How to Communicate with Your Guest on their Hair Care Needs

As a professional hairstylist, before each haircut service, you will need to communicate with your Guest on their hair care needs and the hair service requested.  Listening and reinforcing your understanding of what your Guest wants is the most important element of effective communication. During the consultation, ask open-ended questions to draw out all of the necessary information you will need to make suggestions and decisions for a great service result.  Your questions  also give you the time to evaluate your Guest’s lifestyle, facial features and body proportions as you begin to conceptualize and visualize the optimal cut for your Guest. Here are some examples of questions to ask during your consultation with your client:

What do you expect from your visit today? A trim, new look or just maintenance?

This question will set your Guest’s expectations for the visit. It will immediately let you know where your additional questions should be focused.

If you could change anything about your hair, what would it be?

This question is designed to get your Guest to drop any preconceived ideas about what can or cannot be achieved with their hair. Often, Guests believe they are limited in their options due to past experiences or conversations.

On a daily basis, how much time do you spend maintaining your hairstyle?

Match the time your Guest is willing to spend to the haircut maintenance requirements.

Which of these tools do you use at home?

This question is designed to give you an accurate impression of both the willingness and ability of your Guest to use different types of styling tools – brush, blowdryer, curling iron, flat iron, hot rollers, Velcro rollers, etc. If you know certain tools will be required in the upkeep of a style, make sure your Guest has these tools before moving forward with a style that they won’t be able to maintain.

What products are you currently using, if any?

This question will give you the opportunity to make suggestions for professional hair care and styling products that will help you Guest maintain their desired style.

Are you willing to shampoo and style your hair on a daily basis, if you’re your new style requires it?

This question is important to determine if a higher maintenance style is an option. Often your Guest may not mind working with their hair on occasion, but may not expect to do so on a daily basis.

Do you like your hair to look groomed, loosely styled or messy?

If your Guest wants their hair to look neat, don’t go too crazy on layering; they usually prefer a smoother finish than layers will allow. For those who opt for a loosely styled or messy look, a much layered, tousled effect will appeal to them. Be sure to discuss with your Guest what styling products will be needed to achieve the look at home.

Do you need your hair to look versatile?

Is your Guest looking for one style with one haircut or three styling options within one cut? Discuss what your Guest’s requirements are for their job, as well as their hobbies and evening needs. If they require multiple styling options, consider layers and the length of the final style.

What do you currently like about your hairstyle?

Most people don’t initially tell you what they like about their current style. You may need to ask them to pinpoint the area they do like (length, bangs, maintenance). Why change the things they like? Focus change on the things they don’t like.

What don’t you like about your hairstyle?

Solve the problem(s) they don’t like, such as condition of the hair, lack of shine, etc. Their problem may not be a haircut issue, but rather, a styling issue. So you may be able to recommend products or treatments to help. Often people will say they don’t like their haircolor, so that is a perfect opportunity to recommend a haircolor service.

How long do you expect your haircut to last?

If they expect it to last for 4 to 6 weeks, you can use razoring, texturizing and unstructured cutting methods. Anything between 6 to 9 weeks will need a stronger structure within the haircut. If your Guest states that they expect a cut to last 10 weeks and above, you should be directing them towards one-length hairstyles, which grow out gracefully.

What challenges, if any, do you have styling your hair?

This question will bring out your Guest’s problematic area. It should also lead you into a conversation of possible solutions with products, tools, or possible texture needs (perms / relaxers / straighteners).

Do you have any upcoming special events?

This question will alert you to future desires or special occasions (weddings or formal events) that may require a specific hair length. This question will help to ensure that the service you perform today won’t inhibit your Guest’s future needs.

Once you designed a haircut and styling plan, discuss any other additional service suggestions you may have for your Guest to create a more complete vision. This blog contains a brief example of the communication techniques we teach our students.

Have you been considering a career in beauty, or perhaps taking your hair styling skills to the next level? At Empire, we strive to make sure our students get the best training they can get.  Empire Beauty School offers several Beauty Programs, including our Cosmetology Program which will train you in all sorts of hair styling expertise, including coloring, cutting, texturing, and more. Schedule a tour today and meet with a Career Planning Specialist to see if Empire is the perfect fit for you. Visit us at http://www.empire.edu or call 1-800-964-3635.