Customer service is the process of taking care of potential, new, and existing customers before during and after a transaction is made. The aim is to provide an experience that exceeds customer expectations and leads to a satisfied customer. When done properly, customer service is mutually beneficial, providing the customer with a service that meets their needs, and your salon with repeat business. Good customer service will mean an increase in customer loyalty which may result in your customers spending more money, more often with your salon. It is also important for your salons reputation, as a happy customer will spread a positive message about you to others.
Providing excellent customer service means becoming more focused on the customer as a human being rather than as a profit centre, your main aim should be to build good customer relationships. This means you need to understand their needs and wants, treat them respectfully and go out of your way to help them, so you can develop a strong rapport with your customers.
Here are a few tips to help your salon provide the best service to your customers:
Salon Design
To begin with, your salon’s design should be appealing and the services you offer should be relevant to your target markets needs. There should be a formal system in place to deal with all the stages of interaction with your customers, and all your staff must be familiar with it. Also, you must take care of your staff as they are the face of your business. They must be properly trained and given the necessary tools they need to perform their duties.
Staff
Staff should conduct themselves in a friendly but professional manner at all times. They should always be polite to the customers, greeting them with a warm friendly smile. Using first names and remembering facts about their life, such as their birthdays, vacations stories or kids name will make your clients feel special and important.
Keeping The Customer Updated
Customers should not be kept waiting at any time. If you feel you will be running late, give them a call so they can make any adjustments to their schedules, it will be appreciated. It is important to ask clients questions about the service you are about to perform, so as to make sure you are on the same page, for example when it comes to new hair styles or hair colouring.
You can use technology to help you provide a better service, for example sending out automatic texts or emails a few days before their appointment, to remind customers and give them a chance to reschedule if it is no longer appropriate. You can also use the internet to send them information about how to take care of their hair after their visit, and to set up an opt in newsletter that informs them of new trends in the industry, combined with a loyalty discount programme for frequent salon visits.
Handling Complaints
You should listen to customers opinions and suggestions for improving your salon and their experience. It is also important to have a process in place for handling complaints, which must be dealt with quickly so as to avoid any further grievances.
Ultimately as a salon you are in the business of serving customers, so by providing excellent customer service should be your main goal. Good customer service takes time and requires constant monitoring in order to keep the standards consistent. The success of your business depends on how your customers feel when they leave your salon, because it is the customer experience that separates your salon from your competitors.
A regular review of your customer service procedures is essential to maintain and improve existing standards. Remember it costs more to get a new client than to keep an existing one, so make customer service the focus of your salon business to keep clients coming back.
