MENU
SEARCHAs the leader of the Front Desk Division for Summit Salon Businesss Center, Kristi Valenzuela coaches salon owners to be mindful of the culture gap that often exists between the front desk staff and the rest of the salon team.“Whether ...
As the leader of the Front Desk Division for Summit Salon Businesss Center, Kristi Valenzuela coaches salon owners to be mindful of the culture gap that often exists between the front desk staff and the rest of the salon team.
“Whether owners are designing a retail contest or scheduling education, the front desk is largely left out,” she cautions. “Enrolling them in the activity engages them in the salon’s culture and strengthens the overall team, which can result in increased productivity and profitability.”
Valenzuela offers the following recommendations for weaving the front desk team into an overall business success culture:
Rebook Percentages: “Salon owners know that increasing the rebooking rate can increase a stylist’s productivity, but it also has important an impact on the front desk. When salons rebook guests at 60 percent or higher, the phones slow down and the front desk team can offer guests better customer care,” Valenzuela says. “Next time you design a contest that encourages stylists to rebook, create an equal contest for the front desk team. For example, if the salon as a whole increases from 50 to 60 percent, all the front desk team members have their names entered into a raffle to win a $50 gift card.”
Performance-Based Goals: “I’m a strong believer is developing goals for the front desk and rewarding them for their behavior,” Valenzuela says. “The reward can be a cash bonus, a day off or an opportunity to increase their hourly pay rate. When you engage the front desk team with goals and rewards, they begin to see themselves as part of the salon culture, and not the subculture.”
Training on Services and Products: “If you were shopping at a Bath and Body Works, you could pick up any item and ask someone with a name tag a question, and that employee could tell you the price of the product, any applicable promotions, directions on how to use the product and even its ingredients—they are that well-trained,” Valenzuela says. “Unfortunately, in our industry, too often you can ask someone at the front desk about a product and they freeze with their mouths wide open, then say, ‘Let me get someone who can help you.’ This is confusing for the consumer. Develop a stronger, smarter front desk team by encouraging them to attend product education sessions, where they can learn the details about a product, use some samples or get styled using the product.”
For more front desk advice and training materials, visit the front desk division on summitsalon.com or email Valenzuela at kvalenzuela@summitsalon.com. Check out her 200-page workbook and accompanying CD that talks you through developing scripts for your front desk team.
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.
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
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.
The former CFO of Perdue Farms and owner of Hardy Seafood, Terry Owens delivers a wealth of wisdom and strategies for entrepreneurs in his new book, "Business is Simple."
After scaling her single-location salon business, SALON TODAY 200 Honoree Amy Pal recently sold her six-location Whip Salon for seven figures. Using the six Ps for maximizing a business's value, she's ready to help her peers do the same.
Buried inside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are federal solar tax credit changes that deserve your attention now. Two of the credits that matter most to commercial property owners, the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit, are still available, but only if you move fast. A third, the Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Deduction, has a hard termination date that is closer than most people realize.
Up to 40% of hair stylists ghost the salon interview stage, leaving owners trapped playing endless phone tag with uncommitted applicants. This data-driven report breaks down why traditional job boards create recruitment friction and reveals the modern messaging strategies high-growth salons use to get pre-qualified talent to actually show up. Learn how to transition from cold calling to high-conversion conversations that protect your time and fill your chairs.
Sponsored by Beautista
Spit fests, hostile threats, and even an overachieving matchmaker--SALON TODAY readers share their craziest client tales and how their team handled these tough situations with professionalism and grace.
Keeping your appointment book full when clients are in vacation mode takes more than a good Instagram post. It takes a plan. The 2026 Summer Marketing Calendar from Meevo gives salon, spa & med spa owners a month-by-month roadmap with sharp themes, key opportunity dates, and campaign ideas specifically designed for the beauty & wellness industry. Here’s to your summer season working as hard as you do!
Sponsored by Millennium Systems International
AI is transforming the beauty and wellness industry, and the future is about empowering people, not replacing them. Discover how Phorest AI helps salons, spas, and med spas across North America respond faster, personalize every visit, and keep human connection at the heart of the client experience.
Sponsored by Phorest
Owner Michaella Blissett-Williams credits her General Manager Gloria Hortua with [salon] 718's year-over-year, double-digit growth and says she's been able to scale the company to eight locations because she can rely on Hortua to manage daily operations.
Shine Time: Aluram’s High Shine Line Delivers Moisture and Shine with Clean Ingredients
Sponsored by Aluram
Elyse Rogers is an uplifting presence at The Headroom who makes the team feel heard even in stressful situations. Owner Danielle Cherewyk sings her praises in this installment of Meet the Manager.
Despite a slight and predictable decline in client traffic for Q1, resilient pricing power is driving year-over-year revenue growth in salons. The KIM Report's Alain Audet reviews the data and what it's telling us about the state of professional beauty.
Same-store revenue grew just 2% for the second straight year—and new guest visits declined across every segment of the industry. The 2026 Benchmark Report reveals where growth is actually happening, which verticals are pulling ahead, and what the data says about where your business stands right now.
Sponsored by Zenoti
Hair restoration is entering a new era driven by regenerative science. This paper explores how Exosome technology is transforming treatment outcomes by targeting hair loss at a cellular level. Discover why EXOGROW is leading this shift.
Sponsored by Dermapenworld
A salon brand is much more than a logo. In this thought-provoking blog, Leon Alexander, Ph.D., walks you through the difference. SALON TODAY suggests sharing this article with your team and leading a discussion at your next huddle, asking the team to define your business's brand.
