Exceptional Customer Service

Customer service is the foundation and the backbone for any business. Without customers there is no business. However, exceptional customer service is also the heart and soul, as well as the foundation and backbone.

Owning a salon or spa and being in the health and beauty industry, customer service, and I mean outstanding, exceptional customer service, is vital to the growth of your business.  Do you follow these rules?

The beauty and health industry is a service industry. Catering to the wants, desires and needs of your clients is what drives your spa or salon to a higher level of standards. By knowing exactly what your clients want, desire and need, this will keep you ahead of your competition and most importantly, a valuable asset in your client’s life.

Setting the standards high for exceptional customer service will show in your overall business’ success. Knowing and implementing rules so that your staff or team will follow, and hopefully, exceed when providing the services to your clients.

Customer Service and Satisfaction must always exceed greatness. In other words, keep raising the bar for excellence.

You may have heard, “under promise and over deliver,” which simply means that you should give more than is expected. “Mission accomplished” when your clients are happy and telling others and recommending your business to their family and friends.

By implementing and following a few simple rules and making them a part of your Employee Handbook with a chapter on “Exceptional Customer Service,” you will ensure that your entire staff and team will be treating your business and clients exactly as you expect; exceptionally!

Top Seven Rules for Providing Exceptional Customer Service

Communication. Learning how to communicate and being a great communicator is at the heart of exceptional customer service. Talking, listening, understanding, presenting ideas, hearing thoroughly, clarifying what is said, honesty and compassion are what build a long, lasting and trusting relationship with your clients.

Identifying. Identifying and learning to also anticipate the wants, desires and needs or your clients is key to keeping them interested, attracted and connected to you and your business. Your clients and potential customers do purchase your services and products, but they are really purchasing the experience of the feelings you provide during those services and the results of the products. They really want, need and desire the solutions you have to their problems. So make it a priority to identify these problems, so you can continually provide the solutions.

Appreciation. We all want to be appreciated and feel that we are important and your clients are no different. Exceptional customer service is about treating your clients as a ‘superstar’ and VIP. Everyone loves to hear their name, so always use their name.

• “Hi Sarah, how are you today?”
• “Sarah, please follow me as I take you to get ready for your massage.”
• “I hope your service was wonderful Sarah.”
• “Sarah, your outfit is beautiful. Do you give fashion classes?”

Your sincerity will go a long way in building your relationship and creating client trust and loyalty; and that is Exceptional Customer Service!

Being Humble. If and when something may go wrong, and we are only human so it will happen, fix it. Correct it quickly and offer an apology. The client may not always be right, but they should always win or at least feel like they did. When mistakes are made, look at it as a way to improve so that it may never happen again. Provide value to any mishap or complaint by addressing them and correcting them quickly. Make the client feel better about the complaint or mishap by acknowledging your pleasure in them bringing it to your attention. Remember, this is very helpful in your growth and to you providing exceptional customer service.

Increased Value. Educating your clients as to the products and services and how they benefit from them. Clients come back more often when they understand thoroughly how and why your products and services provide more than what they were initially wanting, needing, and desiring. For example, a massage will help to alleviate sore and tense muscles, but a massage also helps to promote detoxification, better sleep, smoother skin and weight loss. Even by educating your clients on what type of massage lotion and the ingredients and how it can benefit their skin provides increased value.

Over Deliver. Providing your clients with more than they expected is so effective in creating Outstanding, Exceptional Customer Service because most other businesses do not operate at those high standards. By giving them the unexpected you create a “wow” experience; making an impression that will be remembered long after they walk out your door that day.

Keeping in Touch. Exceptional customer service does not start and end inside the walls of your spa or salon. Outstanding exceptional customer service is also thinking about and acknowledging your client after that service is over. Sending an email, and even better a card through the mail, will truly show you care and set you apart from other businesses. That little gesture of “snail mail” has an impact that will keep your spa or salon on the mind and in the heart of your clients.

By implementing and practicing these simple Top Seven Rules for Exceptional Customer Service, you will create and build a solid foundation and a supportive backbone to your spa or salon business that will continually grow your business with happy, loyal clients returning again and again.

Are you always looking for ways to attract more clients to your spa or salon? Discover how one simple question can double your client base month after month.

Andrea Pekarik Welch, President of Spalon Techniques, LLC, helps you to grow your spa or salon business and thrive. Discover the 5 mistakes spa and salon owners make and how to avoid them. Plus the one question that will double your client list. Grab the details in the Free Videos, Results So Fast, You Will Barely Blink!