During which of the following service essentials should you assess the facts and thoroughly think through your recommendations?

• A. Consult
• B. Plan
• C. Explain
• D. Charge

Answer: (A)

In the consult stage you gather all relevant information about the client—their goals, hair history, condition, lifestyle, and any constraints—and you assess those facts to see what’s feasible. This is where you think through which recommendations will truly fit their situation, weighing options and anticipating potential challenges before proposing a direction. By grounding your next steps in a clear understanding of the client’s reality, you set up a tailored, realistic plan.

After this, you move on to planning, where you turn that thinking into a concrete service plan, then you explain the plan to the client, and finally you handle the charging.