Job Description : Someone able to do 20 things at once with a sincere smile; must have excellent organizational skills and be able to coordinate the activities of a large and busy salon/spa staff and a thousand client appointments monthly; must possess excellent secretarial skills including record keeping; must be able to be trusted absolutely to handle cash transactions honestly and accurately - and much, much, more.
This only begins to describe the duties of a salon receptionist. No salon or spa can or should do without someone at the front desk to coordinate the many activities of the salon and to make sure that clients are properly serviced and satisfied. If your salon has a receptionist, is this position being utilized to its fullest potential? Among the duties of a professional, trained receptionist are:
Telephone communications.
This is an obvious duty but an extremely important one. No matter how busy and
hectic the front desk is, the receptionist must always answer the phone in a
calm, congenial manner.
Scheduling. The
receptionist should be aware of booking-service time standards and schedule
clients to maximize salon traffic without sacrificing quality service.
Client relations. The
receptionist is a clients first and last contact with the salon/spa. Both in
greeting the salon/spa client and in saying goodbye, the receptionist must make
an excellent and lasting impression.
Client recordkeeping. This
includes making sure operators enter all services in client files plus keeping
systems neat, organized, and functional. The receptionist is also responsible
for having clients complete questionnaires, surveys, etc.
Handling cash. All the
business money goes through the hands of the receptionist. This is what will
pay the salon's bills and the staff's salaries. The receptionist must be
extremely good at handling money, making change, counting out the cash drawer,
etc., and must take these responsibilities seriously.
Retail product displays. The
receptionist must have basic product knowledge with which to assist clients and
must keep the retail displays in good order and well-stocked. QUALIFICATIONS As you can
see from the list, a good receptionist is much more than someone who merely
"receives clients." Though experience in the beauty industry is not necessary,
the right person must be interested in the salon and spa business
and able to learn quickly about it. Basic business skills are a must. If
business skills are lacking, a receptionist should consider taking an evening
course to improve them. The receptionist must have a perfectly-balanced
personality - friendly, yet firm with the staff and with the clients . The
receptionist is usually not a manager and must never be bossy, but must be able
to handle salon/spa problems and command the respect and cooperation of the
salon/spa staff. It is a big order to fill, but the success and smooth operation of the salon/spa
business hinges on the receptionist's ability to fulfill the role. The entire
salon staff should assess how well the salon is utilizing the front desk
position.
How many rings are acceptable?
How do we greet clients over the phone?
Is there a "smile" in our voice?
What image do we project?
Is there an appropriate way to place clients on hold?
Are we upselling our services?
Do we close the call appropriately?
Scheduling:
How well do we know the salon hours/staffing requirements?
How easy is it to accommodate new clients?
What is the best way to service our most valued clients?
How do we handle cancellations and no shows?
The biggest challenges in booking appointments at our locations is......,
Client relations:
My best customer service skills include..,
I could use some improvement on....,
How do we greet clients as they arrive?
Just how far do we take "customer service"?
Who does our clientele consist of?
Record Keeping:
How organized/functional is our front desk, lobby, SMS system?
What can I do when I get back from CAMP MIKAL?
Cash Handling:
How efficiently do I run Point of Sale?
How can I help build sales?
How accountable am I?
What can I do for better tracking?
Five Top Five Reasons Clients Don't Return
Shop Cleanliness
Rudeness Receptionist
Had to WAIT for their appointment
Operator didn't care about their needs
Sticker shock
Want to SUPERCHARGE your front desk? Call MIKAL
for a free PRECEPTIONIST BOOK! 800-448-5420