What Is (a successful) Consultation and Why It's Important

What is (a successful) consultation and why it's important

A consultation is a conversation between stylist and client focused on determining the client’s wants and needs relative to the service.  A successful consultation also gives the stylist insight into the client’s personal life, personality and emotional state. (“I’m so done with this hair, ‘chop it all off’!!)  

Consultations are good for your salon business because: 

• the gathered information is extremely valuable for knowing your clients, planning promotions and incentives
• the relationship created by the consultation cultivates loyalty and buildsa foundation of trust
• they lead to increased revenues

Notes from the consultation must be kept in a secure file where they can be easily retrieved.  (e.g., POS system client database)

 

What a successful consultation looks like:

 

Stylist should be seated in front of the client positioned at eye level.

 

Why:  

• The client is focused on the stylist and not distracted. Equally, the stylist is committed to the client and not distracted by other activity in the salon.

Benefit:  

• Client:  Feels that they are being attended to and being heard. 
• Staff:    Eye to eye contact forces the stylist to focus on the client, to analyze and gain a deeper understanding of the client’s needs

• By doing so, the stylist creates the opportunity to clearly understand and identify the options available to the client.

Impact: 

• Client: Client feels the attention being accorded to them. The client learns about styles and products and the vocabulary necessary to narrow the options, all of which weren’t on her radar before and a benefit to her understand which leads to her greater comfort and, ultimately loyalty.
• Staff:    With the attention paid the client, the stylist has created the opportunity to maximize the service and products that the client will benefit from.
• Salon:  An effective consultation further establishes the client’s commitment to the salon. Through the training and effort dedicated to the stylist, the salon is now maximizing its revenue and product sales opportunities.

Pose open-ended questions. 

• For example:  “So, tell me what you like about your hair and what you don’t?”

Why:

• Gives client the opportunity to express what is on their mind, reveal their mindset (listen for emotional cues) and to explain what outcome they reallywant from the styling or color service.  Ask follow-up questions to fully understand their motivation.

Benefit: 

• Client:  Gives client the opportunity to say what they want in their words. Enhances the feeling of being heard (validated). Gains a better understanding of the options and objectives.

• Staff:    Reinforces a friendly and professional rapport. Clear (mutual) understanding of the motivation and intent, and the agreed objectives. 

Impact: 

• Client:  Creates a higher level of comfort and trust in the relationship, establishes foundation for loyalty
• Staff:    Gain a deeper understanding of the client’s character and motivations, more confidence in the execution of the service and their capacity to positively impact their client
• Salon:  The dialogue results in a stronger client relationship and the higher likelihood of return visits and increased services and retail sales.

Active listening skills means all your attention is focused exclusively on the client, what they’re saying, how they’re saying it and noting their body language as they speak. Paraphrasing (repeating) their answers demonstrates not only that you’re listening but also your commitment to complete understanding.

Apply the Secret Service technique

The Secret Service technique is an info-gathering approach that allows the stylist to gain insights into the client’s personal life (spouse/partner, kids, pets, birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc.) As details arise in conversation, the stylist must make a mental note at the time and add the content to the client’s file between appointments. (see Post Consultation for details)

Benefit: 

• Client: Stylist can make more relevant recommendations. Strengthens their relationship and consequently allows them to be more open with stylist / salon.
• Staff: Gives insights into client’s appetite for options and opportunities for additional services. Reflects positively on the stylist and salon, clients feel that their stylist / colorist actually knows, listens to and understands them.

Impact: 

• Client: Feels special, valued, strengthens the relationship
• Staff: Creates the opportunity for referrals and for additional services, e.g., If traveling soon, suggestions can be made for techniques and products needed to maintain one’s hair style; Salon-sponsored email birthday greetings with a one-time discount on a service (complementary wash / blow dry)
• Salon: Creates an Above / Beyond experience that translates into loyalty, repeat visits, positive reviews and additional revenue.

Ensure the client has a clear understanding of any costs

Why:

Benefit: 

• Client: Allows more fully-informed decisions            
• Staff: Transparency with cost increases trust and the likelihood of retaining that client.  

Impact: 

• Client: combined with all other components of the service experience lends to a comfortable professional experience.    
• Staff: Credibility, because of the transparency around pricing it creates opportunities for future visits. 
• Salon: Strengthens the relationship between the salon and client   

Explain to client that return visits to the salon are necessary to maintain the desired style / color

Benefit: 

• Client: Maintain a fresh look, prevent fading, control new growth           
• Staff: Supports book of business, rebooking, professional integrity 

Impact: 

• Client: The client feels the stylist / colorist has a genuine interest in his /her hair. 
• Staff: Contributes to stylist’s book of business. Opportunity to recommend treatments, interim visits for service refresh.         
• Salon: Contributes to salon’s book of business and additional revenues

Explain to the client the required maintenance products

Impact:  

• Client: Seeing the stylist’s knowledge sends a very positive message to the client, enhancing the level of trust and comfort.
• Staff: Ensures that when that client returns, info on file can be pulled and the service replicated with 100% accuracy 
• Salon:  Supports professional image, removes guesswork and risk for another stylist / colorist to replicate