Does The “Customer Is Always Right” Theory Matter in The Hair Industry?

Outdated Or Classic Truth?

“The customer is always right!” This phrase has been used by businesses since the early 1900s and is still used today to convince customers that they will receive the best service possible. Is the customer always right in the hair industry?

In The Salon

In the salon, the object of the service is to provide the customer with an exceptional experience that serves their hair needs. The guest should feel important, relaxed, and they should receive the expected results. Unfortunately, as a stylist, you have to break it to your client that you can’t lift their permanently colored black hair to pastel pink in one service. Sometimes, the client’s ask for unrealistic results or even complain about what they should pay for services. Although we want to give our customer the best experience possible, sometimes we can't give them their expected result during the allotted time or do to the state of their hair. There comes the point as a hairstylist where you have to maintain Authority in the situation, and you cannot let the customer run your business. When the customer complains about the structure of their service, products, or prices, it's important to consider the customer's point of view. You depend on your client to keep coming back to you so that you can pay your bills. It's important to try your best to please your client, but there should always be a happy medium. It's important to remember that not every client is going to enjoy your service. Some clients you may have to let go, and they will have to find another stylist that meets their needs, and that's okay. When you provide a quality service, never lower your prices because your clients are complaining. If you prefer to use a specific hair brand in your salon that most of your clients enjoy, then don't stop using it because a couple of clients complain. It is imperative to maintain your brand regardless of how your clients respond.

In The Hair Extensions Industry

Due to the surplus of low-quality hair, many clients are looking to find the cheapest bundle possible. You may run into a lot of customers complaining about the price of your hair because they found cheaper here on AliExpress or from other Asian vendors. Once again as the owner of your hair extension business, you have to stand your ground with your prices. When you provide a certain level of quality service, you should charge a certain amount, and not everyone is going to be willing to pay your price. Focus on providing equity and building the value of your brand that you attract clients that can't afford your costs and are more than willing to invest in high-quality hair extensions. There will also come times where your clients will damage the hair extensions they purchased from you and then try to get a refund after they ruined the hair. How you handle this is entirely up to your discretion, but it's important to be strict when it comes to returns because unfortunately there is a lot of fraud in the hair extension industry. You should have a return policy that protects both you and the client. Don't allow your clients to take advantage of you because this will only build a poor reputation for your brand.

How To Please Your Client and Maintain Your Standards

As stated earlier it's important to find a happy medium when it comes to pleasing your client and building a high-quality brand reputation. There are a few essential tips you can keep in mind when handling discrepancies between your business and your clients.

1. Make Rules and Stick to The Rules

Most of the time misunderstandings come from a place of business not communicating clear regulations/standards to the clients, or continually disregarding the rules to please every client. Staying consistent with the way you handle your business is essential. If you're continuously waving the rules for every other client that gets upset, you might as well not have any standards. Having consistent and transparent standards in your place of business will allow you to attract clients that will respect you and your service. As well as get rid of clients who will continuously feel uncomfortable with your service. Consistency will also alleviate the pressure of waiving a rule for one client and not doing the same for another.

2. Offer Discounts Instead of Refunds

If a client that was unsatisfied even though you did all you could do for them, you may choose to offer the client a discount on their next service. When you provided the client a price cut and combination was an apology, the client will feel appreciated and valued, and if they decide to come back and receive better service on the next time, they may become a loyal client. Even if the client decides that they want to find another hair stylist, you at least didn't lose any money by offering a full refund.

3. Ask for Customer Feedback

When the client is checking out, it's essential to have the front desk agent ask how their service went. If possible, have the client fill out a brief customer feedback form. Some customers are afraid to tell you how they feel about the service to your face that may be more inclined to express how they feel on paper. An anonymous survey is a great way to have a clear understanding of how your clients think about your service, so you can tweak things as needed.

4. Put Yourself In Your Customer’s Shoes

Take a moment to consider how you might feel if you were the customer in the situation. Sometimes we forget what it is like to receive poor service as opposed to serving the client. If you would be unsatisfied with your service, then more than likely your client is dissatisfied as well and deserves better service.

Is The Customer Always Right?

So, is the customer always right in the hair industry? The answer is no! Nevertheless, the customer should still feel like they are right and respected in all scenarios. Let us know your opinion in the comments below!