Salons are open, and while our beauty workers are getting down to the business of taming eyebrows and trimming cuticles, it’s becoming clear that it may take more time for things to return to the way they were.
With social distancing rules and health checks in place, salons are being encourage to refuse walk-in appointments.
Bookings only
Salons are going to be operating to new capacity rules whereby a maximum of 10 customers are allowed at any one time. “Salon owners may need to move stations further apart to meet social distancing rules, and they’ll need to add time between appointments to ensure appropriate cleaning, disinfecting and sanitising takes place,” says business advisor, Simon James. “The aim should be for customers not to cross paths within the salon. For this reason, bookings need to be the only way that customers are able to get an appointment.”
Online booking and waitlists are the way forward
Opening an online booking on your website allows your customers to not only book their treatment, but to also fill out a questionnaire regarding their health and travel history. “Obviously this can also be done over the phone, but by encouraging a customer to complete a form online, it becomes a binding statement that is easy enough for the salon owner to collect and keep on file,” says Simon.
Keep contact to a minimum
While treatments themselves obviously involve touch, there are other areas of your salon that contact needs to be kept to an absolute minimum. The biggest offender? The waiting area. In fact, Simon recommends doing away with the waiting area altogether until further notice. “Why risk it? Ask customers if they wouldn’t mind letting you know they’ve arrived, and then have them wait outside the premises. Do away with any magazines or pamphlets that customers may pick up to flip through. Such high-touch objects just aren’t worth the risk?”
Visit the #BEAUTYSTRONG hub at https://www.professionalbeauty.com.au/beautystrong/
For more news and updates, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.