How to Run an Existing Beauty Salon
A functional beauty salon requires a variety of employees who contribute to the smooth running of the business. When you purchase an existing beauty salon, or are put in charge of one, some important steps must be followed to maintain or create success.
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Instructions
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Carefully review the salon's policies, including salon rules, pay rates and benefits. Have an initial salon meeting with staff members to gather input on procedures or problems.
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Check salon and staff licenses with the state board of cosmetology to ensure you are completely up-to-date. To avoid fines, remove salon employees who have out-of-date licenses or are unlicensed until the issues are resolved. Assess the legal structure of your salon. According to Forbes.com, there are five legal structures from which to choose including partnership, sole proprietorship and limited liability. The limited liability option provides the least substantial financial risk.
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Be prepared for salon inspectors. Ensure that cleaning and sanitizing practices are being followed. Conduct a staff cleanup at least twice weekly to keep the work area, backroom, bathrooms and sanitation room clean. Change sanitizers daily to avoid and contain contaminants.
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Stagger the hours in the salon to accommodate clients and salon staff. If possible, allow employees to retain their previous schedule. If you must change hours to improve efficiency, inform employees of changes before implementation. Post the new schedule in a prominent place.
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Assign salon managers on every shift. Determine the busiest times in your salon and schedule salon staff to accommodate. Shifts often overlap, but a typical schedule is 9 to 5, 11 to 7, and 1 to 9, depending on salon hours. Part-time employees often work four-hour shifts and fill in the gaps during busy days.
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Review duties for staff members. If necessary, reassign duties to allow the salon to function efficiently. For instance, if you do not have shampoo personnel, you may require someone on staff to refill the back bar with shampoo and conditioners or empty trash. Employees should keep the job for a week or more depending on their assigned schedule, and the information should be posted in an accessible place.
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Have regular staff meetings and encourage stylist input. Existing employees may tell you what practices have been successful in the past. They also may have suggestions for improving staff contentment and overall salon profitability.
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Identify top stylists and technicians and reward them. In the salon environment, the employees with the largest clientele often support the salon and should be compensated to encourage their continued service. Talk to these staff members about possible commission or base-pay increases, which will encourage further contributions to salon profitability.
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Check or create client incentives for returning to the salon. If previous incentives are successful, continue to follow them to encourage client retention. For instance, some salons give clients punch cards that give a free haircut on the tenth visit. Other salons might have a computer client list they use to mail coupons to clients. Satisfied clients are the mainstay of a beauty salon. Complaints should be handled quickly. Make every effort keep the client happy and willing to return or recommend the salon.
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References
- Photo Credit drying of hair by a hair drier to the little girl image by Sergey Galushko from Fotolia.com
