The importance of upskilling and training your salon team

Jun 26, 2019

Training your staff goes above and beyond the investment of cost. When you train your salon staff, you are investing in your business, your brand and its longevity.

Therapists respond when you invest in their future, i.e. further training. They feel good about themselves and they feel good about working in a salon that is pro-active. Your therapist will feel more confident in performing treatments and appreciate the opportunity and ability to offer their clients a new service.

Clients now more than ever, are service savvy and more aware of what is on offer elsewhere. They have no commitment to your salon and will seek other salons who offer a treatment or service you don’t provide. Clients also get bored; they enjoy new treatments and services!

New techniques are being discovered all the time and new products are developed daily. You may not necessarily use the techniques all the time, nor the products. Yet imagine having that flexibility in service and knowledge to introduce such further down the track, combat client queries and even better, your competition. You may miss the opportunities to discover more beneficial, productive and effective ways to perform services and even increase profits.

The winter months are the best time to do so. Winter offers the opportunity of time, and the benefit of building that training and knowledge into upcoming spring, summer and festive promotions.

In a nutshell, here are our top 4 reasons you should invest in training:

Beauty workshops must offer a course component that covers health, safety and best practices. Plus, it is a requirement, especially in our industry to ensure every staff member knows and practices safe hygiene pre, during and post every service.

Knowledge is power. Power to your staff, the reputation of your salon and the client in feeling they have come to the right place. In many cases prior to performing a service, you may consult your client about what they should be aware of, and any preparation to increase the effectiveness of the treatment. This also applies to post treatment. Your client has given you their trust as they place themselves in your hands quite literally.

You are the specialist, as are your staff, and this is where you can harness the opportunity to upsell, rebook and create dedicated clients.

The benefits here are clear. These days clients want to feel they matter. Clients also want to feel that you care, so show them you do with new services, new techniques and stay current and relevant in today’s market.

One of the main reason employees move from employer to employer, is the feeling of not being worthy or valued – pay is the second reason of course. So, reduce your employee turnover and save time, hassle and money by investing in your employees for one.

Hourly rates are a priority for any employee, yet when secure jobs are becoming harder to find, commitment to a business who looks after their staff, begins to matter more. It’s not just about being nice or flexible with hours, it’s about what you invest into your staff, your guidance and mentoring – it’s about making them feel worthy and even more importantly, confident in what they do!

If your therapist is not performing up to standard, don’t be quick to point the finger at them as an individual. Is there a reason they are not feeling motivated? What about a little training and upskilling?

By training yourself and your staff with the latest in beauty trends and service techniques, the opportunity to upsell increases!

You may look to offer new beauty treatment and services on your salon menu, because now, you and your staff have the confidence and knowledge to do so. You can even work pre and post take home treatment packs into the service to help your client feel good between visits. The list goes on!

Again, when you know what you are talking about, and your client trusts your practices, it is easier to offer them extended services, add-on’s and other beauty routines.