Salon’s…let’s try starting with a nice greeting.

What should you expect when walking into a Salon?

In the salon industry, even in small metro areas there is a salon, salon and spa, salon suites, etc on every corner.  Because of this, clients have come to expect much more of the “VIP” or  “ME DAY” salon experience over just receiving the service alone.  From the initial greeting to their close out, there’s many steps we need to cover along the way to make sure our guests want to come back.  I believe anyone working in a salon or for themselves in a salon suite should take note. You’re never too cool to greet your clients with an amazing attitude and service.

Start with the right salon greeting.

Starting with a pleasant “hello, welcome, or a GENUINE how are you?”  Goes a long ways, and is something that is so surprising people are missing the mark on.  Then taking the moment to find out who they are, are they checking in for a service, are they trying to buy product or looking for info.  Then still making them feel welcome, giving them a tour, while along the way showing how you can service them in many ways better than the next salon down the street.  Offer them a drink, have plenty of options for everyone, even dare I say an adult beverage such as a glass of wine or a beer from a local craft brewery (obviously only offer this to those you know are of age).

In short, make them feel important!  Acknowledgement includes: handshakes, hugs, salutes, funny cheek side to side kissy thing…it’s all what makes you and your client comfortable immediately. No matter what they’ve walked in the door for.

Handshakes Are Alive, dead-fish are unfortunately…dead

TRAINING is Necessary!

Whatever your processes you have in order for how your guests are talked to and sold to on the phone,  how their handled in person, to the order of things taken care of when you’re checking a client out, EVERYONE needs to be on the same page in your salon.  This isn’t taking away their ability to be personable, it’s making sure one guest isn’t getting offered up more of a greeting, making sure you don’t have a staff member just offering every single person discounts in order to be able to sell, etc.

Everyone should have the same knowledge, integrity, and respect for your business and your customers.  This makes for an experience that your guests come to expect, and you want to make sure every single visit you and your staff are knocking those expectations out of the park, not just getting lazy because “oh this client has already been here a few times, we can drop the ball.”

To achieve desired “best” results, continual training is needed.

Think about the day your client may be wishing for.

Our clients schedules are packed with responsibilities and activities for others almost every day of the week.  Without them scheduling time for themselves they may continuously wait for a time when things are less hectic or when they have achieved all of their goals. But such a time may never come, so help them plan a me-day ahead of time and put it in your schedules together.  Make your clients day special, make it an easy decision to schedule their follow up appointment, try a new hair product or even put in a drink suggestion for next time (and write this down in your notes).   Simply put, make an effort, this appointment is for them and not for us.

Need a “Me Day?” We can all relate, but we promise to listen vs preaching our need for one 🙂

Keep me on my toes.

Please share with me other experiences you, as either a provider, or a guest in a salon or spa, have either wanted improved, or totally loved.  You can share any questions you have about why things have been done a certain way during any part of a service you’ve received in a salon or spa.  I’d love to keep posts like this coming, it not only helps me stay on my game, it helps my industry as a whole, hold ourselves to higher standards and be able to prove our worth to our clients.