Hair salons are one of the service businesses that know the impact of being

behind schedule.  Other businesses have the same challenges but can sometimes move deadlines.  In service businesses, being fifteen minutes behind can feel like you ruined your life!

 

Hairstylists who have booked a full day, start their day very motivated.  However, that first client might

not make it because of, say, construction.  If they had to find and pay parking, no word of a lie, the machine will suddenly decide it does not accept one of the major bank cards.  So, now you may be 20 minutes behind.  The new client, apologizing sincerely, tells you she was unable to take her hair down.  At this point, the stylist is ready to tear her hair out!  A ninety minutes job just became a three-hour one.  This is what we mean by the impact of being behind schedule.

 

How do you manage this?  I learned over the years to leave a buffer

zone.  This is good when you have a job that takes an extended time.  If I finish early, I use it to have a relaxed lunch or finish some housekeeping.  If it doesn’t, you have an extra thirty minutes to finish the job but with no time to lunch.

 

Call (613) 789-2179 For An Appointment If You Are In The Ottawa, Ontario Area.

Unfortunately, if you left no buffer time, the last client of the day feels the impact of being behind schedule.  You are going to have to be proactive and call them with the updated time.  Most understand and will let you know if the  new time will work.  The best thing to do is keep a buffer zone and your day would have been saved.

By Paula Barker, Silkie Locks Hair Design