This is the fourth in a series of tips from Monika Herzog Butler, the founder of Salon Inspector.

During the past few months your station has probably already made your clients smile. Your clients may not mention it, but they certainly register the changes. Some of them might even feel uncomfortable saying something to you, but they do talk with their friends.

Use the changes to market yourself: Engage your customers into conversation with you and explain what makes you different from your competition. Talk about all these positive changes and how you are constantly improving your skills and practices in order to provide them with the first-class service they deserve.

Tip #4: Your Hands — Germ Central

Though required by your state board, most nail techs do not wash their hands before starting a service. It is really important that you wash your hands and that clients wash their hands. How many things do you touch during a normal workday? The amount of germs transferred this way is unimaginable. And now just think about how often your clients wash their hands …

It is inconvenience that makes us cut corners here. Often we are so busy and see one client after the other. It seems there is not enough time to get up and go to the bathroom to wash our hands. Well, you have to make the time. I recommend having a bottle of liquid, alcohol-free hand sanitizer at the station. Wash your hands before you start each service and use sanitizer every time your service is interrupted (i.e., for a phone call).

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