Should a beauty professional who provides services to the public have a friendship with their clients?
This is a conversation that I had a little while ago with two well-known beauty industry professionals. They both stated that a hairstylist shouldn’t develop a friendship with their clients and clients shouldn’t have their hairstylist personal cell phone number. I disagreed with them both!
When I owned my own salon and stood behind the chair on a daily basis, I did develop a friendship with “SOME” of my clients that went beyond my chair. It wasn’t intentional to develop a friendship, it just sort of happened. If you believe in a higher being then you would understand that people don’t cross paths by accident. There is always a reason for people meeting whether you are aware of the reason or not.
Understanding Your Roll
I understood that some of the women who sat in my chair didn’t have anyone to vent to. Or ask advice about something personal going on in their lives and they just needed someone to talk to. I understood that what they discussed with me shouldn’t go beyond my chair. As far as my clients getting comfortable thinking that our relationship outside of the chair having anything to do with what I charged them was never an issue for me. The clients that I became close to (and still close to this day) understood that I was running a business and they respected my business. Trust me my clients knew not to ask me for a discount and they also knew when I gave them one just because.
It’s totally up to the professional on how to handle client relationships. I’m glad that I was born with the gift of BSB (BullShit Blocker) which means if you want to get over on me you will have to bring your A game! In order to build long term business relationships you must first build trust as well as making the client feel relaxed when you are servicing them. Sometimes a relationship develops because not only are you giving words of advice, the client may inform you on things that you weren’t aware of. A conversation could turn into a full therapy session for both of you!
Just Let Go And Live
Things happen in life all the time and I had to learn to just let things happen. If a friendship develops with a client just go with it because it could possibly be the best thing that could happen in your life! Being a robot behind the chair isn’t cool but if it works for you then continue on that way but don’t try to tell other hairstylist not to befriend their client because to each it’s own.
Please share your opinion on this topic!
You must be logged in to post a comment.