Salon and spa advice: how to be the best

12 Apr 2014

Written by Alice Smithson

The salon sector is growing at a rapid rate, and with larger salon chains starting to pop up on every high street, smaller salons are beginning to worry how they will manage to stand out in an ever-expanding crowd. While it is good to know what your competition is up to and how they are competing in the market, it is more important to concentrate on your customers, as they are the ones who are going to help your salon grow. In order to ensure you have all the time you need to give your customers your undivided attention, you need a salon software solution you can rely on for support to help you run an efficient and successful business. Once you have your software up and running, you can start focusing on other ways in which to make your salon the best it can be.

Maintain high quality

Your priority might be to increase the number of customers you see each day, but you must ensure that an increase in customers will not affect the quality of your salon service. Your customers choose your salon for the service you provide, so if increasing client volumes begin to affect the way in which your customers are treated, they are likely to notice and might not return to your salon again. Concentrate on consistently maintaining a high quality of service and you’ll notice your client numbers increase on their own.

Invest in education

Learning on the job is a great way for salon staff to work their way to the top quickly and develop dedication to the salon in which they work, but it might not help your salon to stand out against the rest. With the free time your salon software can provide you with and your ability to keep a well-organised and up-to-date online schedule, you should be investing in training and educating your salon staff even further. Are there new treatments available that are worth teaching them? Could they do with improving their skills in certain areas? Paying for extra classes or for a professional to come in and teach your staff certain tricks of the trade could be highly beneficial!

Be loyal to your customers

You should constantly encourage your customers to return to your salon for their next treatment by sending them appointment reminders via text, because repeat customers are the key to prolonged salon success. They will provide you with a continuous flow of business and will even help to promote your salon by recommending you to their friends and family, but what will you do for them? While you’re already offering them a quality service, you need to go that bit further to show them just how much you appreciate their custom. A loyalty scheme that enables them to earn free treatments or discounts will persuade them to always choose your salon.

Be unique

Whether you choose to be unique in the way you decorate and present your salon, the services you provide, the staff you hire or the times at which you open, being slightly different to other local salons will give you the edge and gain you a reputation. You should always go one step further to impress your clients _ perhaps offer them extra little treatments that cost you nothing but will encourage them to return and spread the word, or provide them with drinks and snacks to make their experience all the more enjoyable. Open later or earlier than other salons if it is profitable to do so, or use your staff to promote your salon in person or through social media if you think they will do so effectively.

At i-Salon Software we understand that running a successful salon is a difficult job, which is why we offer our software products and services. Our innovative salon management software will provide you with the time and energy you need to focus on improving your business by simplifying mundane and time-consuming daily tasks and processes. To find out more about the benefits our software can provide, contact the team to arrange a demo or explore our website today.