Running your salon business the right way can help it gain significant attraction. But for that to happen, you need to avoid various common mistakes hairstylists make on clients.
These mistakes will eventually kill your career, whether you’re a beginner or a pro hairstylist. Thankfully, if you understand these career-crushing mistakes, you can avoid them or rectify them before it’s too late.
Common Mistakes Hair Stylists Make on Their Clients
Your clients trust you with their hair. This is a great honor, but even the most experienced hairstylists make mistakes that disappoint their clients.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned hairstylist; we all make mistakes! Avoid common mistakes as a hairstylist when handling your clients. Make them happy and keep them coming back for more.
#1. Not Learning More About Clients
Clients are quick to notice if you value them. It’s possible to get carried away by services and forget your clients’ needs and desires. For example, clients crave recognition when they visit your salon. It can be simple things such as calling them by their names, remembering hairstyles they value most, and the last time they visited.
You’re more likely to lose clients when you fail to show that you care on a personal level. You can avoid this mistake as a hairstylist, by learning more about the client. Keep a record of their names, the hair treatments they like, and more.
You can also note down essential background information they mention to you. While knowing everything about each client is impossible, ensure you have basic info about them. You’ll create a great customer experience by letting your clients know you value them.
#2. Not Asking Enough Questions
Some hairstylists get confused when it comes to asking clients questions. They fear asking too many questions and inconveniencing their clients. Additionally, they don’t know what question to ask. To avoid ruining the customer experience, they fail to ask enough questions.
The truth is, the more questions you ask, the more you learn about your client’s needs. You’ll want to ask some of the following questions:
- How did they get on with their hair last time
- Are there changes or improvements they’d like
- Would they want their hair color done
- What products are they using on their hair
- Would they consider a haircut
The goal here is to learn more about your client’s needs and desires so you can offer quality services.
#3. Failing to Offer Advice or Suggestions
Clients will see friends or celebrities with new styles and desire to have their hair done the same way. But they’re unsure if that style will work on their hair. To avoid flittering money away with guesswork, they may come to your salon to hear what you have to say about the style.
Since clients trust you as an expert, they expect to get the best advice or suggestions from you. However, they’ll look elsewhere if you can’t offer a professional opinion.
If the style can’t work with their hair, inform them why and be honest. Offer alternatives that are closer to their desired look. Clients will appreciate and pay for services when you provide reliable advice and suggestions.
#4. Gossiping about Other Clients
Another mistake you can make is gossiping about other clients when handling a customer. Your clients will hate it when they hear your staff talking about the looks or behaviors of another client. Whether you’re speaking positively or negatively about another client, this shows unprofessionalism in your business.
Clients are free to share more about their friends or families. However, that doesn’t mean you should reveal information about other clients or employees. You can share your personal life but avoid including others in the discussion.
If you gossip about other people, your clients will believe they’re the next to be discussed. Focus on your customer and let them feel like they’re the only clients you serve.
#5. Ignoring Feedback
One of the most common mistakes hairstylists make with clients is ignoring their feedback. Responding to your client’s feedback can make or break your salon business. Some hairstylists give a disinterested impression when their clients complain or criticize their work.
A good haircut to your taste can be a bad haircut for the client! You can be 15 years of experienced hairstylist but a bad hairstylist to the clients because of how you treat their opinions.
Another area hairstylists ignore is feedback on social media. Feedback can be negative or positive, but despite its nature, your clients want you to respond. If you’re dealing with negative feedback, avoid arguing or making excuses.
Respond to complaints by acknowledging their concerns and apologizing. Then assure your clients that you’ll improve in the said areas.
Remember, potential customers on social media are watching. They’ll decide whether to visit your salon based on your response to feedback.
#6. Not Creating Enough Time for Clients
When building clientele, you may fall into the trap of overbooking your schedule. This brings more appointments than you can handle. As a result, you concentrate on quantity over quality, a huge mistake many barbers and hairdressers often make.
Whether you have a large team or not, scheduling appointments you can easily handle is advisable. Your clients expect you to spend enough time during the consultation, coloring, styling, or chemical hair treatment stage. Offering substandard services because you want to serve more clients can backfire on your business.
#7. Leaving Your Clients to Answer Phone Calls
Answering phone calls when you’re with clients is rude. But what if the calls come from other customers who want to schedule an appointment with you?
If you’re in this situation, try to strike a balance so that everyone feels you’re giving them undivided attention.
A constantly ringing phone is a nuisance to your clients. You can set it to silent mode and finish dealing with your customer. After the job, call them back. If the call came from a client, let them know you were handling another customer.
Alternatively, request one of your staff to answer it. You may politely ask your client to excuse you from answering the call. Only spend a little time on the call, as your client may feel ignored.
#8. Being Unclear About Services Offered
Not providing clear information about the services offered can negatively impact client acquisition. Some hairstylists believe everyone can know the services provided by just reading the salon’s name.
Like any other business, you must be clear about your services to ensure your clients get this information as quickly as possible. Most customers have busy schedules and don’t have all the time to call or visit your salon to learn what you offer.
You should put that information on your website or social media for easy access. Additionally, display signage, photos, and writings to show your most popular services.
#9. Failing to Sell Retail
If you’ve ignored retail in your salon business, you’re missing a bigger slice of the pie. Most clients will want to visit salons that offer services and beauty products. This is especially true for clients with tight schedules who don’t want to move from store to store looking for the products.
Even if you hate selling, taking clients through your retail can come with bigger surprises. They may want to learn more about the products and buy them. They may also refer their friends to your business.
Choose products from reputable brands and stock them on your display. Ensure the shelves are clean and organized to attract clients.
#10. Failing to Offer Online Booking
Do you wait for clients to call or visit your salon to book appointments? If that’s the case, you’re making a hairstylist mistake that can hurt the growth of your business.
Since potential clients spend an average of 6 hours and 58 minutes online per day, they’re more likely to make an online booking. They only need a click of a button to book an appointment. This is easier than calling your customer care or visiting your salon.
#11. Using Dirty Equipment on Clients
A beauty business whose hygiene standards are below par can cost its reputation and clients. Due to the increased risk of viral or bacterial infections, people are more cautious with hygiene. If you don’t observe proper hygiene in your salon, you create a breeding ground for germs.
Dirty equipment such as pedicure and manicure tools, towels, combs, scissors, and hair dryers are a turn-off to clients. Nobody wants to find other clients’ bodily fluids, hair, or skin on the equipment.
Listen to other hairstylists or clients to learn about unhygienic practices. For example, avoid double dipping when waxing as it may transfer bacteria to the waxing jar. Also, avoid believing the myth that germs die when you heat the wax.
#12. Changing Salons too Often
The need for more space or property issues can make you relocate your salon business. You can also quit your current salon to work under another boss if you’re an employee. However, you’ll lose many clients when relocating.
The truth is, some clients won’t follow you to your new salon. They may also think you have professional issues due to frequent job changes. Avoid frequent salon changes to retain your loyal clients and receive more referrals.
#13. Failing to Examine the Client’s Hair Thoroughly
Some hairstylists focus on delivering what the clients want and ignore examining the hair’s condition. It’s easier to notice excessively thick hair, split ends, and over-processed hair.
However, some issues, such as dry hair, dandruff, hair loss, hair breakage, and fungal infection, need thorough assessment.
You can notice these issues and notify your clients during the consultation stage. For excellent customer service, advise your clients on what to do before styling their hair. For example, you can recommend a treatment product during and after styling.
So, What Mistakes Should A Hairstylist Avoid?
Here’s the recap of the mistakes to avoid as a hairstylist.
- Not Learning More About Clients
- Not Asking Enough Questions
- Failing to Offer Advice or Suggestions
- Ignoring Feedback
- Gossiping About Other Clients
- Not Creating Enough Time for Clients
- Leaving Your Clients to Answer Phone Calls
- Being Unclear About Services Offered
- Using Dirty Equipment on Clients
- Failing to Sell Retail
- Failing to Offer Online Booking
- Changing Salons Too Often
- Failing to Examine the Client’s Hair Thoroughly
- Over-promising and under-delivering on the expected results
- Not staying up-to-date with the latest trends and styles
- Pushing products or services that the client doesn’t need or want
- Overbooking or double-booking clients, leading to rushed or unsatisfactory services
- Not properly training or supervising assistant stylists or apprentices
- Being too rough or aggressive with the client’s hair or scalp