Nails Magazine

Nails Big Book 2013

Magazine for the professional nail industry.

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how to survive… Dealing With Construction UNDER Woes CONSTRUCTION When repairs seem to hurt more than help. 1. First things first, make sure your clients know that you are open during any construction that is going on. If you have a lot of walk-ins, put up extra signage and rely on social media to advertise that business is going on as usual. 2. If parking is affected, locate the nearest alternative. Talk with other business owners in the area to see if you can share parking space. Text or call clients before their appointment to tell them wear to park. 3. If noise from construction is exceptionally loud, keep salon doors closed. Playing music could help mask some of the racket. Otherwise offer an extra long massage to make sure clients are relaxed. Between appointments plug in your earphones to tune the noise out and get things done. 4. Take control of the situation by planning when you can. If you receive advanced notice from the city about a project or read about it in the paper, begin inquiring immediately. Contact public officials asking about a timetable and any other details. Ask for their assistance in helping make sure your business loss is not too great due to construction. See if they can work out accommodations for signage or have workers perform noisy tasks during non-peak hours. 5. Consider offering specials to clients who brave their way to the salon despite excessive roadwork or extreme noise. 6. Cut costs where you can just in case construction work causes a decline in business. 7. Get out a map and begin planning alternative routes for your clients and colleagues. Post these routes on your website or Facebook to let everyone know. 8. Thank clients for bearing with the mess and remind them that when finished, all will be for the better. Overly Demanding Clients The customer may always be right, but that doesn't mean she's easy to deal with. Finding techniques that help you defuse tension, build trust, and ultimately win over demanding clients is the key to providing great customer service. Listen! First and foremost, listen to your client's needs. Whether she's asking for something near-impossible or just excruciatingly specific, it's crucial to fully understand the request. Communicate effectively. To prevent any misunderstandings, keep her in the loop with what you're doing as you work toward the finished design. Make her feel included every step of the way and ask for feedback to get a feel for what she's thinking. If any error arises, it's much better to catch it early. According to Annie Hsu, a nail tech at The Studio by Mika Does Makeup, a lot of her picky clients are usually people who have had a bad experience at a different nail salon and are afraid of it happening again. As a result, reassurance, empathy, and communication are exactly what they're looking for. Never get angry. It's important to stay positive while helping a demanding client. Take a deep breath and continue responding kindly — remind the customer that you're there to help her to the best of your abilities. Matching her stress level will only cause the situation to escalate. Remember, there's a strong chance others in the salon will witness your encounters with demanding clients, so it's an opportunity to put them at ease by demonstrating how much your salon values good customer service. Don't take it personally. No matter what, don't take anything personally. If a demanding client takes her anger out on you, it's simply because you're a representative of your salon. Let personal comments roll off your back. Know your limits. Putting clients first sometimes means politely but honestly disagreeing with or disappointing them. If you know your salon isn't capable of meeting a certain demand — be it a nail art request or a service you don't offer — let them know up front. Don't show weakness; be confident in your knowledge of your salon's menu and capabilities. The next steps. Check in with the customer after her appointment and make note of her feelings so you can address them during future appointments. As protocol, The Studio gives all first-time clients 25% off their next service to encourage them to come back again. 116 | NAILS MAGAZINE | 2013-2014 THE BIG BOOK >>>

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