Be your BEST at the Front Desk- Greet with GREATNESS!

MASTER the 4-Step Check In at the Front Desk and learn how to out perform your competition with the Front Desk Script Guide!

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*Podcast available below*

By, Kristi Valenzuela

Today we are going to focus on how to be your best at the front desk by learning how to:
GREET YOUR GUEST WITH GREATNESS!

This is actually part of our 4-Step Check In that we talk about with Summit Salon Business Center.

If you’ve been to any of our workshops- you’ve seen this before!

You can see that the 4-step check in is:

1. Welcome the guest
2. Offer Retail Specials
   • Let the guest know what specials you are offering at that time! Point our your sales and current deals.
3. Offer Additional Services
   • If you know that there is time for them to get a blowdry or receive a manicure in the spa area then go ahead and make those recommendations.
4. Browse
   • Instead of telling them to “take a seat,” it is better to encourage them to “shop around.”

I want to really give us some effort inside of Step #1 – The Welcome!

Why is this so important?
We can all agree that that check-in process is one of those first steps that we get the chance to make it or break it inside of our first impression. And we need to step it up inside of our salon industry.

We need to WELCOME WITH PURPOSE AND ON PURPOSE.

We want this Welcome to be BIGGER and BETTER than your competition.

How? It needs to sound different!

You need to OUTSHINE and OUTPLAY your competition – because it’s a game of survivor out there!

N – New

B – Better

B – Bigger

D – Different

Our competition is very lackluster inside of greeting salon guests. Many salons simply have their front desk look up and say, “Hi, who are you here to see today? Great! Have a seat.” Now, we call that the 2-step check in and that is NOT what we teach at Summit Salon Business Center. We give you more scripting behind the check-in.

With the welcome there are TWO different kinds of people you’re going to be welcoming. The REPEAT client and the NEW client. The greeting is going to sound slightly different depending on who it is.

GREET WITH GREATNESS AT THE FRONT DESK

Flash a nice big authentic smile and make eye contact. Look like you REALLY enjoy where you are working!
Even if you’re on the phone making an appointment– be sure that as soon as you hear the door open you look up and give them a smile, eye contact and a nod. If you don’t do this, then people perceive that you’re being rude or that they’re being ignored.

Repeat Guest Script Guide

• Please don’t say:
  • “Hi, who are you here to see?”

• Good:
  • “Welcome back to Salon XYZ! It is great to see you again!”

• Better:
  • If you know their name, say their name. EVERYONE loves to hear their own name:
  • “Welcome back Jessica to Salon XYZ! It is great to see you again!”

• Best:
  • Add in details about their appointment and excitement!
  • If you don’t know who they are seeing for their appointment because they see multiple people:
    • “Who are you seeing today?” (She is seeing Sam.) Reply with: “Okay, great! I know Sam is looking forward to seeing you today.” or “Sam is excited about your haircut and color today!“

• Greeting with Greatness:
  • “Welcome back Jessica to Salon XYZ! It is great to see you again and I know that Sam is looking forward to your haircut and color today!”

New Guest Script Guide

The great things about the front desk is that you have a giant CHEAT SHEET right in front of you. It’s the appointment book! Some of you use computer programs while others are using paper books- both are okay! You have the ability to ANTICIPATE a new guests arrival!

Let’s say that Mary is a new guest who is scheduled at 10am with Sam. All you need to be doing is looking out around 10am for a new face. When that one face comes in that you do not recognize and they look like they don’t know where they’re going- THEN WE ARE GOING TO GUESS that that is MARY!

• Please don’t say:
  • “Hi, who are you here to see?”

• Greeting with Greatness:
  • “You must be Mary! We are so excited to see you at Salon XYZ. We know you have a lot of salon choices in town and we are so happy you chose us!”
  • Now, I know some of you are freaking out because– WHAT IF IT’S NOT MARY?! Let’s say they’re not Mary, and they say: “No, my name is Kristi, I’m actually just here to look for some hairspray!” Then you say, “Oh my gosh Kristi, I’m so happy to meet you today! I thought you might be our brand new guest that was coming in for cut and color for the first time. We are really excited to meet her!”Is it a miss? Yes – but IT’S A GOOD MISS! Now you’ve won in the eyes of another guest as well!

I can GUARANTEE you that THAT is greeting with greatness and that that is NEW BETTER BIGGER DIFFERENT than any greeting she has ever had at any other salon!

Think about this! This is a guest that has only been in your salon for a few minutes and you have already SLAM DUNKED the greeting!

Step out of your comfort zone and SHOW UP!
Let’s get better at outshining the competition.
Salon guests that are coming in expect a wonderful service, not just with their hair, skin and nails but from YOU! The customer service expert!!

To watch this series LIVE, visit @SummitFrontDeskDivision on Facebook!
To view the replays, Subscribe to  Summit Salon Business Center’s Youtube Channel!

Top Comments

“I recently participated in the front desk webinar. Which made me break free from my sister as my front desk coordinator. We all had become too relaxed and I was tired of losing money from my front desk profit center. Thank you for this. I have purchased the front desk planner and I have signed my salon up for a front desk class that’s coming up. This information is great.” – Tasheika Cole

What do you think? How do you stand apart from your competition with your front desk?

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