MENU
SEARCHYou drive by that new restaurant in town and wonder if you should give it a try. Your first step? Grabbing your phone and checking the place’s online reviews. If they’re good, you go ahead and make a reservation. If not, you probably pass. And guess what? This is exactly how prospective clients are assessing your salon.
Will this client post a five-star review for her balayage service? The answer matters for many reasons!
Photo courtesy of Artistry Salon & Spa, Estero, FL.
You drive by that new restaurant in town and wonder if you should give it a try. Your first step? Grabbing your phone and checking the place’s online reviews. If they’re good, you go ahead and make a reservation. If not, you probably pass. And guess what? This is exactly how prospective clients are assessing your salon. “The first thing an interested customer does is check to see how many reviews you have and what your average rating is,” confirms Karen Kerr, manager of Artistry Salon & Spa in Estero, FL. “Salons that don’t have a lot of reviews just don’t seem as legitimate to new customers.”
Your Online Reputation Matters a Lot
Salon owners no longer have the luxury of operating a business without paying attention to their online reputations. “The consumer is more knowledgeable than ever before and will do plenty of research before deciding on where to spend their money,” confirms Tomy Lulgjuraj, co-owner of the 6 Salons in Michigan. “This includes reviews, price comparisons, websites and social media.” Agrees Jason Glass, owner of Cha Cha’s and Rooster’s Nest Barber Shop and Shave Parlor in Lexington, KY, “It no longer matters what I as an owner think. It’s all about what your clients think and what they say. Remember, millennials are comfortable with instant feedback.”
What? This salon is doing December numbers in April thanks to Google reviews! Find out how that happened!
Reputation Management Requires Time and Attention
Considering this new reality, already-busy salon owners and managers must add another task to their to-do lists, namely generating online reviews and addressing those that aren’t so great. Glass used to spend hours taking care of that part of his business. “We did follow-up calls,” he says, “which was hard because we provide up to 160 services a day. Plus, we discovered we were getting fake reviews from some unscrupulous competitors.” For those reasons, Glass is now using the online reputation management feature on Phorestsalon software. It works like this: as soon as a client checks out, the software sends a text asking for feedback on their experience. If the feedback is negative, the salon is notified immediately. If it’s positive, Phorest asks if the client would mind sharing their response on Google or Yelp and provides a link to make the process as smooth as possible. “This encourages the people saying the good things to leave good reviews,” says Glass, “and gives us a chance to address the bad experiences right away.”
Artistry Salon also uses Phorest and notes that the volume of five-star reviews has increased considerably since implementing. “The survey that goes out from Phorest automatically is our favorite tool,” says Kerr. “Our customers get a chance to share the good and the bad and it helps us do better. It also gives client a way to communicate with us if they’re not comfortable saying something in person.”
Melrose & McQueen's online reviews went through the roof! Here’s how it happened.
Bad Review? Jump On It Right Away!
All three owners believe the best way to deal with negative feedback is to respond immediately. “The other day,” says Glass, “one of our customers responded to a text for feedback saying the towels were too hot in the barber shop. I went back and checked right away and sure enough, one of the cleaners had inadvertently bumped up the temperature on the towel heater. We fixed it and we gave the guy a free service instantly. Not only did we retain a client, we also prevented a problem from getting out of hand. I always say, knowing your weakness is your greatest strength!”
You can’t automate a haircut or highlights, and who would want to? But you can automate many of the things that make it more profitable to provide those haircuts and highlights, like boosting your online reviews and tamping down negative reviews before they burn out of control. “With Phorest online reputation management,” says Lulgjuraj, “all we have to worry about now is doing great work and providing great service to all of our new and existing clients!”
Learn more about Phorest helps you manage your online reputation!
Discover how to create a true “WOW experience” for every client by first building a culture where your team feels engaged, empowered, and inspired. Drawing on Calvin Stovall’s Iconic Framework, this blog explores how salon, spa, and clinic leaders can strengthen culture, elevate customer experience, and build a business that stands out for the long term.
Sponsored by Phorest Salon Software
The wellness industry is growing fast, and salons and barbershops already are an important part of it. In her first blog, Tracy Rado shares where the wellness dollars are heading, and how salon's can grow with this movement.
While salon sales are increasing, owners often feel they're working harder for the same or less profit. Leverage Q2 data from The KIM Report, Alain Audet reveals some of the structural changes that are dampening your growth and why your region and your salon size matters.
Weaknesses in your business are amplified during the Holiday Season. Spark Pro Global's Lucy Randall shows you five things to do now to have the strongest holiday season yet.
In Kati Whitledge's latest blog, she shares how salons have moved away from dress codes and embraced appearance standards. But by removing strict dress codes, some businesses may have unintentionally lowered their appearance standards. Whitledge helps you explain to your team why an appearance standard is important and how to smoothly implement a new appearance policy.
The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit for for-profit businesses that provides a financial incentive for eligible employers who offer health insurance coverage to their employees. Leticia Skrabut, Esq., walks you through how to claim that credit.
Developing strong work habits early in one's career supports long-term success in the salon industry. Jesse Linares offers new stylists his top five tips.
Most salon owners have no idea what these numbers are. You can hit record sales and still have a profit problem. The difference comes down to four numbers almost nobody was taught to track.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
A five-area audit every owner-dependent salon needs to run. You built something that looks successful. Now find out if it can survive without you.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
Every month you put off fixing the problem, it gets bigger, more expensive, and harder to solve.
Sponsored by Strata Salon Systems™
At Janet St. Paul Studio for Hair and Beauty, Director of Operations Natasha McMillen helps bring her wife Janet St. Paul's vision to life, elevating every system from education to operations.
Expand your color service menu with the Pinstripe technique. Brooks and Brooks' Marlon Hawkins walks you through the technique.
The strongest salons, spas, and med spas know which numbers tell the real story of their business. In this practical guide, Phorest breaks down the five essential KPIs every business should track to improve retention, boost revenue, and make smarter decisions with confidence.
Sponsored by Phorest
At Bella Style Salon in Slidell, Louisiana, Director of Operations Angela Meyer tackles inventory, team management, and guest relations. Read all about her in our latest Meet the Manager.
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
