HELPING YOUR SALON SURVIVE COVID-19
Ben Fisher, Founder and CEO at Beu, shares his thoughts about how salons can maximise their chances to survive the challenges faced due to COVID-19.
Who remembers welcoming in 2020 with a glass of champagne in hand and a promise to make this decade a repeat of the roaring 1920’s? Well that fell flat quicker than you can say “please make sure you put on a mask before entering the salon, old sport.” Things have changed and now there has been a shift in attitude from optimism for the new decade, to adapt or die. However, not everything is doom and gloom, as there has been a shift in people looking to work together rather than competing. Community is being put before competition and clients will do what they can to help their favourite establishments survive.
Watch the pennies, save the pounds.
Our first piece of advice to survive 2020 would be to keep a close eye on your bottom line. Lockdown claimed a lot of victims, with the high street losing a number of big names. But, those closures may not be over just yet. Already parts of the country have been put back into regional lockdowns and other countries have been subjected to more than one lockdown due to rising R numbers and second peaks. As with any downturn, cash is king. There is no promise that further Coronavirus aid will become available if we go into a second lockdown, so make sure that you have enough cash saved for a worst-case scenario. One area where you could save a lot of money is with your salon software. Due to the current climate we have made Beu salon software completely free. No sign-up fees, no monthly subscription and no commission taken off your bookings. Our future success is based on your immediate success, so we want to do what we can to support you whilst times are tough.
The out of salon experience.
With salons required to take bookings for every appointment, it is more important than ever that your salon booking system is seamless and enjoyable. Beu allows you to control, automate and optimise every facet of your salon business. Clients can manage their own appointment by booking in directly from your website, social media, any marketing campaigns you may be running or through our app and website. If there is an issue with the appointment, they can reschedule themselves without having to call the salon. This allows stylists to maximise the time they have with their client in the chair, or use the extra time to add another client or service, which is critical to maintain revenue.
Coronavirus cover charge.
Adjusting your pricing is always a scary prospect. Some clients have been paying the same amount for years, and there is always the worry that changing that may cause some clients to move on. However, the truth is that operating a salon has become a lot more expensive this year, with spaced out appointments and the amount of PPE required. Clients understand this and will accept price increases that are necessary for your business’ survival. However, we do have a couple of tips on how to announce the change and reduce friction.
1.) Be transparent - if possible, contact your clients with an email to let them know that you are changing your prices and why. That way there will be no shock when they turn up for their appointment.
2.) Show the value - “We are increasing the price of our services to provide you with a safe, hygienic and stress-free visit. Our adjusted prices are as follows.” See, it’s that easy.
Final words
We want to do what we can to help your salon get back to firing on all cylinders, and we are working closely with our partners to ensure we can react quickly with you and offer you all the features that you require. If you need any help getting set up with Beu, contact us through the chat on our website and we will do everything we can to help.
Click here to get your salon set up, and start saving money today.