Have you ever walked into a salon and seen a plaque or award that states, “Voted best hair salon in town” or something along those lines? Sometimes you may receive a survey in the mail or find posted in the local newspaper to fill out and send in your votes for the best of in your city. There is a list of salons to choose from. How does one choose from this list to be the best in the city? Some things to consider:
- Customer Service
- Education
- Specialty Services
- Variety
- Products
- Experience
- Environment
Customer Service
The most important thing in any successful business is the level of customer service. A customer wants to be heard and understood. They want to feel important, especially when it comes to their appearance. Professionally answering the phone and helping the client to the best of your ability over the phone, whether it be creating an appointment or offering a suggestion to keep them over until their appointment. When a client walks into a salon, they will want to be greeted and served as soon as possible. If the person welcoming them states that someone will be right with them and offers them to either pick out a nail color or offers a drink of water while they wait, it makes the client feel important. There is nothing worse than going into a salon, searching for an employee to help them, or having to sit and wait for an extended period especially if they have an appointment.
The availability of a salon is valuable. Clients want to be able to get booked as soon as possible, not in a month or two. Keeping available slots for those last-minute calls is a good idea. Clients need to feel their time is valuable, therefore you do not want to keep them waiting long. Plan to spend quality time with each client, and try not to rush the process, they will sense if you are rushing. Make sure to deliver the best result and experience possible.
The best hair salon will offer a team of employees that are open-minded, friendly, and knowledgeable. Once with the client, the employee will want to hear what the client is looking for, offer suggestions on how to accomplish that goal, or offer something that might be better suited for them. While delivering the service the employee needs to carry on a conversation with the client, be a listening ear, and offer validation and understanding. Salon employees are like the bartenders of the beauty industry. Clients often share their day, their frustrations, or their accomplishments with the person spending time on their needs.
- Answer the phone and greet the clients.
- Make sure your clients feel welcomed and important.
- Try not to keep clients waiting and value their time.
- Offer emergency appointments.
- Repeat what your client is asking for so you can confirm what they are requesting.
- Give consistent quality and attention to every client.
- Offer positivity and validation.
- Make sure your clients feel comfortable throughout the entire experience.
- Pay attention to your client by listening to everything they say.
- Make suggestions on products and home care.
Education
Most salons require their stylists to have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED, and nine months to a year in cosmetology school. Cosmetology school is the best way to start gaining experience. Some cosmetology schools offer discounts on services to the public to allow their students to gain experience. Education goes beyond just learning how to cut or dye hair. If a stylist wants to work in the best hair salon, the more education they have, the better. Some salons may offer training to good stylists to keep them working in their salon, especially if it is a new service they would like to offer to clients. If a salon offers services beyond hair, such as nail, waxing, tanning, or skin services, the level of knowledge and education will be much higher. The best beauty salon will have the most knowledgeable and educated employees.
Experience
The best salon will have staff with the most experience and knowledge possible. It is important to have experience, especially when it comes to specialty services. They will have experience in all of the latest trends and styles. The stylist will also have customer service experience. Knowing how to handle clientele is what will assist in bringing them back.
Specialty Services
The best salon will offer specialty services. Specialty services typically require extra education to specialize in these services. Hair specialists have expertise in particular areas.
- Color Specialist
This stylist can provide any hair coloring trend and style. From ombre to highlights, they will have the training to color your hair.
- Blowout Specialist
This type of style uses curlers and hair dryers. The specialist will know exactly how to place the curlers, how long to place you under a blow dryer, and how to style it properly.
- Barber
Men typically go to barbers because they specialize in men’s haircuts. A barber will use razors, and shears, and shape short hair to near perfection.
- Senior Hair Care
Seniors tend to be particular about their style. Their hair has a different texture that requires extra care. A senior hair specialist will have experience and knowledge of hairstyles from the past to the present.
- Kids Cuts
When it comes to kids they squirm, wiggle, talk, and cry. A stylist that specializes in kid’s cuts will have the ability to calm the kid, work with the hair while they wiggle, and do their best to make the experience as least scary as possible.
- Hair Extension Expert
Hair extension placement requires specialized training, knowledge, time, and patience. Hair extensions are becoming a popular trend.
- Curly Hair
This stylist will have the training and knowledge to handle curly hair. Curly hair can be drier, frizzier, and require special care.
Variety
There is a difference between a hair salon and a beauty salon. A hair salon specializes in hair needs and the variety of hairstyles available. Styles such as:
- Men’s Cuts
- Women’s Cuts
- Kid’s Cuts
- Hair Trims
- Formal Hair
- Keratin Treatment
- Extensions
- Brazillian Blowout
- Balayage
- Hair Dye
- Highlights
- Low Lights
- Root Touch Up
A beauty salon offers a variety of services that are not related to hair. These types of services may include:
- Facials
- These services offer cleansing of the skin, clearing of the pores, treatments that reduce wrinkles, exfoliation of dead skin, and rejuvenation of the skin.
- Waxing
- A hair removal process that can be done on any part of the body that has hair. Typically done on the eyebrows, upper lip, legs, and underarms.
- Eyelashes
- These services include adding to your natural lashes to extend or make them fuller. There is also the removal of lashes.
- Tanning
- This service is completed in a tanning bed that uses UV lights to achieve a change in skin tone.
- Nail services
- These include manicures, pedicures, nail enhancements, artificial nails.
- Massages
- Services are offered to massage the back, shoulders, or neck with essential oils and meditative music.
Environment
The best hair salon will have a very warm and inviting atmosphere. The clients will want to walk into a welcoming environment that makes them feel special. Most salons will have soft music playing, soft colors painted on the walls, and comfortable chairs. Sometimes they will have various pictures hanging up with some of the latest trends in hairstyles. The type of service you have could determine some of the atmospheres. If you are getting a massage there will be a private room, a covered table for you to lie on, maybe some aromatherapy brewing, dim lights, and soft music. Most salons that offer services such as waxing will have a private room. The salon will be clean. There is usually a separate area with sinks and chairs that can lay back for hair washing.
Some salons will offer hair care products, hair care supplies, or skin care supplies. The best salon will offer high-end products. They may also sell self-care products such as candles, body washes, or body sprays. They will utilize the space in the salon to properly offer services and the placement of things such as hair dryers and styling chairs will make the space inviting. The salon will have proper ventilation to not smell horribly of chemicals. It will smell clean. The salon itself will be extremely clean and organized.
Voted Best in Town
When it comes down to it, the experience a client has is the most important part of a salon being voted best in town. The better the service, the better the products, and the latest in trends will keep clients voting for the salon. Offering discounts, customer appreciation deals, or referral bonuses are a great way to be seen as the best. Social media is a great way to have the word spread the quickest about the best salon around. To find the best hair salon looking for referrals and reviews online or in magazines. And don’t forget to vote for the best hair salon in town.