Being a salon manager is a job that requires you to wear a lot of hats at once, and it takes a stellar work ethic as well. Whether you are an aspiring salon manager or you are looking for ways to improve in your current managerial role, this article is for you.
In this piece, we will talk about all of the things that go into being an effective salon manager, as well as some of the job duties and expectations.
What Makes an Effective Salon Manager?
As a salon manager, you are tasked with keeping things operating smoothly, ensuring stylists have everything they need to do their jobs to their best ability, making sure all stylish salon equipment is operating optimally and many other tasks. To be able to balance all of these jobs seamlessly, a salon manager must have these key characteristics.
1. Flexible
A salon is a fast moving place and salon managers need to be flexible and adaptable. In one day, they may have to assist stylists and salon owners, help out and organize the salon reception desk and maintain the salon’s digital presence. Salon managers move quickly and efficiently so that they can wear multiple hats at once.
2. Empathetic
As a salon manager, it is also your job to manage different personalities and work with all salon employees. Being empathetic will make you a manager who can easily bring people together and effectively problem solve with everyone’s best interests in mind.
3. Highly Organized
Handling multiple aspects of the salon business requires a salon manager to be highly organized. Not only will they need to physically organize certain parts of the salon such as the color processing or shampoo area, but they will also have to stay mentally organized to be able to compartmentalize their tasks and the needs of others.
4. Operates Well in High Stress
From last minute cancellations and walk-ins to product shortages, salon managers need to know how to handle a rapidly changing environment where more than a handful of people are requiring the manager’s immediate attention. Not everyone operates well in a high stress situation, but salon managers sure do.
What the Salon Manager Job Entails and What You Should Know
Do the qualities above resonate well with you and your personality? If so, you may be wondering what other aspects of the job you need to prepare yourself for, as well as must-know advice going into the role. Here is what a job as a salon manager entails and what you should know about the position.
1. Get Ready to Multitask
As a salon manager, it’s your job to do basically everything – well, sort of. You can expect to manage every aspect of the business from cleaning the shampoo systems to greeting guests as they walk in. You were hired because you can keep your finger on the pulse of the salon and step into almost every position at a moment’s notice. Multitasking is an important part of this job, so it’s best for someone who already enjoys handling multiple tasks at once and knows how to balance it all effectively.
2. Learn How to Delegate
You will be overseeing an entire salon, which means that you will need to know how to delegate tasks to certain individuals, as well as handle different personalities. From a messy storage closet to a full waiting room caused by delays, the salon manager needs to be able to step in and delegate to get the team back on the right track.
3. Get Comfortable with Handling Finances and Numbers
Salon managers may have to cut paychecks, order new equipment and keep track of inventory, which means it’s a great idea to get comfortable dealing with numbers and handling sensitive finance information. If you’re not the most comfortable crunching numbers or handling the finances, always make sure to have a process that requires you to double-check your work or any orders before you finalize anything. It never hurts to go over things twice to ensure accuracy.
4. Time and Schedule Management Need to Be Strong Suits
As a salon manager, you may be asked to create the schedule for stylists and receptionists, as well as handle appointments and scheduling for other staff members. You will need to prioritize time management and be able to assemble a schedule that keeps business running smoothly. Managing the schedule could also come with a lot of requests and additional info that you may need to handle or keep top of mind, which is where your strong delegation skills come into play, too.
5. Have a Knack for Handling All Things Digital
The salon manager may need to handle the salon’s website and head up the business’s social media presence. Having a strong digital footprint with an intuitive and easy to use website and bustling social media platforms is more important than ever — especially for salons. Do you love learning about and implementing the latest trends on social media or do you have an eye for great web design? That’s great, because you will definitely need these skills to lead your salon to success.
6. Networking Skills Are a Must
Since you are working on the ground level with all members of the team, you may have a better pulse of how the salon is working, what it needs to level up and where it’s heading in the future. Because of this expertise you have gained, you may be asked to represent the salon at networking events, educational opportunities and trade shows. You will need to be able to network and share the salon’s mission in order to get new clients or form partnerships with both big and local organizations.
7. Always Looking Forward
Your job as a salon manager is to always be looking forward to ensure your salon stays one step ahead. With everything you do, you should always keep the future in mind. That means making sure products and supplies are always stocked, looking for the upcoming beauty industry trade shows, seeking out educational opportunities for the staff or proposing changes to ensure the salon stays ahead of the game.
Are you ready to be a salon manager who is always on top of their game and putting their salon in the best position possible? If you keep these seven must-knows top of mind, the sky’s the limit!