Understanding the Difference Between Retention and Rebooking

An improvement by 2% in the number of clients that you retain, is equal to a 10% decrease in costs.

I read something recently that I wanted to share. It said that an improvement by 2% in the number of clients that you retain, is equal to a 10% decrease in costs. Everyone knows how difficult it is to cut costs. Doesn’t it make sense to put effort in every day to ensure every client who comes into your salon comes back?

As a salon owner, think about how much effort and focus you put into the retention of your clients.

• Do you talk to your team on a regular basis about the value of retention?
• Do you address with a team member when you see something that is not ‘client winning’? If not why not?
• Do you have a good loyalty programme that says “thank you” to your regular clients?
• Do you have promotions that regular clients can see value in?
• Is every visit to your salon a great experience?
• Do your clients leave your salon with a reason to return?
• Do you look at your salon retention report?
• Do you look at and discuss with each person their individual retention report?
• Do you have in place clear goals for retention?

It should be understood that rebooking is a service that you offer your clients in order to have them return to you when they are due; not when they “get around to it”. Rebooking and retention are not the same. They link together but you need to manage both separately and with separate focus. When no rebooking is offered and clients stretch a 6 week appointment to 8 weeks, you need 30% more clients to keep your appointment book full.

5 tips for rebooking

1. Plan the next visit during the service or treatment and give the client reasons to return.
2. Offer this service to every client. Don’t pick and choose.
3. Don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ for services. Make sure the service is personal, and based on the client’s needs.
4. Be sure to have a good appointment confirmation service like automated SMS messages to ensure you manage ‘no shows’.
5. Have clear goals for rebooking.

Never allow a returning client to get bored with you. The single biggest reason that clients leave a salon is not because of bad hair or beauty treatment, it’s because of indifference and poor service. This is easy to spot. It’s simply failing to care…and you should never stop caring about your clients.