More and more people are sharing their opinions online, unsolicited and solicited. Since these opinions can be decisive for bookings in your salon, how do you deal with reviews and how do you make sure you keep getting positive ones?

In most cases, clients only leave a review if they have either an extremely positive or extremely negative experience. The majority of your customers - who are simply satisfied - are less likely to leave a review. But, you can always ask your customers to leave a review, especially if they are 'just' satisfied and belong to the target group that is not so quick to leave a review! Knowing that it takes a bit of effort for them to look you up online and write a review, make it as easy as possible for them. Try placing a QR code near the desk that your beauty can scan after a treatment. 

If you do receive a positive review on Facebook, Google or another medium, always respond to it! Your client has taken the time to leave the review, so it's always nice to acknowledge that and thank them. For positive reviews, you can respond that you're glad to hear it, in the same style that you respond to emails and Instagram reactions.

Can you ask customers to remove a review?

Sometimes you receive a negative review from a customer that you didn't see coming. Just breathe and remember that for some people, it's easier to say what you think online than in person. So asking customers to remove a review is a little different than asking customers to write a review, as every experience is simply one that you should respect. Even if you think someone is just whining because what seemed like just one hair too many was removed, remember, this customer is obviously upset! If you receive a nasty Google or Facebook review, still express your appreciation for the effort and let them know that you will contact them to find a solution. Try calling this customer and invite her to come back at your expense. As a negative review damages your reputation and ultimately costs you money, it's important to spend time with an unsatisfied customer! With a bit of luck, your customer's experience will change from a negative to a positive after you contact them, and they'll remove the negative review themselves.

Catch it before it's online

Of course, the best case is to catch negative experiences before they even have the chance to come online. After a treatment, always take your client to a large mirror to see the result and ask if she is happy with it. Send an automatic email to thank your client for the visit and to ask them to rate the treatment. There are special booking systems that provide this, like Salonized, which has the advantage that this review is only visible to you unless you choose to make it public on your website. This can be especially convenient to ensure that a negative client can express his or her frustration directly after the treatment and you get the chance to find a solution together before she takes to social media.

Be aware of fake reviews

Of course we always assume the best of people, but it could happen that you receive a fake review from competitors who want to keep potential customers away from you. Do you think you might be dealing with a fake review? Leave a comment yourself in which you make it known that you are not familiar with this person and ask him or her to contact you to clarify any misunderstandings, or you can also just report the review as inappropriate. Here's to a mountain of great reviews!

Get a 15% discount for your review now!

Was this blog useful for you? We hope so! On that note, we would love it if you would leave a review on Facebook or Google (google "Mrs.Highbrow"), because we also strive for a 5 star rating ;). As a thank you, you will receive a 15% discount for your next purchase in our online shop! Simply mail a screenshot of your review to hello@mrshighbrow so we can send you a discount code.