The Small Salon Mistakes That Could Be Losing You Clients

During the current situation, with COVID-19, it’s already hard enough to get your clients back through the doors, especially when some might still be shielding or lack the confidence. This means your clients are now more valuable than ever, so it’s important to keep them as satisfied as possible. 

Therefore, below are some ways that you could be bothering your clients and how you can stop!

Lacking Honesty:

Clients look for impartial and professional advice. Even if they come in with a specific treatment in mind, and you question it’s suitability, have an honest conversation and let them know. Being honest is much better than completing a treatment and having your client leave with regrets. It also helps to cover your back as the client will be aware of your views before you start. Having an honest and open relationship with your clients will also help you to build trust, and will be appreciated. 

Being late (and not addressing it):

Being late is never ideal; however, life can be hectic and sometimes, overrunning is inevitable. The best thing to do is to explain this to the client as soon as possible. If you are already overrunning in the morning, contact your afternoon appointments and make them aware. If it’s last minute, let them know as soon as they enter the salon, to help manage their expectations. A complementary cup of tea can also work wonders! 

Not communicating important information clearly:

Not communicating your services can deter clients from making bookings. By highlighting the services you offer, in a clear and concise manner, your clients will be more informed. This can also help you to cut down the number of unnecessary enquiries. Make sure that key information, regarding your services, is available across different online platforms and in store. Good communication is key and will allow your clients to book with confidence. It also prevents any confusion occurring and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Lack of cleanliness:

An unsanitary or messy environment can put anyone into a bad mind frame. Always ensure you are preparing the space adequately ahead of the next client. Even if you are extremely busy with appointments, cleanliness is the minimum your clients expect. In order to maintain an organised and welcoming environment, you should consider creating a cleaning rota and dividing up the various roles and responsibilities. If everyone is assigned a specific role, it helps you to keep individuals accountable and is much easier to manage.

Inadequate, or missing, records:

Clients expect you to know them on a personal level, and there is more to each client than just names and faces. To build a long term rapport, note down key information about your clients. This can include what previous treatments they had, and their likes and dislikes. It will also help you to ensure they receive the same level of service, regardless of who greets them. It also prevents your clients from having to repeat themselves on every visit! As memorising these finer details for each client is impractical, consider jotting a few notes down in your records to stay on track.

Over-promoting:

Finally, overpromoting could be your downfall. Sending out booking reminders too frequently can lead to your clients developing a negative sentiment. Instead of quantity, focus on improving the quality of your communications. Avoid lazy emails, so instead of sending the same promotions to entire email lists, tailor them to groups of clients based on similar interests. For example, clients that frequently book hair cuts vs those who opt for colour. No one likes a clogged inbox and improving the quality of your communications can help you to turn new clients into high value customers!