J.A.S.O.N. is the perfect time to focus on the management at your tanning salon. I recommend tanning salon owners use this time to evaluate each associate and see what, if any, changes need to be made. You also should step up the knowledge of each associate and ensure you have the absolute best people behind your counter. You can also use J.A.S.O.N. to focus on education, sales skills, or re-evaluate your in-salon marketing… or anything else. Here are some tips to help you do that.
Sharpening Salon Management
Many tanning salon owners find it easier to train a new associate in the off-season. It allows them to spend a lot of one-on-one training versus in the middle of peak season, when we all hope you’re all busy. So where do you start? First, you need to evaluate your associates by asking these four questions:
- Is the associate maintaining and/or exceeding sales goals? You’re in the business to generate revenue. How does each associate measure up? What are your PPA and LPPA goals? Are they being met? Make sure you evaluate each staff member’s ability to increase your memberships, service, and retail sales. Now is the time to ensure you have the strongest sales associates possible.
- How well do they maintain the cleanliness of your salon? This could make or break even the best salons. Don’t settle for associates that aren’t as concerned with cleanliness as you are.
- Are they team players? This evaluation period should be as specific as possible. Use associate review forms with specific criteria including sales numbers, cleanliness duties, paperwork that’s assigned, and contributions to the team.
- How are your salon managers doing? This is also a great time for associates to give feedback to the management/owners on how they feel in their positions and possible future goals. If the results of your evaluations aren’t top notch, either start retraining your associates so that they are, or take the time to start interviewing potential new associates. Remember: It’s best to hire for attitude and personality, and train for skill.
Staff Improvement at Your Salon
If you’re thrilled with all your tanning associates, now is the time to step up your game. What are your future goals for each associate? Do you have at least one associate in your salon that can run the entire show in your absence? Have you cross trained your associates to handle other daily issues in your salon? Does every associate know at least three features and benefits of each product on your shelf? Are you offering salon tours of your equipment and services? All these questions can be asked and answered during the slower months of J.A.S.O.N.
Tanning Training and Train Some More
The most knowledgeable sales associates are usually the ones with the best performance. You can never learn too much, and training should never stop. Associates should understand every aspect of your salon equipment and what it does for the client. They should also know specifics about your products. (For example, telling a client a tanning lotion smells good is a bonus, not a feature.) One of the compliments tanning salon owners get most is how knowledgeable their staff is. This makes an impact on your clients and their loyalty.
Salon Management and J.A.S.O.N.
As a tanning salon owner, you want the best sales associates at your salon. Your business is only as good as your weakest link. Take the time during J.A.S.O.N. to build the best salon team possible. It’s never too late to learn new things, and it’s always to your advantage to step up your game. Imagine starting your next season with a well-trained and seamless performing staff. Now is the time to get it done at your tanning salon.
