Just realized my whole approach changed after a shop in Austin
I was visiting a friend's shop down there about 8 months ago, and I saw him do something wild. A guy came in for a skin fade, but he had these really bad razor bumps and ingrown hairs all over his neck. My friend, instead of just going over it, stopped and spent a full 10 minutes just talking to the guy about his shaving routine at home. He told him to throw out his cheap, 5-blade razor and get a single blade safety razor. He even drew a little diagram on a napkin showing the direction his hair grows. I used to think the cut was the only thing that mattered, but that moment hit me. Now, I ask every single client about their at-home care, especially for skin issues. It builds way more trust. How many of you actually take time to give that kind of advice?
Wow, that's such a good point. I read a barber blog that called it "chair time vs. care time," and it really stuck with me. They said fixing a problem once saves you from fixing the same client's bad skin over and over, which actually saves time later. It's not just about the ten minutes right then.
Wait, you're a barber and you think like that? That's wild. I've seen barbers rush a fade and the client comes back two weeks later with a messed up hairline they have to fix for free. Those ten minutes you "save" now cost you a whole free correction later. It's basic math, but you do you.