choosing a supplier
spoilt for choice
Howdo you select your salon supplier?
When it comes to choosing which companies you want your business to work with, everyone will have different benchmarks.A supplier willmarket itself onmany different criteria, such as which brands it supplies, whether their products are the cheapest, whether their business is ethically run, how good their customer service is, and so on. So how do you go about choosing your salon suppliers?
Firstly it’s important to understand that your beauty business, whether it’s a salon or mobile business, is unlikely to have just one
supplier.As your business grows you are likely to find that theymay not be able to supply everything your business requires; it’s OK to shop between different suppliers tomeet your business’ needs.Whilst loyalty is admirable, don’t feel that you have to use a particular brand of wax just because your skin care supplier sells it too; go with what is best for your clients and ultimately your business.
supplier,manufacturer, distributor?
Sometimes the supplier of a product or brand is also themanufacturer, other times the supplier is the distributor of the product or brand in a certain territory, such as in the UK, and the product ismade elsewhere by a
different company.Youmay prefer to work with a company that designs,manufactures and distributes the products themselves; they will know the products inside out andmay even take on board your input in future product development.
Working with a product distributor, however, is no worse an
option.They will have been entrusted with the sale of the products and so will have full product knowledge and oftenmarketing support fromthe product’s
owners.Theymay also offer a greater range of products fromdifferent brands, for example a nail suppliermay also be able to offer you a tanning brand and waxing products.
Some distributorsmay have exclusivity on a brand,meaning that no other supplier can sell that product in a particular country, whilst some brandsmay be available through several different distributors, offering you great choice of who to buy it from.
A wholesaler will offer a whole range of beauty products, which they purchase in bulk and break down into individual items, passing the savings onto trade buyers such as you. Items available fromwholesalers range fromyour essential items such as nail products and wax through to salon basics such as every day consumables.
Often you will be able to visit their premises and buy virtually everything under one roof, and in addition, wholesalers often have good
e-commerce websites and annual catalogues which you can order fromover the phone.
what do they offer you?
When choosing which suppliers to work with consider what they can bring to your business. Does the supplier of your skin care, for example, offer youmarketing support and training opportunities? Does your furniture supplier come into your salon to ensure you aremaking the right purchasing decision before you hand over your hard-earned cash? Is your loyalty to your local wholesaler rewarded with discounts or special events?
One of the keys to developing a successful business relationship with your supplier is they supply and their level of service to you; it’s no good if deliveries gomissing en route to your salon or arrive damaged.
“When choosing a supplier, it’smuchmore than just choosing a brand, its choosing a company that offer excellent customer service,” saysYvette Christie,Marketing Manager at Izabelle Hammon Ltd.
“Customer service is key in our company and industry; we work hard on ensuring that our existing customers are satisfied by our service fromthe first time theymake contact with us to future encounters. Success for us is about returning customers not replacing themor having new ones every day.We appreciate that without our customers we would not have a business.”
GUILD NEWS 85
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