Enhancing soft skills in the beauty industry

In the bustling world of beauty and salon services, where the shears and brushes are our artists’ tools, and the mirror reflects our craftsmanship, I’ve long recognized that our true differentiators are not just these tangible elements. It’s the people behind the counters, those offering services, and even those ensuring the operational smoothness of our environment who are the real flag bearers of the Salon brand.

My journey in this industry, spanning over two decades, has been a continuous learning curve, focusing on not just elevating our service standards but also enhancing the way our team interacts, understands, and connects with our clients.

Interaction with clients

At Looks Salon, we understand that our staff, from the reception to service delivery, maintenance, and hospitality, embody our brand’s values and ethos. Their interactions with our clients define the experiences we aim to deliver, making it imperative that they are not just competent in their technical skills but also masters of soft skills. The challenge, however, has been multifaceted – encompassing language barriers, training limitations, hygiene standards, etiquette, and the right attitude and behavior that resonate with our brand’s promise.

To navigate these challenges, we have committed ourselves to a comprehensive program focused on Customer Experience and Soft Skills Training. The journey hasn’t been without its hurdles. Language diversity, for example, posed a significant barrier in ensuring that our communication was both effective and inclusive. We tackled this by incorporating multilingual training programs, emphasizing not just on the ‘what’ of communication but the ‘how’, ensuring empathy, clarity, and warmth in every interaction.

Emphasis on soft skills

Training, another cornerstone of our approach, was redesigned to be continuous and iterative, recognizing that skill enhancement is not a one-time event but a journey. This included not just technical skills but a heavy emphasis on soft skills – the art of understanding, empathizing, and connecting with clients on a personal level. Hygiene, etiquette, and the right attitude and behavior followed suit, with rigorous standards and regular assessments to ensure that every team member not only meets but exceeds these benchmarks.

The role of Looks Salon in this transformative journey has been both as a facilitator and a motivator. We’ve created an environment that

encourages learning, growth, and personal development. By fostering a culture that values soft skills as much as technical expertise, we’ve seen a remarkable shift in how our services are delivered and perceived. The challenges we faced, from overcoming language barriers to instilling the right attitude and behavior, were significant, but they were also opportunities for us to refine and perfect our approach to delivering exceptional client experiences.

“At look salon, we understand that are staff, from the reception to service delivery, maintenance & hospitality, embody our brand’s values and ethos.”
Samir Srivastav
CEO, Looks Salon

Crafting training modules

Our association with Shaw Hotels & Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd., under the guidance of Pervin Ghani, Director and Head Trainer, has been instrumental in this journey. Having worked with Pervin and her team across various organizations, I’ve seen first-hand the transformative impact of their expertise in Skill Enhancement and Customer Experience Trainings. Their approach to crafting bespoke training modules, tailored to meet the unique needs of our industry and our brand, has been invaluable. Moreover, her leadership in running India’s leading Mystery Shopping Company has provided us with the tools to quantify and measure the effectiveness of our training programs, ensuring that our commitment to excellence in service delivery is not just a promise but a reality.

In conclusion, our journey at Looks Salon is a testament to the belief that at the heart of every service, especially in the beauty and salon industry, lies the power of human connection. It’s a skill as vital as any technical expertise, and our commitment to enhancing this through Customer Experience and Soft Skills Training, in collaboration with Shaw Hotels & Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd., reflects our dedication to not just meeting but exceeding our clients’ expectations. This journey, with its challenges and triumphs, underscores our mission to ensure that every person who walks into a Looks Salon leaves feeling valued, understood, and exceptionally cared for.

Words
Samir Srivastav
CEO, Looks Salon