Tips For Working With Difficult Clients
When you’re a beauty pro, being passionate about your work is a must. There’s a lot to love about this industry, including the wonderful people that you get to know and work with. Even though the vast majority of clients are a joy to see in your salon studio, you’ll inevitably come across a few that aren’t so pleasant. Difficult clients are part of the job sometimes, but the beauty of being your own boss is that you can decide how much you’re willing to accommodate. Whether you have a high-maintenance client or you know that you’ll cross paths with one down the road, this article is for you. Here, we share tips on how to defuse challenging situations, including when to recognize that it’s time to part ways. After all, your salon beauty studio is your domain–and you’re in charge of who walks through your door.
Try Not to Take It Personally
As beauty pros ourselves, we understand the pride you take in the business you’ve built from the ground up. We also know that when a client has less-than-complimentary things to say about your work, it can be difficult to take it in stride. Our top piece of advice for dealing with criticism is to do your best not to take it personally. Whether the negative remarks are coming from a client who’s notorious for this type of feedback or you’re hearing it for the first time from someone else, the first step is to stop and take a breath. Realize that the problem likely *isn’t* personal, and take a few moments to come back with a measured and professional response.
Stay Calm and Collected
As mentioned previously, it can be difficult to keep your cool when confronted with a dissatisfied, or even downright rude, client. However, the best thing you can do is stay calm and collected. Even though you might not be feeling empathetic in the face of unconstructive criticism, try to put yourself in problem-solving mode. At the heart of it all, your client probably wants to feel heard and valued. If you’re feeling generous and want to retain the client, you can offer a way to make it right.
Part Ways, If Necessary
Even the most level-headed clients can have an off day and take issue with their results or part of the experience. In these instances, it’s probably worth your while to go the extra mile to find a solution. On the other hand, if a client is consistently difficult to work with or has unreasonable expectations, you’re absolutely entitled to go your separate ways. It’s happened to most of us at some point or another, and it’s nothing to feel ashamed about. Your salon suite, your rules! Just remember that dropping a client might lead to a negative review (and if this happens, we have advice).
Being your own boss can work wonders for your work/life balance and mental health. Although the people are probably a big part of why you love your job, there might be moments when you wish you didn’t have to deal with them. Even when life deals you a difficult client, there are ways to navigate the situation. Whether you preserve or end the relationship is entirely up to you, but we hope the tips mentioned here help you make the decision that’s best for you. You’re in charge of how you conduct your beauty studio at Indie Salons, but we’re always here to offer support! If you’d like to become a member of our one-of-a-kind community, please reach out to our Market Director, Kandice Meylan. You can reach Kandice via call or text at 303-792-8222 or send us an email at hello@indiesalons.com.
