Cracking the Client Enigma: Here’s What Clients Look for in SalonsSeptember 9, 2018It is no wonder that a booming service industry is an economic indicator of a developed nation. This is because is the service industry is where businesses directly interact with people. Anyone running a service business would vouch for the fact that there is nothing harder than dealing with different kinds of people and comprehending various patterns of behavior. The kind of mental development business people experience is solely because of their service-oriented nature of work. A business that wins hearts, wins all! It is safe to say that business people almost end up halfway becoming behavioral psychologists. No offense to psychologists out there, this is an analogy drawn to highlight the significance of consumer psychology in business. This includes coming up with plausible explanations for erratic behavior of clients, accommodating changing consumption patterns, offering leniency for last minute alterations, and tolerating irrational discount demands. All of this is done to maintain a standard of customer care and in the pursuit to achieve optimal client satisfaction! But all these efforts are shots aimed blindly at the bull’s eye! This is due to lack of information on the salon owner’s part about the expectations of the client which are attributed to the communication gap between the business and customer. No matter how hard you try to gauge the mood of your client and service them accordingly, it lands equal chances of being a hit or a miss because what they want is still a mystery! To erase this question mark from the salon’s rule book, work needs to be done to decode this algorithm for ultimate success! Clients sometimes pose a problem so enigmatic that business people are left dumfounded at a loss of solutions. To help resolve these enigmas, it is important to know what clients look for in salons. The key to success lies not in rote learning these theories that tell you how to win the ideal customer base. Rather it depends on how much of this is implemented in the daily practice of a running salon. After all, the ground reality of every salon or business, for that matter, differs from hypothetical scenarios we create for the sake of discussion. Turning these words into action will become the right code that unlocks the client enigma. You vs. Us This is a debate that should not even exist in the same universe as a service-oriented business. The client-side of the equation will undeniably always be heavier in the balance. It is unconditionally about the client and all efforts must drive towards and coincide at a point where the client is the happiest. Thus, it is not even a You vs. Us debate anymore. Rather it is one-way route that must always lead to the client. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to show to the clients that they are a salon’s prime concern. Their appearance, health, hygiene and happiness are what the salon is motivated to maximize. Making every service about them will leave the clients with a rewarding smile on their faces. Convince them that their decision to be served by your salon is a pleasure and honor for YOU! Even though this seems easy at first, it is what most businesses juggle with on a busy day when clients are pouring in and there is no time to give each one a special treatment. Nonetheless, this is a compulsion that service-providers are obligated to abide by in order to satisfy their clients. Going An Extra Mile Doing just a little more than what most commercial salons are providing adds the cherry on top! While getting similar services from another salon down the street is not a hard switch to make for the client, what makes them bound to come back is the extra service you provide. Let your imagination go wild and come up with creative ideas for making a client feel special every day. Here are our two-cents on the topic: Gift greeting cards to clients on special occasions. Record their usual choice of products and treatments and next time they come, show them you cared enough to remember. Offer to find a place for them to park their car. Or if budget allows, hire valet service to assist your clients in being carefree about their cars. Be kind enough to offer refreshments when a client comes in after a long day. Offer complimentary services every now and then to surprise them. Escort them to their ride if they have dressed up for an occasion and are having a hard time carrying their dress. Arrange special gift vouchers for birthdays of loyal customers and send out reminders before it is time. Keep umbrellas in stock just in case it rains and the client’s elaborate hairdo is at risk of going flat. Keep a first-aid kit in case a client needs an aspirin or a bandage. Even though this list is not exhaustive, it can give you an idea about what we mean when we say even the slightest of gestures can lighten up their day and your fortunes! Unexpected Surprises While the above mentioned list is meant to be included in routine practices, there are some gestures that are only possible every once in a while and the rarity of them would also keep the surprise factor alive. These can include gifting a bottle of their favorite hair serum or body butter to a client after completing a year-long journey with them. Or get them flowers to lighten up their mood if they are going through a tough time or are unwell. The basic principle is to add a personal touch to any service you provide. Transforming a business–client relationship into a human bond between two individuals will not only help your salon succeed but also cross the line of distinction! Developing personal relations with your client is very important if you want to make your salon seem cozy and welcoming! Even a heartfelt compliment can ease the frowns on their forehead and also wouldn’t go heavy on the pocket. Avoid Automated Conversations While salon employees are taught, at first, to uphold a certain standard by adhering to the rulebook, it becomes redundant after a while and makes the experience dull and dreary. Workers often tend to address and converse with clients in a rehearsed speech which sounds more like an auto-generated reply appearing on a computer screen. This not only makes the salon–client dynamic very robotic but also creates a detachment between the client’s needs and the salon’s services. This disjunction can be removed by making conversations very natural and spontaneous. Making a comment about a client’s hair or lip color will show them that you have the eyes to notice them. Giving each one individual attention is very important in making them feel valued and respected. For instance congratulating someone about their upcoming promotion or inquiring about their recent vacation can help them feel as if you are keeping up with their lives. This will also ease them into disclosing exactly what they want which is the problem we began with: the client enigma! Salon Income Booster is an online website offering expert advice to new hair salon businesses about decoding client’s enigmatic wishes and serving them exactly what they want. They deal with providing tools for salon income generation and marketing solutions to boost revenues. They also advise on how to resolve management challenges, and make suggestions on optimizing retail displays, merchandising, and sales. If you want to learn how to understand your client better, we are the quick and easy way to get there!