Customers have a tendency to dictate how and when their services are performed, but who is the professional at your salon or spa? You or your customers?
The old adage “the customer is always right” certainly works well in client relations, but is not necessarily the best way to run a business. You and your staff are the professionals that need to prescribe how and when your services are provided so that your clients receive the best treatment they can get. Here are four pointers to remember:
1. Prescribe
Is a client more likely to purchase a product that you ‘recommended’ to them or one that you have ‘prescribed’ to them? Prescribing retail tells your clients just how important the products you sell really are. By the same token, clients are more likely to come in for their follow-up appointment if you tell them it’s part of the treatment, not just recommended for “best results.”
2. Educate
By thoroughly educating your customers on why your suggestions are best for them and why their own ideas of “when and how” may not actually work, you can build trust and establish yourself as the expert.
Here’s an example:
Imagine a client schedules a keratin treatment because they need straight hair for a wedding that’s in two days, but you know that a Brazilian blowout is the better option for their timeline. When you recommend the blowout, the client tells you they have reservations because their friend told them it doesn’t work as well on frizzy hair and the chemicals used cause cancer. The client is also concerned about being “upsold” product and follow-up treatments.
First, try describing the differences between a Brazilian blowout and a keratin treatment. Explain that the blowout will get them ready for the wedding because it only takes about 90 minutes and is done as soon as you leave the salon, whereas other keratin treatments take between two and three hours to finish and the product needs to be washed out after three days.
Next, rely on your experience to explain that you have performed the blowout on every type of hair and that good candidates include anyone who has frizzy, damaged or processed hair.
Lastly, let the client know that they can continue using their own relaxers and strengtheners after the blowout, but the blowout can last up to 10-12 weeks with the maintenance product you’ve prescribed. Also explain that the blowout is a cumulative treatment: the more the client receives it, the healthier her hair will be and the longer the result will last.
By relying on your experience and discussing treatments and product in detail, your client will feel more comfortable agreeing with you. Also, be sure to display confidence and listen to your client’s concerns (you certainly don’t want to offend them).
3. Prove It
Show your clients that your way is best by using before and after photos or industry articles to prove your point. Whether it is botox treatment results or the look of a particular hair color against a certain shade of skin, your customers will have a better appreciation for your suggestions if you back them up with tangible data.
Using our example above, show the client the steps that are involved in a keratin treatment and the condition their hair will be in for the next three days. Use before and after photos of past blowout clients to demonstrate that it can work for frizzy hair and looks similar, or better, to those who have received a keratin treatment.
Once you prove your expert opinion with pictures and articles, your clients are more likely to rubber stamp your suggestions in the future and feel happy with the services they receive (which also results in more referrals!).
4. Use Your Software
Whether it is how often a customer should return for a service, or the best way to use the product you recommended, your software should be able to reach out to your customer based on YOUR benchmarks. Reminding customers that it’s time to re-stock a product they are getting low on, or that it’s time to think about hiding those roots again, your system should be able to address your wants in an automated fashion. The DARCI system in Transcend by ProSolutions does this automatically for you!
About the Author
Matt is VP of Sales at ProSolutions Software. With over 20 years experience in the beauty industry, Matt teaches classes to salon and spa owners on business topics including branding, management, marketing and advertising.
