Although salons and spas offer the highest level of service expertise than any other industry, they have also been scored the lowest in their ability to provide quality customer service. And it’s not just the smaller, lesser-known salons and spas but the larger ones too.
A huge part of your brand largely depends on your customer service and how clients perceive you and your business. So while you may think that customer service is an insignificant factor in customer retention – think again!
One of the number one reasons clients do not return to salons and spas is because they receive bad or poor customer service. Good (or bad) customer service is directly connected to your ability to retain clients, or not. When you think about retention and marketing for keeps, always do it with the client and good customer service in mind. The goal is to grow and sustain a long, lasting relationship.
Here are 5 tips to help you improve customer service and increase client retention:
1. Communicate. By its very nature, marketing is communication, so whatever you do to reach and communicate with your clients is a form of marketing. When new clients visit your salon, follow up immediately! Call, write notes, text, email, shout out on social media - whatever, just communicate on purpose and reach out to them with well-thought out personalized messages.
2. Offer personalized specials. Don’t send out mass communications to all clients for the “special of the week”. Instead, segment your clients into groups by service and market the service or services that best suits their needs. If your client gets weekly manicures, for example, offer that, but also add retail products or complementary services from which they could benefit. Go a step further if you can and include their names in your marketing materials if possible. Email is perfect for this type of personalization!
3. Reward existing clients. Many times we spend so much time trying to hook new clients, that we forget about our existing clientele…the people who are actually keeping the lights on! Offer them something from time to time. A gift, or free or discounted services that compliment their paid services goes a long way. Let them know that you appreciate them and their continued loyalty too! Implement a loyalty program for your ride-or-die clients.
4. Be consistent. I cannot stress this enough! Whatever you do, be consistent! Part of building any relationship lies in being trustworthy. Trust comes through being consistent and when you are showing new and current clients that you are consistent in providing quality service, being professional and effectively communicating, as a result, you build rapport and hence, a trustworthy relationship.
5. Know thy client. Get to know who your clients are on a personal and professional level. Talk to clients and ask them questions about their jobs, preferences, what their habits or beauty regiments are between visits, lifestyles etc. Learning about your client helps you provide a more personalized service experience and it assists in marketing to them on a human level - thus giving you an advantage in retaining their business. Never underestimate the power of a good service consultation!
So what are you waiting for? Go give your clients the best customer service experience evah!