Ever come face-to-face with an unhappy client? Even the best salons receive complaints, but how you handle it can turn a negative situation into a positive one. With our quick guide, you too will be able to respond to feedback in the right way, turning those frowns upside down.
Listen to what they say
You’d be surprised with how quickly clients burn through their anger by you just listening. Let them explain the situation, summarise what they’ve said and then cut to what matters – resolving the issue. By listening, not interrupting and summarising, you’ll make clients feel listened to and valued.
Respond quickly on social media
Let’s face it, social media is an easy place to leave quick feedback. The important part is that you respond just as quickly and with all the facts, making sure making sure it doesn’t blow up and damage your reputation. Taking the conversation to a more personal space, such as a social media’s direct messenger, will also keep any personal details from going public.
Be careful with your apologies
Apologising can go one of two ways – it can either ease the client or rile them up. Gauging the client’s emotional state will determine whether you should apologise first or just head straight for a resolution. “I appreciate your concerns” is a great alternative to “I’m sorry”, by taking your client’s feedback on board but not directly admitting fault.
Talk them through your resolution
Keep calm and talk through how you’ll straighten out the issue. The resolution should fix the problem and encourage the client to return in future. If it was a balayage gone wrong, fix it for free and offer a gift card or other incentive to keep them returning. Don’t go mad with what you offer, otherwise it’ll be easy to receive ungenuine complaints in the hopes of getting a discount.
Salon by Premier Software takes the pressure of running your business, meaning you’re free to provide first class service to your clients. To stay on top, book a free webinar or presentation on +44 (0)1543 466580 or by visiting www.premiersoftware.uk/book-a-consultation
