Bella Style Salon's Ride or Die
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.
by Stacey Soble
The Importance of Effective Front Desk Training
Have you ever hired a front desk team member and sometime within the first week, she goes to lunch and never comes back? You can laugh, but it happens...more than you think! Since we've heard the song of frustration more than a dozen times from salon owners, we decided we needed to take a closer look at why seemingly 'good people' turn up on the Missing Persons Report midway through their first week of joining the team.
July 10, 2011
Kristi Valenzuela, founder of Crystal Focus Salon Coaching
4 min to read
Most of this problem we solved in the last blog, "How to Recruit for the Front Desk." Following the tips in this blog will solve at least 50 percent of why we have high turnover. The other half comes from not having an effective, efficient and EASY training system for the new hires that stand in the most important area of your salon – the front desk.
In this space of front-end square footage, your new clients are determining within the first 10 seconds if they will be back for another visit, yet most salons do not have a written, step-by-step plan to train their front desk team. Many salons use the "shadowing technique," followed by the "learn from your mistakes (fast!) method" and a visit to "death valley with a stylist program" as their training system. And, then we wonder why when they go to lunch at Burger King they fill out an application? Hey, at least BK has a training system!
"Would you like fries with that?" It's one of the simple sales training scripts that are given within the first couple of days of training at any fast food restaurant. How about Victoria Secret's, "Buy a gift card today and receive a special gift?" Or Bath and Body Works, "Can I tell you about our newest lotion scents? Here is our tester section." Through the scripts of their people, we can affirm these places have a training program!
Salon owners confess that they cringe sometimes when they hear missed sales opportunities and weak closings. If the salon owner were able to work behind the desk it would be an area raking in the cash. The problem is many times they are stuck behind the chair or tending to other important owner duties and don't have time to effectively train someone. Or, they simply don't know where to start. The simple (but not so speedy) solution is to develop your own training manual – a step-by-step first day, second day, etc., of systems, scripts and solutions.
We realize this isn't an easy task...that's why we created the turn-key front desk training system called the Front Desk Doctor Training Kit. (Don't worry, this is not a sales pitch, but I would be crazy not to mention that light at the end of the tunnel is already created for you...it took us nine months to author it so you don't have to. Click here for more information.)
Here's how to organize yourself to create your own manual. Think in the process of systems, scripts and solutions. Take your time on this, it is a time-consuming process, but it is worth its weight in gold when you are finished!
Systems:
Day to day, things you need to know and do...
Computer software: make appointments, receive payments, check in check out, etc.
Balancing the cash drawer: end of day or end of shift
Opening the salon: how to turn things on, straighten things up, and look at opportunities for services
Closing the salon
Keeping the reception area neat
Making appointments: how the service providers book
Taking money
Credit card machines
Gift cards
Tracking your efforts: add-ons, prebooks, retail, gift cards
Scripts
How and when and what to say....
Phone greeting (think of something brilliant, not boring!)
Welcoming a guest (something unique, not 'Who ya here to see?')
New client tours: authentic, on-purpose and offering opportunities
Offering service openings: 24 hours, 48 hours and next week
Offering retail promotions
Confirmation calls: offering sales and service upgrades
Offering gift cards
Talking about packages
Upselling services
Upselling retail
Solutions
Handling an angry guest
Client recovery system
Filling today's openings
Handling an angry service provider
Staying motivated at front desk goals and rewards
Having an efficient, effective and easy-to train system starts with you! In the words of a great mentor of mine, Michael Cole, "Don't just think it, ink it!" Get your training manual organized, printed and implemented. If you want to play like a big dog, act like one. Do what every big box corporation has done and get serious about training your people!
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
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
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