5 Tricks For Your Best Service
What’s most important in your salon? Making your clients feel welcome? Creating the perfect color, cut and style? Or maybe it’s connecting with your clients on a more personal level. Remembering her fave color formula is always helpful. Let’s just say it’s all equally important, because when they leave your chair feeling content and comfortable with their hair and themselves, OF COURSE they’re going to come back. But just in case, you need a little push in upping your service strategies, we’ve got you covered. Here are 5 can’t-miss tips from SalonBiz® and Chris Guidry, the Education Director & Stylist for Paris Parker Salons, to help you build your business one amazing service at a time!
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1. Greeting
Using the SalonBiz® Mobile Stylist app, you’ll be alerted the moment your client checks in. Which means they’ll never have to wait for a warm greeting! Remember to keep it professional, welcome them with a handshake, make eye-contact and always use their name!
2. Consultation
The key to great consultations? Preparation! Use your tools like SalonBiz Mobile® or Tablet to check client history and notes. Know what they’ve purchased during past visits and when their last appointment was. Let’s face it—you’re constantly meeting new clients and chatting them up every day of every week…sometimes a little reminder about a conversation you had 6 weeks ago about her fringe length or fave color formula is a huge help!
Pro Tip: Ask open-ended questions about their lifestyle. Tell me about your schedule, tell me about how often you use a blow dryer…etc. Then listen! Use the all-powerful word “Because” to make sure you both are on the same page. “Because you said you never use a blow-dryer, I recommend we do XYZ. Because you said you have a crazy busy schedule and don’t have much time to style, I recommend this cut.” It is critical in client satisfaction to align lifestyle with hairstyle!
3. Shampoo/Condition/Treatment
Know what day it is! If it’s been bitterly cold, clients usually spend more time blow-drying their hair (can’t go out if it’s wet!) so it’s a best practice to prescribe a moisturizing shampoo/conditioner/treatment. If It’s been a mild winter and their hair is in good shape, it’s a great opportunity to introduce color. On the other hand, maybe it’s summer or they’ve been on vacation; this is the perfect time prescribe a hydrating treatment.
Pro Tip: It’s great to personalize this portion of the service just like you would the haircut and style. Reinforce what you’ve discussed during the consultation: “Because you said you were at the beach, I recommend this treatment. Because you said you were interested in color, I’ll recommend a special shampoo to enhance and protect your new shade.”
4. Service
The hot tip for service is to switch it up! Try introducing something new every third service. Play with length, layers and fringe for their cut and try a new technique or highlights for their color. If the client’s hair is the same in July as it was in January…it’s time for a change! It’s great for client retention to keep the style fresh and fun.
5. Finish
During the style, it is a best practice to circle back to the consultation. Be sure to recap the products you’re using, and talk about how their hair feels. Did they switch up any styles during your visit? Be sure to prescribe the products that will support their change.
Pro Tip: Review each product you’re using and tell the client why you’re using it—don’t assume they know. Don’t forget to talk about the tools! Not everyone has a round brush and a paddle brush (or four!).Tell them why you are using that paddle brush vs. round brush. When you change the look, the products and tools you use change too.
Bonus Tip – Prebook!
Don’t let your client out of your chair without prebooking! It is essential to discuss prebooking during your style lesson. Make sure to review the service, know their pattern of visits and prebook based on history and style.
