Dealing positively with client complaints

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Salon Evolution Director, Steven Gunnip, shares his advice on the best ways of dealing with client complaints For hairdressers, the hard work put in day-in and day-out is made all the more worthwhile when seeing happy and satisfied clients walk away from the salon, thrilled with their new style. It’s likely that many clients are repeat customers and know and love the service that they expect to receive when they visit, allowing the opportunity to build an excellent rapport with every person. However, even the best salons can experience an unhappy customer every now and again; issues can arise beyond your control or something may simply just not sit right with a client. So what do you do when a customer isn’t happy, and how can you handle any issues to ensure that they don’t negatively affect your salon staff and brand, or hinder any future visits from either the client themselves or anyone they talk to about their visit? Immediate action Far from being a complex issue, handling customer complaints is actually simpler than you may think. Firstly, it’s in everyone’s best interests for the complaint to be resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. In this trade especially, most salon owners and managers are very personable and good at interacting with their customers, so the business owner or senior management should address any issues themselves straightaway. If a client complains in person, you need to make sure that they are put at ease. Don’t rise to the situation; be humble, remembering that it’s simply a case of the person not receiving what they expected to, and that it can be rectified. The best thing to do to deflect attention away from the issue, and make the client immediately feel better, is to emphasise the positive and constructive things that you can do to put the situation right straightaway. An apology is much more effective when followed by an offer to correct the perceived issue. Body language is so important in this situation; it should be kept positive, open and receptive to the other person, and instead of using ‘negative’ wording that reminds the customer of their concerns, make sure to use affirmative language that focuses on everything you are doing to ensure that the client leaves happy. Ask them back When someone makes a complaint that they haven’t enjoyed a treatment, or about bad customer service, for example, it’s good to offer them an opportunity to come back and receive a free treatment, rather than giving them the service they’ve just received on the house. By asking them to revisit, you can re-establish their perception of your business. Take note of their existing comments and make sure everything is perfect the second time around, paying attention to detail every time. If there was an issue regarding service, make sure that it is the business owner or a senior member of staff who deals with the person the next time they visit. Protect your staff and remember that it doesn’t matter who is at fault as long as the situation is dealt with, fast and effectively. Listen To ensure that complaints are kept at an absolute minimum, look at every aspect of the service you provide and concentrate on making sure it is the best it can be, from the technical service and products offered, to the customer service delivery. Clients’ main complaints about salons often centre on the feeling they haven’t been listened to. With this in mind it is important that all stylists explain the complete process to every client and agree what they are going to do before they do it. Keeping clients informed of what is happening through the entire experience also gives them confidence and staying true to what had been agreed instils a sense of trust in the stylist. Essentially, well-structured communication, beginning with a thorough consultation, is key to maintaining client happiness.