Channel NewsAsia - Friday, December 25
SINGAPORE: The spa industry took a blow more than a month ago when two outlets shut down overnight leaving customers stranded. But another company has stepped in to help those affected.
What used to be known as an outlet for pampering and relaxation has, of late, been seen as a breeding ground for empty promises and confusion.
The sudden closures of Wellness Village and Simply Spa left clients who had paid upfront for their services in a lurch. All this left a scar on the industry and players said business has dropped by about 10 per cent since then.
But not all is lost for some 500 spa patrons. Atos Wellness Group is offering to provide their unutilised treatments at no extra cost.
It is also working with four other companies — Subtle Senses, Beyond Beauty, Beauty Express and Rustic Nirvana — to help customers.
Ananda Rajah , CEO, Atos Wellness Group, said: "We felt there was a lot of negative publicity about the spa industry in Singapore in general. And we felt it was important for us to show a vote of confidence that the spa industry is able to cope with any kind of negative setbacks due to the closure of any particular spa."
Nellie Chan, a customer affected by the spa closure, said: "I’m very pleased to receive such good news because it’s like a Christmas gift. So I will be interested to really sit down, meet up with them and discuss what are the things they can offer to us."
Going forward, Atos is thinking of setting up an association to help anyone affected by a spa shutdown.
The Consumers Association of Singapore said it welcomes efforts by the industry to help consumers when a business closes. It is also willing to look at proposals of setting up the association, urging bigger players to think of concrete processes to safeguard consumer interests. — CNA/vm
Mary and Grace are so sweet...we were discussing about my Wellness Village saga during our tea session on Saturday and both of them proactively sent me the link before I even google for it. I really hope that I can claim my unused sessions without any terms and conditions.
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