Irish hair and beauty industry reopens for business

Irish hair and beauty businesses have been welcoming clients back since Monday, 10 May, after being closed due to the Covid-19 restrictions since Christmas.

In the run-up to reopening, salons all over the country were busy scheduling appointments and preparing their premises, with many planning to open for extended hours to catch up with the client backlog. They were also posting updates on their social media to remind clients of the health and safety protocols, including arriving on time and alone, filling out Covid questionnaires and using contactless payments where possible.

Dylan Bradshaw, owner of Dylan Bradshaw hair salon in Dublin, told Today FM news that his team received 850 emails after the Government made the reopening announcement on 29 April. “That was on top of the 2,000 in the queuing system for appointments,” he said.

The Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation (Habic) said it is delighted to see its members being able to finally open their doors again after being shut for all of 2021.

“The long wait for our members is finally over,” said Habic CEO Margaret O’Rourke Doherty. “We can now recommence to provide the essential personal care services we carry out across Ireland. As the first few weeks will be hectic, we would like to thank customers for their support and patience.”

No-shows warning

Habic has also strongly encouraged clients to support its members against the potential of no-shows. “If they are unable to attend their appointment for any reason, it is essential that they cancel or reschedule their appointment, as the impact of clients not arriving for appointments is very damaging for businesses,” stressed O’Rourke Doherty. “It means other customers cannot be accommodated, thus causing a massive loss in sales at a point when salons are already struggling.”

According to Phorest Salon Software, no-shows had a hugely negative impact on the industry in 2020 when the industry reopened after the first lockdown. It said that a total of €519,000 in revenue was lost per day by clients not arriving for appointments, which left many salons with no option but to introduce booking deposits.

Habic has also reminded members of its updated guidelines for welcoming back clients safely. The guidelines are made up of a combination of the Government’s Work Safely Protocol and learnings from the first two lockdowns.

“The industry prides itself on the high standards of care it gives its customers,” said O’Rourke Doherty. “As salons reopen, they will be staying in line with public health advice to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. Salon operators have been extremely busy while closed as salons were prepared and teams were trained in properly responding to public health advice in the workplace. This will ensure the best experience for all our customers as they return.”