A Hair Salon Through the Eyes of the Customer. A Fresh Look at Services
How can you make your customers want to come back? While service quality and a customer-focused approach are crucial, they might not always be enough. It’s worth seeing your salon through the eyes of your customers to identify areas for improvement. Here are some strategies to elevate your salon experience:
1. Mystery Shopper
Ask a friend to act as a mystery shopper. Without revealing your connection, they can book an appointment and experience your services. This can help you spot weak points in the process, from booking to parking and payment options.
2. Feedback from the Digital Generation
Ask a tech-savvy teenager to conduct an online review of your salon. They can highlight outdated Google listings, a website that’s not mobile-friendly, or areas to improve on Instagram and Facebook.
3. See Your Salon with Fresh Eyes
After a weekend or holiday, walk into your salon and view it as if for the first time. Are the windows clean? Do the doors open smoothly? Are there dusty or cobwebbed areas visible from the hair-washing station?
4. Visit the Competition
Book an appointment at another salon to see how they operate. What did you like about their booking process? Were you offered coffee or tea? What made you feel uncomfortable? Use these insights to refine your own services.
5. Analyze Online Reviews
Do you know what customers are saying about your salon online? What about reviews of your competitors? Read customer feedback from different salons, even in other cities or countries, to learn what people praise and criticize.
6. Talk to Your Customers
Ask your clients why they chose your salon. What do they like, and what could be better? Also, learn from their positive experiences in other salons.
7. Engage Your Employees
Your staff is a valuable source of insight. Ask them what they think could be improved and if they’ve seen practices in other salons that might work for yours. Involving them in this process will make them feel more invested and reduce turnover.
Summary:
To enhance your services and increase customer loyalty, consider methods like design thinking, which centers on customer needs and experiences. The steps above, however, are a great starting point for transforming your salon into a place customers love to visit.