There is a barbershop I have frequented in the Hurlingham area of Nairobi for the better part of a year. I only started going to this particular barbershop by coincidence on a day that I badly needed a trim and it was the nearest place to where I was having some work done on my car. At the time, I had a regular barbershop that I had visited for a few years and as far as I was concerned, it met all my needs, that is until I first visited my current barbershop. In this rather unusual blog post for me, and since I had a trim this morning, I wanted to expound on 5 reasons why this particular barbershop does so well and has my loyalty for life – for as long as they keep doing what do they do so well, unlike other barber shops I have used in the past. In fact, you could say, any business could be far more successful if they follow these 5 tips from my barbershop:

Consistency of service.

One of the things I love about my barbershop is that they are very consistent in service delivery. What this means specifically is that each time I go there, irrespective of which barber cuts my hair, or which lady washes my hair, it’s almost always the same experience. There is hardly any deviation in terms of the service delivery from start to finish each time you go there. This is quite unlike other barber shops I have been to in the past where service can vary wildly from being very good to very scrappy. As a customer, I love the fact that service is consistently of the same high standards. For me, this is priceless. Any business that hopes to win and retain customers needs to have service that is predictable and that customers can expect, each and every time.

Exceed customer expectations. 

One thing I love about my barbershop is that they always seem to exceed my expectations. I sometimes go in for a quick trim and expect to leave quickly and more or less “serviced” based on my typically simple needs. However, the attention to detail and the amount of effort they put into ensuring I get a good trim, wash and massage is ridiculous. It’s so good that I always tip the barbers and the women who help out for the great service. They never ask me for more money in addition to the standard charges are but I honestly feel that they are under charging for a really great and world-class service to the extent that I’m compelled to pay more. Isn’t that great? That customers pay more when the service is better than what they are used to or what they expect? Any business could benefit from this tip and generate more income by just exceeding what customers expect.

A delightful service experience.

One of the other things I love about my barbershop is the experience of their service. No, it’s not just about the service but the WHOLE experience of what they do. This goes down to the fact that all the barbers are dressed in clean white coats, as are the women who work there. They use expensive cologne, shampoos and other supplies for a truly five-star experience. The ambiance of the barbershop is clean and well-lit – they have proper reclining and adjustable barber chairs for you to get your trim. The towels are always warm and soft. You can catch the ongoing live football games as you wait to get trimmed or are when having yourself groomed in other ways. The room is always clean and someone is constantly sweeping the floor, etc. Do you get the picture? Its a delightful experience all round. Any business should aspire to make sure that they deliver a “complete” experience to the customer that is simply “delightful” from the moment the come in to the time they leave.

Up-selling and cross-selling.

Another really cool thing about my barbershop is that they are constantly cross-selling and up-selling you services and products. However, the way they do it is much more like the way a highly paid financial consultant would do it, and not a run-of-the-mill insurance salesman. They will explain to you the way you need to buy a certain type of cream to deal with your razor bump problem, or that your nails look a little ragged and could use a manicure right away. Yes yes, I know, many men in Kenya would balk at the idea of having a manicure but it goes a long way to show that they care how you look out there. In this way, you do spend more money on additional services but in the process you also ending up looking better groomed, and feeling better about yourself 🙂 They up-sell and cross-sell you for all the right reasons – it’s not just about turning in an extra shilling. Many businesses could learn a thing or two from my barbershop in terms of generating more revenue by recommending to customers more services that they actually need.

Professional customer services.

The last thing about my barbershop that I really like is that the people who work there are always professional. From the moment you walk in, they make sure you do not have to wait. You are ushered to a chair and immediately they are ready to serve you. The do not even talk to you, unless you talk to them. They ask you what would you like to have that day. They offer you coffee or tea. They are dressed like barbers who came to work and behave as they would be expected to. You know you are in good hands when you just plonk yourself into a seat and know that you will get exactly the kind of service you expect. I have never had to complain or feel ripped off at the end of the service delivery process. Until I moved to this barbershop, let me just say I am something of a perfectionist when it comes to my trim and I would often complain. Its great dealing with the Pros at my barbershop! In many ways, by them being so professional, customers just keep coming back, time and again. Any business out there could use repeat business by being professional.