Getting a Haircut – Enjoying the Lessons

I am not the kind of person who particularly looks forward to my next appointment with the hairdresser or barber. It’s like going into the bank. I go when I have to.

Nonetheless, a few weeks ago, I rushed off to my regular barber store to get a haircut and head and shoulder massage. Well, it was that kind of day!

I needed a haircut because my straight hair was starting to curl. And that massage… let’s just say that I had a few extra minutes that evening, and my neck and shoulders were sore.

My haircut as always, went well. I go to this particular store in Overport, Durban, because I trust the guys there. Think about it – the person who cuts your hair has a lot of control over you. You are expected to sit still. Haven’t you ever worried about your ear being snipped off, or perhaps a whole tuft of hair getting mowed? And what about the blade that is used to shave you which may or may not be safe? So trust is really important!

After the haircut, I asked for a head massage. The young barber tried to explain to me that the machine was in for repairs. Hearing this was the store manager who kindly communicated to his intern in a foreign language, quickly chatted to another barber at the other end of the store, also in a language I could not understand. He then (in not so clear English) asked me if I would accept a head massage by hand.

It was so beautiful! Yes, the head and shoulder pampering was wonderful! But even more than that, I felt so good, so special, so looked after by a manager who was alert, sharp, and acted decisively all in less than a minute. It is likely that he did not receive formal training to be customer-centric, or to “sell” me a variant service which was not even on his “price-list” of offerings. But he could feel my stress! It seemed as though he understood the kind of day I had. And he knew how much that head and shoulder massage meant to me.

When we deal with our own clients, how much of their pain do we feel? Are we really concerned about their business, about their anxiety, about their challenges? Do we quickly chat to our team so as not to upset the internal organisational dynamics? Are we skilled enough to massage away the stress?

So, what did I learn? Every day we come in contact with people who look to us to solve their problems. They will even pay us to remove their pain. As leaders in business, we must be alert. We must be sharp. And we must act decisively! Our genuine interest in these people, in their organisations, will help us succeed. When we sell solutions instead of product or service, we will be sought out. Distance and money will not be factors…. And they will return.