Fear of Conversation

February 08, 2023

I hate to think of any client feeling anxious about their time in the salon.

Rosie the Londoner (Professional Influencer) highlighted this issue on her last visit and set our whole team talking. Not about just the issue itself which we’re sensitive to, but the stream of responses on her IG site chiming in with those feelings. It was about the anxiety clients feel in ‘making conversation’ at the hairdressers.

This was a good wake-up for the younger team who are developing their relationship skills. Some experienced hairdressers are loudly extrovert, some are quiet. When the younger team are absorbing guidance it’s easy to be swayed by the noisiest in the room. 

But that’s generally a mistake. Some hairdressers are incredibly artful conversationalists but are in the minority. Too many cross the border to being annoying. Our team love their work and love their clients, so conversation will spring forth but hopefully naturally and sensitively to the clients’ space and mood on the day. 

Professional discourse

There are some things we need to know to give clients their best hair. Their hair history and hopes and dreams for it. How they look after their hair at home and what they’re prepared to do. This is impacted by individual lifestyle. A Prima Donna on the celebrity circuit being different to a mother with four kids under five at home. Where they’ve been on holiday is not part of that (except for sun and sea hair-protection) but falls into conversational. 

Conversational

Because we’re so fond of our clients we like to know more about them. Our years of close contact with a broad range of society means we can also be a font of knowledge and advice on various topics including the local lifestyle scene, but clients should feel free to tell us to shut up. We won’t be offended. 

Personally, I’ve always been seen as one of the quieter ones and hold no anxiety about not speaking gushingly? I’d hope that any conversation beyond professional flows freely without any awkwardness whatsoever.

The truth is, haircutting can be seen as something quite simple, indeed a one length Bob is simple to execute. But to exploit the opportunity of hair to the nth degree for a client is extremely complex. We carry a mental load of so many variables and coordinates in the air while we cut with surgical precision, and even after 44 years, I haven’t learnt to do this and simultaneously hold a deeply attentive and emotive conversation.

We want our clients to feel comfortable throughout their visits without any moments of anxiety or awkwardness, so feel free to tell us where we can tailor moments better for you.

 

Michael Van Clarke

 

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