Consultation and after care

Good communication

Client care is essential to becoming a successful hairdresser. And good client care depends on good communication.

It is vital that you learn to communicate well with your clients from the moment they enter the salon until they leave. If you establish a good rapport, they will feel comfortable with their choice of stylist and you will have clients who feel relaxed and confident. You must be able to:

• put your client at ease – tell them what you plan to do before you start cutting and explain what you are doing as you work;
• understand what the client wants – communication is about listening as well as talking; and
• make sure that the client understands what you are recommending for them.

Putting clients at ease

How you talk to your clients is as important as what you say. They are not all the same and, with experience, you will learn to adapt your speech – tone of voice, volume and speed – to suit the client and the circumstances. Practice this as often as you can, imagining different circumstances. For example, how would you talk to an extremely nervous client or a client who is running late and becoming anxious?

Choose your words carefully. Soft sounds tend to be more reassuring than hard sounds. For example, ‘would you like to sit down?’ and ‘may I help you?’ sound more friendly than ‘take a seat’ or ‘can I help you?’ (which could also seem to question your own ability).

Establishing understanding

It is important that you find out exactly what your client wants. Try to use questions that cannot be answered with a straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’. These are known as open questions and usually include words such as which, who, why, how, what and where. Unlike closed questions, they require the client to give you a response. For example, think about the different sort of answers you might get if you asked the following:

• Open question – Which appointment time would you prefer?
• Closed question – Is your appointment for a colour?

Doing it every time

There will be times when communicating with your clients will be hard work. You may be tired or feeling unwell. You may have difficulty understanding a client because they have a strong accent or speech impediment. Or your client may simply be disagreeable. Whatever the circumstances, as a professional, you must work to establish good communication with your client.

Consultation

The consultation is a fact-finding mission and is the first part of the service you give your clients. An in-depth consultation will allow you find out what your clients’ ideas and needs are. This will help you to make the right recommendations and give your clients more confidence in you.

During a consultation, you should always:

• find out what the client wants before you shampoo their hair and keep checking back with them as you work;
• ask the right questions and, if necessary, use visual aids such as magazines. If you are doing a colour consultation, use the colour chart;
• communicate clearly with your client and check to make sure you both understand each other;
• if you are in any doubt about what your client wants, refer them to a senior member of staff who can give further advice; and
• check to make sure you are working safely and looking after the client’s well-being.

A professional consultation is conducted on a one-to-one basis between the client and the stylist. It can take place either in the reception area or at a styling station. The success of your consultation will depend on your ability to:

• ask the right questions (using open questions as much as possible);
• listen carefully to your client’s answers;
• interpret what they are saying;
• confirm what has been said, checking that you both understand; and
• make suggestions and offer appropriate choices.

Confidentiality

As a professional hairdresser, you are in a position of trust. You will learn a great deal of personal information about your clients. It is crucial that they can rely on your discretion. If your clients feel they cannot trust you, they will not come back and, worse, they may take action against the salon. In any event, the reputation of the salon will be badly damaged.

Record cards must be treated in strict confidence. They belong to the salon and are an important source of information. They are also private and you should not look at – and certainly never alter – record cards without permission.

You should also treat personal information about your colleagues in confidence. When you are working together in a busy, public place such as a salon, you need to know that you can trust each other. Also, your clients will not be impressed if they hear salon staff gossiping about each other.

Client care from start to finish

Your client embarks on a journey through the salon from the moment they walk through the door.

After care

An increasingly important part of the hairdresser’s role is giving after-care advice to clients and recommending products clients can use to care for their style between visits to the salon.

You may feel uncomfortable with this part of your work to start with, particularly if you see it as ‘selling’ unwanted products to your client. But bear in mind that you wouldn’t consider styling hair without these products so why should your client have to.

The response you get from your client will obviously depend on the way you approach the subject and make your recommendations. You should spell out the benefits to the client of using the product at home. Explain to them:

• which product you have used on their haircut;
• why you have used it; and
• when and how the client should use it.

Remember to ask your client, when they next come into the salon, if they were happy with the product and able to maintain the style of their haircut.