Every business faces unexpected problems, complications and hurdles to overcome. This is unavoidable and, for the most part, cannot be completely prevented. However, you can do things to prepare for when these problems do occur if you can anticipate, with some accuracy, what problems you are more likely to face. This can be with respect to the functionality of equipment, the performance of employees and the results clients experience from the services of your salon or spa. Here we will explore in a little more depth some of the problems your business could experience and some ways in which you can be better prepared to resolve them if and when they do occur.
ANTICIPATING PROBLEMS WITH EQUIPMENT
One problem, which is certain to happen sooner or later, is problems with equipment. This does not mean that suddenly your pedicure chairs or manicure tables will stop working completely but, parts can break and these types of breakages can make the equipment unusable for the time being until you are able to replace the offending parts. While you are looking for replacement parts and waiting for their delivery and installation, your equipment is going unused and you are likely losing money, not only for the appointments which you can not realize due to the faulty equipment, but also for the technicians who are likely still on your payroll but unable to generate income for your spa or salon normally. So, what is the best way to prepare for issues with equipment? We recommend having spare parts on hand even before you need them. With regards to pedicure chairs, this would include pipeless jets, discharge pumps and remotes as these are the most common parts which eventually need replacing. If the aesthetics and appearance of your equipment is important to you, extra leather sets are another thing you may want to have ready in your business’ storage. For manicures, extra nail dust vacuums and UV or air dryers are other options to consider for keeping spares. If your business does a lot of hair appointments, having an extra hair dryer will be important; especially in the winter months when it would be a poor practice to send clients outside with wet or damp hair. Knowing your equipment and anticipating issues ahead of time can save you a lot of time, money and hassle.
ANTICIPATING PROBLEMS WITH EMPLOYEES
Although specialization is a part of every facet of the modern economy, having more than one person who is capable of doing the same thing can save you and your business a lot of headaches. Even if you have reliable trustworthy employees who are unlikely to disappear without notice, what happens when one of them gets sick or has a family emergency on a day when that same person is scheduled for 4 hair appointments? Rescheduling is one option. However, if the clients are serious about getting their hair done for when they had originally planned, you risk having them go somewhere else if you reschedule. If you, on the other hand, have several staff members who, in addition to manicures and pedicures can fulfill these hair appointments, it may be possible to adjust their schedules a little bit to accommodate the clients who are already scheduled to come in. Now, keep in mind that some clients will probably want to be attended to by the stylist they are used to. However, being able to give these clients an option between rescheduling and keeping their appointment with a different stylist can make a world of difference.
ANTICIPATING PROBLEMS WITH YOUR SERVICES
This area can be tricky to navigate because, regardless of the expertise of your staff and how precisely they perform their services, sooner or later somebody is bound to be unhappy with their results. Maybe your stylist cut the client’s hair exactly as the client requested in the picture the client brought along with them as an example but the style was ultimately not appropriate for their face shape. Or, maybe one of the lotions your mesuese used on a client generated a skin reaction. Whatever the issue may be, now you have to deal with the fallout. In dealing with the fallout, you have to weigh who is really at fault for the undesirable outcome with the possibility of losing the customer if they are not happy with how you want to resolve the matter. If the client is unreasonable but a long-term, steady customer, you may opt to give them at least a partial refund or a discount or free treatment for the subsequent session. If they are totally in the right and one of your employees made an error, which does happen, you have to compensate the client for the poor outcome or risk losing the client or worse. The ultimate goal is to retain and/or gain clients for the future in spite of this mishap and your resolutions should be predicated on this. For instance, you could possibly turn something negative into a positive where, although the client was ultimately unhappy with their result, they are happy with your resolution to that result and so they end up returning as a customer or even tell their friends and family how professional your business is.
CONCLUSION
While every business will have to deal with a laundry list of issues which they are not expecting and would certainly prefer not to deal with, some businesses will arise stronger after overcoming these obstacles and others will be overtaken by them. It is important to prepare yourself and your business to ensure that you are on the right side of these outcomes and become a business that successfully anticipates and overcomes challenges.