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Old 04-09-2010, 08:15 PM   #11 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

Oh and I think its UVmeter on here is his screen name, you can get a meters from him.
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Old 04-09-2010, 08:22 PM   #12 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

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Originally Posted by movieking View Post
All customers should be able to tan on any bed you have. Their skin type determines how long of a session they get in any particular bed. Do you skin type every customer? If you have 20 minute max beds then put 20 minute lamps in them. You'll gain more business if you lamp the beds correctly and operate your salon in a professional manner.
A customer is likely to want to chose a bed they feel is a good value for them. Why go 3 minutes in a 10 min bed if you can go 10 in a 20 min bed? A lot of people feel like if they tan for a shorter time they are not getting as much value as someone who uses the full allotted time. I know that's silly and I'm sure you do too. YOur value is in your tan not the time it takes to get there, but customers want "hot beds" and to be in them a long time and get color. i'd like to offer what makes the most people happy.

Just because my beds (lamped by someone else) have really old 10 lamps in beds designed (over 20 years ago) for 20 minute lamps doesn't make us unprofessionally operated. Sure if You compare any salon in a small rural town that also is a video store and also is a consignment store to a glossy strip mall tan salon in palm springs or someplace, we look pretty freaking unprofessional, but that is because life is relative. If you compare my store to nearly any salon in my town we look remarkable professional. And no we do not skin type every customer, we ask them how long it takes them to burn.

The fact that I am learning all that I can and putting thought into this without just getting the highest wattage, highest UVB % or cheapest lamps should clue you into the fact that I am more professional than 95% of the new salon owners on this board. Your statement was somewhat rude and unhelpful. I already said I understood that the Hi-Tan 10 min lamps are not what the bed calls for, but if I lose my customers because I bought something else, that is more stupid than going with a known lamp, that I know performs well in these beds.
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Old 04-09-2010, 08:36 PM   #13 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

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Originally Posted by glowtanning530 View Post
Lamp with what the bed is intended. They guy only had the place 4 mos. I can also tell you a 10 min rated lamp will likely cost you more than a 100 watt 20 min lamp and depending on your pricing you may be screwing yourself out of money
A 10 min lamp in no way make is HP completely different breed of beast. You may not be regulated in Washington but pretty sure you still will fall into the same guidlines with the FDA. Your customers don't know whats good for them, as a responsible salon owner its your job to educate them.
Good Luck!!! :)
I didn't say it made the bed HP I said people shouldn't go in it for the 20 min if new 10 min lamps are put in (identical to the ones in it.)
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Old 04-09-2010, 08:42 PM   #14 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

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Originally Posted by glowtanning530 View Post
Oh and I think its UVmeter on here is his screen name, you can get a meters from him.
Thanks for the tip!
i tried a search but it only shows posts not people.

UV meter if you're out there.....i need a meter ;)
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Old 04-10-2010, 07:15 AM   #15 (permalink)
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

1. The guy that sells the meters is "Solarmeter" - his name is Steve.

2. You said something in your first post about people going "20 mins or more" - with a lamp that is rated 10 mins, this would be the equivalent of doing 2+ tans in a day. I'm SURE the customers love that - they get twice the results (in theory) for the same price as what the other salons are giving them (assuming they are following recommended lamp and tanning schedules).

3. That said - it IS still hard to believe they are getting a great, brown tan from these beds? Are you/they using lotions? Maybe it is all the bronzers from the lotion?

4. The hard part now will be making the switch.....Customers are used to going in any of the 3 units (is the Sonnebraun also a 24 lamp unit, or does it have more lamps??), for up to 20 mins or more....To suddenly say you have "levels" but using the same beds -- will be a tough sell.

It will also probably be tough to get those "old timers" to scale back from wanting to go 20 mins or more, to going only 10 mins or less - even if you tell them it is because of the new lamps.


I think trying to turn those 3 existing beds into 3 different "levels" is going to be a challenge. Do ALL customers say they get GREAT color? Have you tried using a sticker for a week of tanning, in the same place each time, to see if you are REALLY seeing a difference?

Fresh Hi-Tans, will have more UVB and produce a much "redder" tan which will exfoliate off (and therefore go away) faster. A lamp with more UVA will focus more on "bronzing" - and the results will last longer.

There is no way I would run Hi-Tans for 20 or more minutes - regulated or not. But it is your business and ultimately you have to make the decisions.

Lots to consider - good luck!
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Old 04-10-2010, 06:23 PM   #16 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

Interesting read. Just serves as example to remind people that the state level is just ONE of your regulating authorities and the buck does not stop there.

http://www.lampcompatibility.com/compatibility.html


"And no we do not skin type every customer, we ask them how long it takes them to burn."

P.S. You really do need to do a service to your customers and change that form of determination. If you asked me how long it takes me to burn....I have no darn idea.. and I find it hard to believe most people can answer that with true accuracy. I say this with the utmost sincerity and with a passion to keep our industry on board the safe tanning wagon. The subjective determination far outweighs the liability of the objective one.

Last edited by CrystalSS; 04-10-2010 at 06:35 PM.
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Old 04-12-2010, 02:12 PM   #17 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

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Originally Posted by sunsally View Post
1. The guy that sells the meters is "Solarmeter" - his name is Steve.

Thanks

2. You said something in your first post about people going "20 mins or more" - with a lamp that is rated 10 mins, this would be the equivalent of doing 2+ tans in a day. I'm SURE the customers love that - they get twice the results (in theory) for the same price as what the other salons are giving them (assuming they are following recommended lamp and tanning schedules).

Again, the current lamps are about 3 years old and have an estimated 4200 hours on them, it is probably not quite like tanning twice a day ;)

3. That said - it IS still hard to believe they are getting a great, brown tan from these beds? Are you/they using lotions? Maybe it is all the bronzers from the lotion?

Some use lotions some do not. every one gets tanner

4. The hard part now will be making the switch.....Customers are used to going in any of the 3 units (is the Sonnebraun also a 24 lamp unit, or does it have more lamps??), for up to 20 mins or more....To suddenly say you have "levels" but using the same beds -- will be a tough sell.

The Sonnebraun has 32. Same beds with the same lamps, yes that would be a hard sell but if each bed has different lamps for different results then it would be most appropriate to title and market them as bed with different results. If levels is the label why not use it? it is an identifying label to indcate a different expected result is it not?

It will also probably be tough to get those "old timers" to scale back from wanting to go 20 mins or more, to going only 10 mins or less - even if you tell them it is because of the new lamps.


I think trying to turn those 3 existing beds into 3 different "levels" is going to be a challenge. Do ALL customers say they get GREAT color? Have you tried using a sticker for a week of tanning, in the same place each time, to see if you are REALLY seeing a difference?

I know, some old timers told me they didn't reduce their time for the last lamp change and they don't plan to now! Yes all customers like their color and tend to come right back and tell me every time they try another place that my beds are better. Sometimes people fade away as they have less time are dont with vacation or whatever, but next dance, wedding, vacation, free moment etc. they come back. I personally tan so slowly that i can not replace a sticker in the same place everytime but for those who tan fast enough to see the sticker a week makes a drastic difference, Some people get more color change from one visit (using a sticker) than I get in 5 months, so i go by their scale rather than mine. I'm telling you there is significant color change as strange as it seems.

Fresh Hi-Tans, will have more UVB and produce a much "redder" tan which will exfoliate off (and therefore go away) faster. A lamp with more UVA will focus more on "bronzing" - and the results will last longer.

There is no way I would run Hi-Tans for 20 or more minutes - regulated or not. But it is your business and ultimately you have to make the decisions.

Lots to consider - good luck!
(answers are throughout the quote in this font) The question I posted was not can I run Hi-Tans for 20 minutes. The question is I have these miracle Hi- Tans do I get more or something else. I think I am going to do one bed in the hi-tans one with a higher UVA and one something else, or double up on one of the others. I really appreciate the opinions and help, but I really do understand that these are not the "right" bulbs for the beds. The recommended lamps for these beds are no longer made. Hi-tans are what were put in last time and they have worked great which leads me to the current dilemma of what to put in now ;)
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Old 04-12-2010, 02:45 PM   #18 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

Quote:
Originally Posted by CrystalSS View Post
Interesting read. Just serves as example to remind people that the state level is just ONE of your regulating authorities and the buck does not stop there.

http://www.lampcompatibility.com/compatibility.html
Thank you that is interesting.

Part of the problem I am having is that I have no tanning training. I ended up managing this business as a favor to a neighbor, then buying it (for an amazing deal) after he ran it into the ground by not letting me actually manage it. Now that I have had it a few months under my own control we are doing well enough we can do things like replace 3 year old lamps. To be honest I had never even tanned when I started here and my education comes from Tan Talk, reading studies on the benefits and risks of tanning beds and industry magazines like SunTimes. I would love to go to a training but as a new business owner I can not make the all 2-3day trip to Seattle needed for a one day training. And to be honest since they are put on by bed and lotion sales companies I am leery to make such a huge effort to get told that what they sell is what I need and how valid an education by that way is.

Does the federal government regulate tanning salons?
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Old 04-12-2010, 02:49 PM   #19 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

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Originally Posted by CrystalSS View Post
P.S. You really do need to do a service to your customers and change that form of determination. If you asked me how long it takes me to burn....I have no darn idea.. and I find it hard to believe most people can answer that with true accuracy. I say this with the utmost sincerity and with a passion to keep our industry on board the safe tanning wagon. The subjective determination far outweighs the liability of the objective one.
We correspond the amount of time it takes them to burn in the outdoor sun to a relative time in the beds. It is a horrible way to determine the time spent in a bed. I made it up myself because people ask how long they should go in for and I need something to go by. How would someone far removed from resources learn how to skin type a customer? Is there info online? Books? anything like that?
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Old 04-12-2010, 02:57 PM   #20 (permalink)
 
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Re: Revamping a Salon need expert opinions

http://www.sunless.com/choosing/skintype.php

http://www.tanningfacts.com/your_skin_type

I found these online. This is what I do, so if this is skin typing someone, then we are just lost on semantics but this is the process I do.
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