The devil, as they say, is in the details. No matter your industry, making the lives of your customers easier and offering consistently stellar service is a great way to find new customers and keep them. There are a variety of small steps spa and salon owners can take to ensure that they're providing their customers with a superior experience. While we figure some of you are already all over these tips, it still never hurts to be reminded.
1. Smile Early and Often
The customer experience doesn't begin when the treatment or service starts. It begins right when the customer walks through the door. That means your receptionist sets the tone immediately. Aside from offering service with a smile, the receptionist should always make sure contact and personal info is up-to-date, too. Keep in mind the receptionist is often the last point-of-contact as well. Since they'll be handling payment and follow-up appointments, it's crucial to have a person with a customer-first attitude in this position.
2. Utilize a Good CRM
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can make your life easier, and also allow you to stay in front of your clients more often. By asking for details like birthdays and anniversaries, you can send out special—and timely—offers that have the potential to nudge your customers closer toward splurging for a special occasion. Good CRM (we LOVE Salesforce, FYI) software gives spas and salons the best of both worlds: you can send marketing messages to certain customers, or send out monthly newsletters with specials to all of them.
3. Always Remind Them
Sending out appointment reminders might seem like a small thing, but customers always appreciate receiving them. While this won't come as a surprise, customers do have busy lives and it's easy for them to forget an appointment, especially if they forgot to put it in their calendar. Appointment reminders also have an additional benefit: if a customer had forgotten their appointment and is unable to come, a reminder will prompt them to reschedule. Now you can turn to your waiting list, and fill what would've been a hole in your schedule.
4. Offer Loyalty and Referral Programs
Incentives are a great way to encourage repeat business. Loyalty programs are one way; perhaps a tenth service could be free, or you could offer a client one of their favorite spa and salon products? Referral programs will also incentivize your customers to bring you new ones. With these kinds of programs, it's important to be as creative as possible, and to tailor them to your specific business.
5. Remember that Products Matter, Too
Customers know an inferior product when they see or feel one. For spas and salons, premium products are a must. Keep in mind this advice translates to the products your stylists and estheticians are using for treatments and services, as well as your retail offerings. Your spa and salon should serve as a resource for the best products in the industry, and also offer customers the opportunity to buy them while they're there.