Great news! Your marketing efforts on social media were a success and now you have new clients who are scheduled in the book. You put in the time to attract them to your business, but how do you get them to return as a repeat client after their service? Retaining new clients isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little TLC and coordination from your team.
The New Client Experience
Wooing your new clients with an extraordinary customer service experience will help your new clients be more likely to return. Beyond greeting your new customer with a smile and hearty welcome, there are a few things that can help you go above and beyond.
Welcome bags. Ask your manufacturers to provide you with samples that you can then put into a goodie bag for new clients. Who doesn’t love free beauty products? Make sure you brand your welcome bag in some way so your business name goes home with the client.
Tours. Providing a tour to a new client will help them feel more comfortable and like they are part of your family. Tours also allow you to show off all of the different services you offer.
Providing your new clients with a survey after their first visit can help you pinpoint your customer service strengths and weaknesses, especially if the client chooses not to return. Perhaps they were matched with the wrong service provider or didn’t enjoy their service. Surveys will help you polish your new client experience to its greatest potential, as well as help you reach out to clients who had a bad experience. Consider providing them with a free service or re-do if they return.
Pre-Book Your New Clients
A culture of pre-booking starts with the service provider. The client will trust the recommendation of the service provider because they are the professional who just performed his or her. The service provider should talk about the next visit multiple times before the client actually goes to the front desk to pay. Once the client arrives, it’s now the front desk professional’s turn to reiterate the service provider’s recommendations for the next appointment. This requires specific dialogue from both the service provider and your front desk.
Service Provider: “Your hair looks amazing. In order to maintain this shine, I need to see you back in [X] weeks. The front desk can schedule you in to make sure you get the time and day that’s best for you.”
Front Desk: “Your hair looks amazing! I see [X] recommend that you come back in [X] weeks and I have [X] o’ clock available on [X] day. I can go ahead and schedule you in if that’s your preferred time.”
When your team goes above and beyond for a new client and exceeds their expectations, a client will not only be more likely to schedule their next appointment at checkout but also become a long-term client.
