5 steps to increase sales for your receptionist

When you take into consideration the duties of a receptionist in a hair salon, the first thing that may come to mind is someone who spends most of the day greeting customers, managing the appointment book for visits, and maintaining order in the workplace. And when the client arrives, they brew a fresh pot of coffee and greet them with a smile. Although these are some of their tasks, you can increase their sales by implementing these 5 steps!

STEP 1: Better customer encouragement

In addition to maintaining order and an overall aesthetic look of the lounge, the reception plays an important role for clients, starting from promoting products and services to proceeding with the appointment and checkout. When you invest in online advertising, you hope that the customer will take notice and call to book a service. However, most staff do not take into consideration that potential clients who call the hair salon need additional assurance that this business is right for them. The client calls not only to book a visit, but also to get more information on the salon or service - however, hair salon receptionists usually focus on filling empty spots in the appointment calendar. If they do not feel certain, the potential customer may respond with, "I need some time to decide on what I would like to do" or worse - they book a visit and decide not to show up for it. Therefore, it is vital that your receptionist knows the right approach for assuring potential customers that your salon is the perfect place to book an appointment! Teach employees how to do so effectively by recommending specific services or specialists to ensure your client feels right at home at your salon. And do not forget to ask if they have any questions pertaining to things mentioned above!

STEP 2: Present the benefits of treatments and products

"The treatment revives your hair, fixes damaged follicles, reduces wrinkles, etc ..." - having your receptionist promote a product or service in this manner is like music to the ears of hair salon owners. But is this enough for a potential client to take advantage of your services and products? If other businesses promote their services and products using the same line, the client’s decision will be based on price. Therefore, creating the perfect list of benefits is key! With the help of your specialists, develop a list of benefits for the receptionist and make sure to include convincing arguments as to why potential clients should choose your service or product over your competition. Here are some of the things you should include in your list:

What makes a product or service truly stand out? Mention product ingredients, tools used for a specific service and all other factors that make the treatment or product unique. Some clients might recognise an ingredient also present in a product they have used at home - be prepared to explain why that is and why your product is a better choice.
What does it do? How does it work? What are the effects after the treatment? Explain to potential clients what effects they can expect to see after the first treatment, and how touch-ups will help create the perfect end result.
How will the transformation affect their daily lives? Mention the great benefits your treatments provide! If the service reduces dark circles under the eyes, do mention that the client does not have to spend money on concealers. This is more convincing than the usual "it refreshes and rejuvenates the appearance". The more details you provide on the benefits of your treatments, the more convinced the client will be.

STEP 3: Effectively advise undecided clients

A hair salon receptionist often has to multitask on any regular day: taking payments from customers, showing new clients cosmetics on display, welcoming potential customers, while at the same time a client asks: "I would like to ask about hair volume. What services do you recommend for that? " In this situation, it is no wonder that the receptionist is not in the mood to recommend anything. This, as a result, leads to problems. The client may get irritated that the receptionist is not able to advise on the phone, nor does she have the competence to speak on behalf of a hairdresser. Referring the client to your website may annoy the client, who is calling in order not to have to rummage through your website. To help take some of the load off of your receptionist’s back, investing in a software for hair salons would work ideally in helping manage bookings, payments and daily tasks. However, when it comes to customer service, teaching your receptionist how to speak with clients over the phone and address their questions is highly important. When clients ask general questions, a good response may be: "Do you have something specific in mind or can I offer some advice?". Provide several benefits that may be important to the potential client - one can say for example: "Yes, we have just the perfect service to revitalise your hair". Knowing what your client is looking for creates the perfect opportunity to promote a specific product or service. The receptionist can for example explain that: "When it comes to revitalising hair, our stylists most often provide the X treatment which is safe and effective, at just £80, but I think it would be best if you came in for a free consultation. I would be happy to give you a more accurate recommendation". Such conversations with clients improve customer service and help promote more expensive or less known treatments. However, it is not recommended to artificially lengthen the conversation when the client asks specific questions or wants to arrange a basic service, such as highlights, as this can backfire on the business.

STEP 4: Get your receptionist to sell more products and treatments

The hair salon receptionist has a big impact on the number of products purchased or treatments a customer books. However, there is a catch when spontaneously encouraging the client to make an additional purchase. If you do not argue why it is worth to make an additional purchase, the client may perceive your sales pitch as an automatic incentive close to "Perhaps you would care for a coffee?" used around most gas stations. This is most often met with the usual "No, thank you". Therefore, it is vital for your hair salon receptionist to explain why the client should be interested in other treatments. Examples:

to ensure the treatment effects last (such as a longer color hold)
to save money (when purchasing a package of services/products)
getting the “full package” treatment ensures that you will not have to worry about any flaws in your look

STEP 5: Plan you next move

One of the main reasons of low employee efficiency is the lack of precisely defined tasks. When you want your receptionist to recommend treatments and cosmetics, chances are they will not do so without being encouraged. Therefore, it helps to prepare a specific plan for selling more, such as:

a list of treatments that your receptionist should promote and their benefits.
decide what products and treatments would be appropriate for a specific client group (i.e. customers with brittle, dry hair would be interested in conditioning services and products).
plan what to exhibit in the reception and waiting room (information, leaflets, products).
what a client needs to know when the receptionist welcomes them and before they leave.

The first contact between the client and the salon is often the decisive moment when a customer either chooses to stay at the business or go elsewhere. Therefore, in addition to the significant organisational role of the receptionist, it is worth taking the time to learn and check the effectiveness of their activities. It is necessary to emphasise the importance of their work, and at the same time teach them how and what to say about the benefits of specific treatments and cosmetics, arrange a schedule of incentives to make during first appointment and how to encourage customers to purchase additional products. Thanks to this, your receptionist will be aware of their responsibilities. The potential client’s first impressions of your salon are formed by your receptionist, which makes having a knowledgeable and helpful person behind the front desk all the more important. Work with your receptionist hand in hand to increase sales and encourage would-be clients to choose your business over the competition.