5 Customer Service Tips to Retain Your Skin Care Clients

As the owner of Skin Santa Monica, along with a feature in Allure magazine's prestigious facialist directory, esthetician to the stars Sara Turbeville knows a thing or two about performing a 5-star facial. Here, she provides 5 must-have customer service tips to keep clients coming back for more.

1. Abandon cookie-cutter facial formulas and customize every facial, every time. Allow a certain amount of time for a treatment, then "cross-train" your client's skin. Doing different exfoliation and hydration modalities increases benefits to skin, plus keeps your client interested in coming in regularly to see what you've got next up your sleeve. My current favorite exfoliating product is Le Mieux Exfoliating Cleansing Gel. It smells great, exfoliates lightly with enzymes, and it comes at a terrific price point for retail. Offer is at a combo purchase with Le Mieux Skin Clarifying Pads for the perfect finish.
Your payback: A client who knows you're treating her unique needs every single visit.

2. Listen, listen, listen. Too many estheticians talk throughout a facial, and while you may know and adore your client (and she, you) let the client lead with her energy. If she's quiet, you be quiet. If she's chatty Cathy, talk a bit, but let the focus be on her. Don't complain about personal goings-on, keep that for a cocktail after work! This shows professionalism and respect for the time and money she's investing in you, her skin care provider.

3. If you're running a bit late, show your client you respect her time by adding a freebie, non-time-consuming treatment at no charge. She'll be thrilled, will know you appreciate her business, and she'll get to try another service she may never ordinarily would treat herself to...and may decide to get more of in the future! This could be a complementary chest or hand peel while she's steaming, or a pricier mask or ampoule at the end.

4. Create custom samples. Even if your favorite vendor doesn't provide samples, keep plain sample jars in stock and hand each client one or two special samples you've made just for her. One of them may become her new "can't live without" formula. And besides, who doesn't just love getting samples? This alone helps retain budget-conscious facial lovers.

5. Throw your client “off balance” by occasionally suggesting one of your lower-priced treatments you think would be beneficial. She may be shocked, but she'll know you're not treating her with your most expensive treatments every time just for the money and that you genuinely have her month-to-month complexion concerns in mind. This is what builds TRUST, which turns into one very loyal (and lucrative) client.

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