Hairdressing clients using social media review site WOMOW (www.WOMOW.com.au) have surprised the site’s owners with their comments on what makes an in-demand hairdresser.

WOMOW director Fiona Adler said that since the site collected consumer feedback, it gave business owners some clear insight into what’s working and what’s not in a particular industry.

“We really thought we knew what clients were looking for when choosing a hairdresser, but we’ve been surprised by some of the review comments posted on the site.

“WOMOW is a treasure chest of valuable information on clients’ ‘loves’ and ‘hates’ because it offers them a chance to provide no-holds-barred feedback on a product or service.”

Ms Adler said she and her partners hoped that by sharing information on the dos and don’ts of keeping clients happy, they’ll “tout” the good, “out” the bad and help “dodgy businesses lift their game”.

“This information is invaluable to all hairdressers, so we’ve collated some feedback you probably wouldn’t expect,” Ms Adler said.

Tips from clients:

1. Listen. Listen to what I want and don’t override it with what you think is best for me.

2. Don’t gossip. I hate to hear you gossip – particularly about other clients. It’s unprofessional and makes me wonder what you’re saying about me behind my back.

3. Look the part. I’m paying you to make me look good, so I need proof you know what you’re doing. I lose confidence in your abilities if you have ‘bed head’.

4. Don’t rush me. I hate it when my head massage is rushed and please don’t make me relax against a neck support that leaves me feeling like I’ve got a bad case of whiplash.

5. Cleanliness is next to godliness. I love a clean salon that doesn’t leave cut hair lying all over the floor.

6. Shush! If I want to talk I will. But if I want to read, please let me be and don’t ask me prepared questions like what movies I’ve seen or where my next holiday will be.

7. Practise good hygiene. Please use deodorant and brush your teeth. Your personal hygiene, including your breath and body odour, needs to be kept in check.

8. Make me feel beautiful. Make me feel beautiful and I’ll keep coming back.

For proof that the tips work, you need only look as far as Salon Lavan owner Lee Davies, who said she was shocked that despite the economic hardships many hair salons had endured, her salon was looking to put on more staff to deal with an increase in demand.

“We diligently track where our work comes from and we’re getting between 12 and 15 referrals a week from WOMOW.

“Who’d have thought that people would travel 40km or more, just for a haircut.”

WOMOW, or Word of mouth on the web, is an established social media site that empowers clients by enabling them to rate a business’s performance for all to see. (The site has seen a dramatic increase in usage since the onset of the economic downturn, with traffic increasing by 300 percent.)

WOMOW’s proactive gesture to help businesses avoid making the same mistakes includes providing businesses that continue to receive positive ratings on the site with window decals with the words: ‘This business is recommended by the people on WOMOW’

The bright orange decal with the happy face motif graces the windows of businesses given high ratings by clients. Since businesses can’t buy ratings on WOMOW, this recognition only follows those businesses that have earned it.

“With people now taking word-of-mouth recommendations so seriously, we want clients to know when they’re entering a ‘dodgy–free’ service zone,” Ms Adler said.

WOMOW enables clients to share their recommendations with each other. It uses word-of-mouth recommendations to help people find the best businesses and avoid the worst.