Sally salon services beautiful britain report reveals optimistic salon industry

The Beautiful Britain 2017 report from Sally Salon Services reveals some interesting facts about the salon industry. This year’s report had almost 2,500 respondents including salon workers, salon managers, mobile workers and barbers. The report also includes survey results from over 2,000 consumers on their hair and beauty habits and general feelings towards the industry. Here are some of the key findings: Hiring Figures  

• The average number of full-time employees has grown over the past year. On average, salons and barbershops now employ three full-time members of staff. That’s an increase of one staff member on last year.
• The average number of part-time employees in salons and barbershops has also increased by one person, from one to two people.
• An overwhelming 93% of salons and barbershops increased or maintained headcount in 2016, compared to 89% the year before. A similar number (94%) maintained or increased part-time employee numbers, also up on the previous year.
• And expectations for the year ahead are positive. A third of businesses plan to increase staff numbers in 2017. Optimism is highest in the West Midlands and Northern Ireland where more than half of salons expect to increase headcount.
• Greater hiring expectations may be linked to a positive 2016 and an increase in treatment prices. While frequency has stayed fairly stable, prices for treatments increased across the board, pushing up the average annual spend on a basket of treatments.
• Women now spend £994 on an average annual basket of treatments, up 13% (or £118) from last year.
• Men now spend £779 on an annual basket of treatments, up 9% (or £68) from last year.

  Optimism and loyalty

• An impressive 86% of salon owners, mobile workers and barbers said that 2016 was a good year for them, with many reporting increases in customer numbers and turnover.
• Overall confidence is back up to the highest level since the Beautiful Britain report began in 2012, with two thirds of professionals (64%) more optimistic now than a year ago.
• And, despite some gloomy Brexit headlines, so far, the hair and beauty industry remains upbeat. More than 90% of hair and beauty professionals have yet to feel any impact from this on their business.
• When it comes to loyalty, money remains an important driver – and treatment prices remain correspondingly competitive – but this isn’t customers’ top priority.
•  Female consumers told us that having a good relationship with their hair and beauty professional was the number one driver of loyalty, above price.
• For male consumers, having a good relationship with their hair and beauty professional was the second most popular driver of loyalty.
• Relationships that hair and beauty professionals build this year will be key to making sure customers come back time and time again.