Although this year’s competition carefully considered other best practices, sales growth continues to be the hallmark measurement for the ST200. From 2007 to 2008, the following 100 honorees grew at percentages of 12 percent and above—quite an accomplishment in a year where a shaky economy rattled consumers and many companies posted losses.
The best way to infuse cash into your business is to get a tighter grip on what you keep in inventory. These ST200 honorees have mastered just-in-time ordering and eliminated the guesswork and waste by using sophisticated inventory systems.
Boosting retail sales is the easiest way for salons to grow their profitability. These ST200 honorees have perfected their retail systems, meticulously trained staff members and designed competitions to keep team spirit alive.
Not only is being green good for the environment, it makes good business sense. These ST200 honorees implement green practices in every way, from the construction of their location to their operations to the philanthropies they support.
Sophisticated software, paging systems, call centers, communication via social networking—technology continues to shape the way salons do business. These ST honorees have embraced all kinds of advancements and proved that technology boosts the bottom line.
Getting your message heard has more to do with your creativity than it does the actual budget you spend. These ST200 honorees created campaigns that got them noticed—bringing new clients through the front door and selling them more product and services while they’re in the chair.
Learning never ends, and these ST200 honorees prove that advanced education fuels the creative and technical fires. They bring in high-profile educators, support their staff’s outside educational pursuits and encourage the sharing of new knowledge with both the team and the clients.
The future of every salon rests on its ability to recruit, and then train, top talent. Determined to grow their own staff, the following ST200 honorees developed ways to recruit from cosmetology schools, honed their exhaustive selection systems and implemented strategic training programs.
A genuine smile, a light refreshment, an invigorating scalp massage--in the new economy, going above and beyond is the new customer-service, standard. These ST200 honorees...