Salon managers.. How do you motivate your staff??

[LauraLush]

Hi geeks

I am struggling to keep my enthusiasm at times with my team. Just wondered what you do in your salon to motivate your team? I have a team o 12 - 5 hair stylists, 3 salon apprentices, 3 nail techs/beauticians and 1 book-keeper/HR assistant. They are a cracking team with their work and everyone gets on etc, but I'd like everyone to want to develop and expand their knowledge and skills and to generally not settle and go stagnant!
I think what is happening is that the salon has been so busy (obviously quieter now xmas is done and dusted!) that everyone has just had to crack on and its been like a conveyabelt for a few months so I'd like to inspire them a bit. I buy them breakfasts and lunches quite often and I treated them all at christmas, so they do know they're appreciated and I am very very laid back and I'm certainly not the type of manager who dictates or is strict in anyway really.
Basically, I have tried setting targets and commissions (which no1 was really that bothered about), sales competitions (I put a £100 cash prize up for whoever hit a sales target of £300 in the month of December - but no1 hit it!), I asked one of the staff to arrange seasonal or themed photo shoots so we could display our work in salon, enter photography competitions, enter them to magazines and make salon portfolios/magazines (but again, I got no enthusiasm for this idea)... Please help & give me your opinions & tips on what you do & things you do in your salon - it would be soooo much appreciated!
Thanks, Laura.x

 

[x Fee x]

I'm not a salon manager, but do have team management experience, so I hope you don't mind me commenting?

I was just wondering from your comments that your staff haven't really gone for the ideas you've suggested- have you asked your staff themselves for opinions i.e how they feel about their motivation and any ideas they would want in place? xx

 

[BeauTea Rooms]

Hi,

If you are wanting to expand and upskill the team then you could start with a training matrix, this is usually a simple spreadsheet with all the courses/qualifications available for each industry across the top and the staff names down the side, you then mark what courses/quals the staff member has which should leave you with a good idea what they don't have.

It seems to me the team are fairly happy as you've put they just seem to get on with things and they're not really interested in incentives etc.

I had a team like this once in a different industry, all they really wanted was a bit of time off for good behaviour and some further training so they could have a change of pace every now and then, so I arranged a day of paint balling followed by drinks and a meal and then put several through different types of NVQs which which sat down and discussed during their annual reviews. It worked, especially the paint balling and the drinks

 

[LauraLush]

Thanks for your replies ladies Sometimes I wonder whether it would be easier if I had an actual problem!? Ha! X

 

[LauraLush]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply ladies Sometimes I wonder whether it would be easier if I had an actual problem!? Ha! just gets bit tricky at times managing people - definitely the hardest part of the job! X

 

[laurakate]

I think for me, a big insentive would be training. Like if meeting certain targets would mean going on a course to learn about a new treatment or product, I'd be chuffed.

Having said that, I think that one of the most naturally occuring things that motivates me in the work place is when everyone gets on with each other...this sort of thing always makes me look forward to coming into work and th fact that you think about these sort of things makes you sound like a nice boss.

 

[staceymackey]

Hi geeks
...I have tried setting targets and commissions (which no1 was really that bothered about), sales competitions (I put a £100 cash prize up for whoever hit a sales target of £300 in the month of December - but no1 hit it!), I asked one of the staff to arrange seasonal or themed photo shoots so we could display our work in salon, enter photography competitions, enter them to magazines and make salon portfolios/magazines (but again, I got no enthusiasm for this idea)...

Hey Laura, I don't manage a salon either - but have experience in team building (so make what you will of the below!).

It seems as if your staff just want to come to work, provide lovely treatments and head on home. Thats great - but somebody needs to tell them that their job actually involves more than this - YOU! We are required to not just complete treatments, but we are sales people. We need to sell our brand or salon, AND retail to our customers.

You seem to have suggested things to them, or let them get involved or not. Do you have team meetings? It can be hard with part timers etc but getting everyone together at the start of the week and debriefing what the appointment book looks like, what specials/packages you have avaliable, which products/services have been selling and which aren't etc and brainstorming to come up with a goal for the week, and ideas together to tackle it.

For example, you might decide to tacke retail in Feb. You could ask each staff memeber how much retail they will commit to selling for the week and write it on a chart. Everyone can be different. Then you can discuss ideas as to how you will go about this, write these down and post it up next to the chart (out of customer view). Maybe your team need a refresher in product knowledge? You could give one team member each week 30 mins to organise a quick presentation for the team going through information, including benefits and easy sale ideas. At the end of the week you will need to have a quick debrief and discuss how everybody went, share any success stories and you can carry through any ideas that work to the next week or long term!

Team meetings can take up alot of time if you let them. You have to make sure they are organised, targeted and not a 'morning tea' style relaxed event (most times!) with a time frame!

There is a really great team building book called Fish! Really easy read, I put the link below.

Amazon.com: Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results (9780786888825): Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen, Ken Blanchard: Books

Goodluck with everything, HTH's !

 

[linc]

Hi Laura

I recently sold my salon after 16 years and very much identify with your problems!
My staff were lovely girls who I had a brilliant rapport with (and still do) but I really struggled with building the business and expanding because basically they just wanted to do their job well and go home. Looking back with hindsight (yes a wonderful thing) I think the fault was mine in that I was too 'nice' a boss, I really dont think it works where everyone loves you as an employer as it becomes too personal when you wish to discuss any problems etc.

If I ran a team of girls again I would take a step back, keep my distance and implement my ideas re. training, commission etc and expect targets to be reached. I also tried commission schemes that after 3 weeks didnt work, maybe my staff were too well paid or well looked after.I know that in my case it was easy to not push things too much with my staff for an easy life but I also know that it stopped me from expanding my business at the time.

Since I have sold on my salon I know my staff are not earning as much money but they are also taking off a lot more time and generally having an easier life and maybe this is how many girls wish to work!

I have also owned and run a completely different type of company with my husband for 30+ years and must admit I found the beauty trade very unprofessional on certain levels (particularly therapists), many people in the trade are brilliant professionals who also inspired me no end but I found many therapists expect to work around their social/family lives and want their worklife to be very flexible, I firmly believe this is unacceptable and maybe college trainers should encourage a more professional approach.

Good luck Laura but do toughen up and take a step back fromn your staff.

Hey Laura, I don't manage a salon either - but have experience in team building (so make what you will of the below!).

It seems as if your staff just want to come to work, provide lovely treatments and head on home. Thats great - but somebody needs to tell them that their job actually involves more than this - YOU! We are required to not just complete treatments, but we are sales people. We need to sell our brand or salon, AND retail to our customers.

You seem to have suggested things to them, or let them get involved or not. Do you have team meetings? It can be hard with part timers etc but getting everyone together at the start of the week and debriefing what the appointment book looks like, what specials/packages you have avaliable, which products/services have been selling and which aren't etc and brainstorming to come up with a goal for the week, and ideas together to tackle it.

For example, you might decide to tacke retail in Feb. You could ask each staff memeber how much retail they will commit to selling for the week and write it on a chart. Everyone can be different. Then you can discuss ideas as to how you will go about this, write these down and post it up next to the chart (out of customer view). Maybe your team need a refresher in product knowledge? You could give one team member each week 30 mins to organise a quick presentation for the team going through information, including benefits and easy sale ideas. At the end of the week you will need to have a quick debrief and discuss how everybody went, share any success stories and you can carry through any ideas that work to the next week or long term!

Team meetings can take up alot of time if you let them. You have to make sure they are organised, targeted and not a 'morning tea' style relaxed event (most times!) with a time frame!

There is a really great team building book called Fish! Really easy read, I put the link below.

Amazon.com: Fish! A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results (9780786888825): Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen, Ken Blanchard: Books

Goodluck with everything, HTH's !

 

[vitality]

The first mistake a lot of managers make is assuming that everyone I motivated by the same thing e.g. money. Communication and positivity is important but democracy is not always the right management style for everything. If your staff refuse to sell products or weren't fussed on re-booking every client etc. then something would need to change.

Decide what is important for your business and what you would like your staff to do and then empower them with tasks not overpower. If you do not know your staff members well then get to know them as they are your most important asset, then find a way to trigger their internal motivations.

You could give your staff a choice within an instruction which would give them a sense of ownership for example instead of telling them your photo shoot idea you could maybe say " would you like to do a xxxx themed photoshoot or xxxx themed." or "Would you like to be responsible for the competition styles or the magazines?" or "What do you's think the best approach would be to maximise sale?"