The Constant
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.
by Stacey Soble
Making Payment Processing and Tipping Convenient for Today’s Client
Delivering excellent customer service in the salon begins the time your client walks in and ends when they leave your salon. Rudy Moser, owner of a.salon in Chicago, discusses how he uses integrated software, takes American Express cards, and handles credit card tips to provide world-class customer care to his clientele.
July 5, 2022
Sponsored by
3 min to read
A few years ago, if you asked a client what makes her salon shine in the customer service department, she may have said, “the glass of champagne I am offered,” or “the hot towel at the end of my service.”
But in our pandemic world, these types of little extras have fallen by the wayside as salon owners embrace other ways to deliver an amazing experience to their clients.
Touchless payment, curbside pickup, express services and a clean, sanitized environment are front and center in 2022. And most of all, clients want convenience.
Quick, Easy, Seamless
Before opening a.salon in Chicago, Rudy Moser worked in corporate America. And he remembers the frustration of pulling out his preferred credit card only to be told it wasn’t accepted at the business he was patronizing.
So when he opened his own business with wife, Amy, he knew he would be accepting all credit cards, including American Express.
“We don’t believe in restricting the path to purchase,” Moser says. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible.”
To keep it simple for both his team and his clients, Moser uses Rosy Salon Software, which is integrated with his payment systems.
“Clients can tap their credit cards once and we can have it on file for future payment,” he says. “And we allow tipping on credit cards as well.”
Those tips go straight to his stylists’ paychecks, a change they have welcomed.
“No longer cashing out tips is more convenient for us because it saves us trips to the bank every day,” Moser says. “But our stylists love it, too. They want to start building their income to buy a house or car—they love having their tips built into their paychecks.”
High-End Service, High-End Clients
a.salon’s fresh design and extraordinary talent attracts a wide range of clients, including high-end guests.
“There’s not a lot of salons like us in the Pilsen neighborhood where we’re located,” Moser says. “We post our work, promote our stylists on social media and do the hair of the employees at neighboring businesses.”
Clients quickly become advocates of the salon, generating new business.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s their first visit or their fiftieth,” Moser says. “They’ll get the same quality every time.”
With inflation skyrocketing and the country still in a pandemic, many business owners are starting to worry. But not Moser.
“We are really good at our thing,” he says. “Our job is to make sure our clients feel better walking out of the salon than they did when they came in.”
A big part of that is the check-out process. “It should be seamless,” Moser says. “They shouldn’t have to wait too long or worry about whether their preferred payment is accepted.
“People can pay with a bag of nickels or their American Express card—nobody should ever have to scramble around looking for another form of payment.”
Moser’s success has led him to buying a second location—the famous J.Gordon Designs in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Another market, another opportunity to succeed through exceptional customer service.
Are you an American Express Merchant? Tap into the tools that will make a difference in your salon’s business.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
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.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
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.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
by Stacey Soble
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
by Staff