The Hair Business: Cancellations, Tipping, and Salon Ownership

Cancellations due to Weather

So it never rains in Southern California . . . this makes for many more gorgeous hair days.  California's low humidity has been perfect for those with press and curls over the years. Only when people move from California to the East Coast and begin fighting rain and humidity that they realize how much the weather does make a difference with their hair upkeep.

I researched some years back that Santa Barbara, California was voted the best city for hair because its weather stayed consistent for most of the year.  So what about those of us who live in cities where rainfall can be quite a regular occurrence?

Without some hairspray or extra holding spray, you have to wonder if it is even worth going to the salon.  Some clients go because they need a clean head, but for those who are more focussed on style, cancellations may come more commonplace because getting it styled on a rainy day is somewhat risky.  No one wants to waste their money, and many complain when too much holding spray is used.

Rainy weather makes it tough on the salon business in 2014 when people are already trying to stretch their dollars.

Tipping
The rule of thumb used to be "not to tip" the salon owner because the owner was already making money off their other hairstylists working for them.  Sometimes I have run into customers that stand firm on not tipping the salon owner even if the salon owner is the sole and only operator in the salon.

With many hairstylists moving into salon suites, they are salon owners, but many never considered the fact that they could lose their tip money because they branched out into their own individual styling studio/suite.

I have not figured out a way of tackling this topic with those who stand firm on not tipping the salon owners.  Often times, I find that "tipping" is such a delicate topic and a courtesy that it almost seems taboo to educate on the tipping process.  Maybe this article will open up dialogue about when to tip the operator even if they are the owner of the hair business.

Salon Owners
In some states, state laws do not require salon owners to have a license to do hair. North Carolina is one of those states.  The problem with this practice is that salon owners who do not practice the art of hair can NOT effectively make sure their clients are happy in case a service correction needs to be made.  Granted, salon franchises such as Sports Clips, Great Clips, Hair Cuttery, etc  have built brands where people know that finding someone great working there may be a gamble, but for the affordable price, they may be willing to take their chances. Many of these "fast haircutting places" work fine with business savvy people owning them. However, when non-franchise salons are being run by business people who just want to own a salon in theory, they are less likely to survive in 2014 because the retention of hairstylists as well as the retention of clientele for those hairstylists can be challenging..  A example of two salons bumping heads is described in this link.

The Current Trend of Hair Salons

So the Independent Styling Studios came first, then the haircutting chain salon came next in the shopping center pictured above.  So people have independent hair specialists to choose from in the styling studios or they can go for an affordable, quick haircutting service from a chain salon.  There are plenty of choices these days for hair services.

The traditional hair salons are a dying breed.  Private salon owners nationwide have downsized to a styling studio room to rid themselves of payroll, complaints, toilet paper, and other stylists' attitudes.  However, as new styling studios continue to be built, hairstylists are "studio hopping" around for the latest and the greatest.

For some hairstylists, they are getting full-time jobs outside of doing hair, and they want a professional place to bring their part-time hair clientele to be serviced beside the kitchen sink in their own house.

Only the traditional megasalons will continue their full-service spa and hair offerings in the traditional way that the general population is accustom.

Where do I think the next trend is leading?  Seriously, the styling studios are only one step away from "doing hair at the house."  With the average cost being about $250 per week for the hairstylist, and one does not make money when one is not there, that leaves no room for much vacation or slow weeks.

In addition, with so many of these styling studios being built, they are going to run each other out of business eventually.

The good side of the styling studios is that if you can maintain a strong mix of independent hair stylists without a lot of gossiping, then everyone wins.  The location will attract a lot of walk-in clientele and a peaceful workplace where hairstylists complement each other skill sets and respects each other's clientele.

There will always be people who will go with a chain salon for hair services, and there will always be people who will refuse to go to what I call the "fast food" of the hair salon industry.  There is a need for both types: simple hair solutions and specialty hair solutions.