The customer is always right. Really? And how do you handle this, if your client is a bully, a know-it-all, a complainer, an annoyer or even completely indecisive?
The expression “The customer is always right” was coined in 1909 by the founder of Selfridge’s department store, Harry Gordon Selfridge. Since then, it has been used by many business people to convince customers that they will receive good service, and employees to give customers good service. The irony is that this can create stress and nerves for employees and impertinence for the customer.
How many times have you had a difficult client in your business? And how did you manage it in the end? Have you managed to stay calm? I hope so!
A customer enters your salon who for some reason has to wait a few minutes to be served. And there while you welcomed him with a smile, you find that he is very impatient, rude, arrogant, irritable, critical and aggressive. In fact, in every sentence he uses abusive vocabulary, showing you that it is not difficult for him, if he is forced to wait a little longer, to swear at you. The bully believes that he is superior and superior to other people, his demands must be immediately accepted and he cannot wait. He wants to be served right now! Your appointment is at 6pm and even though he has come at 6:10 using scare tactics, he starts yelling, complaining and pushing that he went at 6:15 and you still haven’t probably dealt with him!!!
Approach to a bully
In such cases, it doesn’t matter if you are right or wrong, the bullies, as you have realized, are not interested in your explanations, so don’t even bother to explain yourself. The best way to handle a bully is to apologize for the whole thing that may have come up, and tell them that you are willing to solve the “problem” if they calm down and tell you exactly how you can help. Don’t shout and don’t be offended by anything you might hear. It is good to always look him in the eye, so as not to show that you are succumbing to his unjustified behaviour.
A new client comes into your salon and starts asking questions about your salon, your services, your products, even the decor of your salon or your employees. He seems to have an opinion on everything and often becomes critical and rude. If he starts to reduce any of your services, know that he’s just trying to lower the prices and get what you’re offering at a lower cost. The know-it-all likes to stand out in a particularly selfish way.
Approach to a know-it-all
This client is not as difficult to deal with as others, if you understand him and learn how to talk to him. If you start with the compliments, agree with them, show that you value their opinion and give lots of compliments, this type of customer…will love you. Know that the more you “feed” his ego, the better and more loyal your customer will be!
You create the best cut, a glamorous colour and a great hairstyle and yet though it’s exactly what your client has asked for. This particular complaining customer will find some “mistake” to comment on. These customers, they complain about everything. They complain if a hair falls out, they comment if a product has been differentiated by even one euro, they complain about the traffic they found until they came, about the weather, about the clothes, the shoes, the neighbour… and everything else you can imagine. You realize that such a man is difficult to satisfy completely.
Approach to a complainant
Don’t be nervous and don’t be discouraged. Whoever likes us. It is unthinkable that one can satisfy everyone. So don’t fret if you just can’t give a complainer what he wants…he probably doesn’t really know what would make him not complain. Don’t be indifferent to anyone’s complaints, let them know politely that you are taking them into account and think about how perhaps from another perspective, through those complaints you could be even better.
We said that a hairdresser is, among other things, a psychologist and a friend. The question is, where do you draw the line so that your customers don’t call you in the middle of the night or at odd hours in general? Then there are the annoying customers, who with an unbelievable comfort feel that you are obliged to answer on Sunday morning, weekday evening or any day at dawn. Wanting to make an appointment or to tell you about a problem you’ve noticed with some hair is important but not a matter of life and death.
Approach an annoying
Set boundaries and demand that anyone respect them. Don’t let anyone, no matter how “friends” you are, invade your personal life. A good idea is to schedule a message to be automatically answered to your customers, your working hours, showing them when they can reach you to solve their concerns. Even if it doesn’t have the positive effect you want, you just answer while you’re working!
“I want to cut my hair short. No, I want you to leave it long and give me bangs. No no I decided do my highlights or if you prefer better dye it all a light brown. Of course maybe I would look good with a full blonde?” This indecisiveness when you have to manage and execute a mission…. is a problem because firstly you don’t know what the mission is and secondly you might even do what the client asked for… he ended up wanting something else. Ο undecided client wants to be 1500% sure that he has made the right decision, it is in his best interest and he will be more beautiful than ever with the result of his decision. Yes, he will waste your time, exhaust your patience and energy and eventually, although he is very polite, he may decide that the hair he has is the best and he doesn’t want any changes!!!
Approach to an undecided
Talk to them and try to understand what they think is important and why they want to change, to fix their hair. If they prioritise style, comfort, price, colour, the time they will take to either get it done or make it afterwards…. Find out what is on their minds and make sure you give them answers to it. For example, if you find that someone is worried about whether the platinum hair they want will match the office they work in at the bank… respond to them on that. If he is interested in the monetary cost, make him a specific offer. In any case, it created a sense of urgency so that they could finally decide.
And now you know which are the five most difficult clients you may have to deal with. If you don’t succeed, just break off contact. One less client is never as important as losing your positive psychological mood. But know that if you can handle these types of clients…. you will excel !!!! Good luck and patience!
