The salon business has seen a huge boom in the past decade. This is primarily because people are now willing to shell out handsome amounts of money for salons for better services. This has led to a lot of salons offering services opening up in every neighbourhood to cater to the demand. These new salons have a good level of infrastructure, but they do lack quite a few things due little experience. Over time, they may pick up a lot of the tricks of the trade. However, we are here to expedite the process by giving you some tips for managing a salon:
- Hire good staff
The skilled people offering services are the life and soul of the salon. Picking the best staff should be your foremost prerogative. Ensure that you pick the right staff not just in terms of training and skill but also in terms of personality and work ethics. Hiring proper staff can really give a jump-start to your salon. Moreover, try to hire at least one experienced staff member who can lead and manage the rest.
- Provide training to all staff
Make sure that your staff understands that they are the life of the salon. Make sure they are sensitized to the needs of the customers. Not every customer wants to talk while they are getting a haircut and not every customer wants their hairdresser to be completely silent. Try to train your staff to gauge what kind of an interaction would suit the customer. This helps your customers have a wholesome experience.
- Lay out a clear budget
The financial aspect of a salon is really important for the healthy long-term functioning. Plan your budget in advance and lay it out in a clear and concise manner. Come up with ideas for cost-cutting if required. Make sure your employees are apprised of your plan so that they can aid you in your quest to maintain a strict budget. After laying down the budget, it is also important to follow it strictly. Make sure it is compartmentalized enough for proper allocation of your financial resources.
- Work as a team
Make sure you and your employees work as cohesive team. Make them a part of your decision-making process so that they too feel a sense of belonging. Stand by your employees when they’re right and take their input from time to time.
- Handle customer complaints proactively
No matter how hard you try, the service of the salon cannot always be perfect. You’re bound to receive customer complaints. Once you do, make sure you work at them in a constructive way. Sometimes you may have to resort to conflict resolution. In such a case, remember that pointing fingers is not a good idea and that your customer’s experience should be your priority. Make some concessions if you have to so that the customer is willing to come back again.
- Use technology
To keep pace with the ever-changing world, make sure you incorporate technology into the daily functioning of the salon. Use software to streamline the day to day functioning and to enhance customer experience and satisfaction. Use comprehensive salon management software like SalonTouch Studio to improve the functioning of your salon. Using technology in the everyday functioning of your salon will also make sure that it is future ready.
All the aforementioned tips should be incorporated into the functioning of your salon to expedite its rise to a great establishment. You must also have a clear vision regarding what your salon is and where it’s headed. Make sure your employees also understand this vision and you all work together as a team to achieve it.