What fuels the growth trajectory of your salon? Well, it is definitely good customer experience that transforms the fortunes of any such business.
According to a report by Oracle, on average, 85% of customers are willing to pay more money for a satisfactory experience. On the other hand, 90% stopped visiting the salon after bad experience. Thus keeping your customers happy and content is not as easy as may appear.
It won't be wrong if I say that the credibility of any salon business is directly measured through what the customers think of their services and hospitality, in general.
From greeting your customers, hair services, stylists, salon apparel, styling capes, aprons, towels, and many other things help building customer perception.
Now, what psychology triggers make your customers happy? How can you leverage it to drive your salon business growth?
Let’s discuss this in detail.
1. Remodel Waiting Area
Have a comfy couch they can sit on, soothing music to listen to, and magazines they can read while sipping the welcome drink. Make your waiting area pleasant enough to keep your customers holding their patience.
To alleviate some of their boredom, share a Wi-Fi password so they can kill some time browsing on their smartphones. Also, keep charging cables for mobile phones at each station if in case they have to stay for a decent time.
2. Pamper
A little pampering to make your customers feel special is worth it all. It's like sharing a sense of belongingness and care. There is a myriad of ways to do this - giving away an end-of-treatment sample product or between-treatment massages.
Especially for your prestigious customers, you can offer free add-on services. It is a great idea to introduce them to upcoming services or packages they may like to pay for in the future.
3. FREE Consultation
What does a client want? Listen to their requests, concerns but communicate your expertise as well. Find an ideal balance between their expectations and what could be possible within a given time frame and budget.
For instance, some hair color transitions need multiple appointments. Don't feel burdened to cram it in one visit as it won't give the desired result. Instead, plan a few sessions that align with your customer’s comfort and expectations.
4. Let’s Go Social
A salon that has Instagram account displaying clients’ new looks already wins the battle half. Take before and after pictures of your customers, post them on your business account provided clients are comfortable with it. If they are, tag them. It will foster a good rapport between you and your customers, giving them a memorable experience.
Be sure to post high-quality pictures to highlight the difference you make in people’s overall look with hair services.
Instagram is a popular social media platform with over 1 billion active users just after Facebook and Youtube. This attracts new customers and impresses the existing clients.
5. Have Right Attitude
Inculcate a positive attitude in your staff. Be it your receptionist, stylist or a helper, everyone should be soft-spoken, courteous and ready to serve the client as they want.
Don’t ignore any comments made on your salon online. Reply to all of them, leave no comment unanswered. Also, be considerate and polite in your replies. The whole purpose of building a community online is to serve the customer right, enhancing their experience, each time they visit your salon.
Henceforth, the extra thing you do for your customers makes all the difference between someone returning in the future or going somewhere else.
The message is clear, don’t restrict yourself to engage - it being the by-product of satisfactory customer experience.
