The differences in Salon and Spa

The differences in Salon and Spa

	Salon and Spa    Store front owned and managed by one or more owners	Salon and Spa  store front that is owned as landlord renting out individual spaces to independent contractors that are stylist, nail techs or estheticians	No store front                  Salon and/or spa is in technicians home or travels to clients home or other locations
License as business federally required	Yes  mandatory	YES  Owner or landlord of booth rental store Individual contractors???	Generally are not claiming a business
Licensed by state and City required	Yes  mandatory	Yes to owner or landlord of business..Individual contractors discretion	Generally are not claiming a business
BUSINESS INSUREANCE	Yes  mandatory	Yes to owner or landlord of business however individual contractors  discretion to comply	Generally are not claiming a business So can not insure
Stylist, nail tech, esthetician license	Yes  mandatory	Individual contractors  discretion to have and be current	Individual discretion to have and be current
Adhere and comply to sanitary laws	Yes  mandatory	Individuals contractors discretion	Individual discretion
Quality control of products	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individuals discretion
Quality control of skill levels of professional	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individual discretion
Set levels of education and continuing education for all professionals	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individual discretion
Warranty  of product and services	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individual discretion
Yearly CEU units required by state	YES	Individuals contractors discretion	Individual discretion
Customer standards of services	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individual discretion
Promotional deals for clients	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individual discretion
Referral programs for clients	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individuals discretion
Client data base of hair colors and all chemical services and products	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individuals  discretion
Professional environment, with no interruptions, distractions or inappropriate cell phone usage.	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individuals  discretion
Reliable business operations and times	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individuals discretion
Quest and research for new services and products within the industry	Yes	Individuals contractors discretion	Individuals  discretion

I put together this comparison chart so consumer can see side by side what the differences are. I will surmise   the differences in Salon and Spas and give you information and questions to ask that will make it easier for you to decide what your best fit is. 

A Salon and Spa that is owned and managed by one of more owners will be:

• Legally compliant
• Compliant to all licensing, business licensing and staff
• Compliant to all sanitation and staff licensing
• The staff will be working directly for the business
• There will be set standards for services and products
• Set standards of skill and experience for stylists, estheticians, and nail techs
• Set standards for continuing education
• Set professionalism standards
• Warranty of service and products
• Proper procedure for all client data base info (all chemical services and formulas, timing of services, products used and purchased)
• Accepts payment of credit and/or debit
• Insured
• Team goal for excellence and service oriented.
• Promotional deals for clients and referral program.
• Like any other business the standards will vary to degrees but will have to comply to these basic criteria’s.

Salon and Spa that are owned by one or more individuals that lease out (like a landlord) stations or rooms to independent contractors that are stylists, nail tech, or estheticians.  The owner of the booth rental salon and spa has to be compliant with licensing and insured but do not in general  set standards for individual contractors as they are running their own business within the business.  This is a general practice but there are some exceptions.  The above list is up to each individual independent contractors discretion. They set their own business practice standards, licensing compliance, legal compliance. insurance and continuing education.

Now for in home salon and/or spa or, travel to client’s home or off site beauty services there are some Red Flags on this one.  If there are no signage of the business, no web presence, and will only take cash or cash checks and does not take credit or debit they are probably not legally compliant, could be license non-compliant and not insured.  This is the case of a true truism “Buyer Beware”. The  stylist, esthetician, nail tech  may have  no  business presence and  set standard set by the beauty industry to comply.

Here are some questions you can ask to determine what’s you comfortable with and is a good fit for you.

Don’t be afraid to ask

1. Ask when they do their taxes do they use a 1099 or a schedule C form.
2. Is their  stylist, nail tech , or esthetician license current and proof of it.
3. Are they insured?
4. Do you take credit card or debit?
5. Do you have a business license if so can they show you?
6. Do you warranty your service and products?
7. Do you have a web presence (website, business listing on the web)?  Not just Facebook. Do not have to be a business for a Facebook, twitter, etc.
8. Have a data base of clients information with technical card, products used, and products purchased?
9. What is your practice on continuing education? How often and what classes did you take?
10. Do you have promotions and a referral program?
11. Do you Warranty your services and products?

You can also go on line a Illinois professional regulations and look up anyone license to see if they have one and if they are current.  If they are not a business you cannot go on line to see any reviews on them.

Take a good look at the environment of the salon or spa you are at:

Is it unorganized?

Is it cluttered?

Is it dirty?

Is it unprofessional?

That says a lot about the Professionalism if you answer these questions with a YES.

In conclusions, I can only speak for myself  but I would never go to a doctor, a dentist, an attorney that was not a business. I also would not want work done by an electrician, plumber, HUVAC  tech that was not business backed.

When you go to a Salon and Spa that is a business the laws that govern that  industry are there to protect the consumer.

I hope you found this helpful and I wish you all good hair days.