Establishing a child policy in your beauty salon

Children are truly the light of our lives… however, when they interrupt our work, they can be irritating. As an experienced salon owner, you probably have dealt with this situation many times: a client comes to the salon with an unexpected guest in the form of a hyperactive toddler. You are biting your tongue, trying to do your job, while the little sunshine screams at the top of their lungs. Your receptionist tries to entertain the kid, but as soon as they run off to pick up the phone, the little one flings down all of your business cards and then runs away towards heated hair straighteners. Now half the salon gets engaged in trying to stop the kid from injuring themselves. When things finally seem to calm down a little, you start applying bleach all over your customer’s hair… and then the kid suddenly decides to try to climb their mom’s knees. You end up exhausted, with ruined cards lying around, complaining clients who came to the salon to relax, and horrible insomnia for the next 72 hours, because the vision of the kid getting an allergic reaction to that droplet of bleach keeps you awake at night. So what can you do to establish a kid-friendly policy in your beauty salon and at the same time make your business a happy place for customers of all ages?

Why you should consider setting an adult-only rule?

Tossing aside all other factors, having a kid running freely around a beauty salon is simply dangerous - to the child and people around them. Hair salons are full of chemicals (dyes and bleaches), heating tools (curling irons, straighteners and blow dryers), and don’t even get me started on parting combs. Spas and beauticians are no different, with all the peeling acids and microdermabrasion tools. Permanent makeup salons may be the biggest no-nos of them all, however hot wax and kids are not a great combination either. It takes literally seconds for an accident to happen. Neither you nor your employees are able to look after children all the time, moreover, it should never be your responsibility. So it is really not about being prejudiced or discriminating - a beauty salon is simply not a safe playground for children. Now let’s talk honestly about your work comfort. Your employees are not daycare workers, and you are being paid for the beauty services, not for babysitting. You are neither prepared nor obligated to take care of your customer’s child while they are getting pampered - that is not a part of the experience. Beauty treatments usually require being focused and fully engaged - you should not be forced to divide your attention between lifting colour and checking on a glucose-high toddler. What’s more, most clients come to your beauty salon to relax and unwind. Even the most children-loving ones may lose their patience when dealing with constant screaming and running when they expected a calm, pleasurable atmosphere. That is a very uncomfortable situation - basically, you sacrifice the experience of several customers in order to allow one to have their way. It is understandable you feel bad for denying entry to clients with children. You may be a mother or a father yourself, so you know how difficult it sometimes is to find someone to look after your kid when you are getting your massage, nails or facial done. However, although it may sound harsh, beauty treatments are not first aid services. Of course, unexpected situations happen, but on a daily basis, it really depends on you, as a salon owner, whether you like your customers to bring their children along.

Ideas for a children policy at the salon

What can you do to avoid unnecessary drama?

• If you decide to have an adult-only policy, be upfront about it - there is really no reason to be ashamed or to get defensive. Of course, parents can sometimes get very confronting when being faced with such principles, so make sure you choose the right wording. Never ever make them feel like it is about bashing their children! Make it clear that children's safety and the customers' comfort are your biggest concerns. When being asked about the adult-only policy, be ready to give a polite, informative answer, but do not feel the obligation to explain yourself. You are in the right.
• If you want to meet in the middle ground, create a set of rules. Do you have loyal clients who bring their kids to your salon and you are okay with that? Great! Just make sure to create some rules that will help all of you maintain a healthy environment! For example, you may set a rule that kids are welcome when their parent gets a treatment that takes no longer than one hour. Or that kids are encouraged to stay in the reception area where you have prepared some toys and colouring books for them to stay entertained. You can also introduce a “kids day" allowing clients with kids to visit your beauty salon, while the rest of the week stays adult-only. Alternatively, you can also establish “kid hours” - for example between 9 and 11 a.m. - when you invite customers with children. That will keep the busiest hours (after 5 p.m.) calm and quiet for customers relaxing after their stressful work day.
• If children are welcome in your salon, prepare a kid-friendly environment. You can always turn your salon into a fully family-friendly place if you feel like doing so! It will require a lot of work, but can be truly rewarding - there is definitely a niche for salons like this. You can create a kid’s corner, or even better - separate a space where kids can play safely and without disturbing customers and workers. Provide toys, colouring books, crayons and even a TV with kid-friendly cartoons. If you feel like being that type of beauty salon, you have to be prepared for the fact that some people will start avoiding your business altogether, but others will gladly become your loyal customers.

How should you inform your clients about your salon kids policy while being both polite and transparent about it? Having a set of humorously written rules framed at your reception desk is a good idea, but may not be enough. After all, many customers book their appointments online or by phone. Therefore you should definitely publish the rules on your web page and even social media accounts. Moreover, if you are changing your kids’ policy in an already established salon, you owe your loyal customers a note on it! Use your hair & beauty salon software to send them email messages clarifying the decision. Make sure your salon is a comfortable place for all its guests, big and small. Decide on your salon's child policy and do not forget to inform your clients about it using your Booksy software!