By Andrew Finkelstein www.thebeautyresource.com

Once you get your customer flow moving with the right type of customers, you’ll want to do what it takes to keep them coming back.

What’s the best way to improve your retention? Learn how to get out of your own shoes and walk for a mile or two in your clients’ shoes.

Here are 9 ways to get that ball rolling.

1. Grade your salon/spa objectively on your customer service performance at least once a month. Also, ask your employees and clients to grade your business. If not all three agree, start digging as to why not.
2. Identify the one thing you’ve always felt was impossible to do, but if you could do it, you’d radically transform your salon/spa in your customers’ eyes.
3. Review your customer related policies from your customers’ point of view.
4. Play the devil’s advocate and list the 10 least satisfying things about your salon/spa from your customers’ point of view (POV).
5. Stand in your clients’ shoes and list 10 things you would love to discover about your salon/spa (even if they’re not in place today).
6. Determine if the standards and criteria you use for your service and products are the same as those your clients use.
7. Ask your employees for suggestions on ways to improve the value of the clients’ experience with you. (Read Martin Edelman’s book, “I-Power,” for a great system on suggestions.)
8. Ask your clients’ regularly about how you’re doing, if you’re meeting, exceeding, or falling short of their expectations.
9. Track all client feedback (both positive and negative). Look for common themes or threads so you can identify where you have to either create a new system or modify an existing one.