The main reasons why a customer will leave a business and how to prevent it

Do you ever wonder what differentiates an average salon from a really successful one?

Have you ever compared your business to other similar businesses and wonder what it is that makes them so successful? Is there something they’re doing that you could be doing?

I know I do -- I’m obsessed with all things ‘success’ and ‘business.’ Put the 2 together and I’m in love! I love observing what others are doing and learning from them. 

Can you agree that running a business is not always easy and it can be nice to take our cue from someone else who seems to be doing pretty well for themselves?

Honestly, when it comes to running a business, any business, there can be times where it feels easier to just give up. And as a salon owner myself, I want you to know that the struggle is real sometimes and I get it.

But I have good news! After years of observing, and implementing in my businesses, and testing all the things that make a business super successful, I found the ONE thing that makes it all come together perfectly.

And the ‘thing’ that will melt all your business troubles away is this; customer care.

And not just any customer care, HIGH LEVEL CUSTOMER CARE!

In fact, according to MANY online resources there are 5 MAIN reasons why customers leave a business (and the main reason is the one you want to pay attention to):

1. 1% pass away
2. 3% move houses and location
3. 14% are lured by a competitor with cheaper pricing
4. 14% are turned away by a dislike of the product or service dissatisfaction AND
5. 68% leave because of poor attitude or indifference on the part of the service provider. They don’t feel cared for.

Sounds like if we all embraced HIGH LEVEL CUSTOMER CARE, we’d be retaining 68% MORE clients. That’s HUGE!

Basically, the more important and loved you make your client feel, the more they want to spend time with you and continue having their services done with you.

Let me help you understand it from the customer’s point of view...

Take a moment to think about yourself as a customer… Where do you love to shop? Where are you a repeat customer and why?

The reason I ask this is that the most common answer to these questions is that you as a person and customer feel valued, appreciated, special and CARED FOR. Like you matter to the people in these businesses.

Truth be told, there is a difference between customer service and HIGH LEVEL CUSTOMER CARE, and the difference will have your lash salon thriving for years to come!!

Yes, customer service is part of every business, but customer service can also be a little generic and fluffy. 

When you walk into a retailer and the girl behind the counter says, ‘good morning, how are you today?’ to everyone that walks in, does that make you feel special and cared for?

Probably not. You’re likely thinking she’s just doing her job. And she is. It’s in her job description… CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Now think about when you’ve walked into a retailer as a regular, and you’re greeted by name and asked about a specific event or situation you spoke about last time you were in? And then they tell you that something new came in and the first person they thought of was you!

How does THAT make you feel?

Pretty special and cared about right?

And this right here is the difference between customer service and HIGH LEVEL CUSTOMER CARE. 

When we appreciate our clients as individual human beings and not just another customer, they feel the difference.

When we take the time to get to know each client’s story and not just ask how they’re going, they feel special, important, and CARED FOR.

When we love our clients the same way we love our best friends, our clients become loyal to us and will go above and beyond to support our business in any way they can.

And that right there is the reason that any long standing and profitable service based business still exists, because the customer becomes the CARED ABOUT client, who then became the loyal, loving friend and client of the business owner. 

Here’s the truth, customer service is a job description and still needs to be part of every business - it’s kind of like common courtesy in business, right?

But if we truly want to take our lash salon to the NEXT level, high level customer care is the ‘thing’ that changes EVERYTHING in your business! 

Not to mention that it will give you peace of mind that you can stay in a profitable business for as long as you like… 

So next time your client comes in for their lash appointment, be sure to just stop for a moment and remember to make this time all about them.

Because how amazing does it feel when someone else takes a genuine interest in you? 

Pretty good right? THat’s because it is human psychology and human behaviour 101 that we all love to be considered important enough for someone to ask about us. 

So, ask. Ask your clients about their day, their family, their friends. Ask for their thoughts and opinions around different situations. Ask about their needs, wants and desires. 

Ask then about themselves with the intention of truly getting to know them better. 

And then… thank them for being such a valuable and special client in your business.

After all that, just watch those customer care fireworks explode!

Love, MariePierre xo