Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Full moon alert

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***A note to reader’s…my app. wasn’t updated to 2013…looks like I just attract crazy…read on…

So it happened again. No, I didn’t have to dodge a flat iron. I did however have to dodge the crazy. You would think after 20 plus years in customer service and dealing with the public that nothing would surprise me. The upside to all the crazy I get to witness and deal with is it gives me so much material. I find myself wondering, when did throwing your arms up and shoving your finger in someone’s face over the fact that the scent of the gel that you bought doesn’t transport you to  a green meadow became the norm? Maybe it is all the reality television or maybe it is that oxy’s are now banned in Canada…hmm….then I checked my Moon Phase app. (A necessity to anyone who deals with the public) and realized that the full moon will rise tomorrow. Great.

The phone rings. I begin my usual pleasant greeting when from the other end of the line I hear “Yeah, whatever. Look I bought a flat iron and I don’t like it. I want to return it.”. So I ask if it is still heating up. “Well….yaaaaah. Pfft.” is the eloquent response I receive. I explain that once a flat iron has been used, if there isn’t a defect present I cannot return it, nor can I sell it to someone else. I offer the company’s 1 800 number and tell her to see if they can help her out. “There is a defect! I don’t like it! That’s the defect!”. As I try to explain that does not constitute a manufacturer’s defect, I get to hear the ol’ stand by “You are an asshole and you suck!” then silence…not a dial tone…silence. You see, she is looking for a fight. Guess what? She isn’t getting one. So there I stand for about a minute in silence. After a few more seconds she finally shouts “I’m hanging up now!!!”. Click. It’s only 10:30 a.m..

A woman comes in and says “I bought this stuff here a few years ago. I don’t remember the name of it but I really liked it, do you have it?”. At our shop we have an awesome salon program that tracks our customers/clients purchases…if they have given us their phone number. So, I ask for her phone number to which she replies “no thank you”. I go on to explain I am asking for her number so I can check her file to see her purchases so maybe I can track down the product she is after. Big mistake. Huge. Who knew that little phrase I had uttered would begin a ten minute rant on Big Brother(not the reality t.v. show…lets keep up people) and the government watching our every movement and how it is no business of our Prime Minister what products she buys, and then she asks me again if I know what the product is she is looking for. Oh look…it’s 11:15 a.m..

A gentleman comes into the shop stating “I am never shopping here!!”, walks the perimeter of the shop and leaves.

At our shop, we sell over 25 professional hair care lines, so I deal with over 10 distributors, so if I don’t have the product you are looking for, I can usually order it in. We call it a “special order”. Another big mistake it seems. A woman was looking for a certain Kevin Murphy product that I didn’t carry, so I let her know I could order it for her, I let her know I could add it to our special orders, to which she said “Well! If I knew it was such a bother that it has to be classified as a “special order” I wouldn’t have bothered!” and then she left. I have to admit, I just stood there, I was actually speechless for a moment. You don’t want to know what time it was…too depressing.

I can hardly wait to see what or who crosses the threshold tomorrow. I do know one thing for sure, on tomorrow’s playlist I will be sure to have Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Bad Moon Rising on repeat.

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

Joico to the world

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  ***Original post from 2013 updated August 2016!

 

As we all know, from time to time products change their packaging or…sniff…gulp…our favorite products are discontinued. Although today’s tale is such a tale, do not despair for I come bearing good news. Yes, it is true. Joico has revamped their packaging and have laid to rest some of their products. Calm down, I told you not to despair. Take a breath, get a tissue or a shot of bourbon and collect yourself. This is a company that cares about it’s customers and they do their best to provide the best service and the best product for their customers. Joico has given a road map if you will of what products they suggest would be a suitable replacement for your beloved product and I have such road map and am sharing it with you. See?!? No need for tears or tantrums.

Here you go;

Discontinued = Joico Color Endure Masque. It’s replacement = Kpak Revitaluxe or Kpak Intense Hydrator

Discontinued = Joico Moisture Recovery Leave In Moisturizer. It’s replacement = Kpak Leave In Protector or Daily Care Leave In

Discontinued = Joico Daily Care Moisturizer. It’s replacement = Joico Daily Care Conditioner

Discontinued = Joico Brilliantine Shine Pomade. It’s replacement = Joico Structure Define Lightweight wax

Joico Structure Define

 

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Humidity Blocker. It’s replacement = Joico Humidity Blocker Finishing Spray *this baby is new!

Joico Humidity Blocker

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Dry Spray Wax. It’s replacement = Joico Texture Boost Dry Spray Wax *this baby is new!

Joico Texture Boost

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Pliable Paste. It’s replacement = Joico Flex Control Pliable Paste *this baby is new!

Joico Flex Control

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Gloss Wax. It’s replacement = Joico Crème wax cocktailed with Kpak Color therapy restorative oil. (my own recipe) *Cocktailed = mixed with

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Flex. Shaping Spray. It’s replacement = Joico JoiMist Medium

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Forming Polish. It’s replacement = Joico Creme Wax (from original Joico collection)

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Texture Spray. It’s replacement = Joico Matte Grip Texture Creme or Joico ICE Erractic

Discontinued = the complete Joico Silk Results line. It’s replacement is the complete Joico Smooth Cure line – the newest addition to the Joico family and a beautiful line that many of the customers and clients of our shop/salon purchase on a daily basis.

Joico has revamped their packaging as well. It looks AWESOME!

Silver cans = the complete styling line.

Red = the Color Endure line which is now Sulfate Free!

Green = the Body Luxe line (volume)

Blue = the Moisture Recovery line

Copper = the Smooth Cure line which is Sulfate Free

Purple = the Daily Care line

Gold = the Kpak line

So now there isn’t any reason for you to feel lost or abandoned. Feel free to take this road map along on your next trip to the Salon.

 

 

 

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Place your bets

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So here we are. It is the beginning of yet another year and with it’s commencement comes the resolutions. Working at a Salon I am privy to many such resolutions, from “I’m gonna finally leave his sorry ass!” to the old stand by “This is the year I am going to the gym EVERY day!”. Myself, I no longer make resolutions. I gave up losing my money at that carnival game years ago. Too much pressure and quiet honestly, who needs the stress? Between working full time, being a wife and mother, bff, blogger and all around awesome gal (if I do say so myself…you should know by now, I am quite good at tooting my own horn), if I am going to stress over something it’s gonna be about the health and well being of a loved one, not if I am keeping my resolution to only have 1 coffee a day.

Over the past few days I have heard the resolutions of many of our clients and customers. One thing they all had in common was this, they all said they “had to.”. Had to?!?! When you were 10 you “had to”. If you are over the age of 18 and no longer living under your parents roof, resolutions, choices -take your pick, should be “want to”. By the way if you are over the age of 25 and still living with mommy and daddy, I think they have a resolution in mind for you. Where was I? Oh yes, ladies and gents, if you must make a resolution this year, how about you try to live a “want to” life instead of a “have to” life. This is not a new idea, I know. I was reminded of this back in the fall of 2012. I was fortunate enough to win a ticket to hear a great speaker, Mark Gaylard (Google him). Long story short -the message of the evening was do you want a “have to” or “want to” life, and baby, I want a “want to” life. Now to today’s tale.

I hear the familiar chirp of the shop’s door chime and look up to see a mother and daughter duo. I say hello and ask if I can help them find what they are looking for. The mom blurts out as she points to her daughter “Help her. I am beyond help.”. Oh, how I love a challenge. “Why do you say that?” I ask. She  then begins to tell me “I am no longer in my 20’s and I have to get used to it. Even my husband says so.”. So I asked her if she wanted to get used to it. The woman just looked at me and her daughter’s jaw dropped. I explained I meant no offense, I wanted to be sure she was okay with getting used to it, because I thought she had great hair. “You like my hair?” she said. I said that I did and that I could help her make it look even better if she wanted my help. I ended up giving her and her daughter some samples and the Salon’s price list. As she was leaving she said she would be calling for an appointment because she wanted one, then winked at me.

It is a new year and with it new possibilities lurk around every corner. This can be the year you quit smoking, muster up the courage to ask for help and go to rehab, let go of your fear of being attractive and go and try a new hair color and style, lose that weight that you have carried around long enough – pounds or people. Go and have a “want to” life. You are a safe bet and worth the wager.

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Tales of Truth – Part 6

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Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gather round. Yes, it is that time again, tales of truth. The past week has been an unusual one, more so than normal. Maybe it’s the weather…a tad milder than normal, maybe it’s the holiday season approaching, maybe it is the pressure to have the turkey basted to perfection. I couldn’t put my finger on it until I was looking at my calender counting the days until the next available hour I would have to myself (December 3rd.) that I realized there is a full moon approaching. That explains everything.

Here is a glimpse into the daily life of that girl in the red coat, what I hear and what I see and sometimes wish I could un-see.

– “Your hair looks so nice, like fur, like….my cat. Oh, your hair reminds me of my cat.” – Thank god she said cat. (wait for it…there you go)

– “I want to get a Brazilian done. I heard it was easy enough. Do you think if I do the splits standing up and use the wall to hold my balance I could do it?”. I didn’t know what to say so I told her to You Tube the how to video on Brazilian Waxing. (You are gonna look it up now aren’t you? You know you are. You aren’t fooling anyone.).

– “If you can curl your hair with it, why do you call it a flat iron?” – how is it that these people make more money than I do?

– “Do you sell toe nail polish?” – had to explain that nail polish can be used on both finger nails and toe nails – I swear I did a shoulder check looking for a camera crew and Ashton Kutcher

– A customer asked the difference between root boost and mousse. I explained that “root boost is sprayed directly at the root, rub it in and then blow dry. A mousse is a foam that you disburse into your hand, emulsify it in both hands and rub it through out the hair, then blow dry.”. She stared at me and responded with “so..what’s the difference?” – Where is the principal’s office when you need it?

– A woman  called the shop asking me if I thought her hair color was too brassy. I told her it would be easier for me to tell if she was at the shop. She asked me why.

– I had a customer ask for a product line I did not carry. “I bought it here before! You don’t know what you are talking about.”. I apologized and explained that our shop has never carried that line. “Well , I know I bought it here! I shop here all the time! Give me your head office’s phone number!”. I told her we were locally owned and operated and not part of a chain. That’s when the light bulb switched on and she realized not only was she in the wrong store, she was on the wrong city. I offered her a complimentary mint.

– “My son loves computers. Can he come behind the counter while I shop?” – didn’t realize I had such a resemblance to Nanny McPhee

– A customer asked me if we sold Sebastian Shaper Plus. I said yes and took her over to the shelf. She just stood there saying “Really. You sell Sebastian Shaper Plus.”. She said it three times, then stared at me. I asked if she wanted me to get it down for her. She nodded as she stared and smiled and then walked up to the counter. I stood back for a minute- in case an alien sprang out of her chest or her head began to spin around.

There are five more days until the full moon. Although the thought of what may be said or seen does frighten me a little, it will make for some great tales to tell and maybe even bring a bit of laughter to an otherwise dull day.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

You will find it if you know where to look.

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I know. I know. You began reading this blog because you wanted beauty tips, you wanted gossip, and you were praying for a magic wand to give you the exact potion to give you the hair of your favorite celebrity (they are extensions by the way. Unless your favorite celebrity is The Rock or Mr. Clean- trust me – they are extensions). I know the last few tales have been more about inner beauty, kindness and life in general but your wait is over. Today’s Salon tale is about product. Yes, it’s true. You can get back on your chair now.

My main goal everyday at the shop is to educate our customers/clients. If I don’t know something, I make damn sure I find out. When I find out useful tidbits of information, I pass them along. That is what I am doing today. As you know, companies are known to change, rename or discontinue products without any notice to the consumer. You know the feeling, much the same as when the guy who just professed his love trying to steal third didn’t call you or even give you a second glance. Well, ladies and gents, not all companies are like Larry the Lounge Lizard – some companies want to give us a heads up and even give us the new name or new replacement of our favorite products. Joico is one of those companies.

A few years ago, Joico renamed a few of their products. This past week I had an elderly lady looking for the shampoo that her husband loved. Everyone told her it was discontinued, it wasn’t made anymore. I was her “last kick at the can” as she put it. So I asked her what was the product and she told me “Joico Bojoba Shampoo”. I walked over to my Joico shelf,  grabbed her a bottle of the Daily Care Treatment Shampoo and told her “Here it is! Same product, same smell, new name.”. Well, wasn’t I her favorite person of the day, she actually giggled and couldn’t wait to get home and give it to her hubby. (the shampoo people…behave yourselves).

Being me, and not to let any of you down, I have compiled a list of the renamed Joico products. They are still the same products, they just have a new name.

– IceWhip is now JoiWhip

– IceMist is now JoiFix Firm

– IceLotion is now JoiLotion

– IceGel is now JoiGel Firm

– Altima Conditioner is now Daily Care Conditioner

– Kerapro Shampoo is now Daily Care Conditioning Shampoo

– Bojoba Shampoo is now Daily Care Treatment Shampoo

– Lite Conditioner is now Daily Care Balancing Conditioner

– Triage Shampoo is now Daily Care Balancing Shampoo

– Integrity is now Daily Care LeaveIn Detangler

So there you have it. As for all the stylists, salon owners and managers out there, hell sales people in general – there is this thing called a computer and it has the capability to look something up for you in about 30 seconds. When a customer or client asks about a product and you don’t know the answer – do not say “Oh…that’s discontinued” or “I don’t know what you are talking about”. In the immortal words of my father “LOOK IT UP!”.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Receding hairlines and muffin tops

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I hear the familiar chirp of the shop’s door chime. I look up to see a couple. I can tell from the look on the woman’s face she is on a mission, the gentleman looks like a little boy who just received the scolding of his life. Before I have a chance to say hello, the lovely lady sighs and says as she points at his head “Can you help this?!”. In all honesty, the first thought that sprang into my head was “No, but they will perform an exorcism to remove the demon that resides in you at the church down the street”. What I did say was “Help with what exactly? I think his hair cut looks great.”. He smiled. She scowled. “I was talking about his hair line! Look at it!”. I didn’t look at his hair line. I looked at him, right in the eye and asked him “Do you like your hairstyle? Is there a product that you are looking for?”. Again, he smiled, she scowled. I swear she added a “hhmmpptt” with the scowl. I found out he was looking for something that gave hold without a lot of shine and didn’t want anything too sticky. He liked to brush his hair forward a little to cover up his receding hair line. So I showed him the American Crew Fibre – a medium hold cream that adds texture and hold with minimal shine. I also showed him the KMS Molding Paste – great texture and hold with low shine.

Ladies, I have said it before and will say it again…if you want equality, it goes both ways. If your gent pointed at your ass and said “you gotta do something about that!” you know that he would be pushing up daisies. If your gent took you into a store and pointed at your muffin top stating “Can you do anything about this?!?” he would be walking home to nothing waiting for him on the dinner table. So why do women think it is okay to do this to men? I think it is cruel. In all honesty, it is kind of disgusting actually. It takes a lot, I mean A LOT for a man to open up about his insecurities. Throwing them in his face, especially in public is, quite frankly, being a bully.

NEWS FLASH! Men want to look good for themselves. Sure, they want to look good so people will notice them. We all want that. Yeah – I mean you too – you aren’t wearing red 6 inch heels just so you reach the soup can on the top shelf for the little old lady at the grocery store – the jig is up. Men want to have good hair days too. Men hate when their hair is frizzy. Men give up on their new style and just chop it off – just like women have. If you ask  me, it takes guts for a man to walk into a Salon and ask for help. He is risking all kinds of ridicule, be it from coworkers, friends, or unfortunately in some circumstances, the Salon employees. Oh, and a heads up to Salon owners and managers out there – There is a HUGE market that wants  to spend their money that you are neglecting – MEN.

Grow up a little, stop giggling at a man when he asks what the difference is between hairspray and setting spray, or gel and pomade.Yeah, I said it. Ladies – come on – you know how insulting it is, the way we are talked to when we go to get our car repaired. If you giggle at a man when he asks about hair product or you point out his receding hair line, you are doing the same thing that you hate being done to you.

Everyone deserves to like what they see in the mirror, men, women, gay or straight. No one deserves to have their insecurities belted out in a Salon. My goal is to make every customer and client feel beautiful and leave with a spring in their step. At our shop/salon we aim to bring out the beauty that is already there. As for the ugly remarks and attitudes…you can leave those at the door.

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

You know you like it

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Every day, at least once a day, a woman comes into the shop looking for something new. I see her come in the door, We exchange our “hello’s”, she heads over to her “go to” product, picks it up, puts it back on the shelf. She picks it up again and puts it back down. She starts to walk around the store, looking at all the shelves of product. I ask if I can help her. She tells me no. She ends up back at the shelf she started at, and sighs. I walk over and ask “Are you sure I can’t help you?”. She turns to me, sighs again and says “I guess you can. I mean maybe, I really don’t know.”. So I ask her why she picked up the first product then kept putting it down. (lets say it was Joico JoiWhip for educational purposes.). The response is always the same “I was told I needed to change my products.”. So I ask her, “Do you like JoiWhip? Are you happy with the hold and volume it offers?”. This response is always the same also, “Yes, I love it!”. I reassure her that if she has found a product that works for her and she likes it, she doesn’t have to change it. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” is what I end up saying and usually I get a laugh. I was once corrected on my grammar but at least it wasn’t accompanied with a flying flat iron.

Ladies and Gents, when it comes to your hair products, if you like the products you are using, keep on using them. You don’t need to change because someone said so…that being said – I do highly recommend to stop using drug store product and invest in professional salon products. You know your hair, you know what it will do and what it won’t. You know how much or how little time you want to spend on your hair. You know the scents you like and the hold you want. The same goes for your life. If you like what you are doing, keep doing it. If you like to bang your head to Iron Maiden…bang away. If you like to skip down the lane…skip away. You know yourself and what you like. Trust yourself. I have said on many occasions that I believe a little fairy dust goes a long way. I am forty years old and I am sure many people I meet may think I am a little “off” because I say hello to caterpillars – you never know – the one you don’t say hello to may be the one caterpillar that is capable of speech.

If you like your JoiWhip or your Moroccanoil or your BigSexy Spray and Play – keep using it. If you like to sing along to Weird Al while you drive around town – be like a surgeon and tell ’em to eat it. Be yourself and trust yourself – there is nothing more beautiful.

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Do you want a sale or a customer?

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Customer service. A term that we all know, a term we have all heard, a term we have all been taught. Unfortunately, as of late, a term many are not utilizing to their full potential, if at all.

It happened again today. I had a customer come into the shop and when I asked her “can I help you find what you are looking for?” it was met with a scowl and a snap of “I’ll let you know. Can’t I just look around?”. I have heard this many times and just let it roll off my back, nine out of ten times it has nothing to do with my question. After a few minutes I said “Just so you know, if you can’t find what you are looking for, many companies changed their packaging this year. Let me know if you need some help.”. She was quite happy with what I had told her. You see, she was looking for a KMS product and her stylist said it was discontinued. It wasn’t discontinued, the packaging changed and they renamed the product – KMS Flat Out anti humidity seal is now KMS HairStay anti humidity seal. She was over the moon with excitement. We got to talking about product and she ended up apologizing for her response to my greeting, telling me “I’m not used to getting service and dealing with someone who knows what they are talking about.”. I thanked her and told her not to worry about it, I know just how she feels.

You see, I am not only the manager of our retail/salon, I am also a customer. I am a customer of our distributors and manufacturers and I know how frustrating it can be when you are not being listened to or given the proper information about the product you have purchased. In my opinion (you know I have to give it), in business, it all comes down to customer service. The better the customer service the more business you will receive. Personally, when we need a product at our shop, the owner and I tend to buy from the company that offers us the best customer service and support. Back to the tale at hand.

After speaking with my customer about her hair, I found out that it was over processed at her last appointment at her salon and she wasn’t happy at all. So I gave her a few samples of the Kpak Revitaluxe treatment to try and let her know that it would help her hair look and feel better and would help repair some of the damage. I asked her what she wanted her hair to look like. I asked her what products she used at home. I asked if she liked to blow dry or air dry her hair. She laughed and said I asked more questions than her stylist. I told her that was my job, to help her find what she needed so she could do her hair and like the results. I asked a few questions and showed honest interest in her and ended up selling three products and she left smiling and hopeful, and with our Salon price list.

Take the time with your customers. Customer service isn’t just about making the sale. It is about building a relationship with your customer/client. If you build a relationship and trust, not only will you have a sale, you will have a customer.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

No, I don’t want to tend the rabbits

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Ahhh, that all too familiar chirp of the door chime of my shop. A woman comes in and I ask her if I can give her a hand finding what she needs. She tells me “I am looking for a good conditioning treatment.”. So, I show her the Joico Kpak Revitaluxe. I admit that it is one of my favorites and tell her that everyone that has tried a sample has come back to buy it and I offer her a free sample. After explaining how it restores the porosity of the hair, she asks me “So, are you a stylist?”. “No, I am the manager and I have…” this is when I am spoken over with the all too familiar “Hmmppt…well if you are not a stylist, how can you know anything?” What I want to say is “well…hooked on phonics done worked for me and I done taught meself to read!”. Alas, that doesn’t happen. What happens is I smile, take a breath and explain that I have been in the beauty biz for over 10 years and in customer service for over 20 years. I explain that I have been to every product knowledge class and that I run the store, so I make sure I know everything about what I sell. She still looks at me like I am Forrest Gump or seems to wait for me to start talking about “tending the rabbits”.

Yes, it’s true. I am not a stylist. I am not an aesthetician. I am not a university graduate. What I am is intelligent, articulate, kind and one hell of a sales person and manager. Yeah, I said it. Muhammad Ali said it best “It ain’t braggin’ if you can back it up”, and I can back it up. Don’t get me wrong. I am  a firm believer of furthering one’s education. Some times life gets in the way and some of us aren’t able to go to college or university. That doesn’t mean that we are any less intelligent or capable as our post secondary peers. That being said, I also believe in educating yourself, about yourself. Finding out who you are and what you like, not what everyone expects you to be or what you “should” be and what you are supposed to like.

People tend to judge quickly. Yes, I am a girl standing in a shop, that does not mean I have always been a girl standing in a shop. Also, I have chosen to be where I am today. Yes, its true. Believe it or not…some of us actually enjoy what we do for  a living. Shocking, I know. I have had many experiences, corporately trained and such…a tale for another time.

You cannot teach passion, you either have it or you don’t. If you have passion for what you do as I do, you will become an expert because you will soak up all the knowledge and facts you can like a sponge. You will be excited and in turn make others excited. I have yet to hear of a course anywhere that can teach that.

I may not be a hair stylist,  but I can still teach you a thing or two.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

What are you so scared of?

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Today’s tale is for all the stylists out there. Not a stylist? You may continue reading, you may even end up telling your stylist about this blog. It could help her be a better stylist and help you and her other clients like their hair for more than two days after the appointment.

You see, most Salon’s do not put any energy or focus into their retail. Retail meaning selling the products that they use during their services, be it a pomade or a flat iron. Everyday, and I mean everyday I have women coming into our shop saying the exact same thing… “I just had my hair done a few days ago and it looked great but now look at it!!! I don’t know what she (meaning the stylist) used and I can’t do my hair.”. So, this is wear my rendition of 20 questions begins. “What shape was the bottle she used?”. “What color was the bottle?”. “Did it foam up or did it look creamy?”. You get the point.

Something I cannot wrap my head around is this. A stylist has no problem telling their client that their service will cost $185.00 but they cannot muster up the courage to ask the client if she would like to purchase the mousse that was just put into her hair for $10.95. Seriously?!? It’s a win win. The client will be able to achieve the look you have just given them and the time in between each visit, your client will be happy with her hair and in turn with you, her stylist.

I have compiled a little list for all you stylists out there of what a client sitting in your chair should never hear. I mean NEVER.

– when your client asks “What’s that your using?” DO NOT answer “Oh, just some free stuff from my rep.”. Tell her what it is, tell her how to use it, offer to her that she can buy some on her way out.

– after finishing your color service and your client asks “What shampoo should I use?” DO NOT say “Oh, just pick something up at the drugstore”. – Are you crazy? Anything but professional shampoo could fade her color and make her hair look dull and lifeless – and guess what? When that happens she isn’t going to blame the shampoo – she’s gonna blame you.

– when your client asks about flat irons DO NOT answer her with “Oh…these are for professionals only” – come on…it’s not brain surgery…if you can iron a shirt, you can use a flat iron. Besides, it sounds a little rude and kind of belittles your client.

– if your client is currently using a professional hair care line that you do not carry, do not tell her “Oh, that line is crap!”. Now you have not only made yourself look stupid, you have insulted your client. Instead, compliment her choice and offer something similar that you carry. If you are not familiar with the line she uses, keep your mouth shut and after she leaves hop on Google and educate yourself.

If you decide to sell retail (which you should), sell the client the proper product, not the one with the highest commission or profit margin. Greedy will get you nowhere FAST. Think about it, would you like to be sold something that isn’t what you need just so the salesman gets a spiff? (Spiffs are when product has a higher commission put on it because the product needs to be sold).

All the manufacturer’s from A-G to Sebastian offer free product knowledge training for all salon employee’s. They offer awesome promo’s for your stylists and your customers. I have had many of the companies give me free product for a gift basket that my shop either puts in a monthly draw or offers as a donation for local charities.

In recent years the shampoos, conditioners and styling products at the drug stores and department stores have increased their prices and quite honestly, when they are not on sale, they are only $1.00 – $3.00 less than professional salon products. I believe our clients and customers deserve to have a good hair day everyday.

What about you?