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Old 05-09-2001, 08:06 PM   #1 (permalink)
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What is the best way any of you have found to approach a competitor? I really would like to know the types of beds etc that each of them are currently using. But I hate to go in as just a customer. Seems deceptive. However, if I told them I was thinking of opening a new salon that isn't that far from theirs....how would they respond? My main questions are what is the local market wanting in a bed? I am not interested in drawing customers away from them or anything. I am in a relatively new area of town and feel there is a good market of people who are moving here from other parts of town. Offer them a great service close to home.
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Old 05-10-2001, 08:12 AM   #2 (permalink)
 
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No good way to do it.
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Old 05-10-2001, 09:41 AM   #3 (permalink)
 
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i tend to agree with chippp. unless you are opening a salon a couple of hours a way, i doubt they are going to be very open to telling you how you can take business away from them!
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Old 05-10-2001, 09:52 AM   #4 (permalink)
 
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I called all my competitors as a customer. Though, I never said I was a customer... I just called up and started asking questions. My first question was "What kind of beds do you have, who is the manufacturer and how many bulbs and facials do they have?" My favorite was the guy who didn't know anything... "What's a facial?" he asked me, he had three in the bed. Then I told him to "guess" how many bulbs were in the bed. MIND YOU, this bed had three facials, so his best guess was 20 bulbs! LOL Then I ask them their session lenghth and if they charged by session or minutes and what their cost was. I asked about memberships, specials, coupons and packages. Then I asked who was required to clean the bed and if they took appointments or not. No one refused to answer my questions and most were very friendly. PLEASE NOTE! For the locations (none were salons) that DID take appointments... no one offered to set one up for me. I found that silly, they should have asked. I also made it a point to tan at least once in every location, just to get a feel of the quality of equipment, cleanliness and customer service. There is nothing wrong with going into the competition and checking it out. You don't have to tell them anything. Most won't ask anyway.Also, when you go, ask about lotions and find out what they know. Just today I was at the gym and the owner's dad was going to give a first time tanner (very fair skin) Tingle Factor 3 lotion... which I quickly gave her a sample of what I had instead. (whew!!) It's not so important what they carry, but the knowledge they have... you can really kick butt in the knowledge department if they are dumber than a box of rocks. When you ask, be sure to ask as if you really don't know a whole lot.Becky, I will e-mail you the section of my business plan about my competion so you can see what kind of information I got. If nothing else, it'll give you a giggle and an idea what to ask...Good Luck,Laurie
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Old 05-10-2001, 10:12 AM   #5 (permalink)
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Thanks Laurie. I would appreciate that!I have gone in as a customer into several salons in the area. I have definately found that some of them offer nothing in the way of advice to their customers. But I have found that some of them are very good.Thanks for the input everyone!
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Old 05-10-2001, 10:31 AM   #6 (permalink)
 
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I have to agree with Laurie many salon owners are very insecure about their operation so if you tell them who you are they may not be very receptive. I prefer if competitors introduce themselves I would even be willing to help if they needed it. I have a competitor here in town that is a franchise new to the area I won't name names "Tan World-Sherri Cosgrove". She has instructed her employees to kick out any competitors that come in which I think is not only unprofessional but rude as well. So Becky I would pose as a customer let them go through their sales pitch and tan in their equipment. This way you will get an idea what to do and not to do
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