For this month’s On the Couch, we turn to Bonnie Canavino, nail department and spa manager at Maxine in Chicago. Canavino oversees 11 nail technicians, four massage therapists, and six estheticians and is also responsible for ordering product, scheduling, handling client complaints, and developing new services.
Hush
I’m in a booth rental salon with five other techs. One of the techs talks so much and so loudly that I can’t concentrate on my work or on what my own clients have to say. When she’s not talking to her clients, she’s talking on the phone. She’s actually very sweet and I don’t want to hurt her feelings. What can I do?
Dear Tired of Listening: Teamwork is what it’s all about in any department whether it’s a large salon or rental situation. Start off, if possible, by having a general meeting of all six nail technicians with the purpose of discussing what environment is expected for themselves and the client experience.
The discussion should included business hours, services offered by each technician, phone numbers being accessible, décor, and finally, client experience. This is where you can address the problem and be discreet by inviting everyone to create their own definition of the ideal client experience. The definition must face the issue of whether you have a beauty shop or a professional nail salon image.
If you cannot get this dialogue going, the best way to solve the problem is to talk directly and privately to this technician. If this doesn’t work, look at making a change for you and your clients.