The tattoo industry is the same as all industries. You have to have exceptional customer service in order to build a client base. After all this industry is becoming more and more competitive by the day. Studios are popping up all over these days and the old mentality of shops fixing prices are a thing of the past. What do I mean by fixing prices? Shop Minimums point blank are the wrong business model in these times. Customers are now coming from the mainstream population. Those customers are now educated enough to know that when they walk into a store ore studio they expect to be treated like they are number one.
Who can blame them? When I walk into a small shop or small retail establishment I expect to get greeted at the door and offered assistance. At Aberration Pro Custom Tattoo this is a mandatory practice. As artist and business people this should be second nature to all of us. Just because we practice a craft we need to put our attitudes and attitudes to the side. People who visit our establishments are the reason we make the money we do. Without those individuals coming into the door we don't make any money and I believe this is the number one reason why shops go under. Yea bad artwork is a reason why many don't make it in the industry. But poor attitudes will lead many to tell their friends in which will tell more people that the studio is not a place to be, next thing you know you have no customers.
The place we are at now is a great example. We've heard the horror stories about the previous owner never showing up to his appointments, talking just plain stupid when he did have customers. He also would have posted hours and never keep them. So now he wonders why he went out of business and puts the blame on everyone but himself. You cannot sit there and talk about how big your dick is or keep a shop in bad condition. When you have posted hours you have to keep them, yea it sucks sitting around all day and no one come in. Well thats the industry! You have to have a good marketing plan in order to obtain the business. When you do get the business you have to do everything in your power to keep the business and have a good return rate.
Regardless of the marketing plan "Word of Mouth" will continue to be the biggest way any studio gets it's business. Spending $50,000 a year on radio commercials like one shop does in our area isn't going to keep the customers coming in. The shop in question has poor customer relations skills, customers come into our shop all the time talking about the bad experiences they had with this particular shop. I'm all to willing to provide them with the best experience because I know I want to turn them into a regular customer. I take customer complaints very seriously. When I get them I address the issue with the staff involved and get it fixed right away. My staff knows or should know that the fastest thing that can get you dismissed from the job is being unprofessional with clients. Since all my employees are independent contractors they should know that the very first thing on their agendas should be to treat every customer as they want to be treated.