End of the line

[realisticbeauty]

I have been at my current premises for 2 years tomorrow but I am at the point where I don't know if I should carry on. This last year I just don't feel as though it is working and I just don't know what to do to change it. Cancellations and no shows are are a big problem to the extreme of 100-200 pounds a week. I have a cancellations fee in place but when they call to book an appointment and I say they need to pay the cancellation fee they just don't come back. I send out a reminder text 24 hours before but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Because I have had to crack down on the cancellation fees I have lost about 40-50% of my clients.

I also have a treatment room that is sitting empty I have put so many adverts out and just don't seem to get anything back.

I have always been confident in my work but I feel that this is slipping.

ANy Advice or words of wisdom would be much appreciated !:sad::cry:

 

[persianista]

I'm not far from you, and also find it impossible to rent rooms or chairs. They all want hourly rates, and full employment rights, as opposed to shouldering some risk.
I actually closed my beauty dept, and am in the process of turning it into a flat to be let out. Far easier than managing therapists.
I think because we are in affluent areas, people think we're untouched by recession, but that's not the case, I know loads of salons that have closed down in the area. Nobody appears to be opening up. I can't even give away salon furniture, seriously.
Sorry I can't give you any good ideas, but just a virtual hug, and a bit of understanding.

 

[virtues2011]

Just out of interest do you offer discounts and promotions?

I understand what you are saying, you need to establish why this is happening. Where are they going, the clients have to be going somewhere. To listen to the words "It'll be OK hang in there" isn't going to help. You need to act, as every month will just become harder until you have no other alternative than to close the doors. Have you lost enthusiasm for your business? There are plenty of ways you can promote, Lynne Baker has a good thread on here called "ways to promote your business" worth a read, but you really need to be dedicated to making it work and financial consideration to succeed is necessary to sustain growth. Management accounts will show you where improvements are needed, I can't stress enough how important these are.

 

[Carlalouise]

I know exactly what you mean, since taking my salon to the high street, no shows and last minute cancellations are a regular occurrence - I can't get my head around how inconsiderate people are. I also get regulars book up large amounts of my time only to turn up on the day and say "oh I'm not having this, this and this now just do this", do they just not think or is it they couldn't give a rats arse if it's wasting your time and money!!

My 17 year old daughter was helping on reception once and has seen this happen time and time again to me, she answered the phone to a client cancelling half an hour before her treatment, my daughter had the the sense to politely say "thank you for letting us know, however if you could give us more notice in future we have more of a chance of filling that treatment time" guess what that lovely client said to her - then I won't be F....ng coming back then!!!

Unfortunately I don't think it will ever change, I've even got friends that are hairdressers that have complained about the same thing and then gone and done it to me!!!

If it's a large appointment maybe take a deposit but the cancellation fee won't work, it will just push people away.

It's a nightmare, I feel your pain xx

 

[virtues2011]

Apologies here Persionista I think we were writing at the same time.

 

[Emma-Jayne]

I've noticed that recently more salons are becoming walk-in with no appointment necessary (like the one i volunteer at). Perhaps this is the way forward re no shows?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using SalonGeek

 

[realisticbeauty]

Thank you for your replies. I wouldn't say I have lost enthusiasm I just feel that I am stuck in that I don't know in which way to turn to make things work I think I have just been very lucky in my 5 years self employed that it has all worked so well and now I just don't know what to do! I would say rather than losing enthusiasm I am frustrated and rather worried! I do put offers on for quiet months but The appointment book is always filled like today was booked from 9-8 and I have had 2 no shows and then my 12.30 has just called to say she hasn't got the money today!

Regards to the room to rent I have tried to offer on both a set price rent or a percentage and one lady I even said she could work for the first month at half price and yet she didn't turn up on her first day and has not answered her phone since! xx

 

[virtues2011]

Thank you for your replies. I wouldn't say I have lost enthusiasm I just feel that I am stuck in that I don't know in which way to turn to make things work I think I have just been very lucky in my 5 years self employed that it has all worked so well and now I just don't know what to do! I would say rather than losing enthusiasm I am frustrated and rather worried! I do put offers on for quiet months but The appointment book is always filled like today was booked from 9-8 and I have had 2 no shows and then my 12.30 has just called to say she hasn't got the money today!

Regards to the room to rent I have tried to offer on both a set price rent or a percentage and one lady I even said she could work for the first month at half price and yet she didn't turn up on her first day and has not answered her phone since! xx

It really is very difficult for us all. I only asked about the enthusiasm as I know so many that when times are hard they do just 'give up' the stress becomes too much. Everyone is happy when it is all going smoothly and paying bills on time etc but when it doesn't go well people don't know how to deal with the situation. I think once this happens it is very difficult to keep trying so to speak. I am watching people around me fail daily. I leased the shop next door to my hair salon to promote beauty, half way through the interior redecoration I made a commercial decision to close it before it opened. The competition is way to fierce and to compete with others that charge £3 for threading was not something that I wanted to get involved with but most people really do want something for nothing these days. I understand the principles of not reducing prices and it does work if you are established with a client base, I would not have been in this position I would have started from nothing. My hair salon is not in a very affluent area, although my house is...so I took it home. From day one I realised very quickly that this industry is hard to determine turnover, purely as you rightly said looking at the clients in for the day at 9am to looking again at 11am you could have lost a few hundred pounds in revenue just through no shows and cancellations alone. We all understand your pain.

 

[hazeleyes]

Interestingly, I live in a very working class area of south east london as well and every hairdresser nail tech and therapist from round here is eager to work in the area you are based in! They (perhaps wrongly I realise now) think because your in a fairly affluent area you just be guaranteed more dependable clients and therefore it just be easier for you!
It just goes to show....

 

[persianista]

Interestingly, I live in a very working class area of south east london as well and every hairdresser nail tech and therapist from round here is eager to work in the area you are based in! They (perhaps wrongly I realise now) think because your in a fairly affluent area you just be guaranteed more dependable clients and therefore it just be easier for you!
It just goes to show....

In a lot of respects, that's true. I don't get many no shows. I can't speak for all salons though, only my own. Hair is really busy for us, and is still doing well. Beauty did ok, but I struggled to find good therapists, and I pay well above minimum wage plus comm, but they all wanted more than the business could realistically sustain, so when the last one went off to open her own salon, I didn't bother to replace her.
I think in my area, property costs are really a bit too high to be supported by a salon. I'll make more from turning the space residential than commercial.
What people don't realise is that clients in these areas are incredibly picky about who works on them, so it might sound wonderful working on rich women, but I've seen breathtaking snobbery from clients towards people with the wrong accent or look.

 

[virtues2011]

Interestingly, I live in a very working class area of south east london as well and every hairdresser nail tech and therapist from round here is eager to work in the area you are based in! They (perhaps wrongly I realise now) think because your in a fairly affluent area you just be guaranteed more dependable clients and therefore it just be easier for you!
It just goes to show....

Your prices reflect where you are from - I couldn't charge £50 for a cut and blow dry nor could I charge £10 for threading..people wouldn't pay it. Lets be fair if you were going to charge those prices you wouldn't even consider being in the area that I am with my salon. ...but that said everything is reflected , my rent will be cheaper, my outgoings will be cheaper, my prices are cheaper....it will only ever be a question of the naughts at the end of the figures that change.

 

[hazeleyes]

In a lot of respects, that's true. I don't get many no shows. I can't speak for all salons though, only my own. Hair is really busy for us, and is still doing well. Beauty did ok, but I struggled to find good therapists, and I pay well above minimum wage plus comm, but they all wanted more than the business could realistically sustain, so when the last one went off to open her own salon, I didn't bother to replace her.
I think in my area, property costs are really a bit too high to be supported by a salon. I'll make more from turning the space residential than commercial.
What people don't realise is that clients in these areas are incredibly picky about who works on them, so it might sound wonderful working on rich women, but I've seen breathtaking snobbery from clients towards people with the wrong accent or look.

Yes in your area persianista I agree you would do well in property- serving people who perhaps live by the seaside but work in the city and want to rent a place on the outskirts!
But your area has a reputation for being a place which loves beauty and hair.
I think people are nervous to rent out spaces like you said - just in case things don't work out- not many have the balls to actually go out and do it!

 

[Steph86]

I know it doesn't answer your problems & is not really the easiest thing to do...

But the ladies who let you down on a regular basis, could you ask for a deposit to secure their booking? That way if they don't give you enough notice they loose their deposit.

Not sure if this would put people off, but it is so annoying when you get no shows or last minute cancellations.

Xx

 

[umvemve]

I just searched or your business online and couldnt find it at first. Just to let you know your web address from your yell.com listing is not working?