Closing…

[Jim Fisher]

if it is that bad just close up and move on with something else in your life

[dcjjp1]

When I cut my hours from closing at 9pm to closing at 8 pm years ago, the ones that bitched and complained are the same ones 3 years later coming at the last minute anyway. Didn't lose anyone to speak of.

Hell, there are points throughout my day that my massage therapist and I play cards for hours uninterrupted. But I would never think of closing mid day because of it. I understand you want to take care of you clients that you have, but trust, you will be hurting yourself in the long run.

To Jeff about the lotion thing, I stock about 8 of MR international products, basically all except the fun line as it doesn't hit my market. I have 4-5 of each on shelf with backstock (have to order in cs quantity for discount) so lotion display is always full. I agree if you look sparse you will look "out of business"

[northtanman]

hmmm, closing every other day basically? your clients (most) won't complain...as they will just go somewhere else. you are pushing them to go elsewhere and if elsewhere is more convenient and better, you lose them. unless you have the best salon in your area...you lose.
one of my competitors with 2 locations, closed one for the summer and was honoring their plans at the other location...guess what? i've had the best june and july in the last 4 years!! i should of sent him a thank you note.
you are telling the public you are'nt doing so well by trimming the days you're open and it may have an effect on their spending habits as well. why would they risk buying a big package when it is looking like you're on your way out of business??
now, this year i too closed on sundays...and my biggest competitor followed suit. so, it worked!! but closing tuesdays and thursdays? i'm not that big of a gambler!!! don't do it!

[theislandtan]

Originally Posted by dcjjp1

I understand you want to take care of you clients that you have, but trust, you will be hurting yourself in the long run.

This is where the gamble comes in to play. How much will it hurt me in the long run? A huge majority of my clients won't know or care I closed those days because they don't tan year round. We may need to sweeten the deal a little by adding a couple things to existing clients.

As for selling... We have no need for that. Our first year has gone really well. The salon is and will be profitable for the year. Next year looks really good now that we have some time under our belts.

[dcjjp1]

Agreed North. By doing that it is the perception that you aren't doing well and truly no one wants to do business with a sinking ship. They will look to someone or somewhere that is thriving. It's kind of looking at a new restaurant if no one is inside of closed for that matter and next door is packed or at least busy, where would you go.

Perception is reality.

[Kathe]

Exactly! You guys hit it on the nose.

[dcjjp1]

Your client will have no way of knowing your doing well. Perception is everything.

I know you are a smart guy from our conversations in person and online, but I personally wouldn't do it.

[Glowtanning530]

I would be concerned your opening the door for a beauty salon or someone else to add a bed. I think one thing I didn't believe till now is there has to be a consistancy with hours. As Jeff said I closed sundays as well and shortened my evening hours. Closing mid day for lunch or couple weekdays is a mistake.

[Tanning Queen]

It is just part of the industry of tanning. There are days where you may make $0 during the slow season. But you remain competitive, you should be open 6 if not 7 days a week. To close 3 out of 7 will make clients wonder about the financial stability of the salon. If you run your salon properly, you will have enough money in the slow season to continue operating at normal hours. Sure it might eat into your savings but in the long run, it builds trust with the clients.

There is a salon around here that a few months ago changed thier hours to open at noon some days and others at 3pm, closed on Sundays. Drove by the other day, CLOSED. Place is emptied out and a for rent sign is up.

I personally dont think it is the best idea but you never agree with me anyway. LOL!

[sunsally]

The cost to stay open is only two things:

Payroll
Utilities

If the presumption is that the salon is dead slow, the utilities will be quite low anyway. A little A/C, a little heat. Make sure the staff doesn't set them above/below your requirements and dress appropriately.

Payroll. If you were to be open even 10-8 T/Th (assume you stay shut Sundays), that is 20 hours. At $7, even with taxes & fees - about $85 per day or $175/week. You said you were going to try this until December, so only about 10-12 weeks.

Bottom line - you are cutting probably $2K in costs, to try this gamble.

It seems unlikely you won't be able to make that much, in sales those days as well as sales you don't lose by customers switching salons.

To look at it another way - it seems likely you will LOSE more than $2K across your year by choosing this strategy for these next 3 months.

But - no data to predict for sure, and it is your business so you will do what you think is the best strategy and live with the outcomes either way.

Keep us posted -

[Glowtanning530]

Little food for thought.
My comp sold year packages during the spring for $147.
Recently people have been coming here because our hours and later after trying us our beds.
When ever I drive by this location is closed. Somtimes at 4 and from what I hear monday sat and sun. People have already paid for a year there but they are now coming here and will likely (if we are doing our job) will not be going back there.

[tam_marie]

Is this your first slow season? I don't know how long you have been in business. I opened in March of this year.

Within the last 3 weeks I have trimmed my hours.

Old hours
Monday - Friday 7:00 am until 8:00
Saturday- 9:30-8:00

new hours
Monday,Tuesday,Thursday-7:00am-6:00pm
Wed. & Fri.- 10:00-6:00
Saturday 10:00-2:00


My first week in August has been busy, I have actually had some waiting.

[EliteMike]

last year I had some staggered hours during the week. tues and thursday were my shorter days, 11-7 and and mon-wed were 9-9 I think. that worked out OKAY, but it was confusing for SOME clients that never had a clue what day it was. this year i just reduced hours to 11-7 mon through friday. This was after careful consideration watching the trends for the weeks leading to my decision

[Glowtanning530]

Yea my clients would get confused we actually made it so if we didn't have appointments scheduled after 6 we would close early in JASON. We just tell clients call before 6 if you want to tan.

[ekc123]

I personally do not think the savings outweigh the cost u will pay later. Sundays is one thing, but during the week is not good. I do not agree with closing before 7 pm either. some people do not get off work until 6 or 6:30. This is our 4th slow season and 2nd with two salons, it can be tough at times but u can still make money. If you are going by # of tanners now you have to realize what time of year it is, SUPER HOT and back to school. August usually sucks for us, but september has always been really good and even october is decent. Every customers dollar counts whether they tan everyday or twice a week. It is not about how much they tan, its what those people have to say about your business to everyone else. Now is not the time to look like a sinking ship. no matter what u say is going on, it is what they see is what they will talk about. Believe it or not, even your best customers that have good things to say about u will still talk about how u are closed which in turn can still come back to bite u in the AZZ for potential new customers. When it does get busy again, you dont want people scared to give u money because they are afraid you are going to close. I hope this helps, good luck!!

You could do TAN M-W-F for $XX special, might work.

[theislandtan]

Originally Posted by tam_marie

Is this your first slow season? I don't know how long you have been in business. I opened in March of this year.

Within the last 3 weeks I have trimmed my hours.

Old hours
Monday - Friday 7:00 am until 8:00
Saturday- 9:30-8:00

new hours
Monday,Tuesday,Thursday-7:00am-6:00pm
Wed. & Fri.- 10:00-6:00
Saturday 10:00-2:00


My first week in August has been busy, I have actually had some waiting.

We took over in March. Salon opened December of the previous year. We open at 10am and close at 9pm. We have a lot of people that come in after 6pm so closing before then wouldn't work. We could trim our hours, but we think that would cause more of an impact than closing.

We're going to change Saturday from 10 - 6 to 10 -4.

[shelleytn1]

i am curious to know how many customers are you seeing on your tues and thurs right now?

[theislandtan]

Originally Posted by shelleytn1

i am curious to know how many customers are you seeing on your tues and thurs right now?

About the same as the rest of the week. There is no set pattern right now. Some days are busy, some we'll see very few.

[shelleytn1]

what is your daily ave?
you got to be boiling down there in GA!

[dcjjp1]

They will adapt, trust me. I'd do M-F 11-8 and not having any 15 or 30 minute rule. If they walk in at 8 they still tan (look and see how many people come from 8-9pm for me it was hardly anyone, more sporadic than anything) and Saturday from 10-4 or keeping it on the 11-5 range. Closed on Sunday.