Best Practices and Customer Care Tips for Nail Technicians
Depending on where you live, your town or city may be home to a number of nail salons. Have you noticed that one salon always has a line out the door while others have empty parking lots and technicians just standing around? Not every nail salon is as successful as others and it’s generally customer service that separates winning salons from those that struggle to survive.
Setting the Right Environment
Providing good customer care begins long before your first client walks through the doorway. It actually starts with setting the right environment, an environment in which people will feel comfortable, welcome, safe and appreciated.
Too many salon owners overlook the importance that smell has on the environment in which they work with clients. If your salon smells toxic because of the chemicals you use to treat your customers’ nails, the smell may make people feel unsafe. It may also be an indicator that your salon lacks sufficient ventilation, which can be worrisome.
If possible, make the switch to non-toxic products that don’t have unpleasant odors. Keep the lids on any products that aren’t being used and place fans in strategic locations to ensure the air in your shop doesn’t become stagnant with unpleasant scents. Show your clients you care about your technicians by having them wear masks and gloves as they work on your customers’ nails.
Client Consultations
People have all sorts of reasons for getting their fingernails and toenails done by a nail technician. Some individuals want to make their nails stand out with a new coat of polish. Others may seek a nail trim due to a medical condition such as diabetes. You won’t know why someone is sitting in a chair across from you unless you ask probing questions that go beyond requesting the person’s name, phone number and email address.
While some nail technicians are satisfied with gathering a customer’s basic contact information before they get to work, you shouldn’t be. That is, you shouldn’t be satisfied with getting rudimentary information if you want to build a loyal clientele.
When someone new walks through your doors, you should make it a point to conduct a thorough client consultation to get to know the person. Here are some of the questions you should ask during a 10 – 15 minute initial consultation:
● How do you feel about your nails in their current condition?
● Are your currently experiencing any problems with your nails?
● What goals do you have for your nails?
● How often do you plan to come in for nail services?
● What’s your lifestyle like?
● What are your favorite hobbies?
● What do you do for a living?
● Do you have any medical conditions, such as allergies to any products?
As you conduct a consultation, make note of the condition of the person’s nails and overall well-being. Be aware of the person’s level of chattiness as well. This information will help you interact with the person in a manner he or she is comfortable with and treat the person’s nails appropriately.
By updating the notes you have regarding your clients every time they visit your shop, you’ll ensure you’re able to resolve their problems and satisfy their needs over the long haul. In other words, you’ll ensure they’ll keep coming back to your salon rather than switching to a competitor.
Enroll in Our Nail Technology School
In order to be a successful nail technician and provide the kind of care customers want, you need the right kind of training. You can get the training necessary to succeed in the beauty industry at our nail school.
When you’re a student at our nail technology school, you’ll take a 300-hour course that will give you all the skills and knowledge necessary to take the state licensing exam. You’ll attend classes for 20 hours per week for 15 weeks as you prepare to start your career as a nail technician.
To learn more about our comprehensive course, contact State College of Beauty Culture today.