Ways to offer exceptional customer care
By Scratch Staff | 04 March 2019 | Expert Advice, Feature
Sharon Sandhu, category manager for nails at Salon Services UK & Ireland, reveals her top tips for showing clients you care and enhancing their treatment experience…
With competition in the nail industry so fierce, going the extra mile to care for your customers during their appointment can make a dramatic difference when it comes to loyalty. Rather than simply aiming to meet expectations, you need to ensure that clients keep coming back- so focus on delivering extras to make their experience memorable.
Here are some things to consider:
ACE THE GREETING
If you really want to impress your clients, make them feel comfortable, relaxed and at ease by offering a warm welcome with a friendly smile.
Seat them in the waiting area and point them in the direction of your new collection swatches or displays so they can check out the latest spring shades and get inspiration ahead of their treatment. If you know a customer well, you can recommend a shade you think they’ll love or would suit them, or if they’re new to your salon let them know which collections are most popular.
Offering personal advice is a great way to build loyalty and showcase your expertise. After all, their arrival at reception is a key element of your customer’s overall experience, so it’s important to set the scene for the rest of the appointment.
Remember that clients book an appointment with you for more than a manicure. For many, that hour in your salon is a rare opportunity to sit back, relax and take some time away from their busy lives to be pampered. Some might welcome the chance for a chat, whereas others appreciate the opportunity to switch off and listen to music. Take your lead from them and try and remember their preferences for the next time they visit. Similarly, offer them tailored advice for maintaining their treatment at home and hand out any product samples you think they might benefit from trying. These small gestures go a long way!
Hand lotions and cuticle oils should always be clearly visible on manicure stations for customers to touch and smell — making product recommendations smoother and easier.
HOST AN EDUCATION EVENT
As industry professionals, we’re well aware of the advantages of training our staff, but we don’t often think about how educating our clients can be incredibly beneficial for business, too. With this in mind, consider hosting education events where clients can come and learn from the best about all things to do with nails. From demonstrating how to create a certain nail look to conducting a masterclass on nail care, not only are such events great for showcasing the retail products you have available, they’re also ideal for branding your staff as experts who clients can trust and learn from.