Writing service descriptions for a multilingual clientele in Singapore

Singapore is multilingual, and your clients bring that with them. A Tiong Bahru salon may serve English-speaking professionals, older Mandarin-speaking clients and tourists. A Little India studio may serve Tamil, Hindi and English speakers. Your booking page is read by all of them, often on a phone, often quickly.

Plain English first

English is the common language of business in Singapore, so write your service names and descriptions in clear, simple English. Avoid jargon, salon slang and long sentences. 'Women's haircut and blow-dry, 60 minutes' works for nearly everyone; 'Signature transformation experience' works for almost nobody.

• Name the service by what it is, not a brand name.
• Put the length in the description, so the client knows the commitment.
• Say what is included and what is not.
• Use short sentences and common words.

Add the familiar term where it helps

Some services are known best by their name in another language: tui na, gua sha, threading, kerok and others. Use the term your clients search for, with a short English explanation. A client who knows exactly what they want will recognise it; a client who does not will understand it.

Say who the service suits

Clients from different backgrounds may have different expectations of a service. A short line about who it suits, for example 'for first-time clients' or 'for thick, curly hair', helps everyone choose the right option and reduces mismatched bookings.

Use intake questions to fill gaps

Some details are easier to ask than explain. Intake questions answered at booking, such as preferred language, allergies or hair type, let clients tell you what matters before they arrive. If several of your team speak different languages, knowing a client's preferred language lets you plan who looks after them.

Be consistent across your booking page

Write all your services in the same style: name, length, what is included, who it suits. Consistency makes your page easier to scan and makes you look organised. Check it on your phone, because that is where most clients will read it.

Test it with real clients

Ask a few regular clients from different backgrounds to read your booking page and tell you what is unclear. Their answers are often surprising, and fixing those few words can reduce questions at the counter for months.

Clear descriptions are not about choosing one language over another. They are about making it easy for every client to understand what they are booking, so they arrive with the right expectations and come back again.

Names that sort well

Clients scan a list of services from the top. Start each name with the main thing, such as 'Haircut', 'Facial' or 'Massage', and put the detail after it: 'Massage, deep tissue, 60 minutes'. A list written this way groups naturally and is easy to read for someone whose first language is not English.

Avoid words that mean different things

Some terms mean different things to different clients. 'Treatment', 'session' and 'package' can be vague. Say what actually happens: 'scalp wash, cut and blow-dry' rather than 'full hair treatment'. When in doubt, describe the steps.

Your team's languages are an asset

If your team speaks several languages between them, say so on your booking page. A line such as 'Our team speaks English, Mandarin and Cantonese' can be the reason an older client chooses you. If clients can choose their stylist or therapist by name, mention each person's languages in your description so clients can pick someone they are comfortable with.

Finally, read your service list aloud. Anything that sounds awkward or unclear when spoken is probably confusing on a phone screen too, whatever the reader's first language. Clear words are a courtesy to every client, and they make your business easier to choose.