10 Ways to Make Clients (and Your Team) Feel Special

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Customer service is a lost art. Following are 10 things you can do this month to show appreciation, and be of service to your clients and your team!

1. Say “thank you” in writing, not text. Jessica Kleiman, contributor to Forbes magazine, explains: “... in this day and age, when, sadly, we’re getting fewer and fewer letters in the mail, a handwritten thank-you note, well-crafted on good stationery, will make a [person] stand out from others who chose not to take that extra, personal step.”

2. Listen, listen, listen. Ask open-ended questions and let your clients or team members tell you what they need and want. Make suggestions based off of what you’ve heard them say, not what you think they need.

3. Compliment authentically. For example, say: “This lip gloss really brings out your eyes. It looks great on you,” instead of: “I love this lip gloss. I use it all the time.” The first example is a compliment for and about the client; the second is about you.

4. Personalize every experience with your client. Mention how a treatment or product could service their specific needs and produce the results they desire.

5. When sharing information with your client or team, deliver the information like it’s the first time you’ve ever said it. If it sounds tired or repetitive, it will not have value or relevance to them.

6. Take care of all of your clients’ needs. Feed the meter, make dinner reservations, stay late, deliver product or whatever else will help your client relax and enjoy the service. Going the extra mile will pay off in more ways then one.

7. Build confidence with public statements. These can include: “That’s an excellent choice,” or “You’re doing the right thing by committing to this skin care regimen.”

8. Smile and look people in the eyes. Show that you care about what they’re saying, and make genuine eye contact—you should know the color of their eyes after a conversation.

9. Remember the important stuff and write it down. These include birthdays, vacations, activities with family and stressful life events. By writing this info down on clients’ consultation cards, you can pick up where you left off, which increases your personal connection with clients.

10. Show appreciation for your team and clients with small simple pleasures. On a random “just because” Saturday, bring your team members their specialized coffee drink from your favorite roaster. Hand-deliver it to them and say, “Thanks for working hard today.” The morale boost always outweighs the cost.

Deedee+CrossettFounder and owner of the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology since 2002, Deedee Crossett is an industry pioneer for raising the bar of undergraduate education for cosmetologists and estheticians. She can be reached at www.facebook.com/deedee.crossett and Twitter #10things.

 

 

 

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