. She has since “abandon” Mac and move on. She regretted not knowing much about cosmetics and the price she had to pay for the foundation powder which is rotting in her drawer.
Is it our fault if we’re clueless about make up and forced to accept it after paying the price?
i would have to disagree…i’ve been to M.A.C countless times and they have been some of the nicest people…they aplied my makeup for me they cleaned it off and they even joked around a little
whoaa! seriously?
im from hk. landed on ur blog while i was looking through other beauty blogs .
but anyway, back to the topic.
the SAs at M.A.C in hk dont have friendly attitudes as well ==” probably coz im not that old they tend to ignore me whenever i check out the counters. they arent exactly ‘rude’, but close to it. well at least they answer me when i ask abt the products. overall the attitude isnt so friendly ._______.”!
somebody has to do something abt this. this is totally unacceptable ==”
I recently visitied MAC outlet in MV. The chinese gal there was rather helpful and friendly. She tried few shades of foundation and even helped me to wipe it off.. When all set, she added some blusher and even lined my eye lids. So, i would not say all SAs are snobs. There are nice ones as well. It is unfair to generalise due to lousy service of one or two staffs.
Last time i went to lot ten M.A.C,the chinese girl is so bad,but afterthat i went again the evening,but luckily the malay girl is so nice
I love MAC products, but I find myself buying the products online as opposed to going to a counter…as least most of the time. There are two counters that I normally go to and the staff is pretty friendly (Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, MI – Macy’s and Nordstrom. There is 1 counter (Macy’s at Somerset Mall in Troy, MI) that I do not care for at all. I’ve been to it twice and both times, I thought the MA’s were pretty snobby! I was just there last night and was not greeted/acknowledged. I was ready to spend some $$$ there, but instead I just got one item…which I felt I was bothering the MA when I asked for it…Oh well. Thank god for online shopping.
OMG, I’m so glad I stumbled across this post! I thought I was being paranoid for feeling like MAC salespeople were obnoxious.
I agree with most of the comments here, that they evaluate you based on how you’re dressed and made up.
Here in Singapore, I frequent the one at Raffles City (okay service, but can be improved) and the one at Scotts. It was the one at Scotts that gave me a bad impression.
There is a stark stark difference between MAC and Bobbi Brown. You feel like a commoner when you go to MAC, but a queen at Bobbi.
They need to be retrained, seriously.
i do agree all the mac staff have the ‘rude’ atitude and nomatter someone up here is give credit to certain SA but the fact is they will scan u firsly when u step in and just think how much money can grad from ur pocket,weathey u worth their time or not,of coz some is pretend kind and friendly infront of u,when u live the store they start gossip u……….
Fie i sure u spend alot money at MAC so u been treatend ‘like a human’ if not they won’t
coz they can charn ur face how much u can spend ok…….
for me a lot of brand if provide good service with temting price,we not worth to pay for tat kind of service…
ehm….true also….the standard of services dropped….but need to make some corrections….
few years ago, working in MAC counters are all professional make-up artist, now Im not so sure what’s going on MAC.
I would have to agree and disagree with all of you here. In my opinion MAC customer service is not up to the standard here in Malaysia. I moved back home from the US last year and has been going to practically all MAC stores/counters in Klang Valley and I have to say it’s very different from what I have experienced in the US.
I have a MAC fan/addict for past three years and was a frequent visitor to my nearest MAC counter back in the US and the staff there were very friendly (except maybe, 1 or two, because there’s bound to be a bad person in a nice group of people). I have also been to many MAC counters in New York and Chicago many many times and although it was obvious I was only a poor college student (I wore non-branded clothes), they staff treated me and others very well, although they were a lot of other customers there. If they’re busy, they’d sorry and they’d be with you in a moment. They also never expect that you want to put the make up on your own, unless you specifically say, I want to borrow a brush to try this eyeshadow/lipstick/etc.
When I came back here I noticed, many staff at MAC stores here tend to discriminate the patrons, according to the impression the customers make whether they appear to have a lot of money/knowledge in MAC products. If you walk there alone, without looking like you’ve got money or the first clue about MAC products, a lot of them won’t treat you with the standard of service they should be giving. Yes, a large number of MAC staff in Malaysia are pretty snobbish if compared with the US. Enough said.
Nevertheless, I know some MAC make up artists/SAs (aren’t they all supposed to be make up artists?) in KL who are really nice. There’s this pretty guy in KLCC MAC store, named Apple who’s really nice. The lady MA with the spiky hair in KLCC is also very nice. There’s this pretty male MA in Pavilion who is very very patient and nice with the customers. I’d suggest you look for these MAs if going to MAC store in KLCC or Pavilion.
true..i’ve been to a a few MAC stores in KL,
80% of the time they ignored me maybe because i dont look like a potential buyer,
their attitude made me walked out of MAC stores right away..
I’m from Chile, and MAC is considered one of the best MU brands, a very expensive one, and for what i’ve seen, the bad treatment to customers is an everyday/everywhere issue. In Santiago, MAC is distribuited officialy by Falabella (department store) and a MAC Store in a shopping plaza, and the SA are very unpleasent, snob people.
I buy makeup every week, i like it, i collect it, i like to change my looks very often and i go for department store brands and drugstore brands too. I always go very simply dressed, no makeup (so i can test every product in the proper way) but that does not mean that i’m homeless or i’m shoplifting, cause in the MAC stores all i get when i look like that is a suspicious look and a bad tratment. Besides, all the MUAs look like they’re so bored with you!! I like to make questions about the product i’m willing to but so i can get the most of it, and this MAC snobs look at you like “Oh God kill me now or make her shut the hell up”…
So, i prefer to buy Clinique, Guerlain or even Loreal or Maybelline… i always get pampered and well attended when it comes to this brands.
It’s odd how all the branches have that same snooty, ignore the customer or size them up MA/SA. If you’re selling something shouldn’t you at least treat yourc customers better? I’ve been to probably all the branches they have in KL and get the same treatment all the time – and I actually dress up so it couldn’t be that. It’s just their attitude or worse, their training!
The only good experience I’ve had has been in the MV outlet and Sunway Pyramid but both times started off being ignored until I either approached someone or spent a long enough time at the counter looking through things. Most of them were either staring off into space or making themselves busy with their head right into the desk.
Its all about attitude. Do u realize dat most sales people ( be it hotel staff or cosmectic counters)in Malaysia are just not happy doing their job, its like they are forced to do it. They lack the knowledge that they are to ’serve’. If so, just change jobs… do a cubicle kind, where u dont hv to meet anyone!
I use mac too in JB. The girl, Grace is a real darling.
I think u shd get the names of these rude staff and write a complain citing their names. Make it known to them that u r taking their names down.
Its disgusting , i know!
Hey… I love MAC but I have to agree with you guys on the TERRIBLE service. I haven’t exactly bought any products from the MAC counters but I have loads of limited edition MAC products because I have a relative working at the MAC office. Although I don’t purchase MAC products, I still like to browse around the MAC counters. Everytime I enter the shop, I get weird looks from the SAs (I don’t have to say much, I’m sure most people reading this post knows what I mean).
So one day I decided to give MAC Sunway a try, but as usual, crappy SAs. I asked them something, the replied in less than 5 words and that was the end of my GLORIOUS encounter with the SA. Finding a SA that’s nice and helpful is like finding a needle in a huge sack of makeup. Obviously I walked out.
Few hours later, I walked past MAC again and I saw a friend of mine just leaving MAC (she spent RM500 at one go, SIAO!) so we started chatting about MAC right outside of the shop. The SAs still gave me a weird look as in “she’s not pretty/well dressed/hot/rich looking enough to even talk about MAC so why is she talking to this totally rich customer here”. This friend of mine really looks up to my knowledge about MAC so she consulted me on her purchases. I poured out my knowledge about MAC and took out loads of my limited edition products as examples. (Sorry la… I wanted to wipe that ugly look off all the SAs. I it may have seemed bitchy but the SAs were worse. I just need the satisfaction to be able to mentally kick their butts. =P) When the SAs saw my collection they had this defeated and shocked look. They’ve just lost a potential customer. HAH!!
Seriously, people should complain about the MAC SAs everytime they were treated badly. Maybe we should make it a habit on complaining about the SAs. =P I should try talking to my relative about the annoying SAs. Something really needs be done about them or one day they’ll end up getting punched.
I live in the UK , and I go to one particular MAC store. The SA are okay, but they could have more make up artists around, since about 3 people do one person’s make up at one time, limiting other people wanting some service. But when they do assist you they are extremely nice. I’ve only been twice and i’ve bought around £120 worth of MAC products, which is around 779 Ringit!! They are happy to put the products on you: If you think a shade is too light, they take it off quickly and apply the next shade up, they are really nice. They complimented my skin saying it was ”amazing” and ”this would really work for you” or ”is there anything else you wanted”. Basically normal things you SHOULD hear from a make up counter.
My mother is from KL in Malaysia and i am planning to go with her in the Summer 2008. I’m planning to go to Pavillion a) its just opened so i’m excited about that and b)I want to see how snobbish these SA are in these MAC stores! If they really are this rude, I would tell them straight up that they are not doing a good job and give them the deuces!
BTW, to anyone that has been treated nicely in the KL MAC stores, can ANYONE tell me whether they give you samples like eye pigments?
thanks =]
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