There is something I would like to discuss tonight in regards to being a stylist, as well as owning a salon and haircare line. I would like to share with you my ideas of what it should be like for YOU, the guest, to have not just a haircut, but to have a salon experience. You know, our society has evolved to a point where everyone is in a hurry. Nobody has time to take a few moments to enjoy themselves anymore, and if they do, those minutes are few and far between. I can understand this, because of all the technological advances, we have become a society of instant gratification. Many salons build their reputations on getting you in and out in a hurry. This wouldn't be bad, as long as the work was excellent, and the client's experience was excellent. Sometimes the end result is the salon turns into a factory, pumping "clients" in and out in a hurry.
I believe that every guest that walks into my salon should not only be given an excellent haircut and/or colour, they should also be given a memorable experience. This starts as soon as the guest walks through the door. Someone will be there to greet them. In the event that everyone is busy, our guests will still get a smile and a "hello, someone is coming to take care of you right now." They will be shown where to sit down. Not told. They will be given current reading material, not magazines from 1998. The guest will be asked if they would like a beverage or something to eat. They will then be shown to the stylist's chair, before they are taken to the lather lounge, so that the stylist can see what their hair looks like on a daily basis. Then the stylist will take into consideration bone structure, hair fabric, image etc. Do you see where I'm going with this yet? All too often people are rushed in and rushed out. How can the stylist build a relationship in such a short time? A person's haircut is not just based on face shape and bone structure alone. It is based on an image. An image of that individual. You can do the most technically perfect haircut on someone, but if you haven't formed any kind of relationship with that person, or learned what that person is all about; you may not be giving them all that you could.
In the past, when I was a platform artist and traveled for work, I stayed in many hotels. Often, it was in large, franchised hotels that were not too expensive but very well known. Then one day I decided to take my now wife to a boutique hotel. It was a little more money, but I wanted to see what it was all about. What I learned that day is what lead me to opening my first boutique salon. I learned there was much better one on one service, and it had to do with a unique culture where everyone shared the same vision. It had a very welcoming atmosphere. We weren't told where our room was, we were escorted there. When they spoke to us, they addressed us by our first names. The experience out-weighed the extra cost. I felt like a king that night and my wife was the queen. That is how I want my guests to feel each time they walk through my salon door.
