Salon owners, do you work alone?

[MissJulesBeauty]

Hello

I am looking for advise. I get the keys to my new salon a week today x

I am worried about whether I will be able to cope on my own. I wondered if any other salon owners work alone and if so how they cope with answering the phone and dealing with people coming through the door to book appointments etc mid treatment?

A lady that used to work with me has offered to come and work part time in the salon but I don't want to take her on if the demand is not there and as this is a completely new location for me i am working in the dark a little.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bliss1]

Hi I work alone mostly. I manage ok. It can be a bit of a pain leaving yr client 2 answer phone etc but I have an answering machine as well and just let it click into that sometimes. Don't want 2 leave my client too many times.
Tbh I haven't found it as hard as I thought with things like that
X

 

[Lianna]

hi
I work alone and have done for the past year!! When im in treatment i lock my door and have a sign saying 'sorry im in treatment free again at... You can leave me a message on ....' and i have a answer machine for the phone i like to give my clients my full attention!!! I have had a treatment before a facial and she left the room to answer door and phone!!! I was gutted!!! So i made sure never to do that!!!
Wheb my clients ask why i dont always answer phones or the door i tell them!!! Nobody has ever winged!! And i feel better for not disturbing their treatment too!!!! Hope this helps and makes sense

Lianna x

 

[MissJulesBeauty]

Thank you for taking the time to respond ladies x

This makes me feel so much better. I think I too will go it alone at least for the first few weeks. I am just conscious that as a new business I don't want to lose potential customers by locking the door or not answering the phone x

The sign on the door is a really good idea! thank you for that

 

[Becki2003]

Hi. I go it alone too. As above I lock my front door an have a notice in the window. I also have a voicemail. It's not ideal but my clients understand that I'm in my own and like the fact that they get the same person every time and when I get mad busy my mum helps out. I did take on a part timer but found I was better on my own as she was always off anyway. Xx

 

[Lynne Baker]

You might want to consider a message taking service, with people who have access to your diary online? That way people's calls get answered by a real live person, and if there are any queries the message takers can get the details and email you for a response.

 

[MissJulesBeauty]

Thanks Lynne, I will consider this and look into the cost etc x

 

[ckjustpamper]

I don't know if this helps at all. My salon has been open for almost 2 years. I have mainly work alone.

For the first year and a half it was just me and I coped absolutely fine. In my salon I have a rule I will never pick up the phone when I am with a customer. Only because I have found my current customer is the paying customer and I feel unprofessional leaving them. I want them to be a long term regular customer so I therefore only concentrate on them what they are in.

Most of my clients understand that I work alone so if I don't pick up the phone they know it's because I am busy but I always get back to them as soon as I can and they get that. On my answering machine it states I am likely to be with someone and if they are happy to leave a contact number and name I will return it straight away when I am free. I would say 9/10 times a message is always left and as I mentioned your regulars get to know that you are busy and will return straight away.

I had a baby so I had to get a good friend to help with the salon and I think she also left the messages until when she was available. It just gets frustrating when you get a coffee break and have 2-3 possibly more messages to return.

I can honestly say you ladies who come to you will appreciate that added care and attention on their nails and waxing etc then you paying attention to a phone call. Once they get to know you better I find almost all my ladies say 'please get that if you wish' which then I will answer the phone but only after saying to them are you sure you don't mind? Just it could be my next client who may be late? Which I think makes it a little more reasonable.

Sorry for the long post I feel like you are where I was 2 years ago. I am now going to be working on my own again very soon and I can honestly say the best thing I do is give that paying client already in the door all your attention if you can.

Hope this helps a little xx