The problem with franchise owners-Karen Millen, Oslo

Karen Millen - either you like the feminine, colorful, curve loving designs or you don´t. It is that easy! Karen Millen personifies the feminine, strong willed woman with her daring island color combinations in cold climates. I love this store, I love the attentive personnel, I love the shoes and of course the matching bags. 5 out of 5!

One good thing with the chain is the fact that you should be able to exchange goods at any store in the chain. Well, this is where Karen Millen sometimes expects customers to know their internal organization.

I bought jeans in Stockholm, turned out they where not sewn as well as they should have been. Maybe problems with a chain growing the way Karen Millen has. No problem - I went to my home store where I have spent too much money already. I was honest, told them how, when and what. Instead of a smile, positive service and a new pair of jeans (I had only worn the jeans in the store and the tags were still on!) - I got a "No, you cannot get a new pair from us". I probably stood there with my mouth open since the girl behind the counter stared at me. What? But...but...but your policy is to exchange any goods anywhere with in the chain.

It turned out that within the chain was the secret - Oslo is a franchise and not owned by Karen Millen. In my past experience, if you are part of a franchise/chain, regardless, you comply to the overall rules for the store. But no, not here.

After leaving I realized - if I had said that they were a gift, there was no way you could see the jeans were bought in Stockholm. Hmmm.

I really do not think that was the thought from the Karen Millen organization. I think this has more to do with the owner of the Norwegian store. Service is service regardless. He/she could send these jeans back and get a refund - they were never used. But no - too much hassle for a customer who has spent at least 1 - 2 salaries within the walls. Ok - fine - all shopping is now done in Stockholm and Hamburg. The prices are the same so you are actually saving money ;-) depending on the exchange rate to the NOK.

Another downside is the fact that I would never recommend the Oslo store to anyone, eventhough I love the clothes.

Beths Beauty - giving all customers the very best within beauty!

Beths (the winner of  "Årets Dagspa" in the category Health and Beauty in 2008) is not the cheapest beauty center in Oslo, but definitely one of the most experienced with a competent and complete staff.
Beths Beauty is still owned by the founder Beth. Beth is everywhere, knows every bit of her business, products and staff. She is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. On top of owning 3 beauty centers, been in the business for almost 20 years, open 6 days a week, supplying customers with 13 skin care brands, 4 nail/hand brands, 2 pedicure brands, 4 hair brands and 3 make-up brands, she manages to be an expert on all her products, she is responsible for a staff of dermatologists, pedicure/manicurists, hair dressers, semi-permanent make-up experts, Botox/Restylane specialists/nurses and she still has time for family and friends. This is an amazing woman. The staff loves her – her rules are simple – make sure the customer is queen/king and always give your customer your best. She is hard when she has to be but always fair and honest. When she smiles her eyes light up – she has a heart on gold.

My first experience with Beths Beauty did not start well. I was at the Gabels gate location asking for a time to get my nails done. There were so many alternativesand names that I had never heard of and it made me feel uncertain. I think my insecurity came from me not reading the person at the counter correctly and maybe not understanding the Norwegian terms correctly. I felt stupid. But I did not give up! This beauty center was right next door – perfect location. Walked in a day later and made my appointment – more secure this time. I also explained the way I felt I was treated the day before. The staff reacted immediately and apologized. Thank god I went back!

The most booked treatments:
The facials with neck massages are amazing. I have had the pleasure of being treated by Marianne (Gabels gate). You feel like a new person – your face glows and your neck feels alive.
The pedicures, in my opinion, can be improved – the removing of old skin/calluses can be done better. Listening to the customer regarding nail length and style should be a priority not the “standard” way. Unfortunately this brings down the overall grade.
Most booked teatments – 4/5

The semi-permanent make-up is probably the best in Norway. Grethe, a woman in her own class, knows exactly what she is doing. She is clear in her communication, thorough, careful and can take one look at you and know exactly what is best. 6/5 - Yes a 6 out of 5!

The manicure/nails – if Beth herself is behind the equipment, you are probably in the hands of one of the best manicurists in Scandinavia. Beth even has acknowledgements from the US in this area – the country of acrylic nails. 6/5. Yes – again 6/5.

The “soft surgery” areas such as Restylane and Botox treatments are done by a registered nurse, who has over 7 years experience in the field. She was one of the first to use Restylane in Norway. You feel safe in her hands. She is thorough, very informative, professional and honest – she tells you straight out what you look like and what you can/cannot expect/do. 5/5

The products and product knowledge is comprehensive. The expertise is amazing. Of course Beths wishes to sell the products, but only if the product fits your needs. The expertise the personnel have is impressive. The personnel are trained from day one and continuously on. If there are any outstanding questions regarding a product, you don’t get to buy it! If it does not fit 100% to your needs – no sale! Beth seems to have chosen the right products. 5/5 in product knowledge and amount of brands.

The prices are what they are. Many would say expensive. I agree, some treatments are expensive compared to other centers in town. One reason for the prices, may be the products and the level of expertise. If you wish to enjoy more than one treatment during a day or session, the overall price can be quite high. Try communicating this, often this ends in everyone being happy. 4/5

The service is amazing and wonderfully professional. They will do everything they can to make sure your stay/treatment exceeds your expectations. Their knowledge makes you feel secure and if something does not meet your expectation, Beth really wants you to tell her! And then she fixes it and makes you feel good! 5/5

The hair dresser, hair removal and body treatments have not been tested so I cannot grade these.

34/35 – get the pedicures up to the same level as the rest of the treatments - then Beths delivers over and beyond expectations!
3 locations
The different centers give the same calm and professional impression but have all their own personality. This makes it easy to find your place at Beths.

Nils Juels gate is a store/center where you can book most treatments and touch all the products. The waiting area gives you a warm feeling and the coffee and piece of chocolate gives you a feeling of being welcome.

Gabels gate is a little smaller. It feels more like a club upstairs and is newly renovated with many nicely sized and beautifully designed treatments rooms downstairs.

Gabel Hus is the newest edition to Beths, staffs 3 and makes you feel calm, comfortable and luxurious! Mmmmmm

The myth that all these wonderful treatments are for women is definitely proven wrong – every time I visit Beths I meet many a man, waiting for their turn getting facials and pedicures. A wonderful gift to a loved one!

The best part of all this is the fact that if you are unsatisfied, Beths Beauty will do everything they can to make you satisfied. The customer is always prioritized, in a way you seldom find. And if you are lucky, you may even get a glimpse of celebrity or two or three.

Don’t forget to get your advent calendar – a Barbor calendar with 24 serums for under 600 NOK. Buying them separately would cost over 2500 NOK. This is the perfect gift for your wife, husband, mother, father, best friend. Don’t be fooled by the calendar look – it fits everyone. There is no one who doesn’t like opening one shutter a day, never knowing what surprise is waiting.
http://www.beths.no/img/cms/kampanjer/2009/nov/small/2.jpg

The home page gives you monthly tips and products with special prices. http://www.beths.no/

Why not be proud of your princess?

It is amazing that a country where they are proud of being open minded and for equality, cannot be more proud of their young princess.
If Hegnar thinks she is full of shit, and also all that believe that there is something else around us (which apparently over 40% of Norwegians believe), then why help advertise her by mocking her in the press, online and on TV? Maybe he secretly admires a person who actually can handle all her roles, be successful within an alternative field, a woman and still be down to earth, but maybe that is too "Un-Hegnar" ;-) Maybe he wanted to marry into the royal family and he wasn't her knight in shining armour. Or maybe his website hits are falling so he needs something to pick it up - regardless of how tacky he is...

Why not be proud of a woman that advertises Norway in her design choices, her interest in Norwegian culture. A woman who actually supports new Norwegian trends as well as keeps the traditional Norwegian ways alive. She is a princess, woman, wife, mother, business minded and full of life! She even has rosy cheeks - the ultimate symbol of healthy Norwegian girls!

Hegnar...get with the times! Then again...getting too close to your inner self, would probably scare the shit out of you!

Lorry- – supposedly “the” place to eat your lutefisk… more like the mecca of nonchalant attitude and service.

This is a well established place bragging their 100 beer labels. It is situated where Hegdehaugsveien meets Parkveien, in the center of Oslo – next to the Royal Castle.

Simple lunch menu, daily dishes (not on Saturdays), large outside seating area (right in the middle if a very busy intersection…). Our visit this evening was a casual, after work meal.

It must really being going well for Lorry – the service was lousy and very nonchalant. The first impression of the bartender/waiter/host upstairs was “if you don’t like the table I point at – f__k off”… “Well excuse me for wanting to spend my money here” I thought.

I asked for a dry white wine – not chardonnay! Of course the waiter said (a notch better attitude compared to the bartender/waiter/host). Well the house wine is cool at least, no other comment needed. Ordered Caesars, fish soup and a hamburger – we were hungry! The food was served a little too quickly – it had to have been waiting under the heating lamp. I was amazed to be so obviously overseen by the waiter several times. It really felt like we were in his way.
After looking around I started to understand! We were sober and we were a private party – not a company…meaning we would not spend a humongous amount of money on booze and tips – therefore the service level. Lousy and very nonchalant.

Fish soup was not hot – more like having been out waiting for someone to order it. But the taste was OK and it actually had some canned shrimp and crawfish tails! The hamburger meat was moist but the French fries cold and raw inside and the salad was probably cut up a few days earlier – all the ends were brown and having seen this after half was eaten – YUCK! The Caesars salad was OK.

Another friend joined us after approx 1 hour – this time the waiter shone up and was smiling! Hmmm maybe he thought this was the man with the money. And this was a man! After our friend's meal, the waiter actually moved my friend's arm with a flick, to get at his napkin and utensils - the only thing missing was for the waiter to dry my friend's mouth and say “good boy – you ate your veggies”. Amazing – Lorry must really be doing well to be able to handle their customers in this fashion.

Of course we gave no tip – and the reaction from the waiter was very apparent ;-)
Let us hope that this was the second floor staff – not a fair insight in the true Lorry attitude.

Service: 0/5 –Making the customer feel stupid, apologetic for stepping inside – this they have mastered!
Food: 2/5 – 1 for the salad and 1 for the soup.
Drink: 0/5 – They have over 100 beer labels, but the house wine stinks and the glasses are chipped. When serving water the "Lorry" way – the majority lands in our lap.
Price: 1/5 – If the soup actually was served at soup temperature – then the soups was OK priced even though the fish was very shy.
Environment/Atmosphere: 2/5 – Typical “brown” interior. Plastic fantastic on the benches/booths and some of them actually try and push you downwards due to lack of stuffing. The stuffing in the booths was probably from the date of establishment. Good way to make the customer feel very small compared to the waiters.
Location: 3/5 – Very centrally located however, the outside eating area is actually right in the middle of a very busy intersection.
Age of guests in party: 40 - 45.

8/30 – at least they have room for improvement, but as long as the customers are drunk and the companies pay – why try.