Yeah. I can't stand that word. But ya know, as hokey as it is it's pretty important in this industry. It's important because at any given time stylists are either extremely busy or extremely not busy. When you're extremely busy it's nice to get a helping hand with a clean towel, a sweep of the floor, checkout, or check in. So at some point you will most likely have to rely on either your fellow stylists, a receptionist, a manager, or even an owner. The key to this is, at some point, one of those same people will rely on you, and you better be ready. If your co-workers find that they can not depend upon you, you probably won't be able to depend upon them.
This also applies to regular shop maintenance. You will always need towels, and clean shampoo bowels, and clean floors. You will always need foils torn, and phones answered, and clients greeted. Make sure you do your part to keep the shop running well. That work will pay off in spades.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Communication is key
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The single most important aspect of getting a good haircut and/or color service is communication. Now, it is the job of the stylist to make sure that communication is happening and to make sure they are interpreting your ideas properly. But it is also the clients' job to make sure they can communicate to the stylist.
But how?
I have some clients that have a very hard time communicating ideas (especially of an artistic nature) to me. I try to make sure I ask them all sorts of questions to help bring their ideas out into words. But sometimes words do fail. If that's the case then pictures are, in fact, worth a thousand words (or at least a great haircut.) That, of course, doesn't mean you bring in a bunch of pictures of your favorite movie star. You can - that does help as well. But sometimes the best thing you can do is bring in a picture of yourself that has the very hair cut you are going for. That will, most times, be enough for the stylist. And if that's not enough then just a few words here and there will make up for what the picture doesn't show.
And if you can't find any pictures than sometimes it's always easiest to tell the sylist (or ask the client) what you (or they) DON'T like about their hair. For some reason people have an easier time telling you what they don't like versus what they like.
No matter how you do it, communication will, more often than not, save you from a bad hair day.
But how?
I have some clients that have a very hard time communicating ideas (especially of an artistic nature) to me. I try to make sure I ask them all sorts of questions to help bring their ideas out into words. But sometimes words do fail. If that's the case then pictures are, in fact, worth a thousand words (or at least a great haircut.) That, of course, doesn't mean you bring in a bunch of pictures of your favorite movie star. You can - that does help as well. But sometimes the best thing you can do is bring in a picture of yourself that has the very hair cut you are going for. That will, most times, be enough for the stylist. And if that's not enough then just a few words here and there will make up for what the picture doesn't show.
And if you can't find any pictures than sometimes it's always easiest to tell the sylist (or ask the client) what you (or they) DON'T like about their hair. For some reason people have an easier time telling you what they don't like versus what they like.
No matter how you do it, communication will, more often than not, save you from a bad hair day.
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