Good Customer ServiceGrows Business And Loyalty

Good Customer Service Grows Business And Loyalty

Impeccable customer service can result in loyal clientele, which boosts business. How a tanning salon owner approaches and greets customers goes a long way in creating great first impressions. Proper phone etiquette and cleanliness convey an attention to detail and boosts the salon’s level of professionalism and customers’ comfort levels. Customer surveys or comment cards and client follow-ups can provide crucial information to help owners improve their businesses, by soliciting the clients’ perspective of a salon’s customer service.

“You can lose a lot of customers if you don’t greet them properly—because they don’t feel welcome,” says Peggy Carlaw, president of Impact Learning Systems.

When any client walks into the salon, he or she generally seeks the staff’s attention. To make the customer feel comfortable, an employee can make eye contact and smile, and let the person know he or she will be accommodated shortly. Carlaw suggests the employee stand up to greet the customer. If it is a busy time, let the customer know it may be a few minutes and invite him or her to have a seat and wait, she says. She also urges employees to thank customers for their business when they leave. “It makes people feel like coming back.”

A salon owner also can become more familiar with clients, for example knowing them on a first-name basis. To really wow customers when they enter the salon, it’s important to greet them not only by name, but to recall what they normally order or purchase, says T. Scott Gross, speaker, consultant and author of “Positively Outrageous Service.” “Do or say something that lets them know that you recognize them as a unique human being.”

Having a personal rapport with clientele makes them feel comfortable and helps keep business busy year-round, says Chris Scheimann, owner of Tangible Tanning in Phoenix. “I have clients come in after work and sit down for coffee or a drink, and they just want to talk and relax and they don’t even tan,” he says. “It’s a stopping point on the way home.”

During customer greetings, it’s also recommended to be observant. A salon owner can possibly infer what the client may be interested in just by his or her appearance.

“When the person walks in, you size them up,” Gross says. With those observations, a salon owner can then lead customers toward particular items or services, he says. “You want to be observant but not judgmental.”

How salon staff answer and handle phone calls can create a great first impression. Staff should try to abstain from personal calls during business hours and service clients in the order they arrive.

Scheimann recommends that salon staff say the name of the business and who is speaking at the time upon answering the phone. He uses a cordless phone at his salon, so calls aren’t missed. The business voice mail also includes directions to the shop and hours of operation, and invites callers to leave a message.

Answering the phone in a timely manner, using an upbeat tone of voice to convey interest, and asking the caller how he or she can be helped are other tips to ensure proper phone etiquette, Carlaw says. “Tell callers what you can do for them, not what you can’t.” If a potential customer wants to visit the salon at a certain time, and it’s unavailable because that time is filled, suggest other options and be helpful. She also recommends returning to the phone line every 30 seconds or so when a caller is on hold.

Karen King, owner of Sun Studio Tanning Salon in Chesterfield, Mo., believes employees should smile while speaking on the phone, which helps convey a more friendly tone. She also has a brief script for staff to follow. In many instances, customers have become friends of the staff, she says.

Staff cell phones should remain off during work hours, and no personal phone calls should be made or received on the business line, Gross says. During recent research over a period of about 40 months that discovered the shopping likes and dislikes of around 10,000 consumers, he found the top complaint was being ignored by business owners having private phone conversations.

Servicing customers in the order they arrive also is recommended. If someone has taken the time and trouble to come down to the business and find a parking space, he or she should not have to wait to be serviced behind people who call, Gross says. He also suggests taking the names and numbers of callers and returning their calls after the customers who are present are taken care of.

The cleanliness and orderliness of the tanning salon is another aspect of customer service, and can add to a customer’s comfort level and the professionalism of the business as a whole. A tanning salon should be neat and professional outside, and have a well-groomed staff.

“People judge your whole business based on the appearance of your staff, waiting room and your sign,” Gross says.

Cleanliness is the minimum standard, not just to be successful but just to get into the business—because the competition runs a clean operation, he explains.

“Cleanliness is included in the price; it’s exactly how you can charge a premium for your service,” he says. People may get upset when places aren’t clean, because they know they are paying for a clean environment and they’re not getting it, he adds.

“There is a thing called the ‘halo effect,’” Carlaw explains. “If cleanliness is important to me, and I perceive the business is clean, then I ascribe other qualities to it—that it’s probably safe, cost-effective and it’s a place I would like to be.”

The restrooms should be spotless, because if they are unclean, a customer will assume the tanning beds aren’t clean, she says.

If a tanning salon owner is willing to put customer surveys out in the field and request feedback, the information can be extremely helpful—but an owner must be prepared to handle the negative commentary as well. Following up also can convey an owner’s need to meet customers’ satisfaction.

Carlaw cautions salon owners not to use surveys and commentary just because it seems like a good idea. If customers provide negative feedback and a salon owner ignores the problem, they risk losing that person’s business, she says.

Customers will tell you their wants and needs if you actively solicit their comments, Gross says. “People love to be consulted and they love to know that you care.” He agrees that if someone takes the time to fill out a card with their personal information, an owner is obligated to follow up. “If customers get the idea that you’re not listening, they’re going to stop talking.”

Some customers are non-confrontational and decide to leave a business without telling the owner the reason for going for good. To remove the confrontational aspect from customer commentary, Carlaw suggests contacting a local call center to reach current customers as well as those who have left and not returned and inquire about their experience. Someone is more likely to tell the truth to a third party, she says. Scheimann posts a sign in the tanning rooms that urges clients to contact him by e-mail if they have questions, comments, complaints or problems. The salon’s Web site includes a feedback form where customers can choose to fill in their name, or leave it blank. “I’ve never had a complaint on it,” he says. “I’ve had a lot of praise.” He makes it a practice to reply to e-mails and thank clients for the information. He also sends out a monthly e-mail to notify clients of specials.

To address issues immediately, King asks customers before they leave if they had a good experience. She also provides clients information about the salon as part of customer service. A bulletin board is posted in the lobby with data about lotions, eye protection and skincare, which she changes every month.

A comfortable atmosphere created by customer greetings, proper phone etiquette and cleanliness can present a great first impression. Comment cards, surveys and follow-ups can furnish the business with valuable information to meet clients’ wants and needs. A positive customer-service experience can possibly be what wins clients’ devotion.