ONCE UPON A PAYPHONE

This month, on May 23rd to be exact, the last remaining payphone was removed from the streets of New York City. The reason for this is obvious- everyone has a cell phone, or is traveling with someone who has a cell phone. Payphone technology is obsolete, and maintaining them is expensive, without much benefit. While payphones are a thing of the past, and they’ll hardly be missed, they were important. Payphones spoke to a very important need that hadn’t yet been met-access to communication away from one’s home. From the vantage point of modern society, payphones seem an inelegant solution, but they clearly set a precedent. They established an expectation of being reachable from anywhere, that truly paved the way for our culture today. 

As a small business consultant, it is very common that I discuss business policies and how they  relate to larger ideas about work or professionalism. In very many of these conversations, an entrepreneur will share a challenge or obstacle, and their perspective on it. In seeking my advice, will say something along the lines of,

“But that’s just me, maybe I’m too old school.”

Or

“At least that's how it always used to be, maybe it isn’t like that anymore.”

While I absolutely LOVE when people are willing to question their ideas and perspective, these statements can dismiss something really important. Phrases like this frame important industry traditions as fads, or fashion, and I don’t see it that way. Talk like this dismisses the historical value industry standards have had in paving the way for our industry today. It also totally ignores  their potential for building success. If not for the beauty shops of 50 years ago, today’s blow out boutiques wouldn’t even be possible. Just like payphones, there were PLENTY of problems with salon culture of the past, and I am thrilled to see the ways in which we’re heading to the newest iphone versions of salons, but we truly would not have been able to foliage and root smudge if it weren’t for the frosting caps that came before. 

On cell phones, we kept the 9-pad number system, unique numbers assigned to each person, and accessibility away from home, all derived from prior iterations of telephones. In that same way, we’ve kept some terminology and techniques from historical business practices in the beauty industry. But how will we determine which ideas are valuable tradition, and which are old fashioned and obsolete? From my perspective, there are three questions to ask:

1. Does this practice add value to our customers? 

2. Does this idea bring value to my team?

3. Is this practice required to achieve my version of success?

Evaluating “old school” ideas and policies through these questions will help you clearly see which policies should remain, and which should be removed from the streets like the last remaining payphone. But the answers aren’t quite as universal as the payphone removal.  It may also be the case that it is really helpful  to incorporate more traditional practices in your spa, but NOT in the one on the other side of town. The responses to these questions are based on your priorities, philosophy and goals, which vary from owner to owner. Take for example an all black dress code. 

Historically, it was the uniform of a high end beauty service provider, but today there are plenty of incredible salons and spas that no longer require a monochromatic look when working with clients. The first question- does it add value to customers can be answered in multiple, truthful and accurate ways. If you are a large salon with many new customers each week, an all black dress code can help a guest easily identify salon staff, and confidently flag down an employee if they need something. 

However, if you are a smaller boutique salon, with intentional branding, and almost exclusively repeat clientele, you may not benefit from the list above. You may feel that an all black dress code deprives your clients from your excellent fashion sense, and creates an overly formal, or traditional environment for a more creative or casual culture. 

What about the second question, does it add value to your team? An all black dress code can prevent complicated and nuanced conversation about what is acceptable for work by requiring more structure. This benefits the management team tasked with enforcing the dress code, and eliminates any confusion on the part of the stylist. It is also easier for young-in-their career stylists to avoid staining their wardrobe with hair color, which would otherwise require a large investment in work clothes. 

And, there are absolutely stylists who would find a new place to work if they were deprived of their ability to wear a colorful wardrobe to work, especially jeans. 

In these cases where there are important and valid arguments for both keeping and ditching the policy, the third question becomes maximally important. Is it required to achieve my version of success? In the case of the all black dress code, this is entirely based on what your version of success looks like. 

For some owners I know, the image of professionalism and elegance portrayed by an all black wardrobe is essential to how they view the most successful version of their salon. Not purely for aesthetic purposes, this type of presentation speaks to a different type of culture, which owners in this category really value. For others, it is not related to their vision of an ideal version of their business. 

If it matters enough to you to make it into your perfect world scenario of what your business looks like, it matters enough to make it happen. And you as the owner are the only one who knows what traditions are in that ideal version. 

Breaking down policies like this may seem easy, but it requires an understanding of your customers, employees and goals. That type of clarity can be hard to find, but rest assured that there are coaches like myself who can help you find it. So if you find yourself needing to make a call away from home, or determine what dress code makes sense for your new business, consider what made those actions possible for you, and whether or not that history has a place in your today. As always, if you’re looking for someone to help you go through that process, call me, on your iphone, or from a payphone, if you can find it.