What makes your salon different?

[beautysnoop]

Hi there,

This is my first post, so please be gentle :big grin:

I'm an aspiring salon owner and wanted to ask your thoughts about what this industry really needs…

There seem to be so many 'me too' salons out there, where the services, prices etc are all very similar and i'm struggling to find any with a really unique offer.

The salons picking up awards seem to have a theme (like MW nails who fit out their premises like an airplane) but the service / pricing is very similar to what can be found elsewhere. (and in my humble opinion, is not really any different).

One business i have seen, that seems to be doing something different, is Blow ltd. Their USP is all about speed and convenience and they seem to hang their hat on processing customers quickly and seem to cater for people with extremely busy lifestyles. (Their website shows a young professional entering the salon at 6.30pm just after work and getting ready for a night out (hair blown, nails done, face on and then hitting the town for a night out.)

My question to the forum is:

1. WHAT FRUSTRATES CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY ?
2. HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE INTO A USP FOR YOUR SALON ?
3. WHAT PROBLEM / FRUSTRATION ARE YOU SOLVING ?

So…if, like Blow presumably think, the frustration is that treatments take too long, the solution is to emphasise speed.

If the frustration is that there isn't a salon near work, the solution is a location near work.

If the frustration is that consumers can't get an appointment to suit them, the solution might be longer opening hours.

Many thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Beauty Snoop

xx

 

[KHS]

Hi there,

This is my first post, so please be gentle

My question to the forum is:

1. WHAT FRUSTRATES CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY ?
2. HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE INTO A USP FOR YOUR SALON ?
3. WHAT PROBLEM / FRUSTRATION ARE YOU SOLVING ?

Many thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Beauty Snoop

xx

Hi,..this is only my personal opinion.

1, As a client, my biggest frustration is stylists who do not listen to what I want and do what they like.

Too busy chatting to the stylist in the next work station about their Friday night out.

The lack of customer service, it's the little things, taking your coat, a consultation everytime, even you're having exactly the same as last time.

2, As a salon owner, myself and the team pride ourselves on 1st class customer service, making every single client feel valued. (without them we have no business) and giving them exactly what they ask for, or advise differently if we know it either won't work, or won't suit them. The feedback we get and refurals are for those reasons.

3, "pop up" hairdressers and therapists offering treatments at ridiculous prices, causing hair, skin or nail damage - can't solve it, just have to rectify it <<< this will be a lot of frustration from other stylists and therapists.

Sent from my D5503 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[beautysnoop]

thanks for the reply.

Cannot agree more - service is crucial and a rarity, unfortunately.

Is it enough to make you unique though?

 

[squidgernetball]

I would say our USP are the following.
We offer online booking and encourage our clients to contact us 24/7.
We are in an isolated barn in the middle of nowhere. We are in a village that has a butchers shop, but nothing else here at all.
We have ample free parking outside the door.
We offer excellent treatments as standard, and don't charge the earth for them.

So the clients who hate to pay for parking/never remember to book in opening hours/clients who hate treatments near shops/clients who hate noise disturbing their treatments/clients who like a little bit of luxury - sorted!

We never really do special offers, and don't give our clients cards to carry round. If we do anything special, it's really special. The family of women who came to us all went to Ragdale for a break, so we sent them a bottle of champagne. The excellent client who is 40 next month and going to Salcombe for a break is having a surprise treatment at a salon down there, arranged and paid for by me.
We really value our clients, and take (slightly obscure) opportunities to say thank you!

Vicki x

 

[beautysnoop]

thanks Vicki,

sounds like you guys go the extra mile to surprise and delight your customers.

x