Staff appearance - why it matters!

Within the first six seconds of meeting someone a snapshot impression is made, taking in general appearance, clothing, posture and facial expressions.  Making sure your salon staff give the right impression for your business is crucial, according to Richard Darby, managing director of Mark Leeson Hair Body & Mind in Mansfield Nottinghamshire. “For any customer-facing business staff appearance is very important, but with a salon the appearance of your employees also speaks volumes about your brand,” says Richard. “We consider our salon to be the equivalent of a five-star hotel and so naturally we expect our employees to look immaculate, because that is what you would expect when you are going for that level of service.” Richard describes the look at Mark Leeson  as a combination of highly professional and on trend. All team members wear a uniform and adhere to rules about appearance.  Here is his advice on making professional appearance part of a salon culture. Provide a uniform A uniform promotes a sense of pride and belonging and creates an instant impression of professionalism. If you have a dress code, such as “wear black” it is always open to interpretation and you will get all kinds of combinations such as faded, black jeans or shorts. At Mark Leeson we have a summer and winter uniform.  We spend around £3,000 a year on uniforms for our team of 25 people. It might seem like an added cost you could do without  but it’s definitely worth it.  Choose well and search out simple, well-cut styles. We use brands such as M&S, Next, Top Shop and Dorothy Perkins which are great for uniforms as they tend to wear well. Some salons go for T shirts with logos but it depends on what end of the market you are pitching yourself at. If you are buying in bulk you may be able to negotiate a discount.  You have to accept that with a uniform you are never going to please everybody, so something simple but stylish is the key. Provide two sets and insist that uniforms must be clean. No such thing as a bad hair day  We make no bones about telling all our employees that their hair has to look fantastic. We are selling style and expertise and therefore each member of the team has to look the part. It is really important because in one sense they are walking adverts for what we can do for the clients. They may choose to have an edgy cut or a bold fashion colour and that’s fine because we are in the fashion business. Some clients may go for that look while for others it can be a great demonstration of  a certain shade or colour and cutting technique. We have regular hair nights for staff to ensure that they have their hair done before it looks as if it needs doing. This not only ensures that all the staff look great, but it also adds to their training and is a great way for trying a different colour or technique. Keep your brand in mind When clients enter your salon their first impressions are what they see, hear and sense. Employees play a massive part in making your brand come alive and so I always keep this in mind when considering staff appearance. Having a policy in place that your employees see when they join your salon gives clarity over any grey areas. In this you can decide what you feel about visible piercings, tattoos, and jewellery and head coverings. Of course, your policy is going to reflect your brand and who your clients are. We regularly review our policy and it is worth getting staff involved in this process. Even if they don’t agree with all of it, having had some input they will more likely support it.