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Turning the Ordinary into the Extra-Ordinary!
By Julie Cross
We can become desensitised; I mean it happens to all of us. We do a job for a long period of time and then we suddenly have become routine and habitual with the way we work and it can happen without even realising it. This is why as leaders and managers we need to be constantly aware of the little things that may become the ordinary things, and ask ourselves the question regularly, “Are we as a team still doing the ordinary things, extraordinarily well?” Sometimes it gets to the point that we don’t even see it ourselves anymore which is why client surveys are important, mystery clients or inviting people like me to come in and look ‘into’ your business from the outside. So, what ‘ordinary things’ am I referring too... well I am sure you will soon see that they are in fact ‘extraordinary service moments’ that accidently got downgraded to ‘ordinary service moments’. And to go from ordinary to EXTRAordinary it really is just about that little bit ‘extra’, so it’s not hard to do, won’t take a whole lot of extra time or money, just a little bit of noticing, focussing, training and inspiration. Let’s first look at the front entrance, my first impression of your salon, your team and your talent. Ordinary or EXTRA-ordinary? So, your business, and that first impression I get as I walk past, glance in or walk through the door. Walk outside and have a look, a real look. How are the retail spaces looking? Full, clean and organised, are they communicating to me that you are seriously in the business of looking after me? Are they clean? Yes that dead fly that is lying back there has to go and I do not want to be wiping the dust off a product when I pick it up, or rummaging through a disorganised mess to get to what I want? Because if I have to do that it communicates something to me about whom you are and everything you do. And this is something as an 60
Beauty Biz Year 14 Issue 3
inspirational leader I would be communicating to your team, “If you can notice the rubbish on the floor at the front entrance and do not stop to pick it up, it is saying something about you” And it is not saying extraordinary! Every time a team member to clean, organise and dust, remind them why we do it, the vision around why we do, what we will get from how well she does it and the contribution to the team in doing it! Suddenly those shelves will be kept clean with a consistency and a passion like never before, so make sure you notice and give praise. And whoever you send to clean those shelves, make sure they have been giving training in how to handle client enquiry’s before you send them to the front. Are you certain that they have the ability to instantly connect with a client with the warmth and welcome that is fitting with your standards? Have you seen this demonstrated? If not, then they are not ready to be sent to clean shelves! They do not have a sign that they wear saying, “Hi, it is my first day, I have been sent up here to clean shelves, so for God’s sake don’t talk to me, because I don’t have a clue about anything else yet!” You need to know they can handle an enquiry confidently, even if just to indicate they will get somebody that can help them. They are a first impression of your team and your talent. Turning the ordinary into EXTRA-ordinary! So, how about the person standing at the desk waiting for their next client or a customer to walk in, they should be here soon, somebody should show up soon to be served… in the meantime as they glance towards the front door people are walking past and sometimes looking in. Are they catching the eye of the people
