Jenni Gilbert You’ve got to keep the customer satisfied. But in today’s competitive environment, for your business to be buoyant it takes much more than being technically good at what you do. Michelle Reeve* explains.
Ask a therapist exactly what they are delivering within a treatment room. Some would say rejuvenation or correcting concerns; others, relaxation or wellbeing.
Effective skills transfer is essential to delivering a results-driven treatment but underpinning a therapist’s proficiency is a skill that is far more profound.
It is potent when delivered effectively but, when not, it is an insidious factor in the failure of some businesses: Service. The way we hold space and time for our clients.
Service is how we communicate care and connection, how we give our attention, build rapport and establish trust with our guests.
It is an impalpable yet ever-so-precious quality, especially in the personal care industry that trades in intimate experiences like self-image, rejuvenation and relaxation; where vulnerability and trust are the foundation to most treatment experiences.
It is the quintessential force that impacts guest spend, rebooking opportunities, client retention and, ultimately, profitability. It’s easy to forget that 100 percent of product and treatment purchases come from only one place – your customer. So the guest experience is key.
A better understanding of client expectations allows for a more targeted and engaged treatment.
Loyalty programs, EDMs and social media marketing et al become obsolete if, when your guest arrives, the experience is lacklustre, or downright poor.
The most dazzling PR comes from the VIP experience delivered with mindful focus and intention. Think of being welcomed to a first class international flight lounge: direct eye contact, an authentic smile, welcomed by name. These are all small but powerful touches.
When people come to your business in the first place, there is generally one clear goal: they are seeking an effective solution to a problem.
To prescribe the product and/or service they need to meet the challenge we need to a) understand the issue and b) apply a credible solution. But both are impossible without first establishing credibility and trust.
Which leads us back to the topic of service, the backbone of building rapport.
The hosting experience is the cornerstone of every clinic, spa and salon visit. From the moment the guest arrives we are holding sacred space for their experience.
Each touch point needs to be layered with mindful communication that encourages connection and it starts well before the treatment takes place.
The greeting on arrival through to the consultation process are the foundation of the prescriptive process, providing prime opportunities to establish our credibility, create rapport and define the guest’s needs.
If this is done correctly, we are better able to understand expectations and extract their concerns.
This then gives us permission to introduce guests to treatment solutions, after which the home care prescription then becomes inextricably linked to the experience.
Retailing is not the time spent with the client after a treatment. It begins with hosting them through the salon treatment or spa ritual, creating a safe space for them to explore their skincare goals and for us to define our credibility in achieving them.
Service is defined through manners, thoughtfulness, care and courtesy. These are all inexpensive qualities to deliver but difficult to supply on a level that consistently and eloquently represents your brand through each and every team member.
So how do we guarantee a service experience that truly exceeds expectations? Here are five key practices that I believe underpin the client experience to create the X Factor:
SCRIPTING
When we think about the client experience it’s easy to focus on those more tangible facets – the aesthetics and ambience of their environment, the treatments and products they can feel, the scents they smell – all of which contribute to creating atmosphere.
But when we consider that the level of service is how we communicate care, then language becomes a part of that sensory experience. It’s a component that demands thoughtful delivery.
What is your standard for welcoming guests? Does the receptionist stop what she is doing and welcome guests before asking about their appointment details?
As therapists, the words we choose can elevate the client journey.
Are our guests “booked in” and “looked after” or do we use language like, “Welcome to our clinic. My name is Michelle. I’ll be hosting you through your treatment. Today you’ll be enjoying our performance refining facial”.
Great communication enables the opportunity to build rapport. We only ever purchase solutions from people we trust.
Not only does great scripted communication deliver a consistent message throughout your team, it’s also the opportunity where you can define value within your business.
Scripted welcoming procedures and treatment introductions allow you to profile the element of difference you deliver.
When skincare brands are introduced ambiently at the beginning of treatment the reflection in retail sales is almost immediate.
Is there a standard script to profile each of the professional product brands you represent to beautifully articulate benefits outcomes, luxury and credibility for the client? Can each of your therapists profile the values inherent in your clinic, spa or brand and deliver that value in a clear well worded sentence?
The moment any member of your team answers the phone, transfers a call, greets a guest, confirms an appointment, delivers a treatment or finalises an account, they are defining the value of the business brand for your client through the service and language of each team member.
STAY ON BRAND
The way we communicate with our guests and our brand image are inextricably linked. Each team member your guest has contact with is a brand ambassador for your business. Before anyone sees your space, they hear your voice on the phone and the value of your business is reflected in the tone and language you use.
Value is the combined experience the client has with your Spa or Salon. Every sensory interaction determines the quality of the space around her, which she applies directly to her treatment outcome. Using well scripted language to introduce the spa creates a promise of not only a 5-star environment but also a 5-star experience!
TOUCH POINTS
The first step in hosting the treatment is hosting the client. There are so many opportunities to transform a great treatment experience into an unforgettable one with little or no additional cost. Value is the combined experience the client has with your Spa or Salon.
Every sensory interaction determines the quality of the space around her, which she applies directly to her treatment outcome. How we drape the client, begin and finish our treatments, transition our clients and host our relaxation areas are opportunities to showcase our points of difference.
TEAM CULTURE
Most businesses, when pressed about their service protocols, profile the aptitude of individual therapists.
The real impact of great service, however, starts to gain momentum when we can guarantee consistency and make it about corporate culture instead of individual contributions.
Care should not be limited to how we treat our guests but instead be an extension of how we treat each other within the team.
When each staff member is transformed into an internal client the team starts to see service culture as a value that doesn’t shift standard between front and back of house – an energy that becomes palpable to the guest.
The benefits of creating a strong team culture of care impacts well beyond the guest experience. A happy, more empowered workforce leads to stronger staff retention and more effective job performance. These are all metrics which can be measured on your bottom line.
PASSION
As experts in our field we sometimes forget that we are charged with the responsibility of the client experience. It’s easy to be swayed by someone having a bad day or is resistant to your professional advice, but when we use the key elements of service we create a sanctuary of safety that enables our clients to relax in the trusted space we have mindfully created for them.
It is our responsibility to host each element of the treatment experience and be proud of our role as a skin or wellness expert is to embrace the experience, passion and knowledge we have carefully curated over the years and watch our clients see the rewards in their skin, health, wellbeing and confidence.
Finally – remember that it’s easy to track where 100 percent of your sales come from. Your customers.
- Michelle Reeve is founder and managing director of Waterlily, Australia’s professionally exclusive spa collection of performance skincare and luxury rituals, and the new Spaceuticals natural actives range.
