LOVING this PHAB new concept!!!

[geeg]

Don't know who PHAB is?? This is something that has really got me excited and boy oh boy do we professional nail technicians need this!!

PHAB could really make a change to we who are proud of what we do and are excellent at it and who want the visible recognition in our businesses.

PHAB recognition is something that will truely set YOU apart from the 'messers' and the NSS who will not be able to compete with what you can do!

Here's the scoop ...

Pronounced ‘fab’ it stands for Performance in Hair and Beauty. PHAB offers nail professionals a real first, the chance to be recognised for outstanding quality in the same way that Michelin stars recognise excellence in the restaurant world.

Nail professionals applying for the standard are assessed on their ability to demonstrate high levels of repeat business and retails sales based on customer problem solving as well as client testimonials. Successful applicants will receive a Bronze, Silver or a much coveted Gold standard depending on their level of excellence. They will then be assessed on an annual basis to ensure standards are maintained.

PHAB’s founder and Chief Executive, Nergish Wadia-Austin created the standard to guide prospective clients when choosing a new nail salon or nail professional. Nergish commented on Samantha’s appointment: ‘We invited Samantha to comment on what we were trying to achieve at PHAB and she responded with a huge list of questions. This attention to detail showed me just how much she loves the nail industry and I knew then that she was the person we wanted.”

About PHAB
PHAB is the brainchild of industry expert Nergish Wadia-Austin, who has over 30 years industry experience and has worked for big name brands such as Vidal Sassoon. Nergish realised that something was missing, an industry standard that stood for excellent practice in nails, hairdressing and beauty therapy. After much time spent researching and developing, PHAB was born.

nail technicians can go right to this link ... http://www.phabstandard.com/application_individual.asp

For more information about PHAB visit their website PHAB: Performance in Hair and Beauty

Now ... who's going to be the first to apply for 5 star rating?? Quite a few geeks I know spring to mind! :hug:

 

[busybee32]

Gigi just a heads up the link doesn't work. :hug: just comes up with an error message.
http://www.phabstandard.com/application_individual.asp
Dont know if this one will work. xxxx

 

[BuffyFileSlayer]

Yes, that link works, thanks x

 

[ClaireyCanary]

This sounds fantastic!!! finally its about time something like this was put in place
xxx

 

[deanosnana]

Is this available for US techs, too? This sounds awesome!

 

[MissConfused]

i seen this on the salon geek home page and looked at the website and i'm still confued :\ are you assesed on just your clients testimonials, how much you sell and how often clients come back? is that really accurate of a persons skill level/health and safety knowledge? what if clients don't review the tech or don't want to review the tech? what if the best nail tech in the world isn't the best sales man/woman in the world so doesn't retail lots of products? i'm so confused, clearly if i've read thiswrong please please please feel free to explain in as simple terms as possible! what about mobile therapists? are they able to apply too? what's a 'productive column'?

i think it'd be a great idea to walk past salons (or read mobile tech websits come to think about it!) and see a star which dictates how fab the tech/the salon is! so many places i've been to have been absolute rubbish when it comes to nails and it wasn't about going to the cheapest place it was about me going to the closest/most accesible place to me as i've not go girlfriends i can ask for recommendations so that would be such a great help to people like me! x

 

[gillian w]

Not sure about this one.It may be ok for salons but i dont see it helping out the little self employed mobile/home salon people like me, so dont think i would want or really need to pay for it.

My insurance tells people of my competence, although we as the professionals know the standards are questionable with insurance companies with what they class as insurable courses.

Im not dismissing PHAB at all im just sitting on the fence.

 

[busybee32]

Not sure about this one.It may be ok for salons but i dont see it helping out the little self employed mobile/home salon people like me, so dont think i would want or really need to pay for it.

My insurance tells people of my competence, although we as the professionals know the standards are questionable with insurance companies with what they class as insurable courses.

Im not dismissing PHAB at all im just sitting on the fence.

Im a home based salon and I have signed up, I have got gold standard.
I think anything that is available to set you and your business apart from the competitors is well worth the money paid.
As Gigi said, it will sort the professionals from the messers and in my eyes its well worth the money paid.
If you clients are regular and loyal they wont mind being contacted for a testimonial.
It does state that they have to have been a client for a minimum of 2 years, and if that is the case then these clients already know your work and most of mine all refer others to me.
They will also send a mystery shopper round that you be marking you and say if you hit the grade.
As long as you are professional about your work, your ethics and your personality you shouldn't have anything to worry about.
Jen xx

 

[busybee32]

i seen this on the salon geek home page and looked at the website and i'm still confued :\ are you assesed on just your clients testimonials, how much you sell and how often clients come back? is that really accurate of a persons skill level/health and safety knowledge? No, they also state that they will send mystery shoppers around to judge you.[/COLOR]

what if clients don't review the tech or don't want to review the tech? If you clients have been happy with your work and standard I cannot see them not wanting to give a testimonial. Many of my regulars recomend me to others that is a testimonial, and im sure that anyones clients would be happy to give a review good or bad. what if the best nail tech in the world isn't the best sales man/woman in the world so doesn't retail lots of products? i'm so confused, Then that just implys the standard level they will award you.[/COLOR]clearly if i've read thiswrong please please please feel free to explain in as simple terms as possible! what about mobile therapists? are they able to apply too? what's a 'productive column'? How many clients/ treatments/ retail items

i think it'd be a great idea to walk past salons (or read mobile tech websits come to think about it!) and see a star which dictates how fab the tech/the salon is! so many places i've been to have been absolute rubbish when it comes to nails and it wasn't about going to the cheapest place it was about me going to the closest/most accesible place to me as i've not go girlfriends i can ask for recommendations so that would be such a great help to people like me! x

I have answered in response to your queries in blue above hun.
Jen xxx

 

[MissConfused]

Not sure about this one.It may be ok for salons but i dont see it helping out the little self employed mobile/home salon people like me, so dont think i would want or really need to pay for it.

My insurance tells people of my competence, although we as the professionals know the standards are questionable with insurance companies with what they class as insurable courses.

Im not dismissing PHAB at all im just sitting on the fence.

i don't agree that insurance does say you are competent.... just look at the courses you can do AND get insurance for just by watching a dvd! are them people 'competent'? i am insured, Geeg is insured... are we the same because we both have insurance? is it right that clients should assume we are the same because we both have insurance?

i think it's misleading that people can use being insured as a selling point, as something to reasure a client of how good they are. there does need to be something else. if you are good at what you do then surely you'd want to set yourself apart from those that aren't as good? i think it will encourage people to push themselves and to educate themselves more as nobody will want to be known in their local area as being anything other than the best surely? x

 

[MissConfused]

Im a home based salon and I have signed up, I have got gold standard.
I think anything that is available to set you and your business apart from the competitors is well worth the money paid.
As Gigi said, it will sort the professionals from the messers and in my eyes its well worth the money paid.
If you clients are regular and loyal they wont mind being contacted for a testimonial.
It does state that they have to have been a client for a minimum of 2 years, and if that is the case then these clients already know your work and most of mine all refer others to me.
They will also send a mystery shopper round that you be marking you and say if you hit the grade.
As long as you are professional about your work, your ethics and your personality you shouldn't have anything to worry about.
Jen xx

thank you for helping clarify things!

busybee32 said people have to be clients for 2 years... couldn't people lie? i wouldn't put anything past some people. how often do the mystery shoppers go around? monthly? quartly? yearly? do clients submit their own reviews or do you do it? reguardless of who does it people can still lie.

it'd be a shame for this to really catch on and for us new to the nail world who have done training the correct way and who have done more research in our own time are left clientless because clients think we are bad at what we do just because we don't (can't) be graded kwim? the only way you get better is by practising and practising... but you need clients for that :\

i certainly do think something needs to be introduced not just to nails but the whole beauty world too, but i'm just not sure if this is the way to go about it? x

 

[gillian w]

i don't agree that insurance does say you are competent.... just look at the courses you can do AND get insurance for just by watching a dvd! are them people 'competent'? i am insured, Geeg is insured... are we the same because we both have insurance? is it right that clients should assume we are the same because we both have insurance?

i think it's misleading that people can use being insured as a selling point, as something to reasure a client of how good they are. there does need to be something else. if you are good at what you do then surely you'd want to set yourself apart from those that aren't as good? i think it will encourage people to push themselves and to educate themselves more as nobody will want to be known in their local area as being anything other than the best surely? x

I agree.I meant it tells people(and people believe it) that im competent but thats not necessarily the truth so are we just getting another body that we pay money to that doesn't really mean much and will take on people as long as they are willing to pay.It happens all the time in other industries..

 

[geeg]

Some time or other, dear friends, we good nail technicians have to stop being apathetic, stop being negative and get behind something that will eventually lead to recognition. No good being late to the party. This is the first thing that I think could really have an impact. Don't sit on the fence.

For 27 years I have been waiting for something like this to come along .. and with Samantha to help and guide PHAB on the nail technician side of things and the standards required, she will help to make it work because she is on your side.

Too many people see all the negatives without looking at the long term big picture. Go for it and do not hesitate. We will grow with it as it evolves.

 

[gillian w]

Some time or other, dear friends, we good nail technicians have to stop being apathetic, stop being negative and get behind something that will eventually lead to recognition. No good being late to the party. This is the first thing that I think could really have an impact. Don't sit on the fence.

For 27 years I have been waiting for something like this to come along .. and with Samantha to help and guide PHAB on the nail technician side of things and the standards required, she will help to make it work because she is on your side.

Too many people see all the negatives without looking at the long term big picture. Go for it and do not hesitate. We will grow with it as it evolves.

We most certainly do need something that is going to hopefully raise industry standards and recognise those of excellence and who go the extra mile.
Its a shame that those bodies that we are already paying our money to haven't really done much to keep standards high or attempt to raise them which is why we have the need for this in the first place.

 

[sarahchinee]

Reading the application form it seems that you can either apply as a salon/spa or as an individual but one that is employed, it reads as though self employed mobile technicians can't apply....am I reading it correctly? I do think it's a good idea, but If it seems to me like the individual application gives you a rating to show how employable you are. It's seems more targeted to what an emoployer would want to know about you, not a client?
E.g running you column successfully, retail ect

 

[geeg]

Reading the application form it seems that you can either apply as a salon/spa or as an individual but one that is employed, it reads as though self employed mobile technicians can't apply....am I reading it correctly? I do think it's a good idea, but If it seems to me like the individual application gives you a rating to show how employable you are. It's seems more targeted to what an emoployer would want to know about you, not a client?
E.g running you column successfully, retail ect

Then speak to PHAB directly to clarify.

 

[geeg]

See what I mean about apathy nail friends??

This is the nail forum and this is all the excitement we can generate for this PHAB concept?? :irked:

How many are GOING FOR IT?
I know so many of you who could go for the gold star rating already.
How many of you have applied for it?
I'd be signed up and wearing the T-shirt by now if I lived in the UK. :green:

If you don't know what to do then go here .....

PHAB: Performance in Hair and Beauty

 

[Martin Duffy]

I can see why people are reticent; in a time when money is at a premium it is asking therapists to stump up cash on the chance that the idea takes off. For it to be successful clients will have to be aware of it, which is the same problem other non-compulsory regulatory bodies have had.

Also, if a therapist qualifies for a gold star on the basis of having a high rebooking rate, high retail sales etc then do they need any more clients or a star on their door to tell people how good they are?!

 

[geeg]

I can see why people are reticent; in a time when money is at a premium it is asking therapists to stump up cash on the chance that the idea takes off. For it to be successful clients will have to be aware of it, which is the same problem other non-compulsory regulatory bodies have had.

Also, if a therapist qualifies for a gold star on the basis of having a high rebooking rate, high retail sales etc then do they need any more clients or a star on their door to tell people how good they are?!

I don't know that people are reticent ... techs keep bleating on about how there are no standards, clients don't know the difference between NSS and themselves, go on about how good they are and how proud they are of their work ........... time to get the fingers out and get on with getting some recognition for it. Without the techs backing it will never be able to run as there will be reassessments every year to keep holding the satus and that costs money.

The people behind it are seasoned professional people, not people who don't know what they are doing or associations that do nothing.

I think you do not understand all the criteria or how it will be run and are making assumptions and all negative ones at that. There is more to it than having high retail sales or a full column. And who has a business that doesn't need a steady stream of new clients coming to the door, as you well know I'm sure. Things aren't that hard lol .. most people's businesses have grown all through this recession if they are good at their job and the fee is not outrageous at all. We hear it all the time here on salon geek.

We haven't had this chance before with nails and it WILL be a good and positive thing for the industry and a start to getting some visible standards which without licensing of any kind, we have not had other than a cetificate or two for great training. People understand gold awards and they are impresssed by them. My clients would write testimonials for me if without a moments hesitation; I'd only have to ask.

We need to be positive about PHAB and there will be plenty of positivity .. already is plenty of it in fact. I'm glad to say that not everyones first reaction is NO! I know a good thing when I see it and this is a good thing.

 

[Claireybearyowen]

I think this is utterly amazing and if you take a pride in what you do and are excellent at what you do this will give the general public a quick guide to the best salons/nail tech's that are out there as I can only imagine what a total mine field it must be to find a good tech as a member of the general public.

For me, I have only recently returned to the world of beauty / nails so it's not applicable, YET !!! But , when 2 years have gone by I will most certainly be looking again and seeing where being mobile I can make this certification work for me.

And from what little I know and have read about Samantha Sweet it would seem we could have no one better as our voice :hug:

I look forward to reading and hearing all the positive developments as this scheme gets of the ground, keep us posted Geeg and Samantha