Archive for the ‘Solo Professionals’ category

Looking After Clients in a Hairdressing Salon

October 20th, 2011

Client care involves making sure that customer feel comfortable and satisfied with the services and the way they have been treated. Why is this important? A salon is a business and it cannot keep going without client. Customer care is very important for two reasons:

  • It determines whether client come back to the salon.
  • It affects what clients tell other people about the salon.

A client’s experience of a salon starts with their first contact, often by phone. When a person comes into the salon they like to be greeted in a friendly manner. They also like to feel looked after or valued. But there is a point though where this can be a bit too intense; if the salon appears to be trying too hard, many clients begin to feel uncomfortable.

Try to develop an awareness of client comfort. Look around and think, ‘Are they alright?’ You can tell by facial expression and body posture. Are the clients relaxed and being looked after?

If they are carrying things, if they have a coat or other outer clothing, ask if you can help them with this. Take care of their personal belongings. Put them where they will be safe. If not sure, ask other salon staff.

During the work with customers don’t forget about health and safety issues.

  • Do not allow products to get onto skin or into eyes.
  • Take care to avoid cuts when using sharp instrument like hair cutting scissors.
  • Be aware of the chances of infection.
  • Look out for problems with electrical equipment.

Eye contact with the client is extremely important as it is believed to be the basic of trust. Looking elsewhere when talking to the client will not only make them feel uncomfortable, but will also make them doubt your sincerity.

Everybody encounters a difficult client at some time. It is not easy situation to be in, but make sure you stay calm and polite. There is no point in getting involved in an argument. If necessary, explain carefully and calmly that you are going to get your supervisor involved and will only be a moment. Often other people will be alerted by the client’s actions and behaviour, but make sure you ask for assistance. A lot of communication with clients involves confidence, good training and practice. There will almost certainly be times when you need help. How will you know when this is? If this is after some problem with a client then it is too late. If in doubt, ask your supervisor for help.

Many trainees are reluctant to ask supervisor. But remember there is a balance between asking for help too often or not often enough. The best rule is to error on the site of caution. If in doubt of any kind, ask for help. As your experience grows, this help will be needed less and less. » Read more: Looking After Clients in a Hairdressing Salon

Spirituality and Money – Do They Mix?

October 18th, 2011

Every heart based professional is at some time or other grappling with the dilemma of “being spiritual” and “making money”. And as they step up and become more successful in business, is it OK to make A LOT of money?

Well, let’s take this back to grass roots. It is a scientific fact that everything here on planet earth is made up of matter, we are all made up of the same matter, just that we are vibrating at different speeds. The slower the matter the vibrates, the denser the object seems. So a wooden table is vibrating at a much slower speed than a feather for example.

Where does this matter come from? How does it all work? What keeps the sun in the sky, makes the seeds turn into flowers, the cells in our bodies renew? These are big questions and not ones I am going to debate in this article. But the one thing I do want to be clear on for the purpose of the dilemma of being spiritual and making lots of money, is that there is an innate intelligence, a formless something that is behind all this being and happening.

This is a fact that no one can dispute, there is something far, far greater than we can understand that is behind the running of not just planet earth, but all planets, galaxies, etc. Now whether you want to call it God, the Universe, the Field, the Source, the Divine Spirit, it really doesn’t matter, they are all just labels to describe this something behind life.

So what does this have to do with money and spirituality? Well, this something behind life created everything that is here, it is the source of all that we know here. And if that’s the case and we all come from the same source, then the money is just the same as a piece of wood, or a feather, or an apple. It is made of the same matter and comes from the same source.

The difference is the meaning we place on the money as humans. Money is seen as all sorts of things ranging from a God, to the answer to our prayers, to our security and to the root of all evil.

Different cultures place different values on money, in some it is seen as a sign of having been good in a past life and so enjoying the riches of this life. In others having a lot of money can be seen as being selfish, and all rich people are greedy and mean.

The truth is, money itself, on the physical plane, is just made out of paper and metal. We as human beings give it the importance we choose to, or more to the point, the importance we have been conditioned to by our early education around money. » Read more: Spirituality and Money – Do They Mix?