5 Tips to Keep Your Clients Happy

1.  Make it Personal
Having your hair done is a personal and intimate experience that can make clients feel very vulnerable. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that you need to earn your client's trust. Doing this requires you to open up and make their service a personal experience. Look them in the eye when they're talking, don't be distracted with other clients or goings on in the salon when you're with them, and open up yourself so your client knows it's a two way street. 

2.  Educate and Communicate
Clients look to their hair stylist for their knowledge and expertise when deciding what to do with their hair. We have a duty to educate them about what we're doing to achieve their look, and about the products and tools we use during the process. I like to explain what I'm doing to my client while the service is being performed. Sure, we know why we're applying a toner after their color service, but do they?

Communicating with your client during their service is also a great way to start the conversation about retail products. Explain what you're putting on your clients hair, why you're using it, and how it can work for their hair. 

3.  The Experience
Even if you're the best hair stylist in the world, if your clients don't like their experience in your salon, they won't be coming back for more. It's important to cultivate a friendly, warm environment that the client enjoys. Even one negative experience can ruin it for both parties. 

Remember that the service begins the minute the client walks through the door. Encourage your staff to greet every client with a warm smile, even if the client isn't theirs. The front desk staff should always be on hand to offer anything the clients desires, within reason, of course. And remind your staff to be aware of their personal conversations, so as not to offend or alienate any clients that are in the salon. 

4.  The Environment
So let's say you have the most talented hair stylists, who are excellent at customer service, but they work in a garbage dump of a salon....not gonna cut it. Clients want to feel clean, fresh and beautiful when they leave your space, so your salon environment should reflect these elements as well. 

Keeping a salon that is clean and clutter free is a must, but there are plenty of ways to cultivate a luxurious environment that your client will love. Adding special touches like flowers, candles, nice robes and great lighting can take a salon from drab to fab in no time. Having extras on hand like a glass of wine, or simply offering to order your client lunch will make a lasting impression in their minds, and they'll have no doubt about where they'll be making their next hair appointment. 

5.  How You Handle Issues With Clients
How you handle client dissatisfaction is an extremely important factor of client relations. If you brush your client off if they ever become unhappy, this can spell disaster. Especially in this day and age of yelping, tweeting and facebook - one bad review can ruin things for the salon as a whole. 

If your client received a service that they're unhappy with, listen to their issues, and do your best to fix the situation as fast as possible. Remember not to take things personally as well. Even if you think their cut or color looks great, if they're unhappy, their unhappy, and you'll only make them more upset if you try to change their mind about it.