Salon Etiquette Part 2

Last time I spoke about the positives of booking by phone instead of text or email. The options seem endless.. websites, text, email and apps like Snapchat have given all of us what appear to be a convenient way to get things done.

The downside to this convenience is... human nature. Most people I know (including myself) have an expectation that when we text or FaceBook someone, they should get back to us immediately. Let me explain how, without some ground rules, this can go wrong...

The few clients that I do let have my personal number understand that it will take time for me to get back to them and book their appointment. I have explained that they must be prepared to contact me at least a week or two in advance and they understand the process. As a busy stylist, it usually takes that much notice to get an appointment. Most of my clients pre-book their appointments to get the times and days that are best for them. I have explained to them that I can't book their appointment immediately because I have no access to the booking system on our salon's computer (most stylists don't). Nor do I want to frankly, we have highly trained front desk people who can handle that for me.

I had a situation once where a client tried to book with me through FaceBook as she had done that with her previous stylist ( who worked from home ). I am not on FaceBook very often and did not see the request posted on my wall in time to respond to her scheduling needs. The appointment she needed was for a special event and she was very upset when she finally called the salon to book and couldn't get in with me. She was angry with me for not responding to her FB post. I had to explain to her that I do not go on FB very often and that is not how I book appointments... her assumptions were based on her experience with the last stylist she had. She fell into the trap that we all do and had assumed that her FB habits were everyone's.

So next time please call to schedule and cancel any appointment you have. Or at the very least, have a conversation with your stylist about their prefered booking habits. Don't assume that your online habits are your stylist's... just ask!

Next time we will talk about what we need from you before you book!

Happy New Year and Happy Booking!!!

Viv is an award winning stylist with 30 years experience, constant training and a passion for style and service!