Unattended 24 hour salon vs Virtual salon - tanTALK

Tony · 01-10-2014, 03:58 AM

Peach

I started a new thread to reply to you in detail since the other title
was not really appropriate for this discussion.

Unattended salons are not new or terrible successful. There are
some obvious issues with the unattended salon concept specially
for female clients. Security and customer service dosent exist!

A virtual salon runs just like a regular 9-5 salon. The virtual attendant
is live and engaging with the customers from a 60 inch LED screen
behind the counter. The attendant has full view of the salon except
for the bathrooms and tanning rooms. Attendant can call 911, lock doors,
unlock doors and even trip sound alarms designed to ward off
unwanted activity.

The virtual attendant can do everything the in store attendant can do
except clean a bed!

peach · 01-10-2014, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Peach

I started a new thread to reply to you in detail since the other title
was not really appropriate for this discussion.

Unattended salons are not new or terrible successful. There are
some obvious issues with the unattended salon concept specially
for female clients. Security and customer service dosent exist!

A virtual salon runs just like a regular 9-5 salon. The virtual attendant
is live and engaging with the customers from a 60 inch LED screen
behind the counter. The attendant has full view of the salon except
for the bathrooms and tanning rooms. Attendant can call 911, lock doors,
unlock doors and even trip sound alarms designed to ward off
unwanted activity.

The virtual attendant can do everything the in store attendant can do
except clean a bed!

So what is the benefit to the salon owner? Work from home?, run multiple stores from one location? I still don't get it.

House of Tan · 01-10-2014, 11:21 AM

20 staff members can run 100 salons, get it now Peach?

What is the most expensive line item on your P&L?

What percentage of your revenue goes toward your labor?

Always attack the biggest constraint first; in the case of profits, the biggest constraint we face is labor. Reduce that and you can dominate the industry.

sunrisetan · 01-10-2014, 08:02 PM

Who does all the cleaning? Especially inside tanning room? Or is this a client, do it yourself?

Do your zoom tans with attendants clean the floor, handles, tmax etc after each client. I get the feeling you leave this to the client?

Tony · 01-11-2014, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunrisetan

Who does all the cleaning? Especially inside tanning room? Or is this a client, do it yourself?

Do your zoom tans with attendants clean the floor, handles, tmax etc after each client. I get the feeling you leave this to the client?

The attendants clean the floor and handles. Tmax is being replaced with our proprietary IP timer system
which without would be impossible to go to a virtual attendant. Clients that wish to tan at 3am would have
no problem cleaning the door handle or the floor for that matter although its all a mute point in a tanning booth.

We are not a 24 hour chain. We wont go their until we have perfected our cyber attendant technology.
Unattended 24 hour salon is a poor option in my opinion!

Black Sun · 01-11-2014, 07:31 AM

Several 24/7 salons near me (including 24/7 gyms offering tanning). Like the gyms, the tan salons are 'manned' during daytime, hours vary depending on salon since each owned independently.

From my observation,as an outsider, they seem to carry their own. All of them have outlasted the 'normal' salons that were established and entrenched in the local market. I have 'visited' a couple in the past, bit of a skeptic with a tad of curiosity. They all seem to be well organized and managed. All are located in the same malls that have 24/7 grocery chains, well lit, well secured as any other business open 24/7.

There are mail-box stores and UPS Stores that allow 24/7 access to the public that maintain a mailbox, or business from home that rely on these. I see the same amount of security risk as these; very little, no more or less.

The salons all have a coded or card swipe to enter exterior door, cameras record 24/7. As far as cleaning beds, each member is 'taught' they are required to clean after themselves. If a room/bed is found not prepared by the next tanner, they are (and do) report it. The last tanner recorded in the system who logged in to use that bed is then 'dealt' with as outlined in sign-up contract. Violations could range from cc being charged a clean fee, or membership revoked. I have spoken to both salon owners and employees, and all tell the same story. They very rarely have problems, no more, no less than a 'manned' operation.

Lotions are offered via vending machines which accept either cc, or personal code, which is then charged to account holder. Computer software permit one sign-in per 24hours, one bed selection/use. So there is no possibility of taking a friend in and giving them a free tan.

I would not write off 24/7 tanning as a fluke. I remember 15 years ago when spray tanning started to 'hit'. These forums were all over that UV salons would never accept this phony spray stuff. No way was a salon going to permit it. Forums were blocking any reports or post about spray tanning ...now today, it has become a BIG cash cow for those salons offering it.

Sometimes, one must think out of the box. We live in a world no longer accustomed to closing up at sunset. Many businesses, and consequently the people that work them, have adjusted to a 24/7 lifestyle. You have restaurant personnel, retail, police, fireman, party crowd that still function after mid-night, so tanning at 1AM before going home is not a big deal. Or for that matter at 5AM, like a gym, before heading to work. The 24/7 salons I talked with agree, majority of business is the after midnight crowd.

SunseraWarman · 01-11-2014, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Sun

The 24/7 salons I talked with agree, majority of business is the after midnight crowd.

The majority of their business comes in after midnight?

Black Sun · 01-11-2014, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunseraWarman

The majority of their business comes in after midnight?

Yes...many people work night-shifts, having a reverse lifestyle than the 'norm'.

Example;

My next door neighbor works for the US Post Office, one of several 24/7 mail processing units in Atlanta. Has worked the overnight shift for 20 years and could not see working anything else...gets off at 2am, goes to the gym before heading home..

Another neighbor retired from the GM plant. He worked the overnight, off by 2AM...Wal-Marts open 24/7, grocery chains, drug store chains, even some fast food places are open 24 hours...

Somebody/business has to cater to these people when they get off work and head home..

Like I said, "think out of the box"..and you will succeed

lemanski85095 · 01-11-2014, 10:29 PM

Just to make a point though about the grocery stores and drug chains, Alot went to 24/7 a few years back and are now converting back to being closed at night. When i worked over night at kroger and wal-mart in 2007 we were open 24/7 and between the hours of 1am and 6 am the stores would be empty so i cant even imagine how slow a salon would be during those hours

Black Sun · 01-12-2014, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemanski85095

Just to make a point though about the grocery stores and drug chains, Alot went to 24/7 a few years back and are now converting back to being closed at night. When i worked over night at kroger and wal-mart in 2007 we were open 24/7 and between the hours of 1am and 6 am the stores would be empty so i cant even imagine how slow a salon would be during those hours

Not where I live..there are 3 Wal-Marts within 5 miles of home, all 3 are 24/7..four Kroger supermarkets within 5 miles, 2 are 24/7, the other 2 are 6AM-12AM...many 24/7 gyms, seems to be one on every corner...2 Taco Bells, 24/7, one Mickey D, 24/7..several 24/7 dinners..and this just in my small city, 30 miles north of Atlanta..many more doing the same in all the Metro area. Seems Every CVS and Walgreens in the 5 county area are 24/7...many liquor stores close at 12midnight, one open 24/7 is a 'super liquor store'. 2 'super' Targets are 24/7, rest close at midnight.

Obviously, not in every small city, but I'd imagine in major metropolitan areas like Atlanta, they do.

Businesses need to adjust and cater to a changing lifestyle and demographics..people are up and about at 3am, more than they use to be.

Aren't you in Gwinnett? Surely, you see many businesses there 24/7.

01-10-2014, 03:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tony Join Date: Jan 30 2007 Location: Naples FL Posts: 782 Rep Power: 18	Unattended 24 hour salon vs Virtual salon Peach I started a new thread to reply to you in detail since the other title was not really appropriate for this discussion. Unattended salons are not new or terrible successful. There are some obvious issues with the unattended salon concept specially for female clients. Security and customer service dosent exist! A virtual salon runs just like a regular 9-5 salon. The virtual attendant is live and engaging with the customers from a 60 inch LED screen behind the counter. The attendant has full view of the salon except for the bathrooms and tanning rooms. Attendant can call 911, lock doors, unlock doors and even trip sound alarms designed to ward off unwanted activity. The virtual attendant can do everything the in store attendant can do except clean a bed!

01-10-2014, 11:21 AM	#3 (permalink)
House of Tan Team TanTalk Join Date: Oct 21 2003 Location: The Fort Posts: 942 Rep Power: 21	Re: Unattended 24 hour salon vs Virtual salon 20 staff members can run 100 salons, get it now Peach? What is the most expensive line item on your P&L? What percentage of your revenue goes toward your labor? Always attack the biggest constraint first; in the case of profits, the biggest constraint we face is labor. Reduce that and you can dominate the industry. __________________ Startbucks

01-10-2014, 08:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
sunrisetan Join Date: Jan 30 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 792 Rep Power: 17	Re: Unattended 24 hour salon vs Virtual salon Who does all the cleaning? Especially inside tanning room? Or is this a client, do it yourself? Do your zoom tans with attendants clean the floor, handles, tmax etc after each client. I get the feeling you leave this to the client?

01-11-2014, 10:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
lemanski85095 Join Date: Sep 6 2010 Location: georgia Age: 34 Posts: 50 Rep Power: 0	Re: Unattended 24 hour salon vs Virtual salon Just to make a point though about the grocery stores and drug chains, Alot went to 24/7 a few years back and are now converting back to being closed at night. When i worked over night at kroger and wal-mart in 2007 we were open 24/7 and between the hours of 1am and 6 am the stores would be empty so i cant even imagine how slow a salon would be during those hours

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Salon Closed - Salon Equipment for Sale - Located in Kansas City, MO Area	kathyb	For Sale - FOR SALON OWNERS ONLY	0	10-28-2012 07:50 PM
AWSOME OPPERTUNITY ON A 24 HOUR 365/7- SALON FOR SALE IN MINNESOTA	Rayzzz2011	Salons for Sale	0	09-06-2012 09:13 AM
Indiana Tanning Salon/Hair Salon for Sale	lilly	For Sale - FOR SALON OWNERS ONLY	12	11-12-2011 05:48 PM
KIDS LEFT UNATTENDED	HunyBunns	General Tanning Industry Discussions	40	04-04-2011 09:04 AM
24 Hour Vs. 48 Hour Wait	crystalnc	General Tanning Industry Discussions	3	10-18-2010 03:25 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)