The Customer Is King: Hellen Ward’s Tips For Maintaining Customer Satisfaction

A long-standing salon insurance customer of Salon Gold, Hellen Ward gives us her tips on maintaining customer satisfaction.

As with any business delivering a service, we’re at the mercy of our customers. They only need vote with their feet to tell us how well we’re doing. But recent (and very scary) statistics tell us that more people than ever are doing just that. For every one person that bothered to complain, it used to be said that 10 people feel the same but don’t bother to say anything, choosing instead to simply go somewhere else.

However, revised figures suggest that the picture is even bleaker – now it’s said that for every complaint, 25 people feel the same but haven’t voiced their opinion.

So, what does that mean to salons?

If we get two lots of negative feedback on the same matter, we have in reality had 50. But 48 of those people have chosen not to tell us.

That’s terrifying – and something I haven’t wasted any time in relaying to my team!

We’ve all been subject to negative online reviews. I relish any feedback on our products and services, but when there is no right to reply, and someone has gone online to complain rather than coming to us so we can rectify the problem, it’s extremely frustrating!

After all, if you don’t like your steak at a restaurant, you send it back! You certainly don’t wait until you get home to point it out and then expect to get a refund. So, why are hair and beauty services any different?

Online review sites can be damaging. Comments left can destroy businesses, which is all well and good if they are deserved. But we’ve all had clients who we simply cannot please and if there’s no right to reply, their stories can sometimes be misleading at best and detrimental at worst.

So, I would advise any business owner to check their reviews, and where possible, find the time to respond. Don’t tolerate inaccuracies or fabrications. Like it or not, the internet is our shop window and we need to ensure our brands are being fairly represented. If we don’t, who will?

What are your tips for maintaining customer satisfaction? Share your thoughts with us in the comments on Facebook or Twitter.

Hellen Ward

Hellen Ward is the Managing Director of Richard Ward brands, Salon and metrospa. Hellen is a Hair & beauty industry business consultant, as well as an author and columnist. She is also the Vice President, Director and Trustee of The Hair and Beauty Charity. Hellen has been pictured on This Morning as well as GB News.

All articles by Hellen Ward