How to Reopen Your Salon Safely After the Lockdown
Over the past few months, the hair and beauty industry has been through a rollercoaster of uncertainty with turnover falling by 40% due to the multiple closures during the pandemic.
When the country first went into lockdown, salons and spas were forced to close their doors until their reopening was allowed after some months. This reopening saw the industry adapt to new ways of working that complied with social distancing measures and track-and-trace.
As COVID-19 cases began to soar in another lockdown was introduced, causing businesses to close for a time again. Businesses may have to react quickly to a tier system and wave of local lockdowns, with salons may remain open with scattered hours.
In this article, we’ll get you ready to reopen your business, plus salon safety tips and ways to create a positive customer experience.
Keep your clients and customers safer
Before you reopen your salon, you’ll need to complete a risk assessment. Plan the layout of the front desk, waiting room and workstations, as well as how many clients you can have in the salon to ensure social distancing. A sign-posted, one-way system may also be handy, so that customers can feel confident and safer moving about the salon.
Every customer that enters the salon should also wear a face covering throughout their appointment, to protect themselves and your staff. A simple sign at the entrance is a good way to remind people before they enter, but bear in mind that some people may be exempt.
Another requirement for salons reopening is that they should have Invoay emonitor. Maintained at the entry of your salon, Invoay eMonitor application ensures that every visitor, including your customers and employees after getting thermal scanned along with their health history, is maintained in your records. while your customer receives an instant greeting message with their vitals, it ensures that you always deliver seamless and secure access to your store in the post-COVID-19 business world
The salon must be well-ventilated via doors, windows, or vents and you’ll need to do a thorough clean in-between appointments. Make sure you target surfaces that customers might come into contact with – such as chairs, counter tops and mirrors. You should also keep hand sanitizer readily available throughout the salon and encourage customers and staff to wash their hands frequently.
Managing the customer experience
More than 50% clients may visit their most loyal favorite salon over any other business. Now, more than ever, customers are looking to their hair, beauty or nail appointments as a safe space to relax and de-stress.
Of course, the new guidelines can feel like an obstacle to an enjoyable customer experience. A salon client journey that involves no waiting and no touch DOESN’T mean giving up on having fun, sharing love and stories, laughing and empathy – and creating a human-to-human experience in a super-safe and hygienic place.”
Here are some of the ways you can manage your customer experience:
Communicate: Get in touch with your customers ahead of time to make them feel comfortable about coming to the salon and talk through any concerns they may have. Once they’re sitting in the chair, make good eye contact so they know you are listening and engaging with their thoughts and opinions.
Set Expectations: Let your customers know what is expected of them when they arrive at the salon, whether that’s following a one-way system, wearing a face cover or frequently washing their hands. This way you’ll avoid any confusion during the visit.
Encourage bookings: If a customer books an appointment, they don’t have to worry about long queues or disappointment when there is no space in the salon. It’s an easy way to keep your clients happy.
Invoay: Helping salons reopen more safely
To create a safer environment for your customers and employees, you might also need to consider the type of hardware and software you are going to use on a daily basis. The pandemic has caused a great shift in how people go about their lives, so it’s important to adapt to these changes. This could include:
- Using bookings: Set up an online booking service with Invoay Online Appointments to control the number of people in your salon at one time.
- Taking online payments: You can also create an online store that takes digital payments ahead of time. This way, your customers can easily book and pay in advance, to make their salon experience smooth and stress-free.
- Take Feedback: When it comes to taking feedback, it’s very important to have your customer experience and how they feel about you, whether they are going to come back again, or if they have any concerns. All these points are much more important now than ever before.
Now you’re up to date on current government guidelines, it’s time to reopen your salon more safely with the support of Invoay. Do your face masks and visors, set up the sanitizer stations and get ready to welcome back your lovely customers.
