As a salon owner you don’t have time to follow up with every client who walks through your door. Don’t let that stop you from making sure your clients get that extra touch that makes for a GREAT experience. Empower your team to follow up and you’ll see more repeat clients.
Your Team Can Be Your Biggest Follow up Assets
Your specialists spend the most time with your clients. Typically each client feels as though they have a personal relationship with their service provider. So it makes sense for your specialists to follow up with their clients, rather than you, a manager or a front desk employee. By making your team members a key part of the process, you’ll strengthen the bond your clients have with them.
When you get your team on board, you will likely discover systems and approaches you may not have thought of. For example, when you start a new process, ask you staff for input as you create the process. What are their concerns? What do they need to successfully implement your follow up plan? If you make it win-win-win for you, your specialists and your clients, you’ll get the best results.
Make Following Up Simple
You can empower your staff to take the reins with follow up if you make it simple and easy to follow. For example, you can use checklists for follow up and other customer service processes. Checklists let you know that stylists and other specialists have followed up. You’ll be doubly sure that no clients are forgotten. A checklist helps your team know what tasks have been completed and what still need to be done.
Another step to successfully implementing your follow up plan is checking in with staff to make sure they understand the process. Check in regularly starting with the training process and continue after training. Checking in puts you and your staff on the same page with what they should be doing. When you aren’t on the same page with your staff, the process falls apart.
Help your staff with their follow through. Write scripts for them to follow. Make sure they understand that they shouldn’t read from the script and they should personalize the interaction. Create a schedule to help them remember to do their follow up calls. Tie the follow up process to something they do on every shift. Anchor the new process to something they already do will help them remember and reinforce that they need to do their follow up calls.
Create a Script for Your Staff
When you write the script, it should open by thanking the client. Then ask for feedback on the service they just received. If appropriate, offer to schedule the next appointment and tell them about your referral program.
To keep your specialists on the track to success with your follow up plan, consider offering incentives to encourage them to do follow ups and stay on track with the plan. Offer a reward such as a cash incentive, gift card or lunch out for sticking with the plan. Even better – design a contest with the prize going to the stylist who books the most additional appointments! This way everyone will get involved.
Getting your team on board with your follow up plan puts your plan on the path to success. Use checklists, check ins and scheduling to give your staff the tools they need to follow up with your clients and grow your business. Reward stylists who stay on track and increase your bottom line. An empowered staff will give your clients that extra touch that makes them clients for life.
