Scenario. When clients walks into your salon how are they greeted? Is it in a way that your client feels warm and welcomed? Let’s face it. In order to run a successful salon the customer must come first. Keeping a happy customer will ensure their return.
Building a successful salon career requires more than just your technical skill. Effective communication and practicing good etiquette demonstrates the level of respect you have for your client. Here are a few tips on how to have a great conversation and practice effective etiquette with your salon clients from the experts:
Create A Relationship with your Clients
Creating different relationships with your clients can help with effectively communicating. According to George Alderete, International Artist for Keune and Academic Color Director says, “Creating a relationship is a key factor in building your clientele. This will take patience, knowledge, care and genuine listening skills. A great stylist is more involved in what their client has to say than what they have to say. There are clients that want quiet time with a good book, some want to chat about their social life, others just want to unload and some want to know everything about you.” Creating that relationship can also build trust. “The more trust they have in you, the more likely they will keep coming back and be opened to try out new things,” says Chanel Peraza, Style Director for Blo Corporate and a regular at the Blo Brickell in Miami who champions UNITE haircare in their expansive network of Blo Blow Dry Bars across the United States. Creating a relationship can also be essential in the future of your business. Allen Ruiz, Global Style Director of Aveda says, “To be a successful stylist you have to consider every relationship with a guest, like you would a personal relationship. You have to always find ways to reinvent every guest experience. If you are not, someone else will.”
Provide Quality Treatment
When a client walks into a salon they should receive the best treatment. “Guests should be made to feel special, as this makes the entire experience more memorable. We want them to enjoy every aspect of their time with us from booking until their time of departure,” says Chanel. Quality treatment will ensure that your client received the best service and will return because of this treatment. Also look into the way your team and salon appears to clients. “I always teach my team to give that $1,000 service. Ask yourself are you delivering that experience, are you dressed the part, does the salon look, smell and feel like a $1,000 experience”, says Allen. Finally, to provide quality treatment just remember to be kind and greet with a smile. George recommends that, “Each client should be greeted with a warm smile and be treated as if they are the most important person in the salon. This includes regular pre booked clients. Every return visit is another first impression.”
Time is Important
It can happen to any of us. A busy day in the salon so an appointment is running behind. “Apologize profusely,” says Chanel, “Everyone’s time is valuable, and you don’t want them to think they are any less important to you.” It is also important to be upfront and honest of the situation and give them a time as to how long the appointment will take or just reschedule. “If busy, offer to reschedule for a complementary haircut as soon as you can get them in, even if it means staying late or coming in early,” says Allen. When clients see that you care about their time and business they will be more than willing to reschedule or wait.
Effectively Recommend Hair Products
Recommending hair products to your clientele should be made strategic. Effectively recommending hair products can bring more revenue and also create a trust level between stylist and client. “Start product recommendations with the consultation. Each client knows what is required to both maintain and create the style and color they are requesting. I then let them touch, smell, and even apply the products throughout the service. The best way for your client to feel a need is through their experience with what you are using on them. I make them aware of why, when and how I’m using each products including maintenance, treatments, finishing and styling tools,” states George. Recommending products definitely goes hand in hand with creating the relationship with the client. Chanel says, “If they trust you, they will understand that they need to take home certain products in order to maintain their look. They can sometimes feel overwhelmed, especially if they are very low maintenance. Always make sure you explain the proper use of the products and why they need them.” Other good strategic ways of recommending products can be by providing an additional complimentary service. Allen says, “With every service our guests are given a hand massage. When hand treatment is finished, the intern or assistant giving the massage asks about booking next appointment and also checks with the stylist in regards to what products were used and recommended. When service is finished, guests are met up front with the product recommended and the stylist goes over how to use once again.”
Have a Great Conversation with Clients
“The best tip when talking to guests is making it about them and their hair,” says Allen. “Always remember to be interested and not interesting.” This means actively listening. Some great tips of how to possibly start a conversation as recommended by Chanel are, “Ask them questions, how was their weekend, etc. Try to take yourself out of the conversation as much as possible, and avoid negative conversations at all cost. You want them to associate you with being fun and friendly.” If the client turns the conversation to you what do you do? George recommends to “Never overtake the conversation. When they ask about you, be brief and refer it back to them. Become an expert of small talk. Keep up on current events, local eateries entertainment, etc. Always smile and have exceptional manners. Be genuine at all times.”
By Diana Dias
