Read about how two salon and spas are succeeding in offering express treatments.

Ritual Hair Skin Beauty,Toronto, Co-owners Maria Cristina Faccio and Bruna DiCecca

Why the need for speed?

Merging into one location from a two-site location, Ritual is the one-stop shop for all things beauty. “Being an all-in-one is a huge benefit for our busy customers, who don’t want to make numerous appointments, pay for parking and truck around town for everything they need,” says Faccio. “People don’t have time, and they want maintenance and in-and-out beauty.”

What’s on the Express Menu?

Every service can be made into an express experience, except for waxing, which is quick as is: manicure, pedicure, facials and treatments, massages, eye makeup, blowouts. “Waxing is really popular here since we get it done so quickly,” adds Faccio.

Challenges

“If there’s one aspect in express services that needs attention, it is quality,” says Faccio. “All staff are trained to provide services the Ritual way— it’s not enough that estheticians can give killer manis, they also have to give killer Ritual manis. There’s a strict screening process that employees go through to ensure they hire highly qualified professionals who get along well with the team.

Strategies

“We don’t consider ourselves a luxury salon and spa, like a hotel that can change high prices. We depend on volume to raise the bottom line. You want to get as many people into the salon as possible in order to offer services at affordable prices,” says Faccio. Online booking is also a helpful and convenient tool, so clients can make appointments wherever and whenever they wish.

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Hair, Body and Soul, Owen Sound, Ont. Owner Tonya Miller

Why the need for speed?

“We’re transferring the spa services into the salon because we live in a fast-paced world, and clients are looking for quick services that have benefits as well,” explains Miller. “A lot of us aren’t taking the time to have full one- hour services, so we’re trying to multi-service and do many treatments at the same time.” It’s not uncommon to see multitasking in action, making the most of the waiting time involved with certain services. “It could be a brown tint or waxing done while the colour is processing,” says Miller.

What’s on the Express Menu?

A variety of services can be offered as an express experience, including full- service hair treatments, colour, facials, brow tint and waxing. For example, “The Repêchage trio offers a hair treatment with the line, and while that is processing, clients can receive a facial. While the facial is applied, we’ll also provide a hand treatment,” says Miller. “All this happens in 30 minutes.”

Challenges

Introducing or “transitioning” clients between salon and spa services can be challenging. Retraining staff to provide quicker treatments and services with the same quality is also a learning curve. “Our estheticians are used to doing the hour-long facial and setting up the facial bar, but it’s a different atmosphere in an express environment,” says Miller. “We provide training and encourage exchange between spa and hair clients. This also educates clients to spa services. If you’re not marketing and showing them, they won’t know.”

Strategies

Taking stock of the square footage in the salon, Miller offers some spa services in the larger salon room in an open- concept format. “This way, clients are intrigued at what’s going on in the same room. The ones who have never seen a facial are now seeing it processing on a client. It’s a great way to market esthetic services to hair clients and vice versa,” says Miller. Estheticians are able to grow their business through hair clients, as well.