Mobile hairdresser tricks and handy tips

[James294323]

That's the floor covering I have been looking at! So it's a good choice then?

And having an extension lead is the best thing I've done! First time I went to one of my regular clients house to do her blowdry and tong, she had to sit so close to the wall so the cord could reach as it's really short! So I was like right, I need an extension lead!

I think the longer you do mobile you will come across situations like that where you think "oh if I had X it would make life easier" and you can then buy what you need or work out what would work best. It's a learning curve!

Yes the floor cover is great, tough durable and looks professional (well worth the money). You want to give a professional service/finish for your client for them to pay good money and get lots of referrals

 

[ellishairbeauty]

Hiya im not mobile but in a stay at home salon.
The best advice i can giv u from my point of view is

1. Get very good insurace/liability. Alot of people are out to get a freebee or just generally can be overly fussy and nasty.

2. Only take appointments/answer the phone/be answering txt messages during particular times. I.e - mon - fri 8am - 8pm and sat 10am - 5pm..... or customers do not care about texting you on a sat night at 3am wanting a mon morning app. Or if your having a meal with family you find yourself on your phone booking appointments the whole time.

3. The best way i keep ontop of stock is.... when i buy a tube of colour i rip the number off the end of the box and put it in a old makeup bag if i use some the tube i find the number out of the makeup bag and write 1/2 if i use half, 1/4 if i have quarter left or 1/8..... Then 0 if i have run out of the tube when its time 2 go 2 the wearhouse you write it down or take the makeup bag to the wearhouse.

4. Take deposits on new customers when u do there skin test/test peice as my god the amount of no shows when ive booked out 3 hrs.... i usually take 30% non refundable deposit. If i dont see them before the appointment i send them a paypal invoice.

5. If your going to be using a online diary/appointment system keep a back up paper appointment book as a few times over the years my laptop/phone has broken or wifi has been down and ive had no idea whos in at what time!

6. Now your not in a salon keep up with refreshers courses. You can get them for £100 and they keep everything fresh and you upto date. Alot of mobiles/stay at home hair stylists dont. I go on one at least once a year. Ive just finished one on ombrè and balayage which i was never taught at college or in a salon so would never of picked up on my own

Theres so much more little nicks and nacks so any questions please ask away!

If someone told me this 6 years ago it would of saved me alot of chin scratching!

Haha!!

Youve made the best decision ever in my eyes. I really didnt get on in a salon, well worked in 3 and hated it. Much more profitable and rewarding.
X




Sent from my GT-N7000 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[the hairmobile]

I use the floor covering also. Tried a portable backwash and that is a waste of time.
I have a tall trolley which splits and also a backpack. My trolley in the bottom has peroxides, hairspa, and bowls foils etc. my top two tiers are products and electricals. My backpack is my floor covering, my gowns and myscissors and mirrors. So if I'm only cutting I take the back pack. If I'm doing a cut and finish my backpack and case and if everything then the trolley. I have all my colours in my boot in clear plastic containers. They are all stood up so I can see the number on the tint.
I use an ipad and iPhone for diary and stock rotation. If I use a colour I mark it down on my numbers app on iPhone how much is left and also have a shopping list for when I run out of stock.
My trolley not only carries my stuff I can use the lid to put my bowls and foil on. That way if the client sits where she wants I can go anywhere. Cost a bloody fortune all the stuff but for me it all works.

 

[icklenat]

thankyou for the advise geeks i shall be keeping upto date on my courses im booked on a hair extensions course tomorrow and been looking at some more so exciting im guessing the trollys mentioned are all collapsable some really good ideas i havent thought of thankyou

 

[Miss_ireland]

That's a good idea...is it not quite hard to keep it clean though? The one I've looked at is PVC so should just wipe clean and hair will fall off easily, that's the plan anyway...!

I use a cheap plain white shower curtain it's not recognisable as a shower curtain and you just pop it in the washer to clean ! I find this great and in asda it was about £1.80 ! X

 

[Fuzion]

I gave up with floor covering as sometimes found it difficult to empty the old hair out, people spilt their drink on it, kids and pets got all sorts on it, making it look to grubby to put down at next clients. I will only colour hair in the kitchen and if the have carpet will ask for some newspaper.
I have a card machine, best thing I ever did, I won't accept cheques at all now, as I retail KMS, Sleep in Rollers and Tangle Teezers plus do hair extensions people don't mind spending if they can do it on a credit card.

However my most valuable advice to you is....... Get yourself a seperate phone so you can switch it off when you're in bed, ill or on holiday.

 

[Missy106]

Great thread

 

[Successful24]

Check salon direct, PVC Black floor cover its really useful for what i need:thumbup:

 

[hairbystacey87]

Check salon direct, PVC Black floor cover its really useful for what i need:thumbup:

I have that and its great. Well worth the money. Heavier than it looks but very durable.

 

[Jody2412]

I bought a tool box on wheels from b and q to cart my stuff around

I use smaller bottles for my peroxide a so I don't have to carry litres and litres the product range I use do 250ml bottles

I use my i phone contacts to keep notes of colours prices etc

Get a separate bank account for stock, card purchases, transfers etc

 

[adamlea87]

Jody, does all your info on your phone get backed up? It would be awful to lose all your records if it broke or got lost.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Missy106]

Jody, does all your info on your phone get backed up? It would be awful to lose all your records if it broke or got lost.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

Dont know about jody, but my iphone backs itself up every morning and you just log into icloud to retrieve all the info x

 

[Jody2412]

All I for gets backed up you can also get an app called my book of clients which stores everything from prices, colours, services and tells you how much you have earned per week and month. This gets backed up to your e mail xx

 

[AcidPerm]

Agree with others about using a cloud storage system to back up to. Doesn't matter if you damage your phone/iPad as everything is automatically backed up.

I have everything Apple so it all links seamlessly. You can take pics and update records easily when out & about and then log on at home and it's all there.

 

[the hairmobile]

I think iPhone for mobiles like us is well worth it.
Re the floor covering. My insurance with Fhbf says I must use it. It's a pain to get the hair off tho. :-(

 

[jessicalewis]

Commenting for later xx

 

[marc-gc-hair]

I bought a wee TV table out of Dunelm Mill which folds flat and is the perfect height for me to use like a wee trolley for my foils/colours etc. it's great as I can move it about with me so no more twisting awkwardly to reach my colours or getting clients to move the seat so I can reach my colours. I think it was about £8 so total bargain.

I want to buy a floor covering so I can put that down and not worry about any spillages or colour splashing on the floor!

Also when it comes to stock, I have been buying my base colours and then all my mixtones so I can make any colour I need. I find this works better money wise plus I'm never stuck for a colour!

I just wish I didn't feel like such a pack horse sometimes when going into clients houses! Haha x

Buying all the mix tones and base colours is so clever.. Im now going to do that.. What Colour House do you use?

 

[kwoodsy]

Buying all the mix tones and base colours is so clever.. Im now going to do that.. What Colour House do you use?

I use Wella. When it comes to making a /7 I'm not sure on how to do it so I just buy the colour I need! I've read a few threads on here on how to make it but not sure where the info has came from so not wanting to test it out just incase :/

 

[joz99]

Brilliant thread, been mobile for 3 years in May and have really picked up some good tips to make life easier x

 

[marc-gc-hair]

I use Wella. When it comes to making a /7 I'm not sure on how to do it so I just buy the colour I need! I've read a few threads on here on how to make it but not sure where the info has came from so not wanting to test it out just incase :/

Oh awesome I'm Goldwell trained and used it in London, but since being in oz I have used Wella, but again I have no idea how to make /7.. Did you train in Wella, I will be def buying all base tone and mixing up

Sounds so much fun, how have you found your results making up the tints yourself ?