The Unexpected Gift of The Chair Hopper

How in the world can a chair-hopper possibly be a gift? Perhaps you have experienced a client walking away from a relationship that you spent hours, days, months, possibly even YEARS building...and for what? A cheaper price? An imagined offense? When a client decides to chair-hop, it can feel like someone just crapped on your talent and time. Furthermore, it can feel personal because they are taking their financial support and putting their money in SOMEONE ELSE'S pocket?

When I first started off in the hair industry, my definition was the same as many of the stylists who surrounded me:

CHAIR HOPPER (n): A person who hops from salon chair to salon chair with little regard to stylist's ability; a person in search of the best stylist who fits within a certain budget (synonym: budget-shopper; bargain-hunter; cheap; traitor; you get the picture)

The cold, hard truth is yes, when a client chair hops it can be hurtful and even a blow to the ego. It can make you step back and question yourself, your skills, abilities, and even your profession. (Here's where I do my "glass-half-full-optimist" thing.) As I grow, I become better at seeing beyond my emotions and ego. I now find that questioning self can be a GOOD thing. Learning how to ask the right questions of yourself and others can lead to both business growth and developing a loyal client base.

*Tip: Click here for 10 questions that you can ask yourself in order to add value to your service and beauty business.

So, what can you do to prevent chair-hopping?

1. Educate your client on the benefits of having a regular stylist who knows their hair, its needs, their personality, quirks, hair and health history, and preferences. I encourage taking before and after pictures to keep records of your progress and implementing 'hair growth challenges'. Also, educate your client on the services you provide, the products that you use. If the results they desire will take time and is not a one visit type of request, let them know. If a client is low maintenance and wants a high maintenance style, it is best to find a complimentary alternative together. A client may leave you simply because you do not know how to say no in favor of what really would have worked best for them. It has been my experience that an initial 'no' may make them leave, but they usually think about it and come back after taking some time to think about it...or someone else said yes and their hair fell out.

   
   

2. Customer service begins from the moment a client walks in to the salon. Even if a salon is not YOUR salon, the person at the front desk can affect your client's overall experience as well as their impression of the salon. Be sure to create an experience that even you would appreciate. The following items are also a part of customer service. Make them HAPPY to spend their money with you.

   
   

3. Create a comfortable salon experience that fulfills the expectations of your target market. This includes the cleanliness of your public toilet area, music selection, refreshments served with clean dishes, towels that don't smell like musty water, clean tools and clean styling station. If your prices and website advertise luxury and boasts of skill on the level of Prada, Gucci, and Versace but a client walks into a clearance bin castaway environment, that is an automatic turn-off. Or vice-versa. I once stopped working from home and moved to a salon whose aesthetics were ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. I'm talking wine and crystal chandeliers! Ya' know what? My prices didn't change, but my clientele could not process the change in environment. My old place was cozy and warm. This new one...well...let's just say that they were scared to sit down. All of these things must be taken into accountability.

   
   
   
   

4. Create rewards/loyalty programs for clients that cannot regularly afford you versus regularly discounting your services. Make sure you don't mistreat or cheat irregular clients when they can come to you and/or are not big tippers. Alternate programs are annual birthday specials to let you know how much you appreciate them sacrificing what they do have to come to you, DIY classes, and informative blogs. Also, be honest with yourself about the quality of your service. Do a skills assessment of where you are and charge accordingly for your skill, location, and amenities offered.

   
   

5. There's not much you can always do about distance unless a large bulk of your clients live in a certain area, and you decide to relocate. OR you can offer mobile services. Attend events for stylists regularly and build relationships (network) with fellow stylists in your city and surrounding areas. A client appreciates an honest referral. They sincerely may not want to leave you, but they sure will remember you cared enough to play matchmaker with someone who will care about them, too. Chair-hopping can be a scary experience.

   
   

6. Value the client's time as much as you expect them to value yours! DO set up in enough time that you are already prepped and ready to service your client upon their arrival. DO call your client ahead of time and let them know when you are behind or have the receptionist do so. Have a reminder system in place so that they know for sure when they're appointment is. It is easy to forget an appointment. We are all human. Do NOT develop a diva/divo attitude like they should be waiting on you and don't be afraid to kick a client to the curb or charge late fees for continually not respecting your time. Regularly practice your techniques to improve service time without sacrificing service quality.

   
   
   
   

7. If you don't ask, you won't know. Part of your client's consultation should include asking them if they experienced any difficulties with their booking process. Listen to what they say and don't say. Create time for them to show you where they experienced the booking difficulty. You may learn of an issue with your software or see where time is blocked off that you wanted open on the scheduler. At the end of appointments, make sure you let your clients know, especially your preferred ones, to relay if they are experiencing problems getting in. This shows that you value your client's patronage. It is also helpful to occasionally place yourself in your client's shoes and walk yourself through your booking process.

   
   

8. Make sure you are adequately advertising all of the services you offer. I once had a long-term client who had no clue that I started and maintained locs. True, it was on my website. True, I even had photos. But, the only section she ever went to was the booking section. I had no photos lying around and no brochures at that time. All she knew was what we had done to her hair in the past. She didn't even think to ask me about it. Make sure you update your client's consultation form EVERY time they come in to assess their past, present, and future hair goals. Stay updated on trends and ask your clients what services they need or would like to see offered that you don't currently offer. Continue to educate yourself on the basics and new techniques. You don't want your client to constantly be the one in the position of educator and showing you the latest and greatest on YouTube. Although you cannot be expected to know everything, you could be killing your profit by staying within your comfort zone.

   
   

9. Follow-up with your clients after their appointments and request feedback. Clients won't always tell you that they were unhappy with service and are more comfortable going someone else rather than trouble you with their complaints and concerns. If you don't ask, you won't know. Take criticism as an opportunity to do your own marketing research and use it to improve your service. Again, it is okay to refer clients out to someone in your network or to a fellow stylist.

   
   

10. DO NOT use your clients as experiments without their permission. Stylists can be so excited about learning a new technique. Offer introductory prices for services and techniques where you need to build your skill level or send out an e-mail blast asking 3 to 5 clients to allow you to practice this technique at a discounted rate. Give yourself a timeframe in which to master this technique and do not keep yourself at a discounted rate. If you mess up a client's hair, acknowledge that and apologize. Consult a client of the dangers of performing certain services and let them be the deciding factor if they wish to proceed. Forewarn curly clients, for instance, of the possibility of loss of curl integrity when straightening their hair and how mess-ups are remedied if it is possible. An informed client decreases your chances of being sued or losing a valuable client.

    
    

---

ALRIGHT! That's all I've got. Until next time...

If you have more tips and advice for fellow stylists OR are a client that can offer advice and perspectives to help us stylists serve you better, your constructive feedback, experiences, and comments are welcome below.