Recent Customer Service Experiences

The other day, I wrote an article about the discomfort I felt with a car dealer’s salesperson.

I had visited the dealer to buy my own manual transmission car, but there were many moments when I felt the response was a bit disappointing. After returning home, I kept muttering things like, “They handle such wonderful cars, so I wish they would sell them with more passion…!” Then my husband said, “If you have so much to say, why not write a blog post? lol” So I did.

Then recently, I had the opposite experience—I was deeply moved by a customer service encounter. When I passionately told my husband about it after coming home, he said, “If you’re that moved, write a blog post! lol” So here I am writing about it again (laughs).

Visiting a Car Friend’s Hair Salon

This time, the moving experience wasn’t at a car dealer, but at a hair salon.

Due to COVID-19, I hadn’t been to a hair salon for several months. Since having children, my hairstyle had been a simple “bob,” but

Recently, my hair had grown wild, the color had faded and become damaged, and on top of that, postpartum my hair texture was dry and brittle, making a real mess.

Then the other day, my husband said, “Maybe it’s time to go to the hair salon?”

He’s not interested in fashion or style at all, and usually doesn’t notice if I cut my hair or get my nails done, so for him to say, “Why don’t you go to the hair salon?” meant my hair must have been in pretty bad shape (laughs).

But I replied, “With COVID and all, I’m hesitant to take the baby to a salon on a weekday… Also, my hair damage is so bad I don’t even know what to do anymore.” Then my husband said,

Why not try going to TAKURO’s place? The cut space is like a semi-private room, so it’s a safe setup even in these times. TAKURO is a friendly guy, so it should be good.

TAKURO is a Porsche owner my husband has recently become friends with. He loves cars and currently drives a 911 GT3 (I recently had the chance to test drive), and runs a hair salon called bloom hair design.

I felt a little embarrassed about having someone my husband knows cut my hair, but since he said, “I’ll watch the three kids!” I decided to give TAKURO a try.

About the Customer Service That Moved Me

When I actually went, I was deeply impressed by TAKURO’s imagination, knowledge, and proposal skills. It was my first time experiencing such customer service at a hair salon, and it was eye-opening.

Beforehand, I had prepared by organizing in my mind why I had kept a bob for years and why my hair had become so damaged, and was ready to explain this. But as soon as I sat down, TAKURO said, “Let me take a look at your hair first,” and began examining my hair from the surface to the inside.

During that time, he asked me two or three questions like “Do you use a hair iron?” and “From your blog, you’ve always had a bob, right?” After a while, TAKURO said, “I’m guessing Mina-san…” and shared his hypothesis about what treatments I had done and why I kept the bob—and it was exactly what I had prepared to say beforehand.

I couldn’t help but say,

…Wow! Are you a fortune teller!?

(laughs)

Until now, I’d been asked at salons, “Is there anything you’re concerned about?” or “What kind of hairstyle do you want?” but never had anyone look at my hair and immediately pinpoint the situation.

He also clearly explained the characteristics of my hair and the causes of damage, and I thought, “Ah, so that’s what’s going on…” and was very convinced.

When I said, “TAKURO, you really are a fortune teller…” he replied, “No, this is my job… though I guess I’m a bit of a maniac lol.” After this whole exchange, I decided, “I want to keep coming here.”

In sales and customer service (maybe in any profession), I think “imagination” is crucial. When meeting a customer for the first time, they rarely share all their information, so you start with limited details.

But by expanding your imagination within that limited information and picturing the customer’s background… “Maybe they have this worry,” “Perhaps they came in feeling this way today”—by imagining as much as possible and listening with that mindset, customers gradually open their hearts.

This time, I was moved by TAKURO’s imagination and overwhelming knowledge, and learned a lot.

What impressed me most was his proposal skills.

Until now, I had always just cut my hair when it got damaged, so my hairstyle was a permanent bob (not exactly stylish…). I had given up thinking, “I have curly hair, it’s badly damaged, so there’s no way I can grow it out.”

But TAKURO said,

With your hair type, Mina-san, it would look better and be easier to manage if you grow it to medium length. It would also suit you. It’s definitely possible to grow it out beautifully with shine. If you trust me for six months, I can restore your hair to its natural beautiful state. Today, I’ll teach you all the home care methods, and if you follow them, you’ll definitely see a change. What do you think? Shall we try growing it out?

I was surprised and genuinely happy to see a light at the end of the tunnel, when I had thought growing it out was impossible. Hearing such a confident statement made me feel so reassured and increased my trust in him.

Now I’m working hard toward medium-length hair in six months, practicing the home care he taught me (laughs).

When I’m the customer, whether at a hair salon or buying electronics, I realize something: customers are often uncertain.

So even if a salesperson asks, “What do you want? What are you looking for?” I often can’t answer well (at least, that’s true for me).

Some people, like my husband, research thoroughly before buying anything, sometimes knowing more about the product than the salesperson, and go in with a clear target: “I’m buying this.” But I think those people are rare.

That’s why it’s easier for customers if the salesperson narrows down options and confidently proposes a direction or plan.

The Difference Proposal Skills Make

When I excitedly told my husband after coming home, he said,

Good thing you went! When I think about it, the salons you’ve been to before probably just cut your hair because you said it was damaged. But just doing what the customer says isn’t always the right answer. Professionals like TAKURO think carefully about what’s truly the best choice for the customer and make proposals accordingly. It’s probably the same when buying a new Porsche. You have to decide your own original specs from scratch. It’s expensive, there are tons of options, and the driving feel changes a lot depending on grade and options, so customers really agonize over it. If you leave too much choice to the customer, they often can’t decide. I’ve had trouble deciding myself. That’s why when someone narrows down and confidently proposes, like “If you care about driving, this option is essential, but this one isn’t,” “If you prioritize comfort, you need this, but not that,” it makes it easier for customers to choose. Of course, some people might dislike that kind of service.

That made me think of something my boss told me when I was new in sales.

Back then, lacking confidence, I often said things like “…I think” in presentations without realizing it. My boss said,

Listen, customers are making expensive purchases. If you say things like “I think” or “maybe” without confidence, customers can’t buy with peace of mind, and it’s disrespectful. From now on, no more “I think.” Always say “It is like this” with confidence. And study the product thoroughly so you can say that confidently. Of course, if you don’t know something, be honest and look it up. But don’t keep using “I’m new, so I’m not confident” as an excuse to run away.

Since then, I studied products, asked seniors, and learned from customers why they bought and what they liked. As I came to believe “this product is really cost-effective and great,” I stopped fearing rejection and gained confidence to assert and propose.

So I realized that being able to assert confidently and having strong proposal skills, like TAKURO, comes from having confidence in the product or service.

Visiting TAKURO’s hair salon showed me that when you receive service from someone who works with pride and confidence in their job, you feel so good about paying for it (I want to earn more and pay more lol) and I learned a lot.

I’ll do my best too! Thank you, TAKURO!