Consultation and customer service in the salon
How to hit the customer's wishes every time
Introduction
Many complaints in a salon are not about poor craftsmanship, but about misunderstood expectations. The consultation is where you align what the customer wants with what is professionally possible — and it is a skill you can practice just like cutting.
Ask open-ended questions
Start by letting the customer talk. Open questions like 'what would you like to get out of today?' and 'how do you usually style it at home?' give you more than a yes/no. Use images if you like, but explain at the same time what is realistic for this particular hair.
- 01Ask about daily routine and styling habits – not just about the 'dream cut'.
- 02Use reference images, but match them to hair type and condition.
- 03Repeat the customer's wish in your own words to ensure mutual understanding.
- 04Be honest about what requires multiple treatments or much maintenance.
Match expectations
If the customer wants to go from dark to platinum blonde in one go, your job is to explain what that entails — multiple visits, the condition of the hair, maintenance. It is better to say it before than to have a disappointed customer afterwards. A customer who understands the process rarely becomes dissatisfied.
Advice and upselling
When the treatment is finished advice on maintenance comes with: how the customer styles themselves what products suit the hair type and when should the customer come back. Good advice is not pressure – it is service that makes the hair last and the customer come back.