5 Tips On How To Keep Salon Customer

How do you stand out against your competitors? What makes you unique. It starts with you providing the best customer service. What does providing exceptional guest experience mean to you? Can you think of a time when you had poor customer service? Did you go back? What about ok experience? Was it as memorable? I bet you can remember when an experience you had was exceptional. Did it make an impact on you? This is the service/experience you need to provide. This will get them excited to see you time and time again.

It is their first impression that leaves a lasting impression. It starts with making the appointment to when they first walk in the door for the first time all the way until they leave the building. Every moment counts. Yes, I talked about the first impression being the most important, but how do we keep that first impression experience time and time again. Do not take your clientele for granted. Let me tell you about an experience I had. I went to the same nail tech for years. I was always on time, rarely rescheduled. I was the perfect client. I heard my nail tech say a few times, “I knew you would not mind waiting”. “Sorry I am running late; you are the most understanding client”. It got to a point that I did not feel valued. She was always running late and because I was loyal, it appeared as if it was ok to always run late or cancel last minute. It got to be too much. I now have a nail tech that values me, appreciates me, and gets excited every time I walk in the door. She is always on time and has never rescheduled me on a whim.

You may not think about what you may overlook with a client. I am going to walk you through a few behaviors to make your experience consistent every time they see you. There are five steps to remember: greeting, consultation, service, lesson, and finish.

1. The greeting could be when they call or message to book the appointment. Was it easy? Do you have a booking system or a receptionist? Whatever that process looks like, make sure it is simple and flawless for customer to book with you. The second part of the greeting is when they come into your service area. Do you greet them with fun energy and excitement? Are you prepared and set up? Are you on time? If you are not on time, have you communicated to them prior to them coming?

2. The consultation is a huge part of your service. What service did they book for? Does is solve their problems? Just because they booked for one thing, does not mean we cannot recommend something different or multiple services. If you do not have time today, you can prebook them for a later time for the additional services. Just remember, you are a problem solver. You are the professional. They want to hear your expertise on what will solve their problem. Maybe, they come in for a lash lift, but their lashes are too short, the curl will not provide the results they want. Lash extensions would be a better service that will provide the look they want. You will have a much happier guest that you gave a better experience to. You also want to include the maintenance plan for the service they are receiving. You could say,” with lash extensions, I need to see you every 2 to 3 weeks. Is that something you can commit to?” Then proceed with the service(s).

3. What can you do to increase the experience during the service? Do you offer a water or customized music? I saw an interesting idea on social media this week and it spiked my interest. Someone was doing a lash extension fill and they had put on a soothing mask to sit while they were doing the lash extension service. Wow! To me, that was a game changer. What a unique idea. This is exactly what I am talking about with elevating the customer experience. What else can you do to elevate the service experience? Add value to your services and experience.

4. The lesson is where you educate them on how to maintain your service at home and recommend products. If you just applied this fabulous set of lashes and do not educate your guest on how to care for them. The lashes may not last as long or look as good as they could. Maybe you just did this most relaxing facial but did not educate your guest on at home care. Their skin may on feel good for a day or so. If they continue with the products you recommend, their skin could feel better until they see you again. Educating your guests on products to use at home is not always about selling them products. This adds to the experience your guests have with you and when they are at home. This is more about building guest loyalty.

5. Finishing up the experience is setting them up with their next appointment, asking them for referrals and getting them the product, you recommended. Do not assume the guest will ask you if they want the products you recommended. You can simply as if they wanted any of the product you recommended today and or write them down for them. Even if they can only get 1 then they will know what to get next time they are in.

If you remember the five steps every time a guest comes in every single time, it will complete the overall experience you provide. Sit back and think about what of these five steps you can improve on. It starts with the greet, consultation, service, lesson, and finish. What do you do well and what part do you need to work on? Create what each of your steps will look like to provide that memorable experience to every single guest, every single time.