Full days in the salon usually mean a jam-packed schedule, lots of sales, and days so busy that you aren’t sure if you even ate lunch! Times like this are both exhilarating and exhausting; but you’ve been looking forward to them all year, right?
If you don’t keep track of your team, promotions, and overall business during this time, chaos can ensue. So, for this month I’ve put together pointers for preparing like a pro and staying professional during the most wonderful time of the year.
Think of it this way: what happens inside your facility directly influences your sales.
Place focus on salon cleanliness, and pay attention to minute details. More guests in and out of your facility may mean that things get out of order faster. Each guest deserves a spic and span experience, so this may require that you schedule extra staff to make sure that everything is clean and prepared for the next shift.
Dress the part! Guests want to see staff that actively uses the services you offer. Why? For inspiration! This is a great reason to wear shirts that showcase your favorite product; pick a color-of-the-month that correlates with a specific service, for example. If you have uniforms, make sure they are up-to-date and that all team members are dressed for success (before they start their shift).
Appointment reminders are a necessary task. Time is money and your guests’ time is just as valuable as yours. Some services don’t require appointments, but for those that do, calling guests ahead of time can make or break that day’s service sales. Once you have them on the phone, it’s a great time to offer an upgrade or remind them to pre-book their next service.
Chatting it up with each and every guest can be a fun way to get to know them, but if you have a long line and new guests waiting for your time, try to keep the conversation on the shorter side. Encourage them to come back and see you after their service so you can maintain that relationship.
Keep your break time in the break room or outside of the salon, if possible. In many facilities, voices travel, and though your guest in the spray-booth can’t see you, it doesn’t mean he can’t hear you. Your guests don’t need to know about the wild party your team went to last night or how upset that guest who just left made you. When they overhear conversations of this nature, guests begin to imagine what you might say about them when they leave.
When it’s busy in the salon, it can be tempting for staff to develop bad habits. For example, when an employee answers the phone and before giving the caller a chance to speak, puts them on hold, that’s a possible lost sale. The more patient caller may wait on hold, but someone who’s never been in your salon before may just hang up and move on to the next one they find. Set the standard that you answer the phone as soon as possible, give the guest on the other line a moment to say what they need, and then put her on hold if necessary.
Think of it this way: what happens inside your facility directly influences your sales. Making sure that your team maintains professionalism, even when things are a bit hectic, means that you’re providing excellent customer service, and fabulous service makes for fabulous sales!
