Customer Service by definition adds value to your offerings and builds long lasting relationship with your existing and new clients. The aim of good customer service is to generate raving fans of your Spa so not only your customers keep you in mind for future appointments but you become their point of reference when they talk about a Spa experience.
So how can we define such a broad subject?
It simply comes down to the details of your customer journey as well as how smooth your team is at delivering your expectations.
From the minute a customer researches a venue, to the experience itself, you make an impression on the customer. If you consider Customer Service to be your Unique Selling Point (USP) then it will become your and your team’s priority.
Your Reception is generally the first point of contact for every experience within the salon so it's crucial that your team there follow these 5 areas of focus to generate a 5*customer service:
1. Define your customer journey
Be extremely detailed as it will make the difference between a 5* customer service and an average one. Start writing about your website map, the way the phone is answered, the reception’s welcoming, the retail experience, the treatment itself, the good bye, the communication thereafter....
For example: Do you offer food in the relaxation area? How and when the food is changed? Who does it? Is it important to bring it on a trolley? Do the team member wears gloves? Who then checks the food during the day? All theses questions are important to define what the customer will see and how he/she will feel. A written procedure will be a great way for your team to understand the expectations that you have. Ensure that the procedure is given to each of your team members but is also available for anyone to see. Set the expectation from the start, even at interview level.
Tip: Get your team to experience various customer experiences and at a team meeting, they talk about it. What made them feel that way? Would they go back? Why? They do not have to have treatment, they could just pretend to book somewhere in person or on the phone. By talking about it together you are able to define what you all want to happen within the spa. If it is a team decision, they are more likely to buy into it.
2. Assess monthly
It is important that you look at your spa from your customer’s eyes. Sometimes we are so busy with operational issues that we forget about how we make the customer feel!
Once a month, go in as a customer, see what they see and look at how other customers are being treated. Try to stay for a while, in a dressing gown, in your jeans, whatever suits your spa but basically relaxed and experiencing: reception, relaxation area, changing rooms… the team will know you are there and will be cautious at first but the longer you stay around the more relaxed they become and soon the daily habits return... you will be able to see what is truly going on!
It is also important to get a mystery shopper once a month, at various times and days to ensure that the consistency of the customer service is always there from mornings to evenings.
Tip: Ensure you have a form for the mystery shopper to fill in, it is evidence of what is happening within your spa and are able to generate best practice from them as well as managing your team members from the customer feedback.
3. Encourage and manage reviews
Reviews are your best friend when it comes to customer service. They are not only a great revenue driver but they are also very useful at assessing your spa any time.
Define on your customer journey where it is possible for them to leave these feedback, do you need to add a guestbook at reception?
Generate best practices through reviews by ensuring you are feeding them back regularly to your team. If a team member keeps getting bad reviews, how many will you tolerate before starting performance management?
Tip: Every Monday, randomly call 10 customers from the previous week, a phone call can make them feel that their opinion counts as well as ironing out anything they might not have said on the feedback form.
4. Train your team to become leaders in customer service
If you want to be the best, you need to invest your time in training your teams as to what you want to implement within your salon. It reminds them that you are serious about it. Training can take form of your team meetings, team building days, but even your 15 minutes before shift meeting.
Tip: Are there some national or local awards you could aim for to put a stamp on your business integrity? Encourage individuals that are thriving on it also, they will push the team forward.
5. Be consistent
Although customer service can mean different things to different people, no one can argue when the team is smooth in their delivering.
There is a fine balance however between not trying and trying too hard and what someone might find acceptable, someone else might be irritated by it. So the subtle touches, subliminal messages and the smiles are what will create a long lasting impression to anyone.
However, how many of you have experience a great service in the morning and by the evening it feels like they all want to go home? A zero tolerance policy has to be in place in order to generate a consistent message to your clients.
Tip: separate your teams into 2 and generate a healthy competition between them as to whom will collect the most positive reviews for example. Make it count to them so they become supportive of your vision.
If you need more support for your Reception Team, read more about our Group Coaching Course HERE.