You can work in a salon that has the best address in town, the most expensive equipment, laid out by the best interior decorator with the most outrageous design. The salon you work for can hire the best marketing company in town to promote the salon and work for the best hair salon staff in the country. All these things are important but this will not guaranty that your customers are happy and that you make them feel important. Many of us loose track on the importance of remembering that customers have felling’s too.

All of us want to feel important on any given day. We remember when someone goes out of their way to make us feel special. It can be a very small gesture. It really doesn’t have to be a material thing but whatever it is we do remember and talk about it and will go out of are way to be around that person or their place of business. People gravitate to those who make them feel special.

There are many things you can do at work that are simple to remember and easy to put in place. They must start at your front desk and follow through the entire salon.

1. Use your customer’s name

The easiest thing to do is use your customer’s name. Your receptionist knows the customer is coming in at a certain time. The appointment is on her computer or logged in the book. How nice is that to walk in your salon and be greeted with good morning Mrs. Customer it’ s so nice to see you again and we are looking forward to servicing you today. Wow. Was that hard? No of course not but that’s the first step. The second step is when the shampoo person greats the same customer they use his or her name and say the same thing. This is a sample of an easy way to make someone feel extremely special. Do you do this in your salon today? You have their name use it. You should follow the customer through each step until they end up in your chair to show they are important and that you cant wait to get your hands on them to work your magic.

2. Acknowledge Them

We all have experienced waiting in line for something. Most times we have gone out of are way to be there at a specific time. We have all experienced sitting in a doctor’s office. Has anyone ever said they are sorry for making you wait? Most of the time you go unnoticed and that your time seems not valuable. Well your customer’s time is valuable. They have work and families like you and I’m sure they have gone out of their way to make their appointment with you on time.

When your customer is sitting there in the waiting area acknowledge they are there. Walk over and smile and say hello. Shake their hand, give them a hug. These small things take away the fact that you may be running late and you have gone out of your way to make them feel special and let them know they are important. Remember the doctor’s office when you were ignored. You don’t want to be that person. It should never happen in your salon.

3. Apologize

When working in a salon they say always expect the unexpected. Don’t think your salon and co-workers will never run into problems. You have many different personalities, chemicals, scissors, electrical equipment, and water. How is it that more bad things don’t happen in a given day? Whatever the circumstance that arise always remember that the customer is always right and be the first to apologize. When things do go wrong make sure you are the first to simply say we are sorry. A sorry goes along way. This is a simple way to build a loyal customer. The better person always apologizes first; don’t let your ego get in the way.

4. Listen

How many times has someone said to you are you listening to me? Maybe it’s your friends, children, spouse or client’s? Most people can tell when you are listening to them. It makes people feel important when you really give them your ear and pay attention to what they are saying. Your customer may be going through an illness, divorce or work related problems. Listening to their stories is important to them because true listening in today’s world is rare. You have to apply a hair color or haircut why not pay attention to what your customer has to say. If it makes them feel good go out of your way to be a good listener.

Becoming good listeners is very important. When your client is explaining a special cut or color they saw in a magazine or on television you must pay special attention to detail. You want to make sure you are applying the exact color or giving them the hair style your customer asked for. It’s not always the story you have to listen to but the service your client is asking for. If your lips are moving you’re not listening. You can’t do both. So when your client has something important to say. Stop what you are doing. Look them in the eyes and listen to what they have to say. Tell them how you feel. Be candid. They will appreciate your sincerity.

5. Love your customers

Customers new and old are the lifeline of your success and how you earn your living. Treating them like they are royalty is sometimes not enough. Learn to love them. When you love someone there is a special way you treat them. Open your heart and start feeling the love.

Love your customer demonstrates that whatever the line of work, customer service is a direct extension of the way both you and the salon you work for are viewed by the customer. This philosophy may seem a bit overboard but it will remind you every day how important your customers really are.

6. Love your difficult customers

Trying to satisfy an unhappy customer can be frustrating and difficult for even the most skilled service person. Remember this customer has feelings to and it’s up to you to try and figure out why they are so unhappy. Have they lost their job, children giving them problems or maybe they were diagnosed with cancer. It’s up to you to understand once again that that even the most difficult customer have feelings to. Remember all problems are solvable. I find that the more you listen to an unhappy person and shower them with support and love they eventually will become your most loyal customer.

Every successful salon owner understands that top-notch service is critical to business profitability and longevity. In How to Offer 5-star Service at your Salon, we show you how to differentiate your business by providing 5-star service. We help you understand the fundamentals and true meaning of customer service—what customers want, deserve and expect—and how to win customer loyalty by delivering the ultimate customer experience. This book is designed to educate you as the salon owner, manager, or employee on what 5-star service in your salon should be. It’s also intended to be a tool that every one of your employees can use to improve their customer service. This book will get you thinking about the little things that make a difference in customer service and have you itching to continue the “wow” experience one customer at a time, every time.

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