MENU
SEARCHAlan and Teddie Kossof, co-owners of Teddie Kossof Salon Spa in Northfield, Illinois believe wireless is part of the new upscale guest experience--but before providing it, you must have the technological architecture to support it.
Alan Kossof of Teddie Kossof Salon Spa in Northfield, Illinois.
Today, most of a salon’s clients will be carrying smartphones with them; some may even bring their tablets to an appointment. Many owners, particularly of upscale salons, have discovered consumers believe a wireless connection is a 21st century unalienable right.
“Several years ago, we started seeing that if we didn’t have a strong WiFi connection in the building, it starting showing up as negative comments on reviews,” says Alan Kossof, co-owner of the Teddie Kossof Salon Spa in Northfield, Illinois.
But, before salons jump on the wireless bandwagon, they need to do their digital homework, cautions Kossof. “If salons jump the gun and go out and buy tablets and iTouches, but don’t have the technological architecture to support it, there will be problems,” he says. “If you are relying on a consumer/residential-based networking system—even if it’s password protected—it’s not offering a lot of protection. Anyone could ‘peer’ into your business and access sensitive client and employee information. In addition, if you don’t have the proper bandwidth, you could find yourself in the situation where a colorist is downloading an educational video in the backroom, and you don’t have enough bandwidth to run a credit card transaction.”
It’s critical that salons have a plan on how they will represent their business with technology, then develop a system for implementing it, stresses Kossof. “If you have a network or a cloud-based system, then do you have a firewall? There’s a lot to research and understand and you have to be careful because you can get taken,” he warns. “We’re lucky to have invested in a great IT guy, but there are a lot of issues in the industry with finding credible resources for support who understand the unique needs of our business.”
Once Kossof built a secure and reliable infrastructure, he found that stocking iPads offered a nice touch to the salon’s concierge service. The salon and spa now stocks a library of iPads that guests can check out and use during their down time in the salon. And how does he keep the iPads from walking out the door? Easy. “Clients can check them out, but we ask to hold the keys to their car,” he says.
All beauty professionals should know how to identify when a client may need some health guidance. Tracy Rado discusses some common questions that clients ask in the chair, how to advise them, and when to refer them to a specialist.
In his latest blog, Leon Alexander Ph.D., challenges industry conventional thinking to help owners add more to their bottom lines.
In her latest blog, Amy Pal helps you develop your own clear guidelines around complimentary free employee services.
From managing air traffic on busy days to handling frustrated guests' complaints, your front desk team often serves as the salon's emotional shock absorber. From a customer service lesson from the DMV to a list of strategies for caring for your front line, our experts offer ideas for alleviating stress, celebrating wins, and setting goals.
According to the KIM Report, top-line salon revenue appears steady or slightly up, but that growth is driven primarily by service price increases. Beneath the surface, retail performance and client visit frequency (appointment drift) are under real pressure. In his latest blog, Alain Audet offers strategies for keeping your salon's retail sales strong.
Putting your family to work in the salon offers some real tax benefits, but you have you have to play by the rules of the tax code to claim them. Azarvand Tax Law's Leticia Skrabut, Esq., shows you how.
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 salons 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.
