How are you making your hairdressing clients feel safe again?

Published 20th Apr 2021 by laurahusband
How are you making your hairdressing clients feel safe again? As hair salons, barbershops and freelancers reopen across the UK, HJ speaks to business consultant Jo Martin about how you can make your hairdressing clients feel safe again. One of the most rewarding parts of being a hairdresser is having the opportunity to engage on a one-to-one basis with clients and providing them with a remarkable salon experience, while making them look and feel fantastic. With hair salons reopening after a long period of closure and loyal clients visiting for the first time in 2021, there is going to be a lot of apprehension from both the salon team and clients. The post-lockdown salon environment will change the experience for both the client and the salon team. On top of new UK Government restrictions and COVID -19 safety procedures that need to be implemented there is also the emotional and mental health needs of the client that need to be taken into consideration.

3 ways to make your hairdressing clients feel safe again

Here’s Jo Martin's guide to three key areas that can enhance your salon and hairdressing client's experience to make them feel safe again.

1. Build trust

Client safety is a top priority and building trust into your ‘new salon client journey’ will be essential for all clients but especially for those who may have been high risk clients and are more apprehensive about returning to the salon. Clients are very loyal but confidence may have been lost from many, therefore they need to be reassured, comfortable with all new salon procedures whilst incorporating feel good factors into the salon client journey. Client trust within the salon can be built by all of the salon team working together in delivering COVID-19 safety procedures. It’s easy to make promises but the aim is to make the client feel that all the procedures have been adhered to by the entire salon team at every touch point throughout the salon client journey. Trust is also built with a consistent compliant approach.

2. Client communication

Client communication just stepped up a gear. You should continue over-communicating with all clients by reaching out to your entire client base over email, text, phone calls, sharing salon information and client feedback across all social media accounts and your salon website. Communicate to each client that their health and safety is the salon's priority and share with them all the safety processes and protocols in place for their salon journey – from arriving to the salon, meeting their stylist, paying for their salon service and booking their next appointment. With all the salon team wearing PPE, communication to clients will prove to be more difficult. With the lack of exposed facial expressions and reduced body language, clear communication becomes more vital to build client empathy and rapport. The main communication method will be listening carefully to your client and communicating clearly whilst trying to read your client's body language and any signs of anxieties, whilst trying to provide a calming and uplifting experience. Follow up after each appointment with a personal text or phone call. Going that extra step for your clients will build trust and respect and strengthen your client relationships.

3. Salon team education

Educating the salon team is vital for clear communication with the client as this will ensure a consistent client journey. It will also build trust and the ability to manage client expectations and needs. Arrange continuous team training sessions to achieve the highest hygiene and safety procedures and reassure your hairdressing clients they are the top priority for the salon when it comes to being safe. It’s important to schedule regular meetings with your salon team to make sure everyone is consistently adhering to your salon procedures and to address any concerns/challenges from them or their salon clients. I hope that, some of these guidance points are useful, we’re still only at the beginning of a long road ahead, learning and sharing the new ways of working to provide the best salon client experience, whilst keeping our clients in a safe salon environment and giving them confidence to rebook. For more information about Jo Martin who is a business consultant for the hairdressing industry, go to jomartin.co.uk.       
laurahusband

laurahusband

Published 20th Apr 2021

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