Page 2 of 2 Q2 Sharon Fisher, Mitchell Fisher Hair Studio, South Ayrshire We’ve always had a good reputation for being an upmarket salon in our area (and would like to maintain that), but we find lots of potential clients don’t use us as they believe we are too expensive. In reality, our prices are on a par with (or even cheaper than) most of the quality salons in our area. Can the panel suggest an inexpensive way to convey to our local population that we offer a top-quality service at an affordable price? Nick Wood: Resist the temptation to market yourself on price. Your clients are your best future source of revenue, which is why a ‘recommend a friend’ scheme might be a good idea. Or try direct mail. Go to car parks and drop leaflets on cars you think your clients would drive, or hand out offers on the streets to likely looking candidates. Dom Migele: Before we walk into a restaurant, we like to see the price and menu in the window, so try this in your salon window! During client focus groups, we discovered that clients will still come to our salon in hard economic times, but they will look for extra value, so look at ways you can offer a little bit more than competitors. Your apparent weakness is actually your strength. CC: Your price is lower than your image, so raise your prices! Q3 Philip Harkins, Saks, Aberdeen How do I deal effectively with team members who fail to reach targets? DM: Be slow to hire and quick to fire. Get it right from the beginning. You know within three months if they’re the right person or not. If you already have the right team, it’s a coaching job. Look at the areas that need greatest attention, and focus on them for four to six weeks. Check up with them on a daily basis, even if it’s just at the water cooler, and put those scores on a noticeboard for everyone to see. Also, link targets to retail promotions where possible. IH: One word – engagement. Staff will be asking “What’s in it for me?” They are in the shadow of the leader, and they copy you and your mood. Do whatever it is you want your staff to do. Finally, always sleep before you make a decision! AL: Be consistent, especially when it comes to hitting figures – we have a name-and-shame system in our salon and 41 per cent of our business is retail. Each individual works towards the common good. For example, I promised I’d get a toaster for the staff room if everyone hit their target. If one member of staff doesn’t hit their target, there’s no toaster. This encourages the slackers. We also monitor retail sales every day and have a meeting halfway through the week to check how staff are doing and see what else needs to be done. IH: You could introduce a welcome booklet, including photos of you and your family when you first opened the salon, details of why you went into business, your vision and also how things work in the salon. It costs next to nothing, but shows staff how things are done around here. CC: In the US, the salon is more of a sales environment – that is the mindset and it’s considered part of the job. Retail is not an extra, because you can’t survive on services alone. Set your benchmark – for example, budget so that retail will pay your rent. Q4 Alison Cruickshank and Andrew Rourke from Blu Hair & Beauty, Dundee How do we get all our clients to re-book their next appointment when they like, at short notice? NW: Consumers are becoming more demanding, but why not make them pay for it? Offer a business-class service, like a frequent flyer scheme, that gives clients last-minute access to appointments but costs more! Another simple trick is to make clients write their own appointment cards, which seems to get more commitment from them! AL: We encourage clients to get their diaries out at the desk and ask them to write in their next appointment there and then. We’re even thinking of giving our clients salon-branded diaries with appointment prompts within them. Or you could offer clients a discount on their third visit, so long as they always book ahead. Most won’t want to miss out on a freebie. Always SMS or ring before the appointment, too. DM: You have to be careful what you say – try “When would you like your next appointment?” rather than “Would you like to book another appointment?” CC: Have a plan B for clients who haven’t rebooked. Call them and say: “Our appointment book is filling up – I know your roots are going to be showing soon and we want to help you with that! When would you like to come in?    << Start < Prev 1 2 Next > End >>