expert opinion
“Ensuring that your customer receives value for money when visiting your salon is a sure-fire way to put a smile on their face and avoid those dreaded complaints,” Deborah adds. “If you are at the start of your beauty career or are lacking in training for a certain treatment, try offering treatments at a slightly reduced rate. This will prevent complaints from difficult customers if you explain the value for money they are receiving.”
Another way to ensure the client receives value for money is to ensure that all members of staff put the same amount of effort in with other team member’s clients as they do with their own.
It’s important to ensure allmembers of staff put the same amount of effort in with other teammember’s clients as they do with their own.
When faced with a difficult client, the first thing you need to establish is why they are causing an
issue.Are they the type of client who keeps missing their appointments for example, or are they rude to you, your staff and/or other customers whilst in the salon. Alternatively, the difficulty may arise when the customer seeks to make a complaint either about a member of staff or the treatment they have received.
Whichever category they fall under, it is important to ensure that the situation is handled in an appropriate manner to avoid any further complications.
DeborahMitchell, of Heaven Skincare, has worked in the beauty industry for over 20 years and has had her fair share of difficult customers. Deborah says: “In my opinion, clients don’t make complaints unless they feel either they have been treated badly or they can get away with it. In either case, it is often the therapist that has led them to feel like this.”
Deborah firmly believes that in order to deal effectively with a difficult customer, you must first cover all the possibilities where a client could complain. This could include treatment time being cut short, even if it is due to matters out of the control of the therapist.
“The golden rule to remember in this situation is not to cut time unless you can offer something in replacement.
Apologise for the situation without appearing defensive and offer 10 percent off next time or an additional 15 minutes at their next visit. It will also ensure the customer returns to the salon, which is paramount. A polite apology and smile goes a lot further than you might think,” adds Deborah.
Annet King, of The International Dermal Institute, advises: “Never take your clients for granted. Remember that your clients have arranged their schedule, taken the bus, jumped on a train, or driven from somewhere else to come and see you and receive their service. They have allocated time to make for you. They have put petrol in the car, parked, and shown up. This represents a huge
motivation.Are you equally motivated to serve them and deliver one ‘wow’ experience after another from the moment that they arrive, through into the next day when you call them to follow up?”
“Many therapists forget that consideration of a client and building that initial rapport will pave the way for the relationship to come. If you care about your client you should not get a complaint from them and will in turn achieve years of loyalty from them,” agrees Deborah. “If a customer is uncomfortable, they can improve you and train you no
end.My really difficult customers have given me great training to face even the highest profile customers.
Annet explains: “Everyone should be engaging with the customer and all need to be looked after equally, not just the clients that have booked with you that you think are ‘yours’. If a colleague is running late, what can you do to help? How can you entertain the customer?What can you offer them?A seat at the skin bar and a trial of a new product perhaps?And never forget that everyone in the business is responsible for the up-keep and look, so although it might not be ‘your job’ to unblock the toilet if it needs unblocking, pick up the plunger!
“Teams wear uniforms. Even if you do not happen to literally wear a uniform in your current workplace (although I think you should); your mindset must be kept in sync with that of every one on your team. This requires coordination, agreement, and constant communication throughout the team. I recommend a morning huddle, first-thing every day to discuss new clients, VIP clients, and daily goals.”
Annet goes onto add: “Just an aside about appearance - your appearance is a major part of your perceived professional attitude. There is a myriad of ways to interpret professional dress, but I return to my point about individual self-expression. You are not auditioning for anything.You are part of a professional service team. Your appearance already is distinctive, and I am not asking you to become a clone. No one else on earth has your DNA, so enjoy yours! But anything which distracts from the brand’s DNA - here, I am specifically referring to miles of visible tattoos, piercings, and jewellery which scream ‘Look at me!’ - weakens the team and brand-identity, which must usurp your own in all fairness when you are on the clock.
“In service professions, a really bad hair- day - i.e. a sour, snappishmood that you just cannot shake - really should be claimed as a personal day. Stay home. Boyfriend gave you the sack? Raw cookie-
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