BY KENNETH EZE
These days of challenging economic situations, people are encouraged to try their hands on something to keep going or rake in that extra income.
The hair dressing saloon is one of them.
One area of human need that will persist is taking care of the hair. While many are attending to their hair barbing needs at home, there are numerous others that still rely on the professionals outside, making the saloon business, a viable option.
You must note that hair barbing is the need of almost every human, so those who venture therein, are not likely to lack patronage.
Here are tips on setting up and managing one successfully.
1. Location. The site from which any business operates would always be important, but in the case of a saloon, consider siting your own in a business friendly location. Consider a place near a shopping mall, so that people can attend to different needs at the same time. Creating a special time, because you have to go off your route, just to go to the saloon can be discouraging.
2. Good Barbing Equipment. There are several manufacturers of clippers, dryers, sterilizers, etc. You should take care to select the equipment that can guarantee the comfort of your customers and make them feel safe. In this days of several communicable diseases, it is important to ensure that customers feel psychologically safe to be sure of continuous patrongage. Any form of discomfort while barbing, or after that experience, would leave a scare on the mind of the customer and can discourage repeated patronage.
3. Hire Skilled Barbers. Hair barbing is an art because it is one of the defining factors of the individual’s look. That each person is stylish actually starts from his/her hairstyle. Hire barbers who can ‘carve’ the face with befitting hair styles, because the shaping of the face is determined by the trimming of the facial hair that follows the barbing. Hiring skilled barbers can go a long way in ensuring that customers become loyal, as against seeking better services elsewhere. People will always want a repeat of what they consider good, and hair barbing is no exception. Having skillful barbers can go a long way in quality service and helping patrons become ambassadors or canvassers.
4. Attitude. Inculcate good attitude in your employees. This would often require some kind training or mentoring. It has been observed that most skillful barbers are like artists, often, off the hook. The careful attention of the business owner or a well-groomed manager can help tame the otherwise, ill-mannered hair-barber, thereby helping growth of the business.
5. Acquire Barbing Skills. Those who want to venture into barbing are also advised to create time to get some barbing skills themselves and personally supervise employed hands to ensure that customers are satisfied and retained. Having this skill can help you lead by example and pick some high profile customers to personally delight and turn to loyalists or ambassadors.
6. Add Entertainment. A thriving hair barbing saloon would often require that people wait for their turns. Don’t let it be a bore for customers to wait for their turns. A little entertainment like music and football or other games particularly on television, can be attention grabbing, thereby making people wait to their turns without feeling bored or that their precious time was being wasted. This can also encourage people to accompany each other to the saloon. The good thing is that the person who kept another company can be transformed into a customer. Spice your hair barbing saloon with good entertainment.
7. Motivate Barbers. It has been pointed out that good barbers are like artists, often peculiar. A careful identification of barber’s personal needs can help the business owner in managing him or her effectively. Bonding or personal relationship can be of great help in retaining quality barbers to enhance the saloon, as often, customers move with their barbers, when they change jobs. The high labour turnover by this set of employees can be reduced by the business owner carefully enriching the jobs with incentives that can tie them down to the business.
8. Reward Customers. In Nigeria, people love gifts. Gift a bottle of water or soft drink to some people at random times, and generate word of mouth about it. Always tie the gifting to patronage, so that others who patronise your business can look forward to being recipients in the future. Consider doing, a family weekend, where, parents who accompany their children are warmly welcomed with tokens or each family of three or four who come for hair cut are offered a discount. Let this also be a conversation point in the neighbourhood.
9. Cleanliness. No one wants to risk contracting a disease from the saloon. Your saloon must be spotlessly clean. Employ a dedicated cleaner to ensure continuously cleaning. Your customers will easily become canvassers if they find the hair barbing saloon clean. They will do the same if you allow the place to be noticeably dirty. Both would have telling effects.
