How To Manage a Barber Shop?

If you’re wondering how to manage a barber shop, you’re not alone. A successful barbershop needs a manager with business skills, who understands the needs of both staff and clients.

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1. What Is Barber Shop Management?
2. How To Improve Barber Shop Management Efficiency?
3. Conclusion

What Is Barber Shop Management?

Let me start by saying that while a barbershop manager does oversee daily operations at the business, they do much more than just this.

Depending on the location, the manager’s job might be client-facing, or not. Some managers even double as barbers or receptionists in smaller establishments.

A lot of the manager’s role involves ensuring that the clients are satisfied, the staff have everything they need to do their jobs, and that the business keeps providing excellent service.

They’ll usually spend time researching new industry trends, communicating with vendors, and ordering new barber shop tools and equipment.

A manager is also responsible for keeping the team up-to-date by leading regular meetings and brainstorming new ideas. They also help employees grow their careers by finding training opportunities and providing coaching and mentorship.

Finally, let’s not forget about conducting market research, creating daily schedules, handling complaints, and keeping an eye on the finances to make sure the barbershop is profitable.

In short, a manager’s job is complex and rewarding.

Do not miss our giude on How to Open a Barber Shop.

How To Improve Barber Shop Management Efficiency?

So, what separates a manager from a great manager?

Most of the time, it’s the person’s dedication to the business’s clients and staff. They work hard, understand that details matter, and set an example for their staff.

Let’s take a closer look at some of their strategies.

Hire And Train The Right Staff

Managing a barbershop is something you can’t do well unless you’ve got a great team behind you. This means hiring barbers and support staff with the right skills, but also finding people who work well together and share the business’s vision.

A good leader builds trust by letting staff expand their career skills and delegating tasks to them.

Once you’ve trained your staff, show your confidence in them by letting them take on new jobs or duties. A barbershop business is a busy place, and you won’t be able to do everything yourself, after all- avoid the trap of trying to micromanage.

Finally, don’t just train your staff in what you want them to do- set an example for them by providing excellent service, following your own rules, and keeping the lines of communication open with regular meetings.

Know Your Target Client

Understanding your target audience is key to success for any business, but especially for something as personal as barber services.

Your target market will depend a lot on your location and the hair cut services you offer (of course, you can expand these to reach new customers).

Make sure to do your homework and get to know the other hair services available near your own business- this will give you an idea of your competition as well as the general “vibe” in your area.

If you’re still trying to create your brand image, it’s a good idea to brainstorm what sets you apart from your competitors- are you the only spot that takes walk-ins for a haircut, for example, or maybe you specialize in grooming services like hot towel shaves with a straight razor?

These details can help you market your barber services and get people in the door.

Focus On Customer Experience

Clients who leave your barbershop happy (and come back again) probably had a great experience for several reasons, and not all of them are connected to their hair.

Let’s start with proper sanitation. When it comes to health and safety, a clean salon is key and should be your top priority. Keeping your space clean and tidy with no clutter is easy to do if staff are trained to follow disinfectant procedures and strict guidelines for cleanup after each service.

This makes a big difference in the impression you’ll make on customers. Consider hiring dedicated cleaners if your establishment is larger or busy.

Make sure that all equipment and tools are well-maintained and clean, and pay attention to the decor, lighting and noise level.

Finally, professionalism makes a huge difference when it comes to turning walk-ins into repeat customers.

Pay attention to the quality of your customer service, have staff offer recommendations and take the time to listen to guests, handling any customer complaints quickly and professionally (it helps to have clear business policies that are easy to understand).

Develop A Barber Shop Sales And Marketing Plan

There are multiple ways that a barbershop owner or manager can do this, and it’s really about knowing your target clientele and understanding their needs and wants.

If your business is online (and it really should be), then start by giving clients that “personal touch” with newsletters or promotional emails. You can also create staff social media profiles to share on your website, showing off barbers’ skills and personalities.

To build enthusiasm for services, one of my top tips is to build packages that bundle different options together (like a hot shave, hair cut and scalp massage), or start with basic options that are always popular, then run promotions to add “extras” for a reduced cost.

Finalls, upsells are a great way to make money for your business and encourage people to try new products- don’t leave grooming products or items out of your promotion packages.

Make Use Of Barber Shop Management Software

A good barber shop management software can be your best friend when it comes to reducing time spent on repetitive admin tasks.

Invest in software for barbers to help you track and order your stock, set schedules and even send out automated email reminders and client messages (to name a few things).

For a modern barber shop, online booking and payment options are a must, and clients will love the convenience.

This software also helps you track your progress against your barber shop business plan, giving you insights into patterns like popular products, high-performing staff members and slower/ busier times of day.

As an added bonus, online reputation management tools will make it easy to view and respond to feedback, boosting those five star reviews and making it easy to share them online.

Conclusion

Managers definitely have their work cut out for them. But with the right tools and a solid plan in place, it’s easy to take your barbershop management from good to awesome.

Everyone has a slightly different idea of how to manage a barbershop, and that’s a good thing. Each location and staff is unique, and you can take the tools and tips that you’ve learned today and adapt them to fit your own business, bringing it to the next level.

Citations

Small business management
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dZ90AgAA

Entrepreneurship and small business
https://espace.curtin.edu.au/item-by-pid/162899

Essentials of entrepreneurship and small business management
http://dni.dali.dartmouth.edu/tdc23l71vvxi/18-marty-fritsch/read-0132294389-essentials