How to Boost Business in My Salon

How to Boost Business in My Salon

Luxury service providers like salons and spas are often the first to feel a tightening economy. Whether your business is new or well-established, maintaining and growing a salon means being part of current trends and increasing brand recognition within the community. When you insert your salon into the lives of your customers via social networking or charitable events, you increase customer loyalty and boost your business.

Step 1

Reward loyalty. Keep your current customers coming back with monthly specials and discounts if they refer friends. Provide extra rewards for customers who refer numerous friends, getting them excited to help grow your business.

Step 2

Use social networks to your benefit. Websites like Facebook and Twitter offer you a way to connect to your customers daily and keep your business and services in the forefront of their minds.

Step 3

Participate in local fundraisers to get your brand noticed. Focus on charities that relate to women to show your support to customers. "Locks of Love" (an organization that provides hairpieces to disadvantaged sick children) or a breast-cancer awareness event gives your salon a chance to do something positive and get noticed.

Step 4

Reevaluate the salon's style and decor. You'll attract more customers with a clean, updated-looking salon that focuses on a pampering spa-like experience for clients.

Step 5

Provide special packages to meet customer needs or inspire them to reevaluate their needs and desires. Promote bachelorette party makeovers, "girls' night out" manicures or back-to-college makeover packages.

Step 6

Stay up-to-date with new products and services. Your staff should continue to pursue education and training on the newest techniques and styles clients are looking for.

Step 7

Start a beauty blog or contribute to a community newspaper. Ask stylists to take turns writing a weekly blog posting on hair-color trends and new beauty products. Pitch a weekly beauty column to the local newspaper to increase your brand identity and promote your salon.

Step 8

Network with local news and radio personalities. When you get to know newscasters or radio hosts, they may come to you to discuss new beauty trends, giving you opportunities to promote your business to a wider audience.

Article by: Maria

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Article source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/boost-business-salon-19080.html

The ABCs of Customer Service

The ABCs of Customer Service

A - Arrive at work on time, prepared, and with a smile.

B - Believe in the organization and the products or services you are representing.

C - Choose an attitude of service. Your customers should feel that you enjoy your job.

D - Dress appropriately for the work that you do.

E - Empathize with customers, and show them that you understand.

F - Find answers if you don't have them.

G - Give customers outstanding service even when they are not buying from you.

H - Help coworkers and other internal customers when needed.

I - Initiate contact with customers. Don't wait to be approached.

J - Justify your reasoning and offer available alternatives when you must say "no."

K - Know as much as possible about your organization and its products and services.

L - Leave your personal problems at the door.

M - Mind your manners. Say "please" and "thank you" often.

N - Never say, "That's not my job."

O - Own problems. Don't pass the buck.

P - Prioritize what's important. People should come before inventory, internal processes, etc.

Q - Question your organization about policies and procedures that hinder your ability to give good service.

R - Respond quickly and efficiently to customer requests.

S - Speak clearly and professionally. Save slang for your off time.

T - Treat people fairly, and apply policies and processes consistently.

U - Use body language that says "I'm here and ready to help."

V - Verify that your customers are satisfied and that you have answered all of their questions before ending calls, sales, and other interactions.

W - Walk customers through any complicated processes or procedures to reduce confusion later.

X - X-out complaining, personal conversations, and other behaviors that reduce your ability to remain positive and engaged.

Y - Yell and yell back at no one while at work. Keep your conversations professional at all times, even if you are being attacked.

Z - Zero in on how you can help by listening more and talking less.

Article by: Maria

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Article source: http://www.businesstrainingworks.com/Customer-Service/ABCs-of-Customer-Service.html

How to Build a Medical Transportation Company

How to Build a Medical Transportation Company

Non-emergency medical transportation is a frequently utilized service for elderly and disabled individuals that facilitates access to necessary medical services. It also is used for other treatment resources and community activities, and provides assistance with completing daily living tasks, such as going to the grocery store. Medicaid pays for non-emergency medical transportation offered by approved providers.

1.      Research services provided by other medical transportation companies in your community and assess the need for medical transportation. Identify the population(s) that will be utilizing your medical transportation services. Identify any deficiencies in current medical transportation options available in the community.

2.      Construct a preliminary budget for your medical transportation company. This budget should include the cost of vehicles, maintenance and insurance for the vehicles, training, and wages for drivers and other employees, advertising expenses and general administrative costs.

3.      Research state licensing and Medicaid billing requirements for medical transportation in your area. Take note of any licensing and Medicaid billing requirements that must be met prior to starting your medical transportation business.

4.      Apply for a tax identification number through the state's Department of Revenue. If your company will be a nonprofit, review the IRS requirements for becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency and submit the application.

5.      Apply for grants and loans for your medical transportation business. Consider searching for grants through your state health department, the US Department of Health and Human Services and grants offered by your local government. Use this funding to purchase medical transportation vehicles, hiring staff for driving, hiring administrative staff (if necessary), purchasing bookkeeping software, etc.

6.      Obtain CPR certification, a public passenger chauffeur license or commercial driver's license (depending on state requirements) and other licenses required to operate a medical transportation company. Hire qualified drivers that are CPR certified and hold appropriate licenses for providing medical transportation.

7.      Make sure that all requirements are met for Medicaid and Medicare billing. This includes obtaining a national provider identifier (NPI), which can be obtained by completing an application available through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

8.      Advertise your medical transportation services. Community social service agencies, churches and medical clinics are a few potential places to advertise your services.

Article by: Maria

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Article source: http://www.ehow.com/how_5886589_build-medical-transportation-company.html

Restaurant Promotions

Restaurant Promotions

Restaurant promotions, whether daily, weekly, or monthly are great ways to show customer appreciation and bring in some extra business at the same time. Promotions can range for a nightly happy hour to an annual customer appreciation day, with drink and dinner specials.

Happy Hour

Many restaurants with a bar or lounge area offer happy hour specials during the week. Happy hours are geared toward working people, to entice them to stop in for a drink after a long day at work. Along with reduced drink specials, many restaurants offer inexpensive or free appetizers such as chicken wings, taco bars, or chips and salsa.

Live Music

Offering live music on a certain night of the week is a great way to bring in extra business. Music can range from local bands playing in the bar or pub to a live jazz or piano player in the dining room. The music should fit your restaurant theme and cater to your core customer demographic. If you have a quiet, upscale restaurant with a majority of customers in their 40s, 50s or older, a loud rock band is probably not going to go over well. However, if you have a restaurant and pub in a college town, that same band might bring in loads of local students.

Open Mic Night

If you want to offer some sort of entertainment, but don’t want to pay for it, offer a “open Mic” night. Locals are invited to sing, play musical instruments, tell jokes, or read poetry. You may be surprised at how many people show up for these local nights. Along with aspiring entertainers, many of their friends and family will come out to support them, and have a drink and an appetizer or dinner. Slower mid-week nights, like Tuesday or Wednesday are ideal for an open mike night.

Two-For-One Specials

Twofer, as we call it at our restaurant, offers customers two entrees for the price of one. To keep food cost under control, offer a special two-for-one menu, with a limited selection of entrees. Or rotate the menu, offering different dishes each week. Because two-for-one specials are geared toward the budget-minded customer, avoid offer pricey items, such as lobster or large cuts of beef. Simple menu items, such as chicken pie, baked haddock, and stuffed pork chops all have low food cost, and are popular dishes with diners.

Contests

Everyone loves a contest and the chance of winning a free gift. Contests are better suited for restaurants with a pub or bar, but there is no rule that you can’t have one in your diner, bistro or café. Contests can range from naming a new dessert dish to winning the weekly football pool. Prizes can be something as simple (and inexpensive) as a gift certificate for a free meal to cold hard cash. Free t-shirts, if you carry them, mugs or other restaurant related retail items also make great promotional gifts.

Sport Night Specials

Running special promotions during various sporting seasons is another way to get customers into your restaurant. Again, this is more ideal for a bar or pub. Monday Night Football, a Superbowl Party, or the World Series all offer untapped sales potential. Offer special drink and dinner discounts for those events.

Article by: Maria

Working happily with National Merchant Services

www.processnms.com

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Article source: http://restaurants.about.com/od/marketing/a/promotions.htm