Welcome to the Salon

Have you ever wandered into a shop - any shop - and been made to feel instantly uneasy by the staff members?

As much as we might not want to admit this, it has probably happened to many of us. There can be different reasons for this - the staff may give you a sad or pitying look, they may be rude or abrasive, they may even talk down to you as they serve you, as if they have already judged you in the few seconds you were waiting in the reception. Sadly, there are many salons where this still happens.

A tanning salon is a place of tranquility - a sanctuary if you will, a place to go to enjoy a ten minute holiday, where you can ignore the constant phone calls or Facebook notifications and grab some relaxation time. There is no normal for who may enjoy a sunbed. People from all walks of life can be spotted in tanning salons - and for many different reasons too, ranging from good old fashioned vanity to medical reasons.

We all have off days - it's part of being human, and we all have days where we can't keep that perma-smile on our faces, but overall, those working face to face with customers should be warm, friendly and welcoming. I have visited many salons over the years, of which the majority made me feel so welcome, almost as if I were part of the family - and this is all down to the staff members and their upbeat attitudes.
This was something I had trouble with while I was working in the salon, not because I am unfriendly and unapproachable, but because I unfortunately suffer from the dreaded "resting bitch face" and would sometimes look completely disinterested, which was far from accurate. I would always think back to certain salons I avoided due to the bad attitude of the staff, and would remind myself of how I felt upon entering.

Thankfully for me, I am a people person. I love talking to new people and finding out about their lives. A few thought I was just nosy and fishing for information, but the majority saw me for what I am - naturally curious and inquisitive. Because of this, I was able to interact with my customers on a more personal level. We would discuss a huge range of topics, from their little one's first day at school, to mourning the loss of a loved one.

Little did I realise, I had formed lasting bonds with many of these wonderful people. They supported our business by using our sunbeds and in return, the staff supported them - even if they didn't really know it at the time.

The message I'm trying to get across is, don't be afraid to be friendly. Your customers may not necessarily be people you would be friends with in every day life, but just like you, they are human! And what human doesn't want to feel welcome when they walk into a salon? Be it a hairdresser, nail salon or tanning studio, these are places we go to pamper ourselves and relax, not to be given dirty looks by those running the place. Being friendly and kind costs nothing, but reaps huge benefits - not just for your business, but personally too.