Have you ever walked into an establishment and had terrible customer service? For example, you walk into a restaurant, and it takes an hour to get seated. When you finally get a seat, you wait another 20 minutes before the server comes over to take your drink order. The server is snarky and has a bad attitude. The table you were seated at is still dirty. How does that make you feel? What is your impression of the restaurant you are in? Will you be coming back? How does this behavior affect the server’s tip? We’ve all had bad customer service experiences. This same concept holds true of your spa and treatment room space. Is it unkempt with torn magazines in the waiting area, the front desk cluttered with food and beverage wrappers, and the wrong music for the environment? Perhaps the overall ambiance just doesn’t invite a relaxing spa experience. For every bad encounter we have, we will tell 10 people, and for every good experience we may only tell two.
Customer service is not just about being friendly—it’s about creating an experience that makes the client want to return again and again. How can you make sure your clients always feel special? Here are some tips and examples of good customer service you can apply to your business today.
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Good customer service starts with creating a good rapport with your client. Your rapport sets the framework for your working client relationship, but if you can’t deliver more than a traditional European facial, then your client may question your value as an esthetician. Through the consultation, you should quickly be able to devise a treatment plan that will address your clients’ needs. This of course is standard in any spa, but it’s the way you deliver your treatment plan, the finishing touches, the follow-up call afterward, and even the products and education you provide your clients that makes your work personal to you and sets you apart from the rest.
2. Hear the Client
To personalize your work, you must really listen to your client. Sometimes the needs of the client do not match the desires of the client. Your client consultation is critical here when providing good customer service. Remove your preferences from the equation and hear what your client prefers. Help them identify what they want if they’re unsure how to explain it, and educate your client on the conditions presenting on their skin and how to change them.
3. Pay Attention to Details
Sometimes it’s the little things that make or break relationships. Did the client mention their skin is feeling dry? Offer a moisturizing treatment to help with that problem. Did they happen to say that at the last spa they visited they felt rushed? This is a cue to take a few extra minutes and allow your client time to relax.
Take the time to walk through the spa as if you were the client. Pay attention to the tiniest details: Does the retail shelf look dusty? Are the towels stained? Do you have chipped paint on the walls? Is the bathroom up to your own standards? Your attention to detail tells the client you care about their experience and is a great example of how to provide good customer service.
4. Be Present
Clear your mind before every appointment. This task is as important to your preparation for the client as sanitation from the previous client. Ground yourself, meditate, or simply find a moment of silence to shake off the previous client and prepare to help the next. (Note: Be wary of double- and triple-booking for this reason. Overbooking your capacity to focus on each individual client will hurt your customer service.)
5. Personalize the Experience (1).png)
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It’s important to personalize each client’s experience if you want to provide them with good customer service. Would they like a hot tea or sparkling water? Maybe let them play with product samples while they wait for their appointment. Or how about offering them warm booties while getting that great facial massage. These things tell clients they are the most important people in that moment.
6. Educate the Client
Another example of good customer service includes explaining not only the process and products you intend to use, but also the expectations, home care, and ballpark pricing for each treatment you provide. Make sure to educate them about the products needed to achieve their skin care goals. Our clients come to us because we are the professionals. Something as small as how to properly wash their face if they do not know how is a small step toward providing great customer service.
7. Make It Easy
No one wants to work too hard to spend their money. If you don’t accept credit cards, you should. Don’t offer online booking? Why not? These are simple ways to provide good customer service and make life easier for clients. Before the client leaves, ask when (not if) they want to rebook, or offer to call them in two weeks for rescheduling. Your clients want an EASY button; give it to them.
If you’ve done your job right, your client has only positive, special memories of their experience with you. They will tell others what a great service they just had, and they may even create a social post about it. Even better will be when they pick up the phone and schedule their next appointment!
By ASCP Staff
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