The power of moments…
Why do certain fleeting moments and experiences have a lasting effect on us? And from a business point of view how can we develop ‘moments’ in our salons that will have a positive effect on our clients and our team?
Last month I visited cafe chain ‘Pret a Manger’ and picked up a juice from the display cabinet. When I went to pay for it the server said “That ones on me!”
Wow! I have never had that before, but apparently instead of having the traditional loyalty card to reward clients, what the management at ‘Pret a Manger’ have done is give each server what is essentially a budget that they can use to reward clients at their own discretion.
Now, that has a cost to the company for sure. But think about the upside! Think about the loyalty that that small act creates with their clients, think about the feeling that it gives the employees being able to reward customers spontaneously and the ecstatic responses that that would undoubtedly get from surprised customers.
But, that costs money!
But creating small spontaneous moments of fun or service doesn’t always have to be at a cost, for example, this morning I was on a train on my way to the airport and I went to the dining car for a coffee. This was at 6.30 in the morning and in my experience railway cafeteria staff are not usually renown for light hearted fun or great customer service especially at that time of the day.
But after he gave me my coffee and was taking my money he said “Would you like a momento of our time together kind sir?” Maybe That doesn’t translate to the written word so well but said in a fun Shakespearian voice he was asking if I needed a receipt and made a very mundane experience a moment that bought a smile to my face.
Creating moments…
When I had my salons, I would send a card signed by all the team to new employees welcoming them to the team before they started. It was a small gesture that meant a huge amount, but cost very little.
People used to ask me why I did that, and I answered “Because no one else does” That’s what make moments special, they’re unique special moments that no one else does.
Some moments need to be spontaneous where you are relying on the individual team members to do some small act of kindness, service or just create a moment of fun that creates a memorable experience for the client.
Other ‘moments’ like the ‘Pret A Manger’ experience can be planned as part of the ‘service systems’ that you train your team to deliver as part of your Branded service experience.
So what can you instigate in your salon to create special moments for your team and clients?
