Leo Bancroft: My secret is i-salon

As well as running a successful salon, Leo’s achievements include TV work and winning Southern Hairdresser of the Year 2009.

ñI thought that because there was money in the till, we were doing really well, but installing i-salon was a real wake up call. After looking at the net profit of each service we offer, we stopped offering one treatment that was taking hours and was only making us a few quid. Cutting and colouring is where the profit is.î

Becoming productive, rather than busy

ñThe two week diary has helped me to manage my time better and become a more effective business manager. I discovered that there was no time to grow the business if I was constantly micro-managing in the salon. Now, I empower my staff to look after things; it’s about delegating and having good people around you.î

I couldn’t live without…

ñI use the Salon at a Glance report, without fail, at our weekly meetings. We can all see the number of times team members have been requested, their retail sales, new clients, turnover, our most popular services _ the list goes on. It helps us sales, new clients, turnover, our most popular services _ the list goes on. It helps us to see what we need to do to improve.î

Reducing waste with i-salon

ñMy girls now weigh and measure colour. If we’re short of what the computer tells us we should have in stock, we’ve got a problem somewhere. The trick to being a successful retailer is to monitor stock levels, not to hold too much, and not to be afraid of selling at cost.î

Investing in the future

ñMy Accountant can see exactly what we’re making in the business and what our forecast is, which meant that last year I could invest in the British Hairdressing Awards, ïfluff’ as he calls it! If I had my way, I’d place every penny back into the business, but i-salon helps me to see what I can afford to spend and what I should save _ mainly for the tax man!î

Get more business tips from Leo in our Troubleshooter salon management videos