By Torrey Loomis, Creative Director at Hattori Hanzo Shears
How many times have you gotten that queasy feeling during the middle of a service and thought "...I really should have asked more questions during the consultation." We all have!
But it's not something you need to suffer with throughout your whole career. Sometimes, half the battle of walking into a session with the utmost confidence is simply knowing that you and the client are on the same page. You can learn to effectively manage customer expectations by zeroing in on what they want before starting cutting. And the key to that is a razor-sharp consultation.
Hattori Hanzo Shears National Educator Cole Thompson goes over the critical importance of consultation in this short video. "A consultation is the most important part of the appointment because it is how you ensure everything will be ok," he says. In the video below, watch as Thompson proceeds to execute the vision discussed in the consultation confidently. The result is both a sharp look that is exactly what the client requested and a delighted customer.
Throughout the video, you'll see how Thompson gathers enough information—as well as the correct information—to know the right techniques to use for this particular client. Repeated consistently, you'll be able to achieve that same level of confidence in each of your cuts, knowing that you walked through the process with your client beforehand.
To get more education like this, head to IBS Las Vegas on June 20 and 21, where Thompson will be teaching a must-attend Precision Cutting course.
ABOUT COLE THOMPSON
International creative director and founder of Elevation H, Cole Thompson is originally from Manchester, England, and has been active in the hair industry since 2000. Cole started his career in independent salons around the Manchester area before beginning work for Vidal Sassoon in 2003, where he quickly became one of Vidal Sassoon’s youngest “Creative Directors.” During his 12 years at Vidal Sassoon, Cole gained tremendous respect in the industry while working closely with many schools in their “School Connection” program. He has traveled the world to educate professionals at all levels on haircutting techniques in both seminar and classroom settings. He also became an expert consultant. He developed programs to help clients grow and improve school curriculums, business and salon management and structure, client growth, assistant training programs, and more. Cole has also worked on developing collections, has directed and run photoshoots, and has even appeared in a Vidal Sassoon TV commercial as a “Salon Genius.” Cole left Vidal Sassoon in 2015 to continue spreading his expansive knowledge to hair professionals of all levels all around the world, this time through Elevation H, THE ART, TECHNIQUE, AND BUSINESS OF HAIR. Cole’s passion for educating is evident in his work, as he continues to help others strive for excellence in all areas of the industry.