Some time ago, I wrote in this blog about my experience at Best Medical Concept, a clinic where I used to have cosmetic treatments and which I spoke highly of.
I was delighted with the service: the reception staff were excellent, the appointment management was very smooth, and, above all, the doctor who treated me was very professional.
However, this summer everything changed.
A change in reception and in the quality of service
Apparently, there was a change in reception staff, and since then the service began to decline. I noticed it in details that were previously unthinkable:
- In mid-July, I asked to change an appointment and was told that I couldn’t do it yet, that I had to write later. That had never happened to me before.
- They no longer recognized me on WhatsApp, when before I didn’t even have to give my name: they knew what treatments I was having and with which doctor.
- When I requested an appointment with the doctor who was treating my varicose veins, they didn’t even know who my doctor was, even though I had been there several times for the same procedure.
The last straw
The problem reached a critical point in August. I had an appointment on August 19 at 10 a.m. for a HIFU session and Botox treatment.
The day before, I was surprised that no one sent me the confirmation WhatsApp message they always sent. I attributed it to the already evident incompetence of the new reception staff.
But when I arrived at the clinic that day, I found the unthinkable:
- I rang the intercom twice and no one answered.
- I called the phone number and got an automated message saying that the clinic was closed from August 4 to 20.
I was in shock. No one had bothered to call me to reschedule my appointment, even though I have been a repeat customer for years, along with Diego, undergoing numerous procedures.
Lack of respect for customers
What outraged me the most was not only the closure, but the complete lack of consideration:
- No one notified me in advance.
- I spent €14 on Uber to go there and back that day for nothing.
- They hadn’t even posted a notice on Google Maps or their social media that the clinic would be closed, which shows total disorganization and a lack of respect for their patients.
When I got home, I wrote a formal complaint, which I sent by email and posted on social media. I asked for a refund of the transportation costs and compensation for the damages caused.
Awaiting a response
On August 20, the clinic was supposed to reopen.
Would they respond appropriately to my complaint and show that they still value their customers, or would they confirm that professionalism and respect are no longer part of their philosophy?
In the end, the story took an unexpected and quite positive turn. On August 25, the clinic director, João Almeida Pinto, wrote to me directly. He acknowledged that what had happened was an organizational failure and that was why I had never been notified of the change to my appointment. In his email, he expressed how sorry he was for the inconvenience caused, asked me to accept his sincere apologies, and added that he held me in high regard as a client of the clinic.
In addition, in response to my request for compensation for the damages caused, he offered me a free laser or HIFU cosmetic treatment, in the hope that both my boyfriend and I would continue to trust the work of the clinic and that of Dr. Diogo Semedo.
I opted for HIFU because it was the treatment I had been planning to have done. That procedure costs between €400 and €600, so I think it’s pretty good compensation for the bad time they gave me. I don’t know what the actual cost will be for the clinic, but for me, as a customer, that’s what it’s worth.
As if that weren’t enough, Ariana, the receptionist, also contacted me via WhatsApp. She apologized again and made sure I had read the director’s email. In fact, they had rescheduled my appointment for August 26 without notifying me, and I had to change it again because I couldn’t make it that day.
Finally, I replied to the director thanking him for his message and his sincere apologies, and I told him that I was already in contact with Ariana to reschedule my appointment. Shortly after, he replied saying that he was very happy about the renewal of trust and that he was always at my disposal.
Some time later, during one of my appointments, Dr. João Almeida saw me and came over to introduce himself and say hello, thanking me again for deciding to remain a client of the clinic. I was pleasantly surprised.
And here I want to make a personal note: if you have read my blog, you know that in Portugal, customer service is almost non-existent. The norm is for service to be mediocre, and when things go wrong and you complain, the company doesn’t resolve anything, but instead treats you badly, threatens you, or even sues you (it has happened to me). So, when I made this complaint, I was very afraid that the same thing would happen. But this time was different: they responded as any serious company should, owning up to their mistake and offering a solution.
That confirmed to me that this clinic is really worth it. If they had responded badly, I would have had to find another clinic and another doctor, and that was quite stressful for me, because I am delighted with Dr. Diogo and finding someone I can trust is not easy. Fortunately, the clinic responded in the best possible way.
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