I believe that you, the professional, should fill out the chart. You can write all kinds of notes along with the client’s answers, interpreting things as you need to for now and the future. The charts will all be in your handwriting. Other people may not be able to read my writing, but I can! And the same is true if you have clients fill out their own charts; you might not be able to read their writing. But more important than that, I just feel you need to fill out these important questions yourself. When I am given a form to fill out at a first-time facial appointment, I rarely fill much of it out. I am the client not the professional. Asking me (or the layperson) to figure out what is going on with my skin is up to the professional—not me!
Now for the actual charts. These have morphed over the years, but you will divine your own charts with the information you want on them. Mine are just examples of what you can have for your information.
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| Client Chart—front |
- Name (first and last, of course). I always want to be sure I have the correct spelling of all my client’s names—so I ask, just to be sure.
- Mailing address. There might be several occasions when I’ll want to send a client something in the mail. Starting with a thank you note directly after her first facial with me.
- Phone number. I already have this since I have spoken with the client to make the initial appointment. Even if a new client emails me for a first appointment, I ask for a phone number and call her to establish personal contact prior to her first facial—and of course to confirm her appointment the day before.
- Email address. Having several different ways to get in touch with a client is important. However, I do not send unsolicited, uninvited mail, just simple communication emails.
- DOB. Once in a great while I have a new client who resists giving me this information. When I recognize her discomfort, I tell her she doesn’t have to tell me, but it is helpful if I know her chronological age. I would say in 30 years, less than a handful of women wouldn’t give me this vital information. I also like to send regular clients a “Happy Birthday” discount, which is another reason I like to have at least the date.
- Referred by. I’ve already asked over the phone how this new client found me, but I have a place on the chart to mark down if it was a referral and if so, from whom? Did they find me from an Internet search? Did they read one of my books? How? I want to know for interest sake and also to send a Referral Appreciation discount postcard to whoever might have sent this client in.
You’ll notice “[ ]” next to each line. Those are check boxes that I can use so I know if I’ve
taken certain steps. The name [ ] is checked once I send the thank you
note, usually before I leave the office the day the new client came in.
The [ ] next to referred by is check when I send the Referral
Appreciation Discount postcard to the referring client. If the client
was “referred” by receiving a gift certificate, I check the [ ] GC. The [
] next to date of birth is checked if I send a birthday card and/or
birthday discount.
Now that I’ve gotten the cut and dry bits out of the way, I want to delve into this new client’s routines and health issues, if any. All of these things and more will have an effect on her skin, something I haven’t looked at yet—but will soon.
The second half of the front of my Client Charts is for noting what products I’ve
both sampled and the products that have been purchased. I fill out all
the products I think this client could benefit from using in their
appropriate categories. I put an “S” next to the names of products I
gave her samples for. When she buys a product(s) I check the [ ] next to
that product. Without doing this, I will be in the dark. As an example,
a client can literally say, “I like the grapefruit-smelling cream.” And
because I have “Pamplemousse PNG” marked as one of the products I
sampled her, I know this is the cream she is talking about. (Pamplemousse means grapefruit in French.)
In the Key Needs area, I will mark significant issues here (on the front of the chart) that are all marked on the back of the chart in detail for quick reference. Such as “rosacea” or simply “very sensitive.” “No rosemary” if the client didn’t enjoy this aroma in some of the products. Then the next time she comes in I’ll know not to use something she didn’t like, and I can sample or sell her something else. These important things will, as I said, all be on the back of the chart, but now I can glance over the front if need be and see key areas I need to know about.
At the very top of the chart I will mark some information for me so when I’m preparing to see this client again, I’ll know what to do. One thing is the size of the smock; some are smaller than others and I don’t want to be juggling when she comes in. I also note if she likes heat since I have a heating pad on my bed. If she doesn’t, I’ll make myself a note so the bed is not warm for this client or warmer if she prefers more heat.
I also note whether or not to keep the credit card ticket open (for a tip) or not. I simply note “keep TKT open” or “close TKT.” I don’t assume any client is going to tip me, and I always add the credit card charge up without leaving a space for a tip. If she wants to tip, she will let me know. If she doesn’t, I don’t take it personally, and I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable for not doing so. Tipping a business owner is optional in my book. Some people do, some people don’t. My notation just helps to take out the awkwardness for a client who doesn’t tip. It’s all good.
I also will keep a client’s credit card information at the top of the chart, left corner. I do this if she wants me to keep her card on file. I write the number and expiration date in pencil since these numbers change quite frequently. NOTE: These files—in all my offices—are locked up! They have private information on them and some also include a CC number, something that no one should ever have access to. You may have a merchant system that keeps the card numbers secured online; mine keeps the numbers for 2 months only. So if a client wants to reorder a product or have me charge her for her facial with the credit card I have on file, it’s best if I have it written down. I find many clients like the convenience of not having to have their credit card with them or simply not having to hand it to me. If you can’t secure this information—don’t keep it!
I’m not going to go over the details for the back of
my Client Charts. You will have your own set of questions you’ll want to
answer as you look at a client’s skin. Some of these details I use 100%
of the time, others not so much. There are a few things I write-in
since I don't have them listed—this chart is a fluid tool that has
changed and morphed over time. But having something you can reference
from the first time you saw this client’s skin is important. Her skin
may and probably will change—especially over many years—and you can make
notations. I refer back to what I’ve written during any given facial
more than I reference this initial analysis. However having a baseline
to see where she was the first time I saw her is helpful—to me.
The
blank lines are the meat of these charts. I write the date and
everything I used on her skin this session, any notable issues or
changes or concerns. I also write down any significant conversation(s)
we had. Usually they’re not about skin care, but have importance in
terms of relationship building.
As an example, a client came in recently who was referencing things we spoke about during her last facial—unrelated to skin care. Although I wrote copious notes about her skin, I didn’t write much about our conversation, which had me at a loss that day. I felt like I needed to play catchup to get up to speed from our last talk. Normally I do make a note, not necessarily in detail, about a new beau or perhaps a death in the family. Or something as simply as “Going to Disneyland with the kids next week” so when she comes in I can ask her how their trip was. It’s small details like this that can really make a difference for your client.
Now that I’ve gotten the cut and dry bits out of the way, I want to delve into this new client’s routines and health issues, if any. All of these things and more will have an effect on her skin, something I haven’t looked at yet—but will soon.- Contacts. I don’t do a lot of manipulation around the eyes, but if someone has contacts in, I like to be aware of it.
- Oral medication can have at the very least a drying effect on skin. I also like to know if there are health issues that also could be causing issues with their skin or psyche. It all counts, and although—rarely—someone won’t want to give me this sensitive information, I always ask. I will say that if you are unfamiliar with drugs and their effect on the body, or you wouldn’t be able to explain why you are asking this question (because you, yourself, really don’t know), I would forgo asking. Some clients are hesitant to answer more personal questions like this. If I sense this, I explain why I’m asking. If this is not you—move on to more familiar territory.
- Smoking, wearing sunscreen, water intake, exercise—all of these are obvious (I hope!).
- Vitamins/herbs/supplements. Knowing what supplements a client is or isn’t using gives me another opportunity to help her with her skin. You may not have knowledge about this area, but if you do you’ll want to understand all the supplements and medications a client is taking so you know all the reasons why their skin is functioning like it is. I know about herbs and supplements and why one would take them, so finding out a client uses one thing or another opens up a dialogue about a condition, for instance constipation or perimenopause, and if I am versed in it I can further help and guide them with my suggestions. Again, if you don’t know about these things and can’t explain why you want to know these answers, best to move on to the areas that you do understand. Sometimes new clients do ask why I’m asking and I can answer them in detail. If you can’t—don’t ask!
- Daily Routine. More obvious questions. Without knowing what a client is using, you can’t really fully understand why her skin is doing what it’s doing. I don’t really care about brand names here; I want to know if she’s cleansing once or twice a day (or not at all!), is she using toner and moisturizer, exfoliating, using any other topical products I should know about?
In the Key Needs area, I will mark significant issues here (on the front of the chart) that are all marked on the back of the chart in detail for quick reference. Such as “rosacea” or simply “very sensitive.” “No rosemary” if the client didn’t enjoy this aroma in some of the products. Then the next time she comes in I’ll know not to use something she didn’t like, and I can sample or sell her something else. These important things will, as I said, all be on the back of the chart, but now I can glance over the front if need be and see key areas I need to know about.
I also note whether or not to keep the credit card ticket open (for a tip) or not. I simply note “keep TKT open” or “close TKT.” I don’t assume any client is going to tip me, and I always add the credit card charge up without leaving a space for a tip. If she wants to tip, she will let me know. If she doesn’t, I don’t take it personally, and I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable for not doing so. Tipping a business owner is optional in my book. Some people do, some people don’t. My notation just helps to take out the awkwardness for a client who doesn’t tip. It’s all good.
I also will keep a client’s credit card information at the top of the chart, left corner. I do this if she wants me to keep her card on file. I write the number and expiration date in pencil since these numbers change quite frequently. NOTE: These files—in all my offices—are locked up! They have private information on them and some also include a CC number, something that no one should ever have access to. You may have a merchant system that keeps the card numbers secured online; mine keeps the numbers for 2 months only. So if a client wants to reorder a product or have me charge her for her facial with the credit card I have on file, it’s best if I have it written down. I find many clients like the convenience of not having to have their credit card with them or simply not having to hand it to me. If you can’t secure this information—don’t keep it!
I’m not going to go over the details for the back of
my Client Charts. You will have your own set of questions you’ll want to
answer as you look at a client’s skin. Some of these details I use 100%
of the time, others not so much. There are a few things I write-in
since I don't have them listed—this chart is a fluid tool that has
changed and morphed over time. But having something you can reference
from the first time you saw this client’s skin is important. Her skin
may and probably will change—especially over many years—and you can make
notations. I refer back to what I’ve written during any given facial
more than I reference this initial analysis. However having a baseline
to see where she was the first time I saw her is helpful—to me. |
| Client Chart—back |
As an example, a client came in recently who was referencing things we spoke about during her last facial—unrelated to skin care. Although I wrote copious notes about her skin, I didn’t write much about our conversation, which had me at a loss that day. I felt like I needed to play catchup to get up to speed from our last talk. Normally I do make a note, not necessarily in detail, about a new beau or perhaps a death in the family. Or something as simply as “Going to Disneyland with the kids next week” so when she comes in I can ask her how their trip was. It’s small details like this that can really make a difference for your client.
Not
all clients talk or like to talk during a facial. This is something I
totally leave up to them. I will engage if they start a conversation or
ask questions. But if someone comes in for a facial and
doesn’t initiate, I don’t initiate. If they are silent it is usually because they want to relax. This is their time, they are
paying me to give them a facial not talk and talk and talk. I will tell
them anything that needs mentioning about their skin of course, but as
far as just talking, I’ll stay silent and give them a great facial.
With
that said, if I get a super talkative client and I just don’t want to
go there, I will listen, but not contribute too much. I do like to
concentrate my efforts on giving a great treatment, which sometimes does
involve talking. But my preferred way to give a facial, in all
honesty, is in complete silence. I guarantee that all the clients
who have had that facial got the best I had to give.
Last but not least is making a note of the products purchased at the facial. I always do this last so I can find the information easily. Quite frequently a client will be in for her facial not remembering what she bought last time. With this information readily available, she can figure out what she needs today.
Last but not least is making a note of the products purchased at the facial. I always do this last so I can find the information easily. Quite frequently a client will be in for her facial not remembering what she bought last time. With this information readily available, she can figure out what she needs today.
 |
| Extra pages for Client Charts—front/back |
I leave a left-hand margin with a bit of room so I can write notes like “GC” or “-$20” or “-15%” which I have as easy reference for different discounts and things like that. I will also note if a client is late or early in this left hand space next to what I write about her facial that day. “20 min late” or “15 min early,” etc. (See When a client comes in late (or early).)
I copy the blank charts and blank (lined) pages at the Kinkos self-serve. I have the originals I actually printed at Kinkos because their printer is better than mine, and I use these originals whenever I make copies. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a doctor’s office where the form you fill out has been copied over and over and looks less-than clear. I have, and even though I am the only person who ever sees these charts*, I still like them to look crisp. I keep the originals in a manila envelope in my file cabinet, and when I run low I just spend some time at Kinkos.
*These are confidential files for your eyes only. Don’t leave your charts lying around for clients to see.
These charts, my charts, are certainly not the end-all be-all. Many times when I’m writing out a new client’s chart, I think of things I wish was on the page or how I would like to change it somehow. Use mine as an example and create the perfect information sheets that fit your needs. But do create client charts that can be used for each and every one of your clients. This is an invaluable tool loaded with important information.
For more details, see:
- “Thank yous” and other note cards
- Confirming Appointments—Part I
- Confirming Appointments—Part II
- “Happy Birthday” discount
- Referral Appreciation discount
- Client Information Charts—Part II for more details on the questions asked to fill out these charts
