Action week: consultation is key to perfect hair colour

Today is the day to consider your policy on consultation. Firstly, make sure you have one and, if you do, think about when you last reviewed it, and whether it could be even more effective.

Consultation is a vital part of the client experience and, for the colourist, it is the beginning of a process through which they demonstrate their expertise, not just in colour application, but as an advisor and a creative professional able to design a bespoke colour look for each client.

Says Julie-Anne Newton, artistic director and head of education at Regis: "Conducting a thorough consultation prior to any service shows professionalism, which is so important in our industry.

"It allows the colourist to clearly understand the client's expectations and requirements, and reduces the risk of dissatisfaction at the end of the appointment."

An effective colour consultation is as much about listening as advising. 

"Consultation is king," says Leeanne McNaught, of Cheynes Hairdressing, Edinburgh. "This is where your listening skills are more important than your technical skills. Get the wrong information here and you won't be able to satisfy your client."

Says celebrity hairdresser Beverly C: "Consultation is the core of communication and can make or break client satisfaction and business retention.

"A good consultation is first and foremost about listening, drawing information out of the client, and understanding their likes and dislikes. It is then that the colourist can begin suggesting creative ideas without enforcing ideas. It's all about communicating with the client and building trust along the way."

It's also important to be something of an interpreter, says Michael Barnes, of Michael Barnes, West London. "The consultation is vital because what the client wants and what they say are two different things.

"Some clients will ask for an ash blonde when what they mean is a light blonde; some people ask to go as light as possible without meaning a full bleach.

You have to work out what the client wants, what is going to suit their skin tone, and how easily they can maintain it."

The idea of colour should be introduced before the client has even suggested it - so even if a client is only booked in for a cut, stylists should be trained to know enough about colour to suggest it as part of an overall look. This is policy at Michael Barnes.

Says Michael: "We always offer clients the opportunity to enhance their look, but we don't pressure them, obviously."

Says Leeanne: "Every Cheynes consultation is in-depth, so colour would always be offered as a change, or to enhance the look we think would suit the client."

Having a policy in place describing what a colour consultation should include will help stylists and technicians to operate effectively.

Regis has a firm policy in place. Says Julie-Anne: "Firstly, we check the client has been skin-patch tested prior to a colour service being carried out. We ask what the client wants to achieve with their style, and check their skin tone for colour suitability.

"Lifestyle is a factor in terms of maintenance, and we always recommend suitable products for homecare, so clients can achieve the best results from their service. We discuss placement and technique with the client to ensure they are comfortable with how we're going to achieve their style."

The language used is also pertinent to the success of any consultation, says Leeanne: "Always use client-friendly language, make reference to people in the public eye, never use numbers, and be descriptive about your tones."

To ensure staff members are aware of the policy, it's imperative to hold regular training sessions with employees at all levels.

Says Michael: "We have training days once a week when we go through a consultation process and work out which areas need improving."

With the salon team on-board, clients will be left in no doubt where to come for a truly professional service.