The words PROFESSIONAL and PERSONAL seem to juxtapose each other. However, there is no professional relationship so personal, than the relationship between a hair professional and their client with hair loss. We see them as no one else does. In many cases, some of their wives or husbands have never seen them without their hair. This can be especially true of clients with alopecia. I have worked in my field for many years. I have clients still coming to me that I first encountered in the mid 1970’s. What began as a professional relationship with a single man has become a true friendship with a grandparent.
This doesn’t happen by accident. Listening to your client’s needs before you work on them is mandatory and wise. I encourage my stylists to interact with their clientele. They start by asking questions. Before we start working with someone, I want to know WHY they are here. It’s not just physical loss of their hair, but how hair loss has affected them.
Communication is EVERYTHING. We want to know what is expected and we need to be totally honest about their expectations. We do not have sales people. Therefore, we alone deal with the problems. We consult with each other, stylist to stylist, and we always include our ventilator, since she worked many years making hair systems. The buck stops here. I have, more than once, remade a system, not at the request of the client but because I was unhappy with the end result. The client had not complained but I didn’t feel comfortable with their look. They are somewhat astonished at this, but my staff and I take our work very seriously. IT IS OUR ART!
When you go for a consultation, wherever you go, make sure YOU feel comfortable. There are many reputable companies to engage with. Don’t feel pressured. Bring in pictures. Write down your questions. Ask to talk to a few of their clients, ask to be told realistically what to expect. You will know immediately if this is the place for you. Look around and remember this is a place you will go to once a month, hopefully for many, many years.