I recently recounted my visit together with a friend to the Puredistance Perfume Lounge in Vienna. Today I received a comment by Jan Ewoud Vos, the CEO and founder of Puredistance.
I wanted to publish his input here, because I think it is an example of great customer service and provides peek into the workings of a small company that is made up of real people who care about their products and the relationships with potential (and actual) customers in a direct and approachable manner.
Here is Mr Vos´comment:
A note from Puredistance: it is good to hear so much positive news on our perfumes and the showroom in Vienna itself and sad to learn Veronika did not meet the expectations you had. I have learned from this and this week we are working on improving the fragrance knowledge she and her business partner Irina have. Which is something that I should have been working on last December, when we introduced our two new perfumes, but unfortunately we had to spend all the time we had on getting the perfumes ready and out before Christmas; it was a crazy month for us! So in the end the responsibility for this lack of knowledge is mine, not Veronika’s. She simply lacked the information she needed.
So thanks for the feedback, I definitely will do something with it and I can assure you that next time you will visit the lounge you will be treated with the same friendliness as last time, but now also with the right answers.
Kind Regards,
Jan Ewoud Vos
Founder Puredistance
My answer is below:
Mr Vos,
Thank you very much for responding to my post! I appreciate it that you are taking the time.
I understand that the launch of new products is very stressful and some things have to be left lagging behind a little, even if it is only for the time being. I am certain that all your staff will be on top of things again soon. I am sorry that I had to mention the less ideal side of our visit, but I felt that I should present an accurate picture, even it it meant having to put a little shadow on our otherwise wonderful experience in the Lounge.
Incidentally I just finished writing a review of Puredistance M when I saw your comment, it will be up tomorrow. I hope you will come back to read it as well.
Best,
Olfactoria
I an unrelated incident of perfect timing, my review of Puredistance M is coming up tomorrow, so stay tuned 😉
Olfactoria's Travels 
Well good on Mr Vos! That was a really fair and personal (as opposed to corporate) response to the less positive aspects of your experience at the Lounge.
Looking forward to the M review tomorrow.
I love that Puredistance has a face, the very nice one of Mr Vos, and not a corporate front so smooth you can’t get a grip. 🙂
I too am impressed with Mr. Voss; that he reads your blog first of all, but that he’s utilizing what he finds here to make his business better makes him doubly-impressive.
No doubt he has set a Google alert 😉
But seriously, I think he is great!
wow you are (in)famous now….if one picture googles Jan Ewoud Vos xour picture pops up…….
Oh my, I am Jan Ewoud Vos! 😉 Infamous is probably right…
Nice employer 🙂 Hopefully he was as diplomatic when talking to the lady in the boutique 🙂
Oh God, I hope too. I had a really guilty conscience because of her. *gnashes teeth*
No need. It’s nice of him to say that it’s their fault for not educating, however it is only to be expected from an employee to educate herself. It’s not like they have 30 scents in the line up. She couldn’t learn about 3? 🙂
My thoughts exactly! That is why I couldn’t refrain from mentioning it. You are right of course, no need for a bad conscience, I´ll try. 🙂
It is a nice response! You need not feel guilty, because you yourself were very polite in expressing the disappointment and exactly why the service did not measure up.
You are right. Thanks for your encouraging words, V.
Wow! That is impressive on many levels!
Yes, it is! Great guy, isn’t he?