I recently worked at an American Laser Centers clinic in Minnesota as a Laser Tech and I would like to warn people to stay away from this company. I am not a disgruntled ex-employee, but as I've been reading all the other complaints since I quit, I realize all American Laser Centers practice the same manipulating sales tactics everywhere - and it's all true. I'm relieved to not work for such an unethical company anymore. Below are somethings I saw first hand:

First off, the pricing is different for everyone. If one person comes in and says they work as an engineer and another comes in and works at a gas station, and both want the same service, they will charge the engineer more $$ for the same service just because they know they make more money.

NEVER come in for a consultation. It's a joke. Clinic Managers are like used car sales people. They don't care about the customers needs, they just want you to spend $$ with them and they DO NOT want you to leave that consultation without buying anything. They will say anything and make false promises to get you to buy.
I rarely saw any customers get good results from the treatments and we as Laser Techs are trained to give customers false hope.

Also, for any future Estheticians looking into working at American Laser Centers, Laser Techs are really hired on to do sales (calls and all), and that's never made clear in the interview. And customers: do not fall for these "coupons" for additional money off the treatment. There's no such coupon and again, they just want you to spend $$ at their clinic.

This is not a company I would recommend to anyone. Please, stay away.

You never yell at the customer. I don't care how bad you're PMSing...it's just a big no no especially if you're in the service industry like these guys. Here's my email I sent to the regional manager:

Hi Regional Manager,

I was told that you are the regional manager over the Salt Lake City

downtown American Laser location, managed by Inexperienced Manager. I'd like to inform

you of an incident which should be followed by employee correction

action.

There was some miscommunication when I transferred my account from the

Draper office to downtown SLC. I was told "You don't have to pay for

parking" by one of the girls employed at the time I transferred my

account to downtown. So ever since then, I have NEVER paid at the

meter. So about 3 weeks ago when I had my appointment I got an expired

meter ticket. I gave it to Inexperienced Manager and explained to her that I was told

that I didn't have to pay for parking. She concurred and took the

ticket and said, 'We'll take care of it for you.'

A week later I get a call from Inexperienced Manager telling me with a frustrated tone

of voice that they wouldn't be paying for the $15 ticket. I told her

that I was told that I didn't have to pay for parking. She then

explained that I was allowed to park in the BACK parking lot. This was

the first time I had ever heard of a back parking lot. Because of the

miscommunication, I told Inexperienced Manager that it was American Laser Centers

responsibility to pay for the ticket since NO ONE had informed me that

there was a back parking lot.

She then retaliated very rudely and said, 'Well, just so you

know this is coming out of my own pocket. I hope you enjoy your

weekend knowing that.' (Something to that effect). I was INFURIATED to

say the least. No one has ever treated me like this being the

customer.

I then called the Draper office to request that I have my account

transferred back to Draper. I also requested to reschedule my

appointment. They informed that they couldn't reschedule until they

had my chart at their office. It has been 2 WEEKS since then and NO

ONE HAS CALLED ME BACK to reschedule my appointment!!!

In addition to this nightmare I received a letter from Salt Lake City

informing me that the ticket hadn't been paid! As a result, it has now

been increased to $45!!! Inexperienced Manager lied to me and never paid for the

ticket!!! THIS IS THE WORST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD!!!

Aiming for optimal customer satisfaction should be one of your goals.

Apparently your managers do not understand that a happy returning

customer (which I was for the last 3 YEARS!) Is far more valuable than

trying to acquire more customers. They also don't understand that a

bad experience is told to far more people than a good experience and

believe me I have told close 20 people already who I am sure have

already told many more. I was also considering buying an additional

package and paying up front. Inexperienced Manager has made my decision for me, because

there is no way that I am going back there. You do the math-you could

have received $1500 in revenue from me from the package I was going to

purchase or just deducted a minimal $15, which would have retained a

happy customer and incremental revenue of about $1485. Obviosuly no

one at your company understands the importance of customer

relationship management.

In summary I'd like to highlight the bad customer experience milestones:

1. I WAS SPOKEN WITH A DISRESPECTFUL TONE OF VOICE AND COMMENT BY ONE

OF YOUR MANAGERS.

2. I WAS LIED TO BY ONE YOUR MANAGERS SINCE SHE NEVER PAID THE TICKET

WHEN SHE SAID SHE WOULD

3. NO ONE TRANSFERRED MY CHART TO THE DRAPER OFFICE

4. NO ONE HAS CALLED ME BACK TO RESCHEDULE MY APPT IN DRAPER


Please give a call at your earliest convenience.

Good Afternoon!
I have been having Laser Hair Removal done on my lip and chin at your location on Cascade Rd in Grand Rapids, MI.

I started treatment in February 2008 with the understanding that this treatment was so good most if not all of my hair would be removed before my wedding day in November 2008. Well it wasn't, I had to shave my face on my wedding day! Imagine my humiliation! Because this treatment has been paid off since at least April 2008, I decided to continue with treatment and hope it got better.

Around January 2009, I was put onto a new laser and was told that if I didn't notice a difference within 4 treatments I would get to consult with a nurse, on my fourth treatment, I mentioned to the technician that nothing had changed and that next appointment I would like to see the nurse as promised, she then informed me that the former technicians had only noted I had the new laser twice, which is wrong, I know that the same laser was used on me all 3 times to that point. She continued to tell me that I was wrong. So she noted my account that I was only to have the new laser. I have been getting treatments every 4 weeks since and have not seen any improvement (nor have I talked with a nurse), in fact a year and a half after starting treatment, I have new growth! Also, the technicians would ask me how much improvement I had seen, some would ask over the whole course of treatment, so I would say about 10-20%, they would then write down that it was only since my last treatment, making it appear as if I had improvement in 4 weeks, which was never the case!

I drive 2 hours roundtrip for my 10 minute appointments and can no longer justify it for not having seen a single result in about 11 months!

I am asking for a partial if not full refund, I still have black hairs on my face, that have been treated over and over again and have not improved, my face is constantly broke out from new hair growth (and every sore has a hair in the middle of it, that I can't get rid of, so they stay forever), I now have scars all over my chin from all of the acne.

Let's hope that they listen...although based on all the other complaints out here, I'm sure they won't...

I'm Free! I finally quit that shit hole of a company! I was at the headquarters in the call center. Regardless of the economy and how I probably won't find a job for a while.. I COULD NOT take it anymore! They are the biggest SCAM COMPANY out there! After working there for 2 years and seeing how they were always screwing clients out of their $$, they have a NO REFUND policy, I realized $$ or no $$ I need out! I strongly urge people to ban together and shut that place down! Rich is a fat fuck and thinks he is going to turn that company around 3 out of the 4 call center managers Jessica, Pam and Emily all share 1 brain! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THE 300 COUPON THEY GIVE EVERYONE! The services are extremely expensive and they jack up the price if you have some sort of discount. I REPEAT! DO NOT GET SERVICES DONE THROUGH THEM! THEY NEED TO BE SHUT DOWN!

I have tried numerous times to speak to customer service manager, EVA Burst at 1-877-252-2010 regarding the West Hills management and their behaviors with their clients; unfortunately, after one and half months, I am still waiting for her call.
The new manager, Kacy and regional manager, Jennifer Kleinberg, have been ignoring my calls and messages regarding the changes and charges that they have acquired on my file. When I purchased my treatment about a year and half ago, I was promised 6 times treatment with 2 years of guaranteed treatment for all the areas that I paid for.
Jennifer and Kacy recently decided to cancel all my treatments and charge me again. They are not honoring the company's policy!!!

This complains is for those who would like to sign up with American Laser Center, , , THINK TWICE. They don't care and they just want your money. The result asides from terrible customer service are not good or promising. Their laser does not work if you are purchasing 6 treatments. You will not get rid of the hairs after spending so much money. Please don't waist your time, energy and money. As a responsible citizen, I wanted to save you time and money in this bad economy. Good luck.