Good customer service can go a long way with your clientele. 83% of people are willing to pay up to 16% more for better customer service. If that’s not impressive enough, a whopping 62% of clients say that great customer service and the relationship they have with their salons is what keeps them going back to their salon of choice.
From personalised attention to added convenience for clients, elevating your salon’s customer service experience can boost your revenue, enhance your salon’s reputation, build trust, and ensure your clients keep coming back.
Here at Phorest, we aim to provide you with the best possible customer service methods, helping you turn one-off clients into repeat bookings. If you’re looking for ways to improve your salon’s customer service, then this list could help.
Create a Signature Welcome Ritual
Welcome rituals can make your clients feel welcome and appreciated. They can also make your salon stand out from similar businesses in the area and create a memorable “positive brand association” every time they come in. Consider offering clients a personalised welcome drink – something in line with your salon’s theme can boost your branding and delight clients at the same time. You could also offer seasonal drinks: a cosy hot chocolate in the cooler seasons and something light and fresh in summer.
Pssst: Phorest clients, House of Quirk in Northwich, have mastered the art of providing welcome drinks on arrival, offering a wide array of seasonal drinks and treats for their clients to enjoy. You can check out their story and learn how they’ve nailed the art of community-focused customer service here!
If you want to go the extra mile for your clients, offering something a little extra can go beyond your welcome ritual. Going back to that “positive association”, could you implement the following to make your salon stand out from the competition?
- Candles or diffusers that create a “signature scent” that your clients recognize every time they walk in your door
- A customer service manifesto that includes “non-negotiable” ways of communicating with clients, such as ensuring everyone is greeted when they enter the salon or offered a refreshment when they sit down
- Investing in more comfortable chairs in your waiting or treatment rooms for clients to relax in
Your signature welcome ritual and customer service “extras” should be practiced with all clients who book into your salon – from new arrivals to regulars. Be sure to update your team on these developments, and encourage them to practice them to be streamlined across your salon – and in other branches.
Take Comfort and Accessibility Into Account
Our blog about creating a menopause-friendly salon space details the importance of inclusivity, comfort, and accessibility in salons. As a premium business, this should be at the top of your mind when considering how you smash your customer service offering.
Consider your salon’s layout. Are there step-free access areas for wheelchair users or clients with mobility issues? If not, are there ramps or wider doorways installed, so all clients can access each necessary area?
Accessibility and inclusivity can extend outside the realm of physical disabilities. Some clients may require alternative accommodation during their visits. Individuals with autism, sensory processing disorder, or ADHD can often become overstimulated in a salon environment due to the bright lights and loud sounds.
To make your salon accessible to people with sensory conditions, consider offering “silent services” as a checkbox on your consultation forms. A serene environment allows clients to feel less overwhelmed and enjoy their service at the salon, which, in turn, translates to great customer service. Whether implementing this at a particular time in your salon or building a space around it, it’ll make a safe and comfortable space for neurodiverse clients – and build their trust in you and your salon.
Follow Up – and Make it Personal
People love to feel seen and heard. Make the most of this by keeping personalised notes about your clients. Consider expanding from when their next appointment is to big life events. Do they have a big birthday coming up? Have they recently experienced loss? Did they get a new style recently that requires some follow-up care?
Take all these factors into account when engaging with your clients. These can be great for building personalised reconnection messages. In our blog about client retention, we also recommend making notes about the topics they share – such as kids’ names and life events – and referencing these topics when they visit. To really “wow” them with a personalised experience, how about offering a complimentary service during birthday month visits, or extra Treatcard points?
On the topic of following up, at the end of your client’s visit, why not ask them how they feel about their time at your salon? If you don’t have time to do this while they’re there in person, explore the idea of sending an automated review request to see how you’ve done. Collecting continuous feedback allows you to stay informed on the things going right in your business, and the things that need improvement.
Staying in a communication loop with your clients doesn’t just help your clients bond with your team, it also elevates the level of customer service they receive. This personalised service and attention to detail will encourage clients to return to your salon – choosing your service over competitor offerings, over and over again.
Educate Your Clients
While hairdressers and barbers are trained in working with different hair textures, the same can’t always be said for clients. In the beauty industry, you may work with clients who don’t know how to tackle the issues that come with sensitive skin or how to style their type 3C curly hair. Your client may leave your salon looking and feeling their best, but not know how to continue this care at home. Educating them with information like a detailed skin or haircare routine or product suggestions can help them maintain that glow at home, which can make your salon stand out and attract satisfied repeat clients back in.
The benefits of education go two ways; not only does your client receive a personalised, professional service, but using this time to recommend products can help you boost retail sales and increase your clients’ bill.
Additionally, why not send personalised marketing material that keeps your clients informed of special offers, personalised services, or salon events? By taking the time to do this, you’re showing your guests that you care as much as they do about how they look and feel inside and outside the salon. They’ll also know that they can trust you with questions about their skin or hair, boosting their loyalty to your business.
Engage with the Community
Hannah McCann, a lecturer in Cultural Studies at the University of Melbourne, describes how some salons across Australia and the US operate as community spaces. We’d encourage you to do the same! By engaging with your local community, you can build relationships and establish your business as part of the local network, keeping your salon top-of-mind when people in the community are looking for a salon to visit.
Consider getting involved in the community by partnering with local organisations. This could include offering vouchers during charity events, visiting hospitals to provide treatments to patients, or collaborating with like-minded, community-oriented businesses. Not only does this help build valuable community connections, but it can also help increase your client base, through word-of-mouth marketing and positive branding.
Premium Customer Service – You Can Do It
Great customer service can distinguish your salon from the competition. With strategies like an enhanced in-salon experience, accessibility practises, great client communication, and community engagement, you can significantly improve the client experience.
These customer service strategies will also help you and your salon staff build valuable relationships with your client base. Have you implemented any of these strategies? Share your success stories with us in the comments below!
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