What does your reception area say about your business?

Does your reception area make the right first impressing for your salon business, asks Hilary Hall. The National Hairdressers Federation launched a mystery shopping service last year.  The reports which come back from the mystery shoppers are fascinating to read. Here are their top tips for how small changes to your reception area can make a big difference to the client experience:

• Put fresh flowers in the reception area
• Provide quality snacks and drinks
• Make sure your reading material is interesting and varied.  Don’t forget that men will spend time in your salon too.  Our mystery shoppers say that the magazines available are usually for women, so think about extending what’s available so there’s something men will find interesting to read too
• Ask yourself, what extra touches could you add to your services that your clients would value?

Whatever the size of your salon, the most important area of your business is the reception area both in terms of its physical appearance and the welcome it offers to clients. Reception sets the scene for the client experience and should be the transitional area from the hustle and bustle of the outside world into the comfort of your salon.  It should be a place where a client is happy to spend time – it’s the beginning of their encounter with your business. In many salons the reception is often very near the front door which can be draughty and an uncomfortable place to sit, especially in winter.  See if you can re-think your reception space to give it a comfortable and inviting ambience. Unless you have a very large or extremely busy business, when staffing reception the ‘less is more’ rule generally applies.  It’s very disconcerting for clients to be faced by a crowd of staff at the reception desk as many clients find this off-putting and even intimidating. Of course, reception skills are another key area that the mystery shoppers report on which can make or break the customer experience.  Whether its telephone skills or client welcome, front of house members must be trained to ensure that first point of contact with a client is nothing short of excellent. Paul Curry, President of the National Hairdressers’ Federation said, ‘Nothing makes a client feel more welcome than a warm and friendly smile.  Your staff should make immediate eye contact with the client as soon as they enter the salon.  No other job that a stylist or receptionist is doing at reception is more important than greeting a client.’ Reception is the beginning of the client journey and the first impression will often be the one that they take away with them.   Hilary Hall is CEO of the National Hairdressers Federation, the UK’s largest trade association for hairdressing, barbering and beauty salon owners.