CHUK October 2018

THE BUSINESS EDIT
HOW CAN SALONS
OFFER MENTAL
HEALTH SUPPORT?
ACCORDING TO RESEARCH from mental
health charity Mind, one in four people
in the UK will experience a mental health
problem this year. This means a significant
number of people walking through your
doors will be dealing with a mental health
issue. And hairdressing professionals are
in a unique position to help with this; a
survey commissioned by the Lions Barber
Collective and The Bluebeards Revenge
revealed that more than half of the men
in Britain now feel more comfortable
discussing sensitive issues with their
hairdresser than they do with a doctor.
Because of this, more salons than ever are
taking the time to learn about mental health
and provide a better experience for clients.
Lions Barber Collective founder Tom
Chapman is focused on turning barber
shops into safe spaces for men, using the
opportunity of a regular haircut to start
conversations about mental health. The
group is having an enormous impact with
men who traditional mental health services
struggle to reach. “The aim is not to turn
barbers into counsellors – rather we hope to
give them the confidence to become a bridge
between people and organisations,” he says.
Q Hair and Beauty is the first firm in
Chichester to become registered as a
dementia-friendly business. “Every member
CREATIVE HEAD
of Team Q is conscious of how important
it is to be caring towards others, both
colleagues and guests,” says director
Dawn Lawrence.
Vincent Bell Hairdressing in Edinburgh
has embarked on a mental health campaign
called In It Together. There are quiet areas
for appointments that need to be taken at
the client’s own pace, and the salon has been
working with a life coach to learn how best
to speak to clients that struggle with mental
health concerns.
At Headmasters, a Mental Health First
Aid initiative has been launched to support
staff. “If people feel healthy and positive
at work they will naturally be happier and
more productive,” explains Headmasters
chief executive, Raju Raymond. “We have
trained our managers to identify and support
individual team members so they don’t feel
isolated and alone.”
Janet Maitland, owner of Janet Maitland
Hair Excellence salons in County Durham,
provides training to promote wellbeing
in the salon, and there’s access to a free
telephone counselling service. “We have
great levels of staff retention and I like to
think it’s because they feel supported with
initiatives like this.”
It’s a simple idea – look after your team
and they’ll look after your business.
I have started an initiative in the salon called
#cutoutthestigma. It started with me qualifying
as a Mental Health First Aider and using new techniques to
train our team in awareness and advanced listening skills.
I’m working closely with one of our town councillors to
promote this locally. We recently held an event for people
in the hair and beauty industries to teach them how to
understand mental health issues, deal with difficult situations and support staff and
colleagues. We believe it could help to start a real change in the hair industry.
THE SECRET TO…
THE FRONT DESK
Running a salon is so important.
Every day you’re tasked with
helping people look and feel their
best. Which is why MINDBODY
suggests starting with the fi rst point
of contact, the place you work to
perfect every day – the front desk.
Here are the salon software expert’s
top tips for a clean and functional
front desk.
THE RIGHT POINT OF SALE (POS)
SYSTEM: Payments are the crux of
your business. But it can be made
diffi cult if you’re reaching between
multiple devices – to swipe a card,
take payment for a tip and print
a receipt, all the while giving the
client a smile and a fond farewell.
It’s worth considering an all-in-one
solution such as the Poynt Smart
Terminal. The dual screen gives the
customer their own interface and
accepts chip and magstripe cards,
and scans barcodes at checkout
as well as reducing clutter at the
reception desk. Poynt even prints
receipts – phew!
A CALMING RETAIL AREA: Transitioning
in and out of a salon can be jarring.
The best way to invite clients to
unwind is by offering a drink, a
place to sit and relax with a fully
stocked retail area.
A WARM MEET AND GREET: However,
none of the above matters if
the person greeting them isn’t a
refl ection of the best version of
your brand. The better they are, the
more likely clients will come back…
and maybe even tell their friends!
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
For more salon-savvy secrets by MINDBODY,
visit uk.mindbodyonline.com
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