This is the fifth in a series of tips from Monika Herzog Butler, the founder of Salon Inspector (www.saloninspector.com).

This is our final tip for your workstation makeover, and it really doesn’t have much to do with the station at all. It will help you understand your customers and deal with any concerns they may have.

Tip #5: You know how to listen. It’s time to learn how to communicate.

Talk to your clients about sanitation and disinfection procedures at your salon. Some clients don’t feel comfortable asking you about them. They don’t want you to feel insulted — but they still want to know they are safe. Take the discomfort out of the subject and proudly speak about all the steps you take to ensure your clients’ safety.

Let your clients take non-reusable items like nail files and buffers  home, or put them in the trash while your client can see it. Encourage your clients to voice their concerns. Only if you know what they don’t like about your service can you address it and improve it. An easy solution is a short anonymous questionnaire that can be filled out while your client is at the salon. Limit it to three questions  (if it is short more people will respond) and offer a small reward like a free polish change for their efforts.

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