Is your hair salon in a slow season? No matter the location of your salon, a lull in business is inevitable. The “off-season” can take a toll on employee morale, so it’s important to plan ahead in order to offset factors out of your control, such as summer vacations or winter hibernation.
From exploring new products and treatments to staff training, there are plenty of ways to keep your staff motivated and prepare for busier times. If you need inspiration, we have six things to work on during slow times.
How to Keep Employees Busy During Slow Times
If you want to know what to do when work is slow, we have a list of tasks that will keep you and your employees busy. Slow periods are also the perfect time to take advantage of activities you overlook during busy seasons.
1. Clean and Organize
Once you’ve been through a busy season, you most likely have a lot of cleaning and organizing to do. Now is the perfect time to do a deep clean, clear, and arrange your stations, front desk, back bar, and color area. You can prepare during downtimes by:
- Filling up your shampoo and conditioner bottles.
- Bringing half-used color tubes to the front of your shelves.
- Organizing your tools cart and clean and sterilize your equipment.
- Preparing color foil.
- Confirming you have enough inventory in stock.
Cleaning and organizing your inventory and supplies will help your employees work efficiently when you get busy again. Breaking the work into teams will make it easier and help you go faster.
2. Explore New Product Lines
As you refill and organize your products, it’s a good time to reevaluate whether you are happy with them. Speak to your team and get their feedback along with any client feedback they may have. If you want to try new products, it’s also a great time to research and experiment with new products and treatments. Use this opportunity to explore new products in the lines that you love.
3. Review Processes and Operations
If you have a salon handbook, review it and check if you need to make any updates. Make sure to create a handbook if you still need one. It can be challenging to meet with your team during the hustle and bustle of the busy season. Arrange a team meeting to discuss what is going well and where you can improve. Turn it into a celebration by hosting a team getaway or lunch.
Look into the software that you use in your salon. You’ll have more time to explore and make necessarytech updates to boost productivity for optimal operations.
4. Plan Marketing Strategy
Creating a strategy is a great way to stay on top of your marketing. During the quieter times, you’ll have more time to set goals and plan the timeline for your marketing and promotional efforts. Evaluate what has worked well for you and what ideas you can experiment with to grow your brand and revenue.
If you also have a blog, you’ll have more time to write and plan topics for your articles. For beginner bloggers, we have a handy blogging guide that you can download to help you get started. Consider assigning some staff articles so that they can share their expertise.
5. Dive Into Industry Education
Does everyone have the required certification or licensing that they need? Downtime gives you the chance to spend a little extra time learning. Research some of the top beauty and wellness educational events coming up and choose a few to attend within your budget limits. If you or your staff have always wanted to learn a particular skill, now is the perfect time to dive in.
Constantly improving your knowledge not only enhances the customer experience, but you’ll also have happier and more motivated staff and be able to keep up with the industry’s changing landscape.
6. Train Your Staff
Ensure that everyone’s skill set meets your expectations. Are there areas that staff need help or guidance in? Sometimes employees need to sharpen their skills instead of learning something new. Getting everyone on the same page will help elevate your salon and ensure that the standard is consistent. While clients may have their favorite stylist, relying heavily on a few’s expertise can jeopardize your business if they are off sick or leave.
Does all your staff know how to talk to clients? The only way to ensure that they provide the client experience you desire is to practice with them. Write and rehearse scripts that detail how to speak to clients in different scenarios. They should also know how to handle situations when clients are unhappy with their results.
Keep Your Salon Running Smoothly Even in Slow Seasons With Meevo
Downtimes provide the perfect opportunity to focus on areas you don’t get to when it’s busy. Doing tasks like training, organizing, and planning your marketing can set you up for success when business picks up again.
When was the last time you considered your software tools? A slow season is the perfect time to change to a more efficient and reliable system. Our salon software management has features that you won’t find anywhere else! We can help you grow your business and streamline your daily management. To find out why over 150,00 users trust us, schedule a demo today!
