Just a few years ago, beauty salons in large cities of Kazakhstan opened at every turn. But the market was not crowded for them - everyone had clients and everyone could make money. However, after the devaluation of 2015, the situation changed dramatically, and many owners of “beautiful businesses” had to reformat their work, and some even left the market.

President of the Association of the Beauty Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan Tursun Mahmujan admitted that the beauty industry is also affected by changes in the national currency exchange rate: income of beauty salons decreased by 10-12% for 2016.

- Of course, some salons were forced to close, others adapted to the current situation and began to hold more promotions and provide discounts, - Tursun said. - Those salons that are now doing business correctly will survive.

Tursun Mahmujan noted that this industry is very young and is still at the development stage.

- Abroad, beauty salons are opened only by professionals, which cannot be said about Kazakhstan. Of course, people from this area better understand the features of the beauty business. And, of course, those who are not specialists in this field, but simply invested in it, have less chance of success,- the expert is sure.

Meanwhile, according to the president of the association, the crisis allows the industry to become more professional and flexible.

- The flow of clients has decreased. Masters become more professional, they understand that there is a lot of competition and they must learn. Beauty salons are reducing prices, despite the fact that consumables are from abroad, - The interlocutor described the business situation.

Founder of the Hollywood Beauty and Style Center Inna Sannikova spoke about the changes that occurred in the market after the devaluation of the tenge.

- The flow of clients has remained virtually unchanged, but we have begun to provide fewer services. If previously they could get all the services in our salon without thinking about the cost, now clients focus on things that are more important to them. Our regular clients began to purchase fewer services not even because they had less money. They began to spend more on their health. They try to go on vacation more and spend less on entertainment and pleasure, such as visiting a salon,- the interlocutor said.

According to Inna Sannikova’s observations, haircuts, hair coloring for gray hair, depilation, manicures and pedicures continue to be in high demand. But they began to resort to the services of a makeup artist less often.

Also, according to her, interest in learning has increased. The makeup school, which was launched back in 2010, has become increasingly popular. Nowadays, training in the field of beauty is very popular. At the same time, ladies study both for themselves and in order to later become a master and start working in this field.

Moreover, according to Inna Sannikova, beauty salons were affected not only by the depreciation of the national currency, but also by changing trends

- There was a boom in our field from 2012 to 2014, when the fashion for nail extensions and artificial tanning had not yet gone away. Now the emphasis is on care and health. But we also adapt to this and offer new care services,- she said.

In the current situation, the specialist sees both positive and negative sides. According to her, a lot of salons have always closed and opened. But during the crisis year, more salons could not cope.

- There is a plus in this crisis: now dysfunctional salons are leaving. At the same time, there are more craftsmen working for themselves, and this is a minus. At home, it is impossible to meet the requirements of the sanitary and epidemiological station, to properly disinfect equipment and inventory,- noted the speaker.

Despite everything, Inna Sannikova is confident that the situation in the industry will begin to change for the better.

- This situation is temporary. Our citizens need time to adapt to the situation. We have drawn conclusions for ourselves - we need to strengthen advertising and revise prices. Despite the devaluation and the fact that we purchase consumables abroad, and their cost has increased minimally on 25% , we have increased prices only by individual species services, but made discounts for complex types of services. We created package offers, and people began to use them more actively. For a complex - manicure plus pedicure, the amount for two services was reduced by 15-20%, adding another gel coating there, - she shared her secrets.

Founder of The Beauty Bar studio, makeup artist international class Adele Ardashirova I am sure that you can stay on the market and successfully compete with other salons even in a crisis situation if you know who your clients are and offer each of them interesting promotions and services.

- The condition of our salons, despite the crisis, cannot be called critical. New salons continue to open because there is demand,- says Adele Ardashirova. - There is seasonality in our business - in January and February there is a steady flow of clients. But for salons that have been operating on the market for more than one year, this is not a problem. They, together with marketers, develop various promotions, offer interesting products and discounts. For example, we have developed promotions for different services for every day of the week. Clients are coming, and we are not seeing a decrease in flow as such.

All speakers noted that clients first of all go to pedicure and manicure specialists. However, the director of the nail stylist studio “Hands and Legs” Natalya Gutsalyuk said that the crisis also affected the nail business.

- Previously, masters had to register at least a week in advance, and it was impossible to get to them. Now you can call and get in for the procedure at a time convenient for you, day after day. This indicates that the flow of customers has decreased, she said.

But, the speaker noted, if salons maintain the correct pricing policy and do not raise prices, clients do not leave. True, we have to fight for everyone.

- From my own salon, I can say that we sell complexes and offer big discounts on packages of services. We also developed a bonus system - this could be design, varnish or gel coating. Every Tuesday (this is the least busy day) we have a promotion - minus 20% on services. Now it's Tuesday. Salons should offer a variety of loyalty products. These can be certificates with discounts and much more,- she thinks.

Also, according to Natalia Gutsalyuk, today people pay more attention to care, and therefore salons are trying to develop hardware cosmetology.

- Here it is difficult for us to compete with doctors who have the right to give various injections. And if you need to take a whole course for hardware procedures, then injections give an immediate effect. It's hard for us to compete with them“, she admitted.

Meanwhile, despite the crisis, according to the Euromonitor forecast for 2016, the market for services, cosmetics and personal care products in the Republic of Kazakhstan is developing and showing growth. According to their data, the market volume in 2016 reached $547.23 million with increase on 3,9% , and for the period 2015 to 2019 will grow to $609.58 million with a general increase on 15,8% .

Main points of the interview

• Occupation: manicurist and extension artist, makeup artist
• Location of business: Russia, Bryansk
• Occupation before starting a business: schoolgirl
• start date entrepreneurial activity: year 2014
• Organizational and legal form of doing business: individual entrepreneur
• Initial investment amount: RUB 100,000.
• Source of initial capital: own savings
• Payback period: several days
• Formula for success: Love beauty and aesthetics, treat clients kindly, be demanding of yourself and your own work.

Hello Yulia, tell us how you came up with the idea of ​​opening your own beauty salon?

I had the idea of ​​opening my own business quite a long time ago, since my school days. The beauty industry attracted me the most. After graduating from school, I completed courses as a manicurist and began to develop in this direction. After working in a beauty salon for six months and studying this area from the inside, I decided that in the future I would open my own salon.

Why did you choose this direction?

This direction completely coincided with my interests; since childhood, I have been drawing and constantly watched programs on changing images for girls and women. Then I started trying various options nail art, I was pretty good at drawing patterns, mixing colors and decorating my nails with glitter. It seemed magical and creative to me!

What field of activity did you work in before getting nail extensions?

I started doing nails right after school; I didn’t work in another field and didn’t have any special desire.

How long did you provide home services before you decided to open a salon? What prompted this?

Before opening the salon, I worked from home for 5 years. This was the ideal work schedule for me. I liked that I could manage my own time, I didn’t have to depend on anyone, obey other people’s rules, I could eat or relax between clients at any time. Working from home gives you good inclinations for running a business in the future; you get used to relying only on your own strengths. Plus, I clearly understood that the salary goes straight into my hands, unlike working in a salon, where you give part of the money to the employer.

To receive clients, I equipped a separate room, hung the certificates received there, and beautifully arranged the accessories. Clients almost always watched interesting films during the procedure, so time passed quickly and unnoticed. It is very important to create an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, especially if you work from home; no one will like to go to a specialist who greets visitors in the kitchen or bedroom with a half-disassembled bed. If you decide to receive clients at home, you should allocate a separate corner for a mini-salon!

What prompted you to open own business?

In my work, I increasingly had to work with materials such as acrylic. This is a fairly durable material; nails do not need correction for a long time. But many craftsmen know that acrylic has a persistent, specific odor. At home, it became difficult to work with it due to the inability to constantly ventilate the room. The smell accumulated, ate into the wallpaper, often caused headaches, and loved ones constantly complained. This is how the idea of ​​changing the work space arose.

What services are available in your salon?

My salon provides hair treatment services, all types of hairdressing services, manicure, pedicure, gel polish, nail extensions, makeup and eyebrow correction. We can also select and create an evening or wedding look.

What equipment did you need to open the salon?

Often the equipment was already available - lamps, disinfectants, vacuum cleaners, machines and manicure tools. It was necessary to purchase only furniture and equipment for hairdressing and pedicure services.

How much money did you spend on opening? Was it cash or credit?

It took about 100 thousand to open. It was cash.

We use almost all types of advertising - we lead a group ( https://vk.com/miledibryansk) and pages on social networks, place advertisements in newspapers, order banners and advertising signs. We always give each new client several business cards so that she can distribute them to friends and relatives.

How do you attract clients? What benefits can you offer them?

We already have an established customer base. They choose our salon for the optimal price-quality ratio.

Advantages - conscientious work, inexpensive, stylish and high quality! Also in the Milady salon there is always a friendly, friendly atmosphere, clients come and relax, laugh, tell interesting stories life stories. Sometimes you go to premium salons, everything is incredibly beautiful and fashionable, but too strict, there is no warmth.

Do you have any promotions?

Approximately once every three months we organize drawings for free manicures and provide discounts on all types of services.

We also often offer clients small pleasant bonuses, for example, a free SPA treatment for hands, we can draw a flower or cover several nails with rhinestones, without including this in the price. It is important to emphasize that the procedure is intended specifically for a specific client. It’s a small thing, but it’s nice for visitors!

How many people did it take to start the business?

Now I have two manicurists and a hairdresser working for me. They have been cooperating with me from the very beginning. One girl is my friend, I taught her how to do nail extensions and manicure.

What difficulties did you encounter when opening the salon and during the work process? What worked right away and what didn’t?

Probably the only problem is the lack of finances at first. I worried for a long time that I couldn’t buy all the necessary furniture and equipment. I wanted to immediately furnish the salon as cozy and comfortable as possible, I was sensitive to the opinion of each client. But then I began to perceive it more simply, the main thing is to maintain cleanliness and order.

Nowadays, much of the furniture and accessories have already been purchased; when I have free money, I spend it on the missing items for the salon.

What organizational and legal form of doing business have you chosen?

How many people do you serve per day on average? Is there seasonality in the beauty industry?

On average 10 people. In summer, the demand for nail services is, of course, greater than in winter. A sharp influx of clients is observed before the New Year and other major holidays. The decline is noticeable in autumn and January.

What goals and objectives are planned for the future? Are you planning to expand and introduce new services?

In the near future I would like to find a good cosmetologist, and also provide

a full range of hair treatment and restoration services.

How long did it take you to become self-sufficient?

Self-sufficiency came almost immediately.

How do you position yourself in the price segment?

Economy, in which quality does not depend on price. We provide services at the premium salon level, but at affordable prices.

Can anyone learn how to do nail extensions?

Not everyone, it is important to have a heightened sense of beauty and aesthetics, and to be able to draw well. Getting beautiful nails is half the battle; they should last until the next extension, which is 3-4 weeks. Sometimes you have to correct the work of other masters, and you immediately notice how carelessly and unprofessionally the manicure was done.

What courses does a future highly qualified hair extension specialist need to take and what certificates does he need to obtain? What achievements do you have?

To become a sought-after master, you need to have a lot of theoretical and practical knowledge. The main courses that any professional should master are nail extensions with gel, acrylic, nail design, painting, manicure, pedicure, gel polish. I mastered these courses at the very beginning of my career.

Of course, theory alone is not enough; real mastery comes with age. They often say: “You don’t need a great mind to work in the beauty industry.” But why do clients always go to one master and avoid another? Why do professional nail extensions last a month, but low-quality extensions can deteriorate in a week? It’s all about the skills and experience of the master; clients choose him based on these qualities and are willing to pay money.

Also, several years ago I received certificates as an eyelash extension artist and took courses as a makeup artist, but my main path is nail extensions and design.

There is a chance for a beginner to immediately achieve success in this business, how do you understand that you can move to the next level?

A newcomer has very little chance; the beauty industry is now replete with many offers. To open your own business, you need to be well versed in this. Just visiting beauty salons is not enough, you need to work in this area personally and study everything well. It is important to develop a client base, earn trust and firmly establish a foothold in this market.

I would recommend that beginners practice for a while on their friends or run promotions at reduced prices, since in case of poor-quality service they can earn a bad reputation. Be sure to ask if you liked the result and mark your mistakes. Evaluate the quality of your manicure after a week; if your nails look perfect and no flaws are visible, it means it was done well.

Now the economic situation in the country is difficult, people are trying to save on many things, including beauty. Does this affect the number of clients?

Yes, the crisis is having an impact. Compared to last year, there are significantly fewer clients. But it’s difficult to say exactly the reason; the time period may also affect it; autumn is not the best time for beauty salons.

What advice would you give to those who want to open a beauty salon during a crisis? Should they try?

I think it’s worth it, everything depends on the person himself, and not on the crisis and other circumstances. If you approach the matter responsibly and can highlight the advantages of the salon, you will definitely find clients. In addition, some companies are now closing to make room for others.

What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

You should not go into the beauty field considering it fashionable, in demand, or with the opinion that you can earn good money this way. This should be really interesting to you. It is also important to understand that nail extensions are not only about beautiful results and sparkles, but about painstaking and often monotonous work every day. Dust is constantly flying, you have to breathe harmful paint, your fingers and back often hurt, but these are disadvantages, of course there are more advantages!

I would also advise not to skimp on necessary equipment for nail treatment, the necessary equipment greatly simplifies and speeds up the work. And the issue of time is important for many clients; no one wants to sit for 4-5 hours during an extension procedure if it can be done twice as fast.

What is your formula for success?

If you decide to become an entrepreneur, stop thinking and start acting, and if you act, then go all the way!

The frightening “crisis” is now heard from everywhere, which some entrepreneurs perceive as a death sentence for their business. But the devil is not as scary as he is painted: an optimistic attitude - the crisis favors the active - coupled with business optimization measures and smart cost savings will help you survive difficult times. How a beauty salon can save money during a crisis and how to get a beauty salon out of a crisis – we find out in our article.

How to get a beauty salon out of a crisis? As we remember from our materials, crisis is a relative concept. Competent work and smart savings are one of the areas of activity. What and how you can save – let’s find out.

How to bring a beauty salon out of a crisis using wholesale purchases

It’s no secret that “wholesale is cheaper,” so for many salons, wholesale is a good way to save money during a crisis. Buying cosmetics “for future use,” in other words, in bulk, is a traditional anti-crisis measure. In addition to the fact that the wholesale price is significantly lower than the retail price, all products can be selected and ordered on the website in a couple of clicks. Wholesale companies organize delivery at any convenient time, but delivery times vary widely - from 7 days to a month, depending on where the company’s warehouse is located. Good with modern systems navigation you don’t have to worry about the cargo: the order can be tracked throughout the entire route; You can even ask suppliers to photograph the product before shipping to ensure that it is the product that the salon ordered. As nice bonus Many wholesale companies provide free product samples.

BY THE WAY!
If you need to automatically calculate the salaries of your employees, keep records of goods, cash flows of a beauty salon and see the balance of mutual settlements, then we recommend trying Arnica - beauty. In Arnika this is implemented as simply and conveniently as possible.

But wholesale purchases have a significant drawback - this the need to have large in cash , which will only pay off in the future. This saving option is not suitable for small salons that do not have their own warehouse., because they simply will have nowhere to store supplies of cosmetics.

Yulia Kechkina, General Director, Beauty and Health Center “De Trois Rennes” (Novosibirsk): “In a beauty salon you can save on consumables during a crisis. But we are not doing this by switching to wholesale purchasing (although, of course, wholesale and retail prices vary significantly). But in our situation, as a rule, we do not need large-scale purchases, starting from boxes; it will take a very long time for the salon to spend such volumes, and besides, not all salons have such an extensive warehouse to accommodate these “reserves”. Therefore, we do not switch to wholesale purchases, but are more strict in the selection of suppliers, choosing serious, low prices, with the possibility of combining orders. This is, in fact, the only way for us to optimize procurement. We will not save on anything anymore under the current conditions.”

Affiliate programs will help a beautiful business survive a crisis

A profitable affiliate program based on the win-win principle will help the salon at any time, and in difficult times it can even become a “saving straw” that will pull the enterprise “ashore” and help bring the beauty salon out of the crisis. You can try turning it on affiliate program non-core organizations - websites of clothing, cosmetics, jewelry stores, pharmacy chains, travel agencies. Another option that will help you save during a crisis is cooperation with a large cosmetic brand (for example, Wella, Londa, etc.). They offer free comprehensive training for specialists at any stage of development, from beginner to professional. Training centers There are such brands in almost all major cities of Russia, they also offer distance learning using Internet resources. In addition to free training, this kind of partnership provides a discount on cosmetics. The discount percentage is determined by the terms of the contract. The brand provides the maximum discount to the salon, which undertakes not to use cosmetics from other brands.

IMPORTANT!
When switching to another brand, it is worth considering that the master will still have to retrain; this is not always perceived positively by specialists.

Natalya Veluga, commercial director of the May business class salon network (Saint Petersburg): “I realized the benefits and prospects of working with strong brands quite a long time ago. If you own several salons, then you can always count on concessions from them. This is explained by the simplest laws of business: the larger your purchases, the more loyal the supplier is to you. Among the privileges that you can receive from status brands, one of the first places is training - seminars for staff on the technology of using brand products, regular certification of employees to maintain the proper level of knowledge and sales. As motivation, your craftsmen may be offered training at a more serious level - for example, advanced training courses. In addition, you have the right to expect assistance from a high-status supplier in promoting the purchased product. These could be special brand days, gifts for clients, or an individual motivational program for craftsmen. As a rule, a technologist from the brand company participates in such events. And the products used are partially compensated by the supplier. The traditional type of loyalty from a partner is additional discounts for large purchases, or gifts in the form of free accessories (carts for tools and other equipment). If you cooperate with manufacturers of hairdressing equipment, then you can count on discounts on professional cosmetics for hair, because most often these two industries (equipment for hairdressers and cosmetic products) are closely interconnected and have partnerships. My advice is to never be shy about asking your supplier for privileges. But you will definitely be asked: “What are you, dear salon, ready to offer for this?” You are expected to answer something like this: “I will increase sales of your brand, which means my purchases will also increase.”.

How to save on SOUT during a crisis

As is known, a special assessment of working conditions must be carried out at least once every five years, but if new workplaces are put into operation, the technological process, the composition of materials used in the work or other innovations that can affect the level of exposure to harmful and dangerous production factors, then the organization is obliged to conduct an unscheduled special assessment. What can you save on during a crisis by carrying out SOUT and bring a beauty salon out of the crisis? First, combine similar jobs (for example, nail technicians, hairdressers). Secondly, register all specialists who work outside the office as remote workers, this will reduce contributions to the Social Insurance Fund (if you use outsourcing services, then this issue has already been resolved for you). Third, optimize working conditions so that they are rated as 1st or 2nd class, which will also reduce contributions to funds.
But the most best option saving during a crisis is, of course, an extension of the results of the previous check. It is possible if for 5 years there have been no obvious signs of exposure to harmful factors in your organization, there have been no accidents and no incidents related to occupational diseases have been recorded.

Vladimir Chervyakov, Technical Director Research Center "New Technologies" (Moscow): “When carrying out SOUT, each workplace. It identifies harmful and dangerous factors, measures them, and studies job responsibilities employee, rules and regulations on labor protection in the organization, rules and procedures for issuing personal protective equipment. Based on this data, a report is drawn up and a class of working conditions is assigned. The scope of work for each workplace is calculated separately. But pay attention to the simplest changes - and they will help you save during a crisis. For example, increase the number of similar places. Often, following new trends, positions that have the same employer functionality are called differently. But the Law on Special Assessment of Working Conditions No. 426-FZ allows, if positions have the same name, job responsibilities, and employees are located in the same premises, to consider such places to be similar and to identify factors, measure and assess working conditions not at each of them , and by 20% of their total number. Thus, it is enough for the employer to combine employees who have the same job responsibilities and nature of work into one profession according to the ETKS directory. Then the certifying organization will evaluate not all, but only 20% of such places. For example, instead of the position of foreman, senior foreman, hairdresser, all-round hairdresser, transfer all employees to the position of hairdresser. This way you can save a lot during a crisis.

The next stage, which will allow a good business to survive in a crisis when carrying out special labor assessments, is the assignment of classes 1 and 2 based on the results of a special assessment of working conditions, which will lead to a reduction in contributions to the Social Insurance Fund. Sometimes it is enough to replace lighting installations, install climate systems, replace outdated hand tool with an increased noise level and vibration load on a modern one. A specialist from the certifying organization will definitely tell you what things to pay attention to. But in order to know for sure what improvements in working conditions in the workplace will be required to reduce classes, the organization is recommended to conduct production control. The PC allows you to draw up a real map of the influence of harmful factors on workers and identify their sources. In addition, the results of the PC should be taken into account during the special assessment if it is carried out no later than 6 months later. Sometimes minor investments in improving working conditions will pay off in reduced insurance premiums.

If, based on the results of an assessment of working conditions, a workplace is assigned a working condition class of 1 or 2 (optimal or acceptable, respectively), and no accidents have occurred at the workplace over the past 5 years, then the results of the conducted special safety assessment will be valid for another 5 years. That is, if labor discipline and labor safety rules are observed, the results of the special labor safety assessment can be extended without any additional investments.

The cost of SOUT for one workplace, as a rule, is within 1,500 rubles. for office workstations and from RUB 2,000. for production jobs.

In 2015, fines for failure to comply with labor protection requirements in an organization were significantly increased. Moreover, enterprises from all sectors of the economy are required to comply with the rules established by law regarding the availability of documentation, maintaining labor safety logs, and conducting a special assessment of working conditions. office premises, and in production".

Advertising in a crisis

Even in times of crisis, you cannot completely abandon advertising, otherwise the salon risks being left without new clients. Let's consider several options on how you can effectively advertise a salon for an amount not exceeding daily revenue. Low-budget advertising is a tool that many salons turn to, and it can help save money during a crisis.

• Very often people choose a beauty salon based on its geographical location. In search engines, queries in the format “beauty salon metro (name)” or “haircut metro “name” are common. Search engines reflect information from catalogs; they contain information about the salon (name, services, price, contacts), and they post it for free. But for little money (one-time payment), you can increase the rating of the salon so that when you request, the name of the salon will be one of the first.
• Article on the site with target audience. For example, a portal about beauty and the beauty industry, it is desirable that it has a forum. Although such sites are few and far between, they do exist. With their help, even those who have never been there will learn about the salon.
• Contextual advertising is an advertisement for your salon that will automatically appear in a search engine when a query related to the selected topic is entered. The price depends on the number of clicks on links during the month.
• Gift certificates can also be considered a means of advertising, because it is thanks to them that new clients come to the salon. Add information about certificates in your salon to profile websites to increase the number of primary clients with certificates from 10–15% to 30–40%.
• Charitable and socially significant events. Do not refuse to participate in such events, because you are not only doing a good job, but you can also get free advertising time on the federal channel.

Ksenia Kurbetyeva, Director of the Center for Freelance Marketers at Business Compass: “In a crisis, it is better to refuse advertising from which it is impossible to calculate the profit, for example, advertising in magazines, but you can leave targeted and contextual advertising, because in this case you are paying for a specific client who went to the site. You need to work as much as possible to increase the loyalty of your existing customer base, rather than trying to capture new customers. Since old clients are accustomed to spending money on these services and in this quality, even in a crisis they will not give up their lifestyle.”

Prevention measures: accounting programs

Sales analytics, financial accounting, work to maintain and increase the customer base - hard work, which in difficult times must be performed especially carefully. But with the right approach, it will help bring the beauty salon out of the crisis. First of all, it is necessary to analyze the nature of changes in demand, and also take a closer look at your clientele - have your clients suffered from the crisis?

Elena Valeeva, director of the Natalia salon (Kaliningrad): “Undoubtedly, the crisis has affected our salon, despite the fact that we have long established ourselves in the market. It manifests itself, first of all, in a decrease in customer traffic; regular customers also began to come much less often. At the moment, we have introduced budget services (at cost and final price) in order to have an alternative option for retaining customers who have become unable to afford the services at the previous prices on our consumables.”

Andrey Zepalov, General Director of the men's hair salon "Alaska" (Moscow): “The hairdressing industry has not failed during any of the crises.” Yes, growth has slowed down, but people need to get their hair cut even in difficult times. Those who mainly suffer during a crisis are expensive salons. At such times, you have to compete with the client himself, because when he decides that he needs to get a haircut, he will choose: go to the same place he went to, go to another place where it’s cheaper, or do it himself. “Do it yourself” is only suitable for a limited range of services. Haircutting, for example, still requires professional skills, so they will choose based on price. What conclusion can be drawn: it is necessary to remove all additional services with a high cost and leave only the basic ones. We need to get people to come. You can make an anti-crisis offer or be very precise in your pricing. By the way, the crisis good time for growth. If such growth was planned. Rental prices are falling, work crews are becoming more accommodating. And doubling the business, as is known, leads to a reduction in costs from 10% to 30% (with skillful management). So I see another way to cut costs through expansion.”

There are anti-crisis measures that naturally work, but they may not be enough, because the crisis requires a review and optimization of work methods in general, and a computerized accounting program will be the first assistant in this.

IMPORTANT!
Costs for consumables make up a significant part of the salon's income. The main rule for regulating these costs is a strict procedure for accounting and then writing off services provided. This way you can save a lot and bring your beauty salon out of the crisis.

Automation of a beauty salon allows you to save time and money during a crisis and gradually takes its work to a completely new level, which naturally affects the profitability of the business. The program will not give an immediate (but short-term) result; it acts more like “homeopathy” for the salon business. According to even the most conservative estimates, through customer base management, systematic reminders and mailings, you can reduce the number of lost customers by 30% and save up to 20% Supplies Due to the built-in system for accounting for goods and monitoring their movement in the warehouse, reduce costs for ineffective advertising and facilitate the process of registering clients. For example, the Arnica accounting program allows you to register clients not only through the salon’s website, but also using Yandex and 2GIS services.

Sergey Bobin, head of the Arnika service: “All costs of a beauty salon can be divided into 4 items:

· Cost of materials used in the provision of services

· Salary of personnel

· Overhead expenses (rent, utilities, banking and other services)

The head of any salon can save to a greater or lesser extent on each of these cost items. There are a lot of ways to save costs - from such drastic ones as moving to another premises in order to reduce rental costs, to much less significant ones - for example, using less expensive consumables.

The decision on how, by how much and what costs should be reduced is made by the salon manager in each specific case, based on the specific business problems being solved.

I would like to dwell in more detail on the methods and tools for reducing costs that our Arnica beauty salon management system can offer. Arnica contains tools to reduce costs in each of 4 areas. However, the greatest savings can be achieved in reducing the cost of consumables used.

How to bring a beauty salon out of crisis by reducing the cost of materials

Each beauty salon uses a large number of materials, which often constitute a significant share of the cost of the service provided.

Saving (or, conversely, excessive consumption) of materials can greatly affect both the profitability of individual services and the business of the salon as a whole.

Let's consider 2 approaches that are typical for beauty salons when working with consumables:

Approach #1:

• there is no control over the consumption of materials;
• materials are transferred to craftsmen at their request in the quantity that; the master requests; records of materials transferred to masters are not kept;
• the master himself decides what materials to use for each specific client; the composition of the materials does not in any way affect the cost of the service for the client;
• there are no standards for the consumption of materials for each service; the salon manager has no understanding of how efficiently materials are used;
• procurement of materials occurs unsystematically - materials are purchased from different suppliers, in different quantities and at different prices.

Approach #2:

• Standards for the use of materials have been developed for each service. The salon manager can at any time receive information about deviations from the standards;
• records are kept of materials transferred to the craftsmen for work. The salon manager always has information about what materials everyone currently has and where they were used;
• if the master has agreed with the client on the use additional materials(or not those that were originally included in the cost of the service), the cost of the service for the client increases;
• the manager sees the purchase history of each material; when planning purchases, it can analyze the purchase from which supplier and in what quantity can be made on the best terms.

It is obvious that approach No. 1 does not contribute to saving materials, but, on the contrary, increases the likelihood of their ineffective and inappropriate use. When using approach No. 2, materials will be used as efficiently as possible and their cost will be minimal. Arnika has all the tools for the full implementation of approach No. 2, and our consultants are always ready to teach the salon manager to apply these tools in practice and help save money during a crisis.

How to save money on marketing and advertising during a crisis

The second cost item that I would like to touch upon is the cost of marketing and advertising. As a rule, marketing and advertising are a mandatory expense item for any salon, because without attracting new clients it is difficult to expect long-term business growth. However, often the tasks that are set during planning marketing budget(growth of revenue, ensuring the workload of craftsmen, etc.) can be solved not by attracting new clients, but by working with the existing client base. As a rule, the cost of returning a client who has already visited the salon is significantly lower than the cost of attracting a new client, which means that by following these tactics, the salon manager can save money on marketing and advertising during a crisis, while at the same time fulfilling his goals. them business tasks.

There are a large number of tools available to encourage customer return. Here are some of them:
– forecasting the date of the client’s next visit, timely call (SMS message or email) with an offer to visit the salon;
– tracking birthdays (and other memorable dates) of clients, offering the client to visit the salon on special conditions a few days before the event;
– sale of subscriptions and gift certificates that encourage the client to visit the salon again;
– SMS mailings (as well as e-mail newsletters, messages in social groups. networks, etc.) with information about promotions and special offers.

As a rule, using the above tools is much cheaper than attracting new clients to the salon, and our Arnica online beauty salon management system supports working with each of them.

How to save on overhead costs during a crisis

The third cost item that can be saved on during a crisis is overhead costs. As providers of salon management software, we can help you save costs on this item to a lesser extent than with savings on other items. Typically, overhead cost savings are achieved through negotiations with service providers, tax optimization and other methods that lie outside the functionality of the enterprise management program. However, I am confident that any cost savings begin with transparent cost accounting. If the salon manager does not have a clear picture of the cost structure, the dynamics of changes in costs for certain items, then it is extremely difficult to make a decision about where the greatest savings can be achieved.
But cost accounting is one of the main functional blocks of any beauty salon management system. And we help our users take into account and analyze all costs and make effective decisions to bring the beauty salon out of the crisis.

How to save during a crisis by optimizing your salary

The fourth cost item is staff salaries. Based on our experience, we can say that managers resort to saving on employee salaries last, when all other options have been used, because A reduction in wages may affect the quality of services provided or lead to the dismissal of key employees. However, in some cases it is possible to achieve salary cost savings without negative consequences. For example, we were faced with a situation where salaries in the salon were unbalanced - the salaries of 2 masters of the same qualifications were almost identical, but the profit they brought was 3 times different. In this case, analysis of the situation and the introduction of a motivation system tied to the master’s results allowed saving costs without any negative consequences. Despite the fact that the salary of one of the foremen decreased, the employee received a transparent motivation system, which in the future allowed him to earn more, bringing greater benefit to the employer».

Non-core activities – to outsourcers

A naturally profitable and justified way to save money during a crisis is outsourcing, i.e. transfer of non-core functions of the organization to external performers - outsourcers, qualified specialists from a third-party company. For beauty salons, non-core activities will be, for example, accounting, jurisprudence or cleaning.

To keep a business afloat even in the most difficult times, the accounting of a beauty salon must be in perfect order. The owner should always know up-to-date information about all existing assets in order to track and analyze the main key indicators of its activities, such as daily revenue, customer flow, inventory balances, etc. But it is not always advisable to have a full-time accountant, which is why many beauty salons practice outsourcing accounting services. Thus, you can save on maintaining an accountant (instead of a monthly salary - a fee for a specific service, no need to provide a workplace, no tax deductions from wages), and also insure against unforeseen situations when accounting is not provided on time due to various circumstances (illness accountant, dismissal, etc.).

IMPORTANT!
Order in accounting will facilitate the preparation of documents for possible scheduled and unscheduled inspections of the beauty salon.

Olga Isakova, executive director of the consulting company “Business Tools”: “As for the question of how profitable it is for a beauty salon to outsource an accountant, I can say the following. In Russia, the average salary of an accountant on staff is from 25,000 to 50,000 rubles. These parameters depend on the city where he works, the enterprise (we are talking about a beauty salon, a chain of salons or a large cosmetology center) and the qualifications of the accountant himself. Add to this 30% for taxes. The cost of outsourcing accountant services depends on such parameters as the number of documents processed, operations that need to be carried out, and the volume of documents transferred for work (per month). Taking all this into account, our company offers beauty salons a service tariff from 5,000 rub. per month. Depending on the volume of services provided, the amount can rise to 15,000 rubles. Thus, on average, an outsourced accountant allows you to save from 30% to 60% of the amount that goes to the salary of a full-time accountant.”

The situation is similar with cleaning - outsourcing such specialists will also help you save a lot in times of crisis. It is no secret that, according to SanPin standards, beauty salons must do general cleaning (washing floors, walls, equipment, furniture) of the premises once a week. If a full-time cleaner does this alone, then this process can take several hours, but during this time the salon could be serving clients! The cleaning service will quickly and efficiently clean the premises at a time that is convenient for the salon and will take no more than an hour in total.

Text: Elena Vozmishcheva, Maria Shakhova

An element that is not subject to crisis

Until recently, the beauty industry could boast of impressive progress in development. According to the marketing agency Webbolt, the global market for professional hairdressing and beauty services in 2008 amounted to $150 billion a year, which is comparable, for example, to half the US military budget.

In our country, according to official data from Rosstat, by the beginning of last year there were about 30,000 registered hairdressing and beauty salons. The annual growth rate of this market was about 30%. At the same time, a tendency towards the formation of network brands began to appear, for example, “Persona”, “Monet”. However, so far the majority of enterprises in this industry are representatives of small businesses, which find it much more difficult to withstand the developing crisis situation.

And clients are already starting to save money, and beauty salons are feeling a drop in demand, a decrease in revenue and profits. But, despite the fact that this item of expenditure at first glance should be most affected by consumer cuts, the experience of many experts who survived the 1998 crisis shows that the predicted market collapse did not happen then. The so-called “lipstick effect” is propping up the industry. According to him, in difficult times of recession, many are forced to deny themselves major purchases and expenses. However, the need to unwind and pamper yourself leads to an increase in demand for products such as cosmetics and beauty salon services.

We connect additional measures

But hope for the effects, and don’t make a mistake yourself. Crisis situation requires revision and optimization of work methods. And first of all, it is necessary to analyze the nature of changes in demand, as well as take a closer look at your clientele. If its core is still made up of a very wealthy public that has suffered little from the recession, then the salon can feel more free when it comes to pricing policy. It may be advisable to even increase the cost of services. But as soon as it became noticeable that the majority of visitors are starting to count money, you need to show loyalty to their problems and try to reduce the numbers in the price list. In this way, although it may be difficult, you will survive the crisis, retain your own, and, over time, lure away some clients from competitors. It makes sense to expand the offer by adding services and products in different price categories to the list.

New services, for example, elements of wellness procedures and SPA, can also become an important anti-crisis measure. After all, in the past prosperous decade, the dictate “ model standards", reinforced by television and gloss, has led to Russian women en masse becoming interested in tattooing, body contouring, skin rejuvenation, and the fight against the effects of stress and cellulite. By 2008, the growth in demand for the services of solariums and beauty salons led to the fact that every square meter of their area began to triple more income than in a classic hairdresser.

According to Oksana Kupina, general director LLC "Charodeyka" (hairdressing salon), among the visitors there were also previously unusual ones - men, puzzled by the fight against hair loss, excess weight and syndrome chronic fatigue. “I wouldn’t say that there are as many of them as they sometimes write in glossy magazines,” says the expert. - But the services of a cosmetologist are becoming increasingly popular among the stronger sex. This could be a new direction for business expansion.”

Bringing it to life

A separate issue is the implementation of anti-crisis measures. Transformations, of course, must be comprehensive and affect internal approaches to work. Thus, expanding the range of services will first of all require attracting new specialists, which in times of crisis is not the most profitable step. An alternative measure would be to form the staff in such a way that it includes professionals with a wide range of skills, each of whom can perform a wide range of work.

In addition, many procedures require specially equipped rooms. And investing in renting additional space today is risky. It should be noted that the crisis provoked a reduction in payment rates; according to the forecast of the consulting company Blackwood, in the first half of 2009 it will be approximately 25-40%. But since this cost item is the most significant in the cost of salon services, a rational solution would be to try to use the existing space more efficiently.

“Many companies today are puzzled by space optimization,” notes Mikhail Ermakov, quality director of Astarta Prestige, a manufacturer of partition systems. - Unlike offices in a beauty salon, the open space option, which allows for more compact placement of staff work areas, can be used very limitedly. But with the help of mobile structures, the room can be easily demarcated without expensive major repairs.”

As an example, the Astarta Prestige expert cites the renovation project for the Victoria beauty salon on Mira Avenue in Moscow. Stationary transparent partitions here only enclosed the entrance area, and all other rooms were separated by solid mobile ones about two meters high. The client opted for a design that would make it easy to change the configuration of the premises depending on current needs - for example, in the summer months, you can slightly reduce the area of ​​the solarium in favor of a beauty salon.

However, do not forget that when planning the premises of beauty salons, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of SanPiN2.1.2.1199-03. In particular, they suggest that in such establishments the premises for manicure (at least 6 sq. m.) and pedicure (8 sq. m.), beauty parlor (12-16 sq. m.) should be isolated from the hairdressing salon, but must have daylight through the window opening. It is also necessary to equip utility, auxiliary and household premises (dressing rooms, rest rooms, bathrooms, storage rooms, storage rooms for equipment, garbage, etc.).

“In addition to compliance with certain standards, when creating a project, it is necessary to achieve competent organization of light, sound insulation, and also take into account the production cycle,” says architect Tatyana Romanova. - To do this, it is necessary to simulate the movement of clients and salon employees and only after that calculate the area and location of individual zones. Otherwise, you can make a lot of planning errors that will cause crowding in the waiting area or unnecessary anxiety for clients during procedures.”

To provide the required sound and odor insulation in certain rooms, according to Mikhail Ermakov, stationary structures are used. “For example, in the Archidea beauty salon we installed glass partitions,” notes the Astarta Prestige expert. - A special seal that secures the glass inside the guides and profile has become a reliable barrier to noise and unnecessary odors. At the same time, frosted glass was used to decorate more “intimate” rooms (massage rooms, manicure and pedicure rooms).

Perhaps beauty is truly a terrible force that can withstand even a crisis. However, today you should not rely on fate. A number of business optimization measures will not only protect the company in difficult times, but also earn additional points for future struggle in the “beautiful” market.

Svetlana Topal,

expert of the company "Astarta Prestige"

Always be aware

How to find out about the most important news without going to international conferences and without following news every day from the websites of leading cosmetic brands? Participants of the Cosmo Expo know the answer; they know where to publish their information and announcements of educational events.

Against all winds: management in a beauty salon during a financial crisis

Cosmetology in conditions of financial crisis:
-decline in demand
-decrease in solvency
-decrease in revenue and profit

Prices. Increase or decrease?
In a crisis, even the rich will count money. Demand for non-essential goods and services decreases. This also applies to cosmetology. With a decrease in the number of procedures, the depreciation load per visitor naturally increases. Thus, it is necessary to pay for the maintenance of the salon with fewer clients. We need to raise prices. But then some more clients will leave, and those who remain will count every ruble. Or maybe it’s worth showing loyalty to consumer problems and lowering prices?! Survive the crisis, try to retain your own, and even snatch some clients from more expensive competitors...

Staff. Cut back or regret?
Do you know “good” specialists who talk beautifully about their achievements, but are not able to contribute a decent penny to the salon’s wallet? In a crisis, everyone is obliged to take on something more, expand their competencies and participation - for example, a massage therapist can carry out body wraps, a manicurist can master a spa, etc. Doesn't want to -... Quietly get rid of the ballast.

Current expenses. Reduce.
For what? You can’t turn off the heating, you won’t save much in the world. It is impossible to offend valuable employees when it comes to their salaries. Maybe reduce the cost of the procedure itself?

Cost of drugs.
Find a professional series that gives you the opportunity to reduce the cost of providing services and the price of the services themselves - both the price of drugs and the cost of accessories. Please note that sometimes the start of an already expensive series also includes the cost of training and a minimum set of drugs. Have you considered when learning some exotic massage pays off? Therefore, especially in times of crisis, use the most understandable, simple and accessible technologies.

Services. Expand?
Have you been to the restaurant? Then remember that, for example, the selection of wines and drinks on the menu is not only for every taste, but also for every budget. Offer your clients a choice of the same service from two or three series of drugs - both expensive and more affordable. With the corresponding price for the service itself. You will see for yourself which one is financially more effective. By the way, it’s not a fact that all wealthy clients are willing to overpay for prestige trademark. The client trusts the cosmetologist to choose the drug. In a crisis, the result and the money saved (thanks to you) are more important.

Paradoxical business.
At a time when everyone is moaning and crying, make a surprise - bring to the market a service that no one was expecting at that moment. For example, SPA! It is not at all necessary to use VIP programs and rebuild the salon - it is enough to master and introduce SPA elements into the price list - inexpensive body wraps, non-injection mesotherapy, sliding massage, SPA manicure... Keep in mind that during a crisis, most people need an outlet, at least half an hour of relaxation away from everyday life. problems. Give it to them. And if there is also a result...

So, an affordable cosmetic SPA:
- clarity and simplicity of technologies and step-by-step programs
-material accessibility to the middle class
-reducing the cost of drugs and accessories
-high efficiency and impeccable results
-comfort and satisfaction of the client
-traditional prestige of SPA
-not survival, but development, success and prosperity of the salon

For example, this concept has been provided by Irish spa technology for several years in the joint “Spani” series. Simple - because without any cleverness, effective - because it is not based on just any local source, but raw materials and components from all over the world, created by biologists and doctors according to European technologies and standards, reliable - because it has been tested and used by hundreds of practicing cosmetologists. Why is it affordable - because the final production is in Ukraine. In connection with the current financial crisis, the “Spani” series is ready to help the cosmetology market in Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries. For this purpose, it can negotiate with general and regional distributors on certification and supplies.

In the idea of ​​SPA, we see the use of natural technologies and preparations with natural composition and natural methods of application in conditions of maximum comfort and pleasure. Will it be a hotel by the ocean, thermal springs in the Alps or a beauty salon in Tula - the principle of the SPA is the same - obtaining mental well-being and physical benefits for the client. And arrived to the master.

SPA with “Spani” is not at all sophisticated exotic. Now this is already a standard in cosmetology salon services. SPA technologies are natural, they imitate the environment: baths - swimming in the sea, wraps - warming up on the sand or in a hot mineral mud spring, SPA cryotherapy imitates winter cold, SPA peeling - cleansing the skin with sand, SPA mesotherapy tightens and rejuvenates the skin without injections, masks - nourish with minerals and plant juice, etc.

It is difficult for us to adopt the traditions of Western or Eastern SPA, which imply privacy, location of a salon or hotel near a mineral spring in a suburban area, an abundance of water treatments, exoticism and chic surroundings. Let's look at it realistically - our consumer is more likely to go to Thailand for exotic things, and we, accordingly, are forced to look for the most optimal projects for investment. There is only one way out - to introduce a spa that is realistic for your consumer, expanding the demand of existing clients. This solution is the idea of ​​“Day-SPA” - a day spa in a salon. We are for the concept"Time-SPA", that is, time spent in the salon with your cosmetologist on SPA programs.

Marketing and SPA management in each beauty salon.

The law of any market: you need to look for new products for your own, already native consumer, expanding the range of services, quality of service, increasing demand and frequency of attendance of procedures, and as a result - the overall financial results. This solution is the mastery of the idea of ​​an affordable salon cosmetic SPA. It will not be a revelation that the most massive and stable client is the middle class. It is its representatives - managers, entrepreneurs, lawyers - who are and remain the main consumers of cosmetology services. Therefore, if you are counting on mass popularity and not exclusivity of your salon, you need to focus on the needs of a busy person with an average income - and in a balanced way pricing policy, and in a sufficient, but not flashy, level of interior and service, and in the choice of programs designed for the limited time the client spends in the salon (maximum 1-1.5 hours).

Please note that injection and many hardware techniques are approved for use only by specialists with medical education in appropriate sanitary conditions. Safe, effective natural technologies can be a profitable purchase for those salons that do not have medical license, or do not want to risk using aggressive drugs.

So, how, without closing the salon for reconstruction, and without investing significant money, can you master the spa and increase the prestige of the salon and each specialist?

1. Mastering spa technologies:
a) Choose a line (series) of SPA products that is easy to use for yourself and financially affordable for your clients.
b) Get trained, carefully study the methodological instructions for the use of drugs, follow the protocols of the programs.
c) During a crisis, do not rush to purchase expensive equipment. At a minimum, spa programs require a couch and water - this way you have all the basics.
c) Do not forget that SPA programs for the face are no less effective and wonderful as for the body.

2. SPA Marketing:
a) In the minds of the population, a spa is an unaffordable luxury. Let your friends know regular customers that they can afford to touch the world of spa, thus increasing their status in their own eyes and giving rise to discussions of your new product among their friends.
b) Like in a restaurant, offer your customers a choice of two or three series of SPA products - both expensive and more affordable - like the “Spani” series. Do not rush to purchase expensive imported drugs “in reserve”.
c) Select a separate section in the price list: “SPA”, “SPA care” or “SPA services”, determine their list and cost. Their low, affordable price will be a pleasant, enticing surprise for customers. You will be able to raise prices and really earn good money in a few months - when a “wide path has been trodden” to your salon.

The ideal result of a SPA procedure is the client’s desire to fall asleep, give him this pleasure for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy visiting the procedures yourself, experiencing the sensations of your clients.

Ways to Promote
profitability and profitability of the salon

1. Increase in income:
a) an increase in prices for services (fraught with the loss of some existing clients and, as a result, on the contrary, a drop in income)
b) increasing the number of visits and services:
- existing clients (offering new popular services, the price of which is affordable to existing clients)
-attracting new clients (reducing or maintaining prices through the use of more affordable drugs; expanding the list of services; introducing unusually interesting and effective programs - such as SPA; introducing SPA programs to improve the image and status of the salon and, accordingly, attract more affluent clients)

2. Reducing drug costs:
a) saving on the completeness of the implementation of programs, reducing the consumption rates for the procedure (fraught with loss of efficiency and, accordingly, the image of the salon and loss of clients)
b) using materially more accessible professional series SPA preparations and really affordable SPA programs (which allows you to significantly increase the margin between the cost of drugs and the cost of SPA services)