Yes I had them in my shop here is my view point.
The products are fantastic for a spa/salon that wants results and nice treatments. The facials will leave every client glowing and they will comment on how clean there skin feels. The facials are all hands on and build a very loyal and faithful client base.
I was a gold salon so offered their body treatments and fresh facials including the chocolate etc.
When I signed on the dotted line Julie Chichoki promised me the earth. For example exclusivity, free on site training, help with promotions etc.
Within weeks of recieving my training I noticed a salon two streets away offering karin herzog. When I called to kick off she said that she had promised it to them until I came along with the money!
She gave them the bronze package and it effected my business because if I couldnt fit a facial in they could go up the street.
I had 60 days to pay invoices and she used to use my card details before they were due to raise funds. She used my personal card once a week before xmas leaving me with no cash at all in my personal account!
We could never get hold of stock as it was often 'stuck in customs' leaving my clients to go elsewhere.
Also clients realised that there are special offers on their website that are not available in the salon. Salons have to sign a contract to say they will sell at the RRP. If you go against this they take away your account (they did to me, however they eventually reinstated my account as I put £1000 of orders through a month).
Karin Herzog were trading under Loren marketing and they went bankrupt owing over hundreds of thousands of pounds of debt and leaving over thirty salons without stock. Julie and her husband set up another ltd company to trade under in effect wiping out their debt. For any one reading this who thinks it constitutes slander it can all be backed up and supported by looking at their companies house accounts.
They had poor POS which I moaned and moaned about and it did get better but its still not great!
There are many salons who have got rid of this range, not because of the product but because Julie Chichoki falls out with every one. If you have a complaint or problem she gives you blurb about how lucky you are to have such a great product.
Karin Herzog would be so much more popular if it was run by someone else however Karin Herzog have lost more accounts than they currently have on board.
I was over a barrell, I couldnt stock up my shelves because she couldnt afford to buy the products, it was never stuck in customs as I rang them to see how long they hold things for. Julie claimed months they claimed a matter of days. The only reason it would be stuck there was if she hadnt paid the duty!
Karin Herzog are also banned from exhibiting at most shows now as they have never paid their bills to the exhibitors!
I wish I knew this before I spent over £6000 on the package and further money taking on other products when Karin Herzog had no stock to supply for basics such as facials!
Find a product with great customer service where nothing is too much trouble for you. You have to have a workable relationship with your supplier and as mentioned Julie falls out with most salons.
If you have stock issues, or have to change your range because you have been let down you will lose clients. Clients do not care about suppliers problems as thats your problem. Its like argos blaming sony for not having any playstations. You wouldnt care and go to a shop that did have stock.
I think Julie took all the salons off the website who stock herzog but its worth ringing all the salons and ask there views on the customer service and stock issues.
Kate
