My Dad was a barber. He started work at 15 in his own father’s shop in the North East of Scotland, and he was still cutting hair three weeks before he died at the age of 83. In between, he taught me almost everything I know about looking after customers.
Our house sat next to the shop, so I grew up with the sound of it — the queue that formed before opening, the constant chatter, the buzz of the clippers. On busy Saturdays I earned my pocket money sweeping the floor. It was a proper local institution: fishermen, butchers and farmers would barter a catch or a cut of meat for a haircut, and over almost fifty years my Dad cut the hair of four generations of the same families.
Looking back, he was running a masterclass in customer service the whole time. Here are eight things he did instinctively that any organisation would do well to remember.
1. Be authentic
Dad was simply, completely himself. He lived by the idea that “you’re better than no-one, and no-one’s better than you.” That authenticity turned a haircut into an experience.
2. Take a genuine interest
He knew everyone — their families, their jobs, their history. People didn’t just get their hair cut; they felt known.
3. Go the extra mile
In his seventies he started visiting nursing homes to cut the hair of residents who could no longer make it to the shop.
4. Price it fairly
He kept his prices affordable rather than squeezing every last pound. Loyalty mattered to him far more than margin.
5. Step outside your comfort zone
When a young lad asked for a Mohican, Dad had never done one. He hesitated — then gave it a go, and nailed it.
6. Enjoy the work
He genuinely loved what he did, and it showed. That contentment was contagious.
7. Take pride in the craft
Every single haircut mattered to him — from his very first to his very last.
8. Value every customer
He thanked people, genuinely, and made them feel appreciated — which is exactly why they kept coming back.
None of this was ever a strategy — it was simply who he was. But it’s a good reminder that great customer service rarely comes from a policy document. It comes from authenticity, genuine care and quiet pride in the work. Forty-eight years of loyal customers is proof enough.
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