Stop for a moment and think about who cuts your hair. Is it a man or a woman? How long have you been going to that salon or barber shop? Do they know your name?

It might seem odd to ask who cuts your hair, but believe it or not, there’s much we can learn if we consider what it would be like if your hair salon or barber shop ran your hospital.

During my workshops and speeches, I often ask people to raise their hand if they love the person that cuts their hair.

Most people raise their hands.

But then I ask them WHY. What is it about that particular hairstylist that drives your loyalty?
Do they have the best hair-cutting equipment?
The best waiting area?
The best barber chair?
The best shampoo?
The best reservation system?
The best clinical experience?

Or is there something more?

The Human Side of Getting A Haircut

Think about the “HUMAN” side of getting your hair cut. Your favorite salon or barber shop may or may not be the best in town, but how do they make you feel? Are you on a first name basis with the person that cuts your hair? Do you share secrets? Do they know everything about you? Do they ask about your kids? Do they squeeze you in with no appointment?

Women, in particular, often have a fierce loyalty to the person that cuts/colors/treats their hair.

A friend of mine drives more than an hour each way for her monthly appointment. It’s not that there aren’t any other hair salons close to where she lives. It’s just that she’s developed a relationship with this stylist.

Her stylist knows her color preferences and her magazine preferences (while she waits for a treatment to process). But she also knows that her father recently passed away, her son just started college, and her husband recently started a new job.

Build Loyalty By Making a Human Connection

The stylist has connected with my friend in ways other than just cutting or styling her hair. She’s made a human connection – and it’s that connection that drives my friend’s loyalty and helps her justify the long commute to and from the hair salon each month.

Imagine if your hair salon or barber shop ran your hospital or clinic. What would you do differently? How would the patient experience change?