The state our our economy is bleak. President Obama is working his hand to change things around. Companies and businesses are struggling to gain and maintain their momentum. To keep themselves in the game they are using the art of vying to make their business boom. They are using all kinds of gimmicks to get customers in their doors with hopes of them spending big bucks. As a consumer and business owner, trust me their are a lot of them out there. Of all the gimmicks they can come up with, none of them will work or will be as effective as good old fashioned Customer Service.
Because so many humans refuse to consistently be polite, punctual, reliable and friendly; some companies have replaced humans with machines, automated this, touch screen that, self service here, self check out there and of course the now famous, "press pound." to offset humans who will not effectively and happily do what they are paid to do. While those may be nice options for other companies and businesses, replacing hairstylists and salon services with automation is not an option in the cosmetology industry. "Human" customer service is our art of vying to get customers to patronize us.
Yes our industry wants gain and maintain in this economy as well. Yet, for some odd reason, according to polls, opinions and complaints; customer service in the cosmetology is at an all time low. Customers feel that because some hair stylists/salons know they can not all together be replaced with automation, they continue to be tardy, un-knowledgeable, unkempt and rude. In other words, they see the game. Replacing a hairstylist with a machine is highly unlikely, therefore, all a customer can do is complain and switch hairstylists/salons.
Let us examine some popular complaints. These complaints could all together be avoided or remedied with great customer service to prevent loss of customers, credibility and profit for the beauty industry.
Waiting, cutting too much off, the wrong color and unkempt hair stylists/salons are the most common complaints customers have about hair salons. Remember things have changed. In an era of Do-It-Yourself, the cosmetology industry needs to beware. For example, remember bank tellers, customer service representatives, laborers and full serve? All replaced via some form of automation or do-it-yourself super stores.
Customers value customer service! Get it? Who would of thunk it? I am most certain that every hair stylist is a customer of some sort. So I propose the question, "What is more annoying on the receiving end or giving end than waiting?" Customer service does not start with a "c." No sir-ree. It starts with promptness. Waiting gives way into too much of what is happening and what is not happening in the mind of a hair stylist/salon. Waiting implies lack of preparation. Customers conclude that when they are made to wait, you are not ready for their dollars and their time is not important. Customers also conclude that time management is no where in the practice of customer satisfaction on behalf of the hair stylist/salon who makes them wait. That irritant can be remedied with a pre-booked service.
Cutting off too much hair is like cutting off too much fabric when hemming a pair of trousers. There is absolutely no way to re-attach the material you cut off. Honesty, listening and a mirror eliminates this pet peeve instantly. When a customer comes to the salon and request a hair cut, honesty is the best policy. There is nothing wrong with admitting you do not know how to do something. Look at this way; a burger can be prepared well done, medium or rare. Right? Yet, when you go to Wendy's, there is only one way they will prepare it, well done. If a customer prefers a rare burger, they have to go to another restaurant. Is Wendy's at a loss? Of course not. They are sticking to what they do best. Whenever faced with a service that you do not feel comfortable doing, or do not know how to do it; borrow some customer service skills from Wendy's. Be honest, tell them you can not do it; thus giving the chance to go some place else. Customers appreciate honesty.
Hair coloring and chemical straightening services are the equivalent of plastic surgery. Chemical services like plastic surgeries are best done by experts to ensure best results. Though most hair stylists and salons do not display certificates received to verify their level expertise; like plastic surgeons, they do have photos! Ask to see them. Most hair stylists/salons have photo books, websites, Facebook page or some sort of stock of photos for you to see their work. Customers gauge the reputation, availability of the hair stylist and cost to determine how good or how horrible the hair stylist might be. "At Your Own Risk," is the mantra of those who receive those services without a consultation, a price list and some sort of guarantee. If ever there was a time to practice the art of "discriminating taste," now would be it when it comes to selecting a colorist.
Last but not least, the unkempt professional hair stylist/salon. Is that not an oxymoron? If image is everything and first impressions are everlasting, the best a hair stylist/salon can do to ensure great customer service is to look nice and be clean. I read Donald Trump's the "The Art of the Deal." He credits showing immaculate property as the most consistent thing he did that contributed to his extreme success in real estate. He said he did not always have property in illustrious communities, he did not always have sprawling mansions and fancy tall sky scrapers to sell. Nope, but he did always have clean and neat properties to sell. Obviously a billionaire later, that works! Though all hairstylists/salons do not aspire to ascertain Donald Trump status in their business, no one is at a lost for being on top of their "A" game when it comes to image. Customer love patronizing beautiful attractive hairstylists/salons. After all, we are in the beauty industry.
Hairstylists/salons are well aware of what it truly takes to satisfy customers. McDonalds etched out a place for a way of eating out in a food industry that was established for sitting down in the likes of Emeril, Moxi and Lola's. They snobbed fine dining. They made a billion dollar universal business on "fast food." McDonalds may not prepare food with the finest ingredients, their food may not be prepared by renowned chefs or served in the fanciest environments, but you have to admit they have done something phenomenal to the food industry. In addition, they are clean, their employees are uniformed, their service is prompt, and they the kings of "fast" food. So with that, a hairstylist/salon do not have to be in the SOHO Districts of the world, they do not have to service Hollywood's and Milan's elite nor do they have to be clothed with the latest by Prada, but they do have to have an image that compliments their customer service.
Customers are vital to what we put into how we want to serve them. They are the reason and motivation for why we want to do what we do in the first place. To pretend as if the experience of calling, browsing or walking into your business is not as important as the product or service that is being sold is a bad game to play. Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley's are in the business of making, designing, creating and selling games, but they have no game when in comes to customer service and customer satisfaction.
We have to take pride and practice reverence to everyone who calls, walks in, browse or patronizes our business. Eliminate hubris from your repertoire'. Customers know the rules of the game in our business. Customers know the rules of the game to being a customer as well. So the next time a customer sits in your chair, play fair. Be prompt, be knowledgeable, dress for success, have your salon clean and be nice. While game peeps game. Keep in mind, good game peeps all game.
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