Chao Nail + Bar — Local services in Nashville-Davidson

UPDATE: These people rebooked me without my permission for an appointment I didn’t know about, which of course I missed, and then tried charging me again for another No Call, No Show fee. This is a terrible way of doing business. So completely unethical. I have had to cancel my credit card to keep them from doing this again. Do not trust this business.

Warning! Do not give these people your credit card through their online booking system!! And don’t go here if if you like decent humans. I am so disappointed to be making this review, but unfortunately I was treated so rudely by the man running the front desk and the phone that I have no choice but to do so. I made an online booking at noon today with my favorite nail tech at this place, CJ, but when I called to see if I could be ten minutes late, the man who answered argued with me saying that I had no appointment (even though I was looking at the confirmation in my email inbox!) and that the person I chose (CJ) wasn’t even in town. Then he proceeded to make me feel terrible about backing up 10 minutes and told me that, “We are appointment-based,” etc. After that guilt trip, he let me move the appointment an hour back, but as I was driving on my way there—3 minutes BEFORE my appointment—he calls to see if I’m still coming. I said, “Um, yes?” And then proceeded to go on again about how their business is appointment based etc. As soon as I hung up, I hit a patch of traffic on Charlotte Ave where they’re doing construction, and my heart sunk because I knew I was going to be late. So I called the salon. No answer. Voicemail was “full.” I called again. No answer. I called one more time with no answer and then decided, sitting in a line of traffic, poised to be 5 minutes late, that I would just get nails done another day rather than be berated again. This man calls me almost 30 minutes later (!!!) to ask if I’m still coming in. I said, “No, I called three times to tell you that I was going to be late and see if that was okay and you didn’t answer!” He gaslit me, said, “no you didn’t call. I was sitting right by the phone. We’re going to charge you for a No Call, No Show.” I tried reasoning with him, I explained I have proof on my phone of the THREE times I called with no answer, and also proof of the booking I made earlier today with the nail technician who isn’t even in town. He said, “no, that didn’t happen, you didn’t make a booking, you didn’t call,” blah blah blah. I can’t believe it!!! I have been coming here probably for a year-and-a-half now. I have never been treated this way here or at ANY NAIL SALON ever! Unfortunately because I have previously booked online, he had two of my credit cards which he tried charging (I blocked them) for half of my service. I am not the kind of person to make bad reviews, but this is a terrible way to do business. I will never be coming back and I will tell all my friends to...

Great nail artists. Or at least the one I had that’s no longer there anymore was an amazing nail artist.

Horrible customer service.

I called earlier in the week to see if I could book with whoever they have that can handle good nail art. They booked me with one of the two best for 1 pm.

I called at 1 to let them know I would be 15 minutes late for my appointment bc of traffic. The receptionist told me that was totally fine and they would see me then. I walked in at 1:17 and was told they couldn’t do the nail art I wanted that I had booked for.

After a condescending three minute conversation where she explained to me how time works, I was told that maybe I could be seen for the nail art but it depends on how hard it was. I showed them a picture of what I wanted and was given 4 names of nail artists that could handle it…..none of which was who I was scheduled for in the first place.

I’ve referred six people in the past two months to this salon. It’s disappointing that a little bit of customer service training could have easily resolved this.

I tried to explain these things to the receptionist, but she just kept trying to explain how time works instead of listening:

1). If I call because I’m late, let me know if you can’t see me for what I need. I’m happy to pay a cancellation fee or whatever I need to. It’s obviously not your fault I’m late. But don’t make me drive there to pull me in the back to tell me that because I was 17 min late not 15 you can’t do what I need…. And oh by the way we couldn’t have done it anyways because we booked you with the wrong person, even though we specifically recommended this person when you called and told us what you needed.

2. Don’t assume who you are talking to is an idiot that doesn’t understand basic business principles and the challenges of keeping a schedule in a service industry. Stop and listen to what they are saying instead. It is literally my job to do this well and train other people to do it well.

I pay well, I tip well, I’m super routine with my nail care, and I will honor the hell out of your schedule needs and time restraints. I also refer people a lot. AND I will pay for missed appointments happily if something happens and I’m late. All I ask in exchange is a MODERATE amount of clarity and kindness. All I got today was attitude, condescension, and...

I’ve been going here for a few years, but I’ve run into so many scheduling errors recently. I always book with the same girl every time, and multiple times now they’ve booked me with the wrong person and I’ve shown up for my appointment just to be turned away and told I must be rebooked for another day because she’s busy. They also called me once to reschedule me for THEIR convenience and that resulted in a day long of calls back-and-forth with them telling me that they can’t do the services that I booked because they made a scheduling error on their end… I ended up having to speak to the owner about it, and he told me that the services would be comped, which was a manicure and a pedicure, and then I get there and they end up charging me $100 for it. They only comped the $68 dip fee but they also charge a $10 service fee. When I asked, they said it was for Inflation But they don’t let you know that they charge this until you check out. This allows them to say that their prices are lower than they really are. Tommy at the front desk is very rude and I’m always just surprised that a nail salon that looks this nice from the outside and charges this much money allows the guy at the front desk to dress like a complete slob in a hoodie with offensive slang words on it,, and he just likes to argue with people when they bring up any issues or mistakes that were made by him. I was told that Tommy is the nephew of the owner which I guess makes sense on how he has a job there. Every time I’ve called them for an appointment and they’ve booked it incorrectly, They immediately default to blaming me for it been saying I must have told them wrong … I have recommended to the owner twice now to get recorded phone lines. Any legitimate business should be able to record their phone calls for this very reason. The front desk is pretty incompetent and it’s not worth dealing with them. They’re just a waste of time and they’re very expensive. I really liked Lana, but if she goes to a new salon, I will follow her. Otherwise, even though she’s great it’s just not worth dealing with all of their chaos with the front desk and their scheduling errors, not to mention how ridiculously overpriced it is compared to comparable...