Published
13th May 2012
by Admin
Are your stylists offering the ultimate consultation, asks Carole Taylor of ClientWave.
We all understand that the consultation is a pivotal element of the client's appointment. The nature of it will often dictate whether the client will buy retail products, a treatment or a colour service; if she will return; how often she books and if she will happily recommend the salon to her friends.
The power of the consultation should never be underestimated nor should the overwhelming expectation of the client. A recent ClientWave survey of 2,000 clients reported that 71% felt their consultation should have been more in-depth. So what is today's discerning client really hoping for in her consultation?
A popular definition of a consultation would be 'a meeting with an expert or professional in order to seek advice' - so the client expects to come away from a consultation with new ideas and suggestions on style, colour and condition not only for the day of her appointment but also for the future. She sees it as a two-way informative discussion rather than just an opportunity for the stylist to ask what she wants doing that day.
Introductions
As in any professional exchange, the stylist should introduce themselves to the client and greet them by name - if in doubt as to how she would prefer to be addressed, the stylist should ask her. The client will remember the fact that they cared enough to find out.
Lifestyle
The stylist needs to get a feel for her lifestyle, her image, her time-constraints or her desire for change. A consultation should also include advice on a regime, style or colour that would fit perfectly with her home, work and social life.
Current haircare regime
The stylist should establish what type of regime the client usually follows at home and offer interesting, professional advice that will enhance her regime in terms of results and time.
Products used
It's also important to find out what products the client tends to use regularly and why she chooses those particular products. This will give the stylist a strong indication of what the client hopes to achieve and and enable her to suggest an appropriate combination of products that will give the client a consistent, impressive result.
Colour and condition
The consultation is also the stylist's opportunity to talk to the client about her current colour, if any, and find out what her thoughts and feelings are about colour. The stylist can take this opportunity to suggest new alternatives she might like to consider for this season or to enhance her existing colour and cut.
Style and finish
The secret of an effective consultation is to listen as much as advise - the stylist should listen carefully to what the client has in mind. It is the stylist's job to build on these ideas by offering tailor-made suggestions on the shape and finish that will refine and perfect her look.
Problems
During the consultation the stylist should use connected, open-ended questions to establish what the client's true need, problem or desire is. It's important for the stylist to discover what is really important to the client, what would make a difference to her and how to exceed her expectations. More than anything else, the client expect the stylist to identify and help her with any haircare issues and concerns she has. A stylist who does this should have a fan for life.
Carole Taylor is director of ClientWave, a company that specialises in education and marketing services for the hair and beauty industry. Services include a nationwide mystery shopping programme, salon website design and in-salon training courses.
