Should you ban mobile phones in your salon?

Sesh Hairdressing’s owner Simon Hill explains why he’s banned his salon team from using mobile phones on the salon floor. With the rise of social media and the ‘Instagram’ generation, mobile phones are an integral that they are proud of and they are form that clients are requested to fill part of our day and in turn your keen to share that online so I believe out to give permission to share their business. Simon says he understands that salons would struggle to get by without social media. He does question however, whether that makes it okay for staff to use their phones on the salon floor during working hours. “Given the competitive nature of social media for salons, it is a necessity that you create an informative and interesting social media profile for client engagement and interaction. As a salon owner I am very conscious of this. However team members could find themselves distracted from the task at hand and reply to personal messages or update their Instagram stories on their mobile phones which is why it is important to set clear boundaries.”

Strict no mobile phones policy

At Sesh Hairdressing, Simon has a strict no personal phone use policy although he does allow team members to keep their phone in a locked drawer on the salon floor for photographic use and company social media only. "Your team members create work that they are proud of and they are keen to share that online so I believe it is important to give them the opportunity to do so when rules are adhered," he points out.

Planning your social media

Simon has two key team members that look after and manage the Sesh Hairdressing social media accounts. Junior members of the team are trained to work closely with their superiors and have been trained to approach these two members of the team if and when they would like to take a photograph and share it on social media. He says the reasons behind this are two-fold. Firstly, asking them to report to a senior member of the team will reduce the likelihood that they will become distracted and use their phone for personal reasons, and secondly, the senior member of the team will issue the client with a consent form. Following the introduction of the strict GDPR laws in May, Simon has a form that clients are requested to fill out to give permission to share their photograph or video footage on the salon's social channels. “This is something we are required to handle with an element of sensitivity and the highest level of professionalism to ensure our clients understand the reason behind it and are comfortable. This is why I believe it is important for senior members of the team to handle this task and it provides junior team members with an opportunity to learn from them and follow in their footsteps.” Communication is key and Simon believes open lines of communication between all team members are a must for any successful team. He concludes: “Communication encourages respect and that level of respect will motivate your team members to do as you ask and work in line with your values and vision as a business.”