Tapping Tags for salons and barbers

A salon or barbershop has a moment most businesses do not: the client sitting still in front of a mirror, looking at the finished result. That moment, and the checkout desk right after it, are the two spots worth using.

Recommended format and placement

• At the station: a card kept in a small holder at each stylist or barber's station, so it travels with the chair rather than being fixed to a shared wall.
• At checkout: a card or the acrylic stand at the reception desk, next to where the client pays and books their next visit.

How many you need

One card per station or chair, so every stylist or barber can hand theirs directly to their own client, plus one stand at the checkout desk for clients who did not get one at the chair.

When to present it

Right after the final look is shown in the mirror, before the client gets up, or at checkout while they are paying. Both moments happen while the result is still fresh and visible, which is a better time to ask than a follow-up text days later when the memory has faded.

The policy-safe way to ask

Google's guidelines allow sharing a review link or QR code with every client, and prohibit rewarding a review with a discount on the next visit, and prohibit only offering the card to clients who complimented their own haircut out loud. In a salon or barbershop, that means:

• Every stylist offers the card the same way to every client, not just to regulars or to clients who seem especially pleased.
• Never tie a review to a loyalty discount, a free add-on service, or entry into a giveaway.
• If a client mentions something they were not happy with, that is a conversation for you to resolve directly, not a reason to skip offering them the card.

Read next

• Setup guide - unboxing to first tap
• How NFC cards can support online reputation
• How to use NFC cards for instant customer reviews