Managing Your Salon

The Front Desk

While the quality and pricing of services are some of the most important elements of running a successful salon, too often the front desk—the operations center—is overlooked.

The best salons employ professional receptionists to handle the job of scheduling appointments and greeting clients.

Your receptionist is second in importance only to your licensed professionals. A well-trained receptionist is crucial because the receptionist is the first person the client contacts.

The receptionist should be pleasant, greet each client with a smile, and address each client by name.

Efficient, friendly service fosters goodwill, confidence, and satisfaction. In addition to filling the crucial role of greeter, the receptionist  handles other important functions, including answering the phone, booking appointments, informing professionals that a client has arrived, preparing daily appointment information for the staff, and recommending additional services to clients.

The receptionist should  have a thorough knowledge of all retail products carried by the salon  so that she or he can also serve as a salesperson and information source for clients.

One of the most important duties the receptionist has is booking appointments. This must be done with care because services are sold in terms of time on the appointment page. Appointments must be scheduled to make the most efficient use of everyone’s time.

Under ideal circumstances, a client should not have to wait for a service,  and a professional should not have to wait for the next client.

An important part of the business is handled over the telephone. Good telephone habits and techniques make it possible for the salon owner and employees to increase business and improve relationships with clients and suppliers. With each call, a gracious, appropriate response will help build the salon’s reputation.

Because it can be noisy, business calls to clients and suppliers should be made at a quiet time of the day or from a quiet area of the salon.

When using the telephone, the receptionist should:

• Have a pleasant telephone voice, speak clearly, and use correct grammar. A smile in your voice counts for a lot.
• Show interest and concern when talking with a client or a supplier.
• Be polite, respectful, and courteous to all, even though some people may test the limits of your patience.
• Be tactful. Do not say anything to irritate the person on the other  end of the line.

Incoming phone calls are the lifeline of a salon. Clients usually call ahead for appointments with a preferred stylist, or they might call to cancel or reschedule an appointment. The receptionist answering the phone should have the necessary telephone skills to handle these calls.

The first words you say tell the caller something about your personality. let callers know that you are glad to hear from them.

When calls come in, the receptionist must answer the phone promptly. On a system with more than one line,  if a call comes in while you are talking on another line, ask to put the first person on hold, answer the second call, and ask that person to hold  while you complete the first call. Take calls in the order in which they  are received.

When booking appointments, the receptionist takes down the client’s first and last  name, their phone number, and the service booked. Many salons call the client to confirm the appointment one or two days before it is scheduled. Automated systems can send an e-mail or even a text message confirmation.

Be fair when making assignments. Don’t schedule six appointments for one professional and only two for another, unless it’s necessary because you are working  with specialists. However, if someone calls to ask for an appointment with a particular cosmetology professional on a particular day and time, make every effort to accommodate the client’s request.