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SEARCHWhile salon and spa technology plays an important role in every aspect of the business, including appointment booking, management, marketing, customer service and even the actual services, keeping on top of the latest advancements is a ...
While salon and spa technology plays an important role in every aspect of the business, including appointment booking, management, marketing, customer service and even the actual services, keeping on top of the latest advancements is a tough job for any owner. To determine all the different ways applicants tap technology, we challenged them to put together presentations to their local bank as a supporting document for securing financing. Bonus points were awarded to salons and spas that demonstrated they leverage technology in a variety of ways and could provide data that proved technology has made a tangible difference in their business operations.
THE ARTISTIC
Auburn, CA
theartistic.com
Stacy Hampshire
SQUARE FEET: 1600
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 13
AUTOMATED SINCE: 1994
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2002
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $45
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: Intercoiffure, NCA, PBA, International ColorExchange
“Last year we began working with LoyalBlocks, a digital loyalty marketing company with a free, downloadable app for Androids and iPhones. This app hosts digital punch-cards (which more and more of our guests prefer to the traditional paper punch-cards) which lets our guests automatically check-in on Facebook when they walk into our salon, and rewards them for inviting their friends to join us on LoyalBlocks.”
AVEDA FREDRIC’S INSTITUTE
West Chester, OH
avedafi.edu
Frederic and Julie Holzberger
SQUARE FEET: 16,000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 48
AUTOMATED SINCE: 1999
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 1999
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $16
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: NCA, PBA, NACCAS, AACS
“IPads are employed by each instructor and are standard in student kits for both cosmetology and esthiology students. Students receive them during orientation, and while in school nearly all of our student curriculum and former paper handouts are now distributed via iPads.”
CENTRE SALON & SPA, WESTMINSTER
Westminster, CO
centresalon.com
James F. Pacifico and Cathy Schafer
SQUARE FEET: 3000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 24
AUTOMATED SINCE: 2000
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2000
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: 36
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, SpaBiz, Demandforce
“Our team creates all of their contact information into a digital business card that is exchanged with potential and existing guests. This leaves less to chance of a guest losing a traditional business card, and lets the service provider follow up potential guests to let them know of any openings.”
INSPIRE SALON
Weldon Spring, MO
saloninspire.com
Chris and Sandi Ravenscraft
SQUARE FEET: 2100
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 7
AUTOMATED SINCE: 2005
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2005
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium
“Since day one, we have provided our guests with free WI-FI access. Whether they are just passing the time before their appointment starts, while color is processing or they are pulling up pictures of their favorite celebrity hairdo on their phone, it’s become a powerful tool.”
KAREN ALLEN SALON AND SPA
Riverside, CA
karenallensalon.com
Van Khanh Nguyen
SQUARE FEET: 2400, 2500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 56
AUTOMATED SINCE: 2002
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2002
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $60
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce
ASSOCIATIONS: ISBN, PBA
“During 2013, we moved our initial hiring process online with Hireology. Using this tool allows us to customize questions for all candidates. This has greatly reduced our candidate pool to only those who are qualified, making our hiring much more effective and efficient.”
NADIA’S SALON AND SPA
Cedar Rapids, IA
nadiassalon.com
Nadia Hemaidan
SQUARE FEET: 3200
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 20
AUTOMATED SINCE: 1997
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2006
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $40
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Salon Ultimate
“Most of our staff use iPads at their stations for prebooking and for taking before and after pictures for portfolios. They can also see their schedule through their internet account on Salon Ultimate. IPads set us apart from other salons in our area."
TEDDIE KOSSOF SALON AND SPA
Northfield, IL
teddiekossof.com
Alan Kossof
SQUARE FEET: 17000
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 88
AUTOMATED SINCE: 1998
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 1996
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $50
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Moroccanoil, Rene Furterer, Keratin Complex
COLOR: Goldwell, Wella, Keratin Complex
TECH SUPPORT: Millennium, Demandforce, BirdEye Main Street Hub
ASSOCIATIONS: CC, PBA
“Online, we only have a few seconds to win over a new client. Our mobile website looks and functions like an app on a smartphone. We’re working now with Imaginal Marketing to upgrade our website further, with a responsive design so that every function will be mobile-friendly.”
TRIXIES SALON
Des Moines, IA
trixiessalon.com
Tricia Rivas
SQUARE FEET: 1500
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 8
AUTOMATED SINCE: 2013
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2010
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $29
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: SalonBiz, Demandforce, Constant Contact
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA, Fashion International, Powder Group
“We have a mobile app that was personalized and created for the salon. With it, users are able to both book appointments, look at our portfolio, send us messages, view our service menu, track their loyalty cards and more. We also can send out notifications, which makes it fun and easy to inform guests about openings, sales, promotions, new products, events and more.”
TRUU SALON
Hollywood, FL
truusalon.com
David Levy
SQUARE FEET: 1265
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 11
AUTOMATED SINCE: 2010
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2010
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $55
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Aveda
COLOR: Aveda
TECH SUPPORT: Salon Ultimate
ASSOCIATIONS: Beauty Industry Council
“One of our state-of-the-art features is two-way texting. Guests have the ability to text us appointment requests or if they are running late. On the other hand, we can contact them to see if they are almost at the salon or need to reschedule. The messages pop up on our screen. Very effective!”
WESTSIDE HAIR CARE LLC
Hackettstown, NJ
westsidehair.com
Maureen Kimble
SQUARE FEET: 1700
TOTAL EMPLOYEES: 9
AUTOMATED SINCE: 2004
WEBSITE ESTABLISHED: 2004
AVERAGE CUT & STYLE: $43
BEST-SELLING RETAIL: Redken
COLOR: Redken
TECH SUPPORT: Leprechaun, I Contact, Loyal Blocks
ASSOCIATIONS: PBA
“Our most recent success in encouraging our team members to use technology was our ‘Let’s Get Digital’ contest. The contest encouraged our team members to spread the word about Westside’s social media presence. Our social media presence grew dramatically in two months.”
ADDITIONAL HONOREES*
Alexander’s Hair +Skin, Los Angeles, CA
Aveda Institute Tucson, Tucson, AZ
Berenices, Denver, CO
Bii Hair Salon, West Dundee, IL
The Charles Penzone Salons, Powell, OH
Cutting Loose Salon, University Park, FL
Elements of Style Salon & Day Spa, Eldersburg, MD
Evolve Salon and Spa, Center Valley, NC
Ginger Bay Salon & Spa, St. Louis, MO
Josephine’s Day Spa & Salon, Houston, TX
Leading Edge Salon, Santa Rosa, CA
Nuovo Salon Group, Sarasota, FL
Nurtur the Salon, Columbus, OH
Paul Kenneth Salon & Spa, Woburn, MA
R Salon & Spa, Webster, NY
RED 7 Salon, Chicago, IL
RedBloom Salon, Calgary, Canada
The Root Salon, Phoenix, AZ
Von Anthony Salon, Frisco, TX
*Additional honorees have accrued more than one honor in the the 2015 Salon Today 200 and their salon is profiled in another category.
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