The past couple of years have been a worrying time for vulnerable clients – and many are even more anxious now. How can you address their concerns?
Rules on self-isolation and on mask wearing are rapidly being liberalised across the four nations (see Resources). But some clients can still find it unsettling to walk into a salon or barbershop and be the only ones wearing a mask, regardless of what the law now says.
Covid-19 hasn’t gone away (infection rates in England in April 2022 were at their highest since May 2020) and there are still a significant number of people who are extremely anxious about going back to the salon – or going anywhere. So what do you need to be aware of?
Anxiety and vulnerability
Esther Dawson, owner of Elegant Nails by Esther in Warrington, has a rare health condition that means she’s extremely vulnerable. ‘I understand that restrictions have to be lifted, but it’s a very anxious time for me now,’ she says. ‘I wanted to make a salon appointment for myself recently, and they let me come in at a time when it was quiet.
But I’m now more anxious because people may be working with Covid-19.’
And people who are not vulnerable may be worried too. ‘We’ve got good evidence that levels of anxiety in general rose at the time of the first lockdown, and they continued to rise during the others. People feel anxious about Covid-19 for all kinds of reasons,’
points out Mike Crawford, professor in mental health research in the Centre for Psychiatry at Imperial College London. ‘In our research, we found some people becoming so anxious about catching the virus that they started withdrawing from society, going far beyond government advice.’
Identifying and helping nervous clients
How exactly can hair, beauty salons and barbershops reassure nervous clients, make them feel comfortable and ensure business is not lost?
Firstly, by paying attention to their fears, says Mike. ‘You may find they have very good reasons. If I see someone wearing a mask, my first reaction is “Do they have a health condition that means they have to wear one?” It’s about respect. You can make a choice about how to react, and give people the courtesy they need.’
Of course, not everyone may tell you upfront that they’re worried, so Danielle Jeffery of Blitzkrieg Chop in Worthing suggests being proactive about it. ‘A lot of salons don’t use messaging and social media as much as they could,’ she says. ‘We now take appointments online, and that means clients often take the opportunity to be a bit more open and honest in their message than they would if they were just ringing up.’
In the salon
Once they commit to a treatment, most concerned clients have a pretty good idea of their needs. ‘[As a client] if I want a beauty treatment, I look for a salon that isn’t full of people, and my first priority is that they’re wearing a mask,’ says Esther. Additionally, Esther stresses the importance of reassuring clients that salons are keeping to impeccable hygiene standards. Most vulnerable or concerned clients will also want to come in at a quieter time, and for masks to be worn. Some salons, like Blitzkrieg Chop, still mask up as a matter of course. ‘We do get quite a lot of people who have all kinds of anxieties, so we’re used to meeting their needs – for instance, cutting their hair in a private space,’ Danielle explains. ‘It’s about dealing with what they are comfortable with, rather than our version of what makes us comfortable.’
Just being there
When salons go above and beyond, there’s absolutely no doubt that their efforts are appreciated. ‘Earlier this year, I went to a beauty salon where the therapist asked me what would make me feel safe,’ Esther says. ‘She’d been vaccinated but she also did a Covid test. And then when I was due back, she shifted my appointment because she had been ill, even though she was no longer testing positive. She didn’t have to do that. And that is what you need, as a clinically vulnerable person: your needs taken into consideration.’
Finally, don’t underestimate the value of having a treatment to people who’ve been even more isolated than the rest of us. ‘For some people, this is going to be an important step back into normal life. And by showing them respect, you’re helping them get over their fears,’ Mike concludes.
GROUPS AT RISK WHO’S VULNERABLE?
Some people in this category are more obvious: people who’ve had organ transplants, or conditions that affect their immune systems (who in particular may have additional safety steps to consider) or hearts. But the category also includes people with a very high BMI, and people with diabetes. There’s also the age factor: older people are more likely to become more ill (and many older people have another condition too). Remember, clients with vulnerable relatives may be more cautious.
TOP TIPS: FIVE WAYS TO HELP YOUR CLIENTS
- Make time to truly listen to your client
- Give them the opportunity to tell you what they need
- Reassure them that you’re listening
- Make sure they have the space around them that they need
- Take action to show them you’re doing what you can.
BE KIND
Sue Steward, head of client and commissioning at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, has produced guidance on working with vulnerable consumers.
Why the guidance was needed: ‘We’re concerned about how things have changed so dramatically, and that businesses need to recognise that a lot of people who weren’t previously “vulnerable” have been sitting at home with any support for the past couple of years.’
The impact: ‘That’s affected them physically as well as mentally. We’re no longer just thinking about people with a learning disability or a recognisable physical impairment, because newly vulnerable people have entered the mix. They don’t quite feel themselves at the moment, they don’t feel comfortable, and that’ll have an impact on their decision-making.’
Sue’s advice is, above all:
- To take time, be kind, and be open-minded about the impact that the lockdown and pandemic have had.
- Show that you’ve got empathy for their situation and take the time to understand what their needs are.
RESOURCES
- Find the latest guidance from the four UK governments.
- Recognising client vulnerability in your salon or barbershop blog.