5 Ways to Show Nail Clients That Safety Is Your Priority
January 20 • Nails • By Anna Bralley, Nail Tech and Licensed Esthetician
Who would’ve thought that sanitation would be a such a highly effective marketing tool? Prior to the pandemic, sanitation measures were “behind-the-scenes” housekeeping tasks. Vital as they were, they weren’t an advertising priority. Today, things are different.
One of the many psychological impacts that COVID-19 has caused is anxiety about cleanliness. While heightened awareness about sanitary surroundings varies per individual, achieving the perception that your services are safe is imperative. It’s a key differentiator. The best way to do it is by “show and tell,” but not in a way that disrupts your service flow.
To reassure clients that you’re following stringent precautionary standards, there are five impactful things you can do. The best part is that they can all be done without huge investments of time. So, let’s review them, starting with first impressions: the front door.
1. Safeguard your entrance.
- Ask your clients to wash their hands, or use readily available hand sanitizer, upon arrival.
- Either eliminate waiting areas or remove magazines and other items that are often handled by others.
- Ensure that only scheduled clients are entering your salon and are not accompanied by friends or family members.
2. Show clients that you’re going the extra mile.
- Constantly wipe surfaces between clients.
- Remove implements from disposable sterilization pouches.
- Break disposables after use and throw them away in front of clients.
3. Space out your stations or install barrier protection.
- If square footage allows it, consider adding space between stations.
- If eliminating your waiting area, think about moving stations into this space to repurpose it.
- If square footage constraints prohibit spacing out stations, adopt salon specific barrier protection to give clients peace of mind
4. Relax your cancellation policy.
- If your cancellation policies are strict and require clients to choose between coming in while sick or losing their money, you’re motivating at-risk people to enter your salon. Customers will notice that and will be less likely to view your studio as a safe place for them.
5. Display signage and offer safety essentials to communicate your precautions.
- Place a Sanitation Station at the entrance, making disposable masks, wipes, or hand sanitizer readily available to clients.
- Disclose your sanitation protocols by posting them in a prominent place.
- If you’ve taken a disinfection course, showcase your completion by hanging framed certificates in your reception area.
By demonstrating your commitment to stringent sanitation standards, you’ll reassure clients while helping to keep everyone safe. Additionally, though it isn’t something your clients will witness, I highly recommend using a pulse oximeter to gauge staff wellness. This handy tool monitors oxygen saturation to detect respiratory problems before symptoms occur. If you notice any abnormalities from baseline readings, you can send pre-symptomatic staff home before they interact with anyone.
As always, your team at UCo is here to support you with an extensive collection of safety and sanitation essentials, all specially curated for spas and salons.
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