You don’t have to be in a bar in Boston for everyone to know your name. You just need to go to Impressions in Mequon. This hair salon has thrived for more than 30 years while others have closed their doors.
Currently there are about 473,000 salons in the United States. Twenty-five percent of these salons do not make it a year and 44 percent do not survive four years. These statistics are consistent with other published statistics on small businesses.
If you believe these numbers, then why has this salon in Mequon been so successful? Why do they survive when others fail?
The reason is that they have a business that is built on a firm foundation of superior customer service and cutting edge styling. They don’t just have clients; they have guests in their salon and treat them in a special manner from when they arrive until they leave. Each new guest is given a tour by a staff member. When the service is over they are given a gift bag complete with coupons, samples and a pre-stamped anonymous customer service survey for feedback on the services received.
Kitty Tierney, the owner of this salon, has an extensive resume and has won many awards for her styling talents. Five times her salon has been selected for the Top 200 Salons in North America. She and her salon have been recognized for styling and business practices by Modern Salon, Salon Today, American Salon and many other professional publications. In 2009, the City of Mequon named Impressions the business of the year.
It is Tierney’s background in the hospitality business that shapes her vision of customer service. Both the Disney and Ritz Carlton creeds have influenced the salon’s culture. These creeds are based on a standard of unsurpassed guest experiences and consistent delivery of high levels of service. Impressions treat all their guests to water, coffee or tea in a logoed ceramic mug. They hang up their coats, smile and make their guests feel special. Smiling is a most important component of customer service. Even if one is not face-to-face with a guest, their staff is encouraged to smile at all times. Even on the phone. This is because when a person is smiling they are communicating to their guests that they are happy.
Going the extra mile is another important component of their culture. Every guest should feel important and valued. Building a relationship with each guest results in a loyalty that insures retention and future business. Effectively communicating with a guest is a basic skill when it comes to maintaining VIP customer service. Impressions’ guest service specialists are empowered to deliver immediate decisions. They are aware of the importance of immediately addressing any concern voiced by a guest. This attention to detail creates a consistent, successful environment for both the employee and customer. These specialists address each guest’s questions, and make them feel valued. They provide detailed information on products, their features and support for how to correctly use the products. Monthly in-house training along with mentoring from vendors is an essential part of their training process.
“Never fear the, ‘No,'” is one of Impressions’ mottos. Part of their customer service training is focused on resolving issues or problems for customers. This means being able to effectively analyze the information received from the customer, while providing quick and accurate decisions. Their training also focuses on problem resolution, understanding customer requests and providing the correct service. Their personnel assist the customer in clearly understanding what they need to do to maintain their hair, skin or nails. They make them feel valued as they guide them through the decision-making process.
Listening is a key component in customer service.
Listening to guest cues is essential in order to increases sales. Today’s guests are more complicated and they have a wide variety of choices. It is essential to gain the advantage by delivering superb customer service each time. The service provider is tasked to learn the needs and preferences of all their guests. If the impression that is left with the guest is on a positive note, they will continue to regard the products and services as superior and share that experience with friends and family.
Communication skills are also essential for managers who track and gauge the team members on a regular basis to insure high levels of professionalism. Confidence is one of the more elusive traits in customer service. It is an important aspect of customer service training. Confidence is a result of proper training and education on products and services. Positive reinforcement by management encourages confidence. A passion for their profession leads to confidence and better customer service. A high level of confidence results in their ability to effectively deal with a customer issue in a professional and prompt way.
Impressions’ customer service policy is simple: smile, listen, enable, communicate, trust, care, and lead. Rather than enforce this customer service strategy, they incentivize it. When their goals are met for each month, quarter or year the staff gets rewards. Depending on their specific goals, the staff will get a small reward, such as a Starbucks card, free salon services or products. The achievement of larger goals can result in a raise, or even a bonus. Impressions’ computer program can check on rebooking from cancellations, percentages and success in growth. Leadership and mentoring of service providers and support staff is the key to long-term success. Effective managing is not possible without a nurturing culture. Kitty guides her team so they reach their goals and deliver high levels of customer service.
The result for the guest is a positive and long lasting impression.
Cary Silverstein, MBA, is the president and chief executive officer of Fox Point-based SMA LLC and The Negotiating Edge Coaches & Trainers. He can be reached at (414) 352-5140 or via email at negotiatingedge@aol.com.
