216

SALON RECEPTION
DUTIES

T
he reception area is the heart of the
salon. When a client walks into the salon
for the first time, make sure he/she has
the ‘wow’ factor. The reception area of any
salon must be in pristine condition and
advertise the salon’s image, and the
receptionist must be smartly dressed, attentive
and responsive at all times. First impressions
last, so make sure they are positive, but equally
remember that the client’s last impression of
the salon will also take place at reception.
There are three learning outcomes in this unit.
The learner will be able to:
■ carry out reception duties
■ book appointments
■ deal with payments.
 CARRY OUT RECEPTION DUTIES

During this part of the unit you will learn how to:
■ maintain the reception area

■ communicate and behave at reception

■ attend to clients and enquiries

■ take messages correctly.

MAINTAIN THE RECEPTION AREA

At the start of each day, the receptionist must deal with any answer-
phone messages that have been left overnight and ensure that the
reception area is prepared for the day ahead.
The daily activities of a receptionist might include:
■ maintaining a clean, tidy and well-stocked reception area

■ maintaining the levels of retail products

■ meeting and greeting clients

■ maintaining the salon’s hospitality and offering refreshments to clients

■ dealing with enquiries and bookings

■ solving problems at reception, such as services running late or clients

arriving late
■ providing information about salon services and retail products

■ answering the telephone

■ checking emails and any other electronic methods of communication

■ organising the salon’s post and distributing it to the relevant people

■ taking messages and passing them on to the relevant people

■ maintaining communication between clients and stylists

■ handling payments and promoting the sale of retail products

■ preparing client record cards

■ maintaining confidentiality of clients’ records

■ maintaining salon security at the reception area

■ maintaining the level of change in the till

■ balancing the till at the end of the day. SmartScreen 216 handout 1

216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Salon reception – answer the phone promptly

459
 KEEP THE RECEPTION AREA CLEAN AND TIDY
As a receptionist you must ensure that the salon is always well-
presented and portrays a professional image. You must always make
sure that the seating area is clean, tidy and welcoming.
Neaten any magazines and clear away any used refreshment crockery.
You must ensure that the reception area’s surfaces and floor are free
from dust and hair.

Retail stand and tidy reception area

MAINTAIN STATIONERY STOCKS

As the receptionist you are responsible for maintaining the stationery
levels. This will help the salon run smoothly and effectively. You should:
■ maintain the appointment systems

■ ensure a notepad and pen is to hand for taking messages

■ maintain an appropriate level of appointment cards and notify the

salon manager when these are running low

■ know your salon price structures and display the salon price list for

services and retail products

■ clearly display any special offers. Check with your salon manager what

offers are available, and know which days and stylists they apply to, eg
a new stylist promotion. Some salons advertise discounts and special
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

offers for certain services only. This could be to promote new business
or encourage the sale of services that are not as popular as others
■ keep records of the stylist job sheets – this is particularly important if

the salon does not have an electronic computer system and the
Commission basis stylists are on a commission basis for the sale of services and
When stylists receive a percentage of the sale products.
value that they create

460 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

Well-maintained reception desk

MAINTAIN THE SALON’S SECURITY

Each salon will have a different policy for maintaining security of the
premises and stock, and the safety of staff and clients. Some salons might
have a shutter that covers the salon doors and windows when it is closed
for the day; others might have a ‘buzz’ entry or video entry system, which
allows entry to authorised clients and salon visitors only. Most salons will
have a front door which allows access and entry to all; this is often best
kept closed, for your personal safety and those around you.
To prevent breaches in security you must follow your salon policy for the
reception area. This could include:
■ storing minimal cash in the till

■ never leaving cash in the till overnight

■ keeping the till drawer locked at all times and the key removed when

the receptionist leaves the reception area

■ rarely (ideally never) leaving the reception area unattended

■ keeping staff personal belongings in a locker or secured in the ‘staff

only’ areas
■ ensuring clients keep their personal belongings with them at all times
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

■ displaying retail stands either behind the reception desk, away from

the entrance door or in a lockable glass display cabinet.

You must also ensure that client records and/or credit/debit card
payment slips are kept securely at the reception area to keep clients’
details confidential. If clients pay by card using a chip and PIN machine,
you should discreetly look away as they enter their PIN (personal
identification number). Client keeping her handbag with her

461
 Buzz entry systems on salon entrance Lockable cabinet Staff lockers

COMMUNICATION AND BEHAVIOUR

Effective salon communication starts with the receptionist, who should
help to enhance the salon image and improve business. This will ensure
the salon runs smoothly and the stylists work efficiently.
You should always greet your clients promptly and warmly. Offer to hang
up their coats, show them to the seating area and offer refreshments
and magazines to read. Some salons offer TVs and computer games to
entertain clients while they wait for their service and during
HANDY HINTS development times. When you have informed the stylist that their client
Remember to promote positive body has arrived, keep the client informed as to how long they might have to
language at all times.
wait. You must maintain a friendly yet professional approach at all times.
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Helping a client with her coat Client sitting comfortably

462 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

ACCURATELY IDENTIFY THE CLIENT’S
REQUIREMENTS
For you to be able to identify what your client’s requirements are, you
will need to ask a series of open questions. These types of question start
with ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’, ‘who’ and ‘how’, and enable you to
obtain full answers from your clients. Some examples of these types of
question are:
■ What service would you like?

■ When would be a suitable date and time?

■ Which stylist normally looks after you?

■ What other times and dates can you make?

■ If Suzie is not available on this day, who could look after you?

ACTIVITY
Can you think of some more open questions that might be asked at
reception? Make a list.
To clarify the booking of the appointment, you should switch to closed
questions, which require ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses. Some examples of
these types of question could be:
■ Is 3 pm on Tuesday suitable for you?

■ Can you confirm that you would like a cut and finish after your colour

service?

ACTIVITY HANDY HINTS

Closed questions are good for confirming
Can you think of some more closed questions that might be asked at what has been said and are quick and easy to
reception? Make a list. answer for less articulate people. Open
questions require more in-depth answers,
but can be more difficult, especially for shy
DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC or nervous people.

The reception area can be very busy at times and you will have to
balance people’s needs. Clients visiting the salon in person can see how
busy you are, but people telephoning the salon cannot, so try not to let
the telephone ring more than three times before you answer it. You will
need to identify who needs your attention first and avoid upsetting
those who are still waiting to be seen.
When you are rushed off your feet, apologise to clients for keeping them
waiting, suggest they take a seat, offer them refreshments, keep them
informed about the situation and reassure them that you will not keep
them waiting for longer than necessary. If you are really busy, ask for
help from the salon team.
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

As a stylist, and indeed a receptionist, you will meet a variety of people

with different needs and expectations. You might encounter:
■ an unexpected client who has, or at least thinks they have, booked an

appointment
■ double-booked appointments or late arrivals

■ children who need to be treated suitably and might need reassuring

■ a client who wishes to change their appointment service

■ a client who is unsure of what service to book and when to book it

463
 ■ a confused client
■ an angry client
■ clients with different cultures or those whose first language is not
English
■ a client who wants to complain
■ a client with mobility needs/disabilities.

Confused client Angry client

Complaining client

When communicating with clients, you must do so politely at all times.

Client with mobility needs Always speak clearly and pronounce your words distinctly. If your client
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

is confused or English is not their first language, you should avoid

technical jargon and adapt your language style to suit their needs and
SmartScreen 216 handout 6 and the situation. Always show your client that you are listening carefully by
worksheet 2 maintaining eye contact and nodding, even if your client does not pause
for breath, and use positive body language and suitable verbal
responses. If you need to encourage a client to move a conversation
forward, keep to the subject matter and the purpose of the discussion
and summarise any agreed points.

464 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

 ACTIVITY SmartScreen 216 handout 2
What would you do and say if a client enquired about the whereabouts
of a stylist who had recently left your salon?

ATTENDING TO CLIENTS AND ENQUIRIES

You will need to attend to clients and deal with enquiries, both via the
telephone and face to face. In some salons you will also deal with
electronic enquiries, which might be via text message or email.
Whichever way your enquiries arrive, you must always deal with them
and respond to clients promptly and politely.

Client booking in at reception Professional waiting area

CLIENT ARRIVALS
As clients arrive, always confirm their appointment
details to ensure the booking is correct, and then
promptly inform the relevant stylist of their client’s
arrival. Checking that the appointment has been
correctly booked in enables you to know in advance if
there are likely to be any unforeseen problems, such
as delays in the service or double bookings, and
enables you to adapt to any service changes that the
client might request.

216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Receptionist taking the client to the stylist Receptionist with poor posture and lack of interest

465
 Stylist introducing herself to the client Lost client, wondering where to go

SALON ENQUIRIES
For all salon enquiries it is important that you clearly identify the purpose
of the enquiry. As a receptionist, you might deal with the following types
of enquiry, either on the telephone, face to face or electronically:
■ appointment enquiries

■ salon opening and closing times

■ costs for services and products

■ product representatives selling or promoting their stock

■ wholesale deliveries.

It is important that you can answer and deal with these enquiries
Adeptly
Expertly
professionally and adeptly, and give accurate information to any visitor
to the salon.
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Client being gowned for service by stylist Receptionist referring an enquiry to the Client with coat on at workstation
manager
466 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK
Stylist recommending a retail product Receptionist showing client the price list

HANDY HINTS
TAKING MESSAGES CORRECTLY Always deal with enquiries within the limits
If the relevant person is not available to deal with a telephone call of your own authority and refer other
themselves, you must take a message and clearly record the details of enquiries to the relevant person.
the conversation. When that person is free, make sure you pass on the
message promptly, to ensure that the salon runs smoothly.
WHY DON’T YOU…
Identify who you would refer enquiries
When you are taking a message for someone, always record the to if they are outside the limits of your
following details: authority.
■ who the message is for

■ the date and time the message was left

■ a brief but accurate description of the message

■ who the message is from

■ the contact details of the caller/visitor, such as email address or

telephone number
■ the action to be taken, such as to return their call, the best time to call

and preferred number

■ whether the message is urgent or a general enquiry

■ who has taken the message.

When you are taking messages, follow the salon’s procedures for
recording the message details, and when to pass them on to the
relevant person. Make sure the details are written in neat handwriting
with all the relevant details accurately recorded. If you take a person’s
phone number down incorrectly, the message becomes useless and the
person expecting the return call could be annoyed. If this is a client, they
might choose to book their appointments elsewhere, costing the salon
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

business and revenue! Equally, if you fail to pass the message on to the
relevant person, it could cost the salon business and the salon could get
a reputation for being unreliable.
SmartScreen 216 handout 7, worksheet 1
and wordsearch 1

467
 BOOK APPOINTMENTS

During this part of the unit you will learn how to:
■ make and record appointment bookings

■ follow legislation.

MAKE AND RECORD APPOINTMENT BOOKINGS

When you make appointments for the salon’s clients, you need to ensure
they are booked carefully, to suit the needs of the business as well as the
client. Your role will involve dealing with client requests and accurately
identifying their requirements.
A typical conversation between a receptionist (Natasha) and a client
(Sarah) might be similar to this:
Receptionist Hi Sarah, how are you? How can I help you?
Sarah I’m fine, thank you, Natasha. I’d like to book an appointment for a
colour and cut please.
Receptionist Which stylist do you normally see for your cut and colour?
Sarah Amraf does my cut and Tina usually does my colour.
Receptionist When would you like to come in for your appointment?
Sarah Any chance you can fit me in on Saturday?
Receptionist Amraf is free and can cut your hair at 2 pm, but Tina is on
holiday. Would you mind if Julia coloured your hair?
Sarah Yes, that’s fine, thank you.
Receptionist Great, are you having your usual colour or do you fancy a
change?
Sarah No, thank you, I would like my usual highlights, but just the top
section this time please.
Receptionist OK Sarah, is 12.15 a suitable time for your colour?
Sarah Yes, perfect, thank you.
Receptionist Just to confirm then, Sarah, I have booked you in with Julia
at 12.15 for your half head of highlights and then Amraf will cut your hair
at 2 pm. Is that ok?
Sarah Perfect, thank you, see you on Saturday. Bye.
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Receptionist Goodbye – have a lovely day!

SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS
When you have confirmed with the client the type of service required,
the preferred time and date, and which stylist will service the client’s
hair, you must record the appointment either in the appointment book
or on a computer.

468 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

Paper-based appointment booking system Client being booked in for her next appointment

Electronic booking systems vary greatly and you must be trained by your
salon manager before using such a system. Written appointment
systems tend to follow a set format from salon to salon.
As a guide, the abbreviations that salons tend to use in written
appointment books are shown in the table below.

Appointment Abbreviation
Wet cut W/C
Cut and blow dry CBD
Restyle Restyle
Blow dry B/D
Shampoo and set S/S
Dry set D/S
Regrowth tint REG or roots
Woven highlights WHL
Half-head woven highlights ½ WHL
Lowlights L/L
Full-head colour or whole-head colour FHC or WHC
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Cap highlights CAP

Pulled-through highlights P H/L
Semi-permanent colour Semi
WHY DON’T YOU…
Quasi-permanent colour Quasi Find out if these abbreviations differ from
your salon’s system.
Permanent wave (perm) P/W
Top perm Top P/W

469
 ACTIVITY
How would your salon abbreviate the following?
1 Half-head foil highlights and cut and blow dry.
2 Full-head highlights and blow dry.
3 Wedding hair.
4 Perm, and cut and blow dry.
5 Cut, shampoo and set.
6 Cut, blow dry and straighten.
7 Blow dry and tongs.
8 Hair up.
9 Two-tone full-head colour and blow dry.
10 Regrowth tint with woven highlights.

APPOINTMENT TIMES
Most salons will have slightly varying appointment times and scheduling
procedures. You must always check your salon policy before booking in
any clients. However, most appointment systems have booking spaces
for every 15-minute interval, such as 10.00, 10.15, 10.30 and so on.
Many salons will allow about 15 minutes for a consultation for technical
services, and then the salon assistant will prepare or shampoo the
client’s hair ready for the service. These times might not be seen in the
appointment book. Below is a timing guide for a variety of services.

Service Time allocated

Wet cut 30 minutes
Cut and blow dry 45 minutes
Blow dry 30 minutes
Regrowth tint 30 minutes
Full-head colour 45 minutes
Full-head woven highlights 60–90 minutes
Half-head highlights 45 minutes
Perm 45 minutes

When booking appointments, not only must you know the abbreviations
and the timings, but you must understand how long services take to
develop. For example, if you booked Mrs Rossi for a full head of woven
highlights followed by a cut and blow dry at 10.00 am on Wednesday
with Melanie, the appointment might be recorded as:
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

470 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

 HANDY HINTS
Time Melanie For clients wanting to book for a colouring
service, you must find out when they last had
10.00 Mrs Rossi a skin test or colour service. Always check
your salon policy on skin tests.
10.15 WHL
10.30
10.45
11.00
11.15
11.30 Mrs Rossi
11.45 CBD
12.00
12.15

From this example, Melanie would be free to take another service at

12.15, but what the receptionist has not thought of is the development
time of the colour and the colour removal process. As a guide, if we say
that Mrs Rossi’s woven highlights would take 60 minutes to be
developed and removed, Melanie could complete another service (Linda
for a long haircut and blow dry and straightening) in this 60-minute gap.
The appointment page should look like this:

Time Melanie
10.00 Mrs Rossi
10.15 WHL
10.30
10.45
11.00
11.15
11.30 Linda
11.45 L/hair CBD
12.00 straighten
12.15
12.30 Mrs Rossi
12.45 CBD
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

1.00
1.15

471
 Melanie would now be free for her next service at 1.15, or she might be
scheduled for a lunch break.
If, after Melanie’s 1-hour lunch break, she has Siobhan in for a cut,
followed by a long-hair perm service and a diffuser dry, the appointment
book would now look like this:

Time Melanie 12.30 Mrs Rossi 3.15

10.00 Mrs Rossi 12.45 CBD 3.30 Aimee
10.15 WHL 1.00 3.45 CBD
10.30 1.15 4.00
10.45 1.30 Melanie 4.15 Siobhan
11.00 1.45 LUNCH 4.30 Diff-dry
11.15 2.00 4.45
11.30 Linda 2.15 Siobhan
11.45 L/hair CBD 2.30 C & P/W
12.00 straighten 2.45 Long hair
12.15 3.00

As you can see, this would allow Melanie to complete Aimee’s cut-and-
blow-dry service while Siobhan’s perm was being developed and
neutralised, and Melanie would now be available for the next service at
4.45 pm. It is extremely important that you book the services accurately,
as incorrect timings can mean that:
SmartScreen 216 worksheets 3, 4 and 5
■ services do not run to time

■ clients might be irritated by the inconvenience, which might lead to

client losses
■ the stylist’s time is not used effectively, which can lead to a loss of

revenue for the salon and the stylist.

ACTIVITY
Practise booking some appointments. Using the time guides above,
book in the following clients with stylists Nathan and Donna:
Nathan works 10.00 am until 7.00 pm and his lunch break is usually
1.30–2.30 pm. His clients for the day are:
Angela, who would like a half head of highlights and a cut and blow
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

dry at 4.00 pm
■ Nina, who would like a cut and blow dry at 10.30 am
■ Chelsea, who would like a regrowth tint and blow dry and straighten in
her lunch break, and can be flexible with the times from 12.30–2.30 pm
■ Kristian, who would like a wet cut in the morning
■ Abagebe, who would like a restyle any time after 3.00 pm
■ Scott, who would like a wet cut after work, from 5.30 pm onwards.

472 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

Donna works from 8.30 am until 5.30 pm and her lunch break is around
1 pm for an hour. Her clients for the day are:
■ Louise, who would like a cut and blow dry after she has collected the

children from school, from 3.30 pm onwards

■ Gemma, who would like a full head of woven highlights and a cut and

blow dry at 11.00 am

■ Parneet, who would like a cut and blow dry late morning

■ Sue, who would like a perm and a trim and blow dry, any time from

midday onwards
■ Becky, who would like a restyle as early as possible in the morning and

must be finished by 11.00 am to go to work.

When you have booked a client appointment, you should ensure that
you have entered their name correctly and have taken a contact
number. You must then complete an appointment card for the client,
clearly stating the date and time. You must always confirm the stylist’s
name, the service that has been booked and the approximate cost of
the service. The appointment card must show the salon name and
contact details in case the client needs to change their appointment.
For telephone bookings, try to answer the phone promptly, use a
pleasant and friendly tone of voice and speak clearly. Smile while you
talk on the phone and you will have a happier sounding voice. As you
answer, state the salon name, as per your salon policy, and say
something along the lines of: ‘Good morning/afternoon, Grateful Heads
salon, Usman speaking. How can I help you?’

Face-to-face enquiry Always smile on the phone – you sound happier

216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

The impression the client gets from the receptionist is very

important, so make it a positive one!
473
 You would book the service in exactly the same way as a face-to-face
booking, but as you cannot see the client’s hair length you might need to
ask a few extra questions to allow sufficient time for the stylist. Some
salons send text message reminders to their clients instead of an
appointment card, so always ensure their contact details are up to date.
You must verbally confirm the booking details with the client prior to
SmartScreen 216 handout 8
completing the call.
Some salons receive booking enquiries via email or text message. You
HANDY HINTS must always send a reply to the client, confirming the details in the same
When you send electronic responses, always way you would face to face or on the telephone. If the client’s request
check your spelling and punctuation are cannot be met, then a further few emails/text messages might be
correct and the message reads well, before
you press the send button.
required to offer alternative times and confirm the appointment. You
might need to contact them by telephone to clarify any complications.

Email appointments Computer appointment booking system

FOLLOW LEGISLATION
When selling retail products, you must follow your salon’s procedures
and the legal requirements. Always follow:
■ The Sale of Goods Act – goods must be as described and of

satisfactory quality.
■ The Consumer Protection Act – goods must comply with certain

safety standards and clients can sue for damages if they do not.
■ The Prices Act – the prices of products must be displayed and clients

must be given accurate information.

■ The Trade Descriptions Act – the description of any goods must be

accurate and not misleading.

CONFIDENTIALITY
As the receptionist, you will need to take client contact details when
making appointments or recording messages. Make sure you write
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

down the contact details accurately and read back the telephone
number to the client to double check. Never leave client contact details
lying around for unauthorised people to see. Always keep these details
confidential and secure.
Part of your role could mean that you access client service records and
prepare record cards for the stylists. Salon staff must comply with the
Data Protection Act (DPA), and if staff or client information is kept on a
computer, your salon manager must register the salon with the Data
Protection Registry.
474 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK
The other rules of the DPA state that all records must: HANDY HINTS

■ be kept up to date
Following the DPA and the salon policy for
client confidentiality maintains
■ hold accurate information professionalism, enhances the salon’s image
and avoids a bad reputation and
■ be kept in a secure location
unnecessary loss of clients. Clients can take
■ be used only for professional purposes which relate to salon services legal action against the salon if their personal
information is not kept confidential.
■ not be shared with unauthorised personnel or a third party

■ be kept only for as long as the client remains a client

■ be disposed of securely, such as by shredding SmartScreen 216 handouts 3 and 9,

■ be available for clients to see if they wish. wordsearches 3 and 4, revision cards
and sample questions

DEAL WITH PAYMENTS

During this part of the unit you will learn how to:
■ handle salon payments.

HANDLING SALON PAYMENTS

It is very important that as the receptionist, you are competent at
accurately totalling the client’s bill at the end of the service. Incorrectly
itemised bills can lead to discomfort and embarrassment to you and the
client.
Clients will be unhappy if they are overcharged, and the salon will lose
money for any uncharged items.

CALCULATING COSTS
You must be knowledgeable on the pricing structure for the salon
services and retail products. Services and retail products are subject to
value added tax (VAT), and prices should be displayed inclusive of VAT. If
the prices shown exclude VAT, you will need to be able to calculate this
with a calculator or electronic till. VAT is currently charged at 20% in
addition to the basic cost. If the Government changes the VAT amount,
you, as the receptionist, would need to be able to revise the prices to
reflect this.
The majority of salons have a pricing structure that varies between
stylists, depending on their experience. It would not be unusual to see a
price list that varies by 30% or more for a director or artistic designer,
compared with a newly qualified stylist. There might be occasions when
you have to calculate a varied bill. For example, a colour service by a
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

stylist and a cut and blow dry by a director. If you are then adding a retail
product to the bill, you can see that it can start to get complicated.

ACTIVITY
Using the price list below, which includes VAT, calculate the following
costs, including retail products.

475
 Service Stylist – Andy Director – Melanie
Cut and blow dry £25.00 £42.50
Woven highlights £75.00 £99.00
Regrowth colour £38.00 £45.00
Blow dry £17.50 £25.00

■ Chris had a set of woven highlights with Andy and a cut and blow dry
with Melanie.
■ Elaine had a regrowth colour with Melanie and a blow dry with Andy.
■ Jill had a set of woven highlights and a cut and blow dry with Melanie.
■ Jean had a regrowth colour and cut and blow dry with Andy.
Three of your clients bought retail products. Using the retail price list
below, add the retail costs to their service bills.

Product Cost
Volumising shampoo £7.99
Smoothing conditioner £7.49
Colour stay shampoo £7.49
Colour stay conditioner £6.99
Funk sticks £5.49
Funk paste £5.99
Funk gel £4.99
Naturally Moved mousse £7.49
Naturally Moved root lift enhancer £6.99
Naturally Moved hairspray £7.99
Flat-iron heat protector spray £8.99
Heat protector oil £7.99

■ Elaine purchased funk paste.

■ Jill purchased colour stay shampoo and conditioner.
■ Jean purchased Naturally Moved root lift enhancer, flat-iron heat
protector spray and Naturally Moved hairspray.
Although working through these tasks and calculating the bills with a
calculator is good practice, it is likely that your salon will have an
automated computer system that works out the cost for you. To
calculate a client’s bill you could use:
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

■ a calculator

■ a pricing scanner

■ a till

WHY DON’T YOU… ■ an electronic point of sale device

Research the cost of your salon’s retail
products and services and compare them ■ a pen and paper.

with those of a competitor, or a salon on

the Internet. Informing the clients of costs
When you are confirming the total bill to your client, you should do so
politely and courteously. Explain the service cost first, then any retail
476 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK
products, and then give them the overall cost. This will give your client
the opportunity to cancel the retail products if the costs are higher
than expected. However, with clearly displayed retail product prices
and by previously informing clients of the likely charge for the service,
you should be able to avoid any embarrassment or surprises regarding
the bill.

Price list for services Price list for products

TYPES OF PAYMENT
When you have calculated the cost of the services and any retail goods
to be purchased, you will need to establish your client’s preferred
method of payment and record the sales correctly, following your
salon policy.
Payment by cash
If your client chooses to pay with cash, check all notes and coins to
verify they are not forged or defaced in any way. There are several ways
in which you can check that the notes and coins are genuine:
■ The type of paper – does it feel ‘normal’?

■ Distinct markings on the notes – is the watermark visible? Is the colour

accurate? Is the silver strip present throughout the note?

216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

■ Is the note still in circulation? Notes are updated and there is a period

of time where old notes can be used but, after this period, these notes Legal tender
Money that is legal in a given country
are no longer legal tender.
■ The weight of a coin – is it heavy enough?

■ The markings on the coins – are the correct markings present?

WHY DON’T YOU…
Visit www.bankofengland.co.uk/
banknotes/current for more information
If you are happy that the cash is acceptable, take your client’s money about banknotes.
and count it, but do not place it in the till until your client has received
their change: leave it in sight of both you and the client. Cash payment
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 HANDY HINTS discrepancies are easier to solve if the money has not been placed in the
Check your salon policy for accepting £50 till, and you can confirm exactly how much money the client gave you.
notes and confirming that the notes are
genuine. If you think you have been given a forged note, check the note with your
salon manager and inform the client. Politely ask them for an alternative
method of payment. Always follow your salon policy and ensure you
WHY DON’T YOU…
Sadly, in some wallets you will find a forged know what to do if you encounter unacceptable cash or non-legal
coin or note. Check your wallet for forged tender.
currency and familiarise yourself with the
correct markings. When you have calculated the required change, count this out as you
hand it to your client, so that you both agree that you have given the
right change. Ask your client to check the change and then issue a
receipt.

Client buying retail products Client paying cash

216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Cash at the till

478 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

Payment by voucher
Your client might wish to pay with a cash equivalent. These might be:
■ gift vouchers

■ discount vouchers

■ special offer promotions – ‘three for two’ or ‘buy one get one free’

■ introductory offers

■ loyalty card points

■ travellers’ cheques.

Cash equivalents are used instead of cash payments, but work in the
same way. Some salons might give cash or vouchers as change if the
HANDY HINTS
total bill does not match the gift voucher’s value, but you must check
this against your salon policy. Salons rarely give cash as change when If your salon accepts travellers’ cheques,
these must be treated differently to all other
accepting discount offers or loyalty points as payments. cash equivalents. Travellers’ cheques must
be signed in front of you and a passport or
Clients might need to add payment to a voucher to cover the photo ID must be produced as identification.
outstanding bill. Be careful to calculate this correctly, making sure that Always check that the signature on the
identification matches the signature you
the client is not over- or under-charged, and that the till is balanced at witness.
the end of the day.
HANDY HINTS
When taking these types of payment, you must record what the value is,
You might need to obtain authorisation from
the bill total and check that the voucher is in date and valid. Often, the the relevant person when accepting
receptionist signs the vouchers to state they have been used. They non-cash payments at reception.
should be dated and recorded on the takings sheet, for cashing up
purposes and till balancing. Vouchers are often numbered and this
should also be checked off against the salon records.
Demise
Payment by cheque Termination or end

Cheque payments are becoming less popular and are gradually being
phased out as a payment option. Previously, cheques were guaranteed
with a ‘cheque guarantee card’, which meant the banks honoured the
payment to the retailer, even if the account holder had insufficient funds
in their account. Since the demise of cheque guarantee cards, many
salons will no longer accept cheques as a method of payment.
If your salon still accepts cheques from regular clients, you must carry
out several checks to ensure that they are completed accurately.
Incorrectly completed cheques will cost the salon money as the bank
Paying by voucher
will not cash them.
When you inform the client of the total bill, your client will need to
complete the front of the cheque with the following information:
■ the salon/business name

■ the amount in words

■ the amount in figures

216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

■ the date

■ their signature.

When you have carried out all of these checks, place the cheque in the
till and update the salon takings sheet.

Cheque payment

479
 Payment by card
INDUSTRY TIP
Cards have become very popular and are an easy payment method for
Chip and PIN cards are designed to prevent
clients to use. However, credit cards are costly to the salon and not all
fraud. Only the cardholder knows the PIN, salons accept card payments.
and they are the only person who needs to
touch the card, unless there is a query. If your salon takes card payments and this is your client’s chosen
Remember to discreetly look away when
your client enters their PIN.
payment method, then you need to identify whether your client is using
a debit or credit card.
With debit cards the payment is taken immediately from the client’s
bank account and issued to the salon’s bank account when the payment
system is processed at the end of the day. Credit card companies
request payment from the client on a monthly basis, but pay the salon
when the payment system is processed at the end of the day. Therefore
banks often charge salons for this service. Your salon will have a floor/
salon limit, which states the amount of money the salon can take in one
transaction. To accept payments above this, your salon will require
authorisation from the card company. You will need to know what the
salon’s limits are before you process any credit card payments.
The procedure for paying with a debit or credit card is the same, and you
will use a chip and PIN machine called a merchant machine, or a card
reader or a chip and PIN terminal.
Debit card When you have agreed the cost with the client:
1 Key in the amount and press ‘enter’.
HANDY HINTS 2 Hand the merchant terminal to the client to insert their card.
Always checks that the payments made are
correct, and tactfully inform clients if
3 Ask the client to check the amount, then type in their PIN and press
authorisation for payments is not accepted. ‘enter’.
4 When the card has been authorised, ask the client to remove their
card.
5 Issue the client with the customer copy of the receipt and place the
SmartScreen 216 handout 10
salon/merchant copy in the till.
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

Pin machine/terminal Paying by card

480 THE CITY & GUILDS TEXTBOOK

PAYMENT DISCREPANCIES AND DISPUTES
As the receptionist, it might be part of your role to identify and resolve
payment discrepancies or disputes, and you must do so within the limits
of your own authority. Any payment discrepancies or disputes that are
outside your authority must be referred to the relevant person. Payment
disputes could be disagreements over the total bill, over- or under-
charges, insufficient funds, suspect tender or invalid payments.
Invalid currency
Invalid currencies could be notes that have expired, those
with incorrect markings or even foreign currency.
Some salons in the UK accept Euros, particularly
those in tourist areas. Check your salon
policy about receiving payment in Euros.
Invalid cards
Invalid cards might be unsigned,
out of date, look or feel
counterfeit, have an unclear
hologram, the cardholder’s name
might not match the client’s name, or
a warning might appear on your card
machine.
Incorrect completion of cheques
Cheques that have been incorrectly completed might have the incorrect
amount in figures or words, an incorrect date or an incorrect signature.
Suspected fraud
An unsigned card is an invalid card
Suspected fraud does not mean you are accusing your client of fraud, it
might simply be that the card is declined by the merchant terminal, the
card cannot be authorised or the card company suspects fraudulent
spending on the card. If you suspect fraud is taking place, excuse
yourself from your client, take the card with you and inform your salon
manager. WHY DON’T YOU…
Ask your salon manager how you should
If the merchant terminal informs you that the card is stolen or deal with the following discrepancies:
■ invalid currency
counterfeit, you must follow the step-by-step instructions on the
■ invalid card
merchant terminal. This might tell you that you must retain the card and, ■ incorrect completion of cheque
in some cases, call the police. ■ suspected fraud.

For all of the above, you would need to inform the client tactfully that
their payment has been declined or cannot be accepted and ask for an
alternative payment method. If the client does not have an alternative
payment method, then ask your salon manager what you should do. SmartScreen 216 wordsearch 2
216 SALON RECEPTION DUTIES

HANDY HINTS
Always try to solve payment discrepancies or disputes as simply and discreetly as possible, to
avoid embarrassment to clients and staff, to avoid loss of profit and to ensure that the till
balances at the end of the day.

481