WRITTEN IN THE STARS

Zamaine Ismail, Managing Director at West and Hunter, shares five ways to get five star reviews for your salon

With most clients now searching for salons virtually, online reviews have never been more important; in fact, according to a statistic from software company Podium (2021), nine out of ten consumers say that reviews play a role in discovering local businesses. Expanding on the value of online reviews, Zamaine Ismail, Managing Director at Chiswick grooming club West and Hunter, explains: “Since launching, we’ve found that online reviews give the public assurance that our salon is respectable and reliable. We’ve also found that positive reviews can also boost your salon's visibility in search engine results, which obviously expands your salons potential reach.”

ZAMAINE’S SECRETS TO FIVE STAR REVIEWS 

1 Create a Good Atmosphere

Zamaine explains that many of his business’ positive reviews mention the overall atmosphere of the salon, touching on details such as ambience and music. These could be great starting points if you’re looking for quick and cheap areas to improve within your salon to help boost your reviews.

2 Remember Why They’re There 

While creating an enjoyable experience for your customers is certainly a great way to help achieve positive online reviews for your salon, the most important factor has to be the service they booked in for, whether this is a cut, colour, styling or treatment. On the other hand, the worst reviews can also be the ones which express unfulfilled expectations and unexpected outcomes, so ensuring you communicate clearly with your clients is essential. Conducting client consultations is a great way to establish a clear communication with clients, new or old.

3 Stay Vigilant

Unfortunately, there may be occasions where your salon receives negative online reviews, and while some of these may be justified, this isn’t always the case. Zamaine tells us: “There is a risk that clients, competitors or the general public may leave false reviews, and because of this it is important to monitor your salon's online reviews regularly.”

4 Be Vocal

A key aspect of monitoring your online reviews, and your online presence in general, includes responding to customers. Whether positive or negative, responding to comments shows that your business values its clients and appreciates the time they have taken to share feedback. Zamaine explains: “When responding to reviews, it's important to be respectful of the client's perspective, even if you disagree with their feedback. A well-crafted response can demonstrate your business’ commitment to client satisfaction and could potentially attract new clients who appreciate the salon's dedication to customer service.”

5 Make the Process Simple

Clients are more likely to leave a review if they can easily find the review platform and navigate the review process. “After a new client has visited the salon, we send a personalised follow-up email or text message thanking them for their business and asking them to leave a review and tell us about their experience,” explains Zamaine. “We include URLs or links to make it easy for them.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zamaine Ismail is the Managing Director at Chiswick grooming club West and Hunter. Prior to this role, Zamaine has filled the roles of Head Barber and Master Barber in various central London barbershops.