Six tips for building trusting relationships with clients

  Building trusting relationships with clients is at the cornerstone of what you do as a hairdresser - we spoke to psychotherapist Hugh Palmer to find out what it takes to earn trust. 1. Share your experience - and encourage others to do the same: we all have different strengths and weaknesses. 2. Keep it professional - be friendly to clients but be careful not to overstep the mark. 3. Avoid controversial topics - initiating conversation about religion, politics or sex could result in awkwardness. 4. Take baby steps - be cautious when it comes to giving brutally honest opinions until you know the client well and know that is what they want. 5. Don’t get defensive - if a client is unhappy with their cut or colour, ask them to explain why rather than immediately defending yourself. This can help diffuse the situation and improve things for next time. 6. Know when to stop - consider how your client reacts to your attempts to make conversation. Some people love to chat, whereas others may prefer to read a magazine or just relax in silence. Don’t take it personally! Hugh Palmer is a UKCP registered systemic psychotherapist who has co-developed Relate’s High Trust Relationships in the Workplace online course in conjunction with The Open University Business School.