Christmas Opening Times

[RedAdmiral]

I've been really zombied out lately from working 7 days a week and know its only gonna get busier so decided that I would be open the following over Christmas:
Mon22nd 9-9
Tue23rd 9-9
Wed24th 8-3
Thur 25th closed
Fri 26th closed
Sat 27th closed

Mon 29th 9-4
Tue 30th 9-4
Wed 31st 9-4
Thur 1st closed
Fri 2nd by appointment only
Sat 3rd by appointment only

It seems that I wont be open much over New Year and personally this suits me just fine as I need some rest, financially it may be a stoopid idea what do you think? Its my first year so havent much to go by as last year I was the manager of a salon that was in a quiet shopping centre and I worked Every hour but mostly sat around resenting being out of my pj's!

 

[fiona wallace]

I took Gigi's advice many years ago, and thinking not only of my family but all the staff's families too, I took the scary decision to close on Xmas Eve, everyone loves xmas eve don't they?

Business still increased year on year and all the regulars just booked a day earlier than they would have. The staff were more energetic and fun so the clients loved it.....everybody won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (including me )

 

[Lynne Baker]

The only days I'm closed this year are Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I have bookings for all the other days, including (believe it or not) New Year's Day!

 

[Martin Duffy]

I'm going to open Christmas Eve from 9.30 till 12.00, after that I'm not coming back in until the 3rd January! I used to open between Christmas & New Year but it wasn't that busy (mainly as I didn't want people coming in then!), so I decided that in future I'd enjoy the time off as well seeing as everyone else I know doesn't go back until then!

 

[lioness]

I work very hard all year, mostly 6 days a week and occasionally even 7, but I am always striving to create balance in my life, usually unsuccessfully:lol:

This year I'm taking 4 days off from xmas eve and 3 days at new year. So far no-one has complained at all and I'm fully booked every day I'm working, so not losing business. Well, perhaps some of the newbies I might have gotten if I did more days, but we need to have a life - and I really love xmastime:lol:

 

[RedAdmiral]

Thanks everyone I dont wanna feel selfish by taking the time off though I do feel my regulars will get the oppurtunity to come in.

 

[beautynails]

I've always found the christmas/new year period to have the highest cancellation rate ever. Everybody books early to get inas close as possible to christmas so I'd be booked solid, then they'd run out of time for their christmas preparations............and guess what? They cancel their nail appointment. So no more working the holidays for me.

 

[pinktnb]

Cancelations are the bug bear at this time of year. I'd almost forgot about that.
I usually make up a cancelation list and ring all the pre booked clients the previous day to remind them.
Alot of the time it's the day of the appointment they realise they have no time and ring an hour or so before scheduled app to cancel. At least if you have a list you can run through it with the chance maybe someone will take the empty space.
I've taken the plunge and am going ahead with a switch/credit card machine, maybe next year it would be a good idea to take a deposit. What do you think???
xx

 

[beautynails]

If I was going to do christmas/new years eve appointments, I would take deposits. I really just can't be bothered anymore though. They'll make their appointment for before I take holidays and I can enjoy the break.

 

[RedAdmiral]

I'm going to take deposits over Christmas as its way too stressful turning people away only to find your app cancels then you call the walk in back and they've gone home or in somewhere else!

 

[tog]

The only day I will open the salon between xmas eve and 3rd jan will be new years eve, other than that it's so relaxing to have a few days off after xmas. . after all, we work so hard in the run up to xmas don't we? I'm sure all of us who work in salons deserve a break and it's really nice to switch off and see friends and family.

And let's face it, whatever days you decide to shut there's always someone who would have come in. One year someone asked one of the girls if we were open on Boxing Day - OMG! Perhaps she thought none of us had lives. I couldn't beleive it, where did she think she was, Bluewater?

 

[Nataliya]

Crikey:green:

I am fully booked on christmas eve till 8 pm, lol. Salon girls pack up at 2pm. I am off 25,26, working 9-4 on 27.

new years eve till 5
off 1,2

back to normal on 3rd

too good to be true for some of us to be off all that time:irked:

 

[Lynne Baker]

I think the idea of taking deposits is sound business sense, and I will certainly be asking for one. Not sure yet how much that will be though! Possibly 50%.
I agree that we all have lives, but for me at the moment, building my business IS my life and so I shall be off only Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I'd be mad to turn business away, wouldn't I? In these straitened times I want as many clients as possible as some of them are bound to increase the length of time between treatments while they're feeling the pinch.