For the last six months I have asked my hairdresser to make me blonde. Nothing drastic, just some highlights to put a little glow around a middle-something face. Like my favorite actress Emma Thompson.
But no dice.
Every month my hairdresser asks, “So how’s your color? What shall we do?” Every month I say I want to go blonde. I’ve brought her a great book, How Not To Look Old, that advises women to go blonde as they age, saying it’s more effective than a face lift. I’ve brought in pictures of my mother, who went from brown to blonde at about my age, and is beautiful. The hairdresser nods and then applies the same old color.
“Is it that you think I’ll look bad with lighter hair?” I press. I mean, just give me an answer so I know you’re hearing what I’m saying.
“No not really,” she says in a friendly yet dismissive way, adding a few highlights that don’t highlight at all.
So while I’ve really enjoyed this service provider for many years and in many ways hate to leave I think it’s over. She just won’t listen.
Driving out of business
Same goes for a local car service I use to use to drive me the 60 miles to Boston’s Logan Airport during rush hour. Using a car service means I get to go in the fast lane of Boston’s notoriously congested Southeast Expressway, which can save a good 30-40 minutes. Plus I don’t have to drive around in Logan’s massive Central Parking to find a parking space, saving another 20 minutes. That 50 – 60 minutes adds up for those early morning flights, making the difference between getting up at 4 a.m. vs. 5 a.m.
But the car service prices have gotten outrageous — $171 plus 20% tip for one way. Add it up and the round-trip car service costs more than most of my flights. They’ve priced me out.
I like the owner and the drivers and would like to see their business make it so I’ve been offering all kinds of advice. One idea: invest in some inexpensive technology to create a way for clients with similar schedules to share rides to the airport. If I could share a ride it would still be expensive but I could rationalize it.
The car service has done nothing. I don’t know if they even have looked into my idea. Needless to say, I don’t use them anymore.
In any economy — but especially a bad economy when we really think about the money we spend on indulgences like hair color and car services — the customer expects the service provider to listen, to act on ideas, to show they care. This marketing 101 lesson goes for businesses of all sizes.
When I saw Emma Thompson on the Golden Globe Awards this week she was blonder and more gorgeous than ever. I’m finding a new hairdresser. Loyalty be damned.
PS — if anyone can recommend a great hair colorist and reasonably priced airport limo service in the Rhode Island area, please drop me a line!
This reminds me of one of Faith Popcorn’s bang-on prognostications in EVolution:
#3. If she has to ask, its too late: Here the author introduces the concept of Anticipatory Marketing – the idea that to truly win the loyalty of women customers, a company must anticipate her needs, and provide them in advance of her having to ask. Women are much more likely to switch than complain, hence, if you wait for her to ask for new products or services, it’s already too late.
It may seem dated (where has Faith been, anyway?) but it still stands as one of THE best guides to relationship-centered marketing principles.
To learn more, check http://www.bizsum.com/eveolution2.htm.
Oh, and Lois? It was my stylist who convinced me to try lightening up as my chestnut hair greyed. A few years later (after I’d discovered blondes don’t really have all that much more fun!) he also held my hand as we stripped away years of artificial pigmentation to find a lovely head of shimmering silver.
Never would have done it without his encouragement.
And while it meant decreased revenues per appointment for him from that point on, his service-focused care retained my loyalty and kept me a happily referring client.