There For The Salon Owner

There For The Salon Owner
Salon Council listens to salon owners and benefits the industry

Total Customer Satisfaction

ETS, Inc.'s motto "Whatever It Takes" is not just a belief, but a commitment that is put into action each and every day at the Indianapolis-based company. It is its philosophy that the best way to stay in touch with its customer's needs and expectations is to listen to what the customers have to say.

That is why three years ago, ETS formed its Salon Council, a group of 13 salon owners. Twice each year, those salon owners meet with the company's decision-makers to discuss what's working and what's not working in their salons; how ETS can help make their businesses be more profitable; and, how to contribute positively to the entire tanning industry.

Some information and ideas exchanged at the meeting are as fundamental as changing a product's packaging to increasing sales or creating effective in-store merchandising. However, some suggestions lead to the formation of new products and equipment.

One example of this is with Salon Explorer™ software. Approximately 12 months ago, the Salon Council mentioned that a reliable tanning salon software package--fully supported by service technicians--was badly needed by the indoor tanning industry.

ETS listened to these comments and got to work. As a result, this past spring ETS introduced Salon Explorer™, a comprehensive software management system designed exclusively for salon owners and managers. Salons equipped with Salon Explorer have access to a full support staff that is committed to helping the salon owner through all issues they may encounter.

"The Salon Council is an important voice in how we design and redesign our products," says Leslie Hartlieb, vice president of marketing for ETS. "After all, they are the ones who have contact with the customer day after day."

The introduction of cutting-edge tanning beds also has been the result of suggestions made by the ETS Salon Council. An example of this is the creation of the SunDome™ tanning capsule, a top-selling tanning booth sold by ETS. Salon owners worldwide asked ETS to design a booth that occupied minimal floor space and offered easy access to its internal components. The company listened and created the unique dome-shaped design of the SunDome. In addition to its futuristic appearance, some of the SunDome's special features include a stand-up configuration that allows 10-minute, no-touch tanning sessions, and integrated handles positioned inside the unit to allow tanners of all sizes to comfortably achieve a darker, all-over tan.

Salon Council member Cyndi Leonard, owner of the Total Tan salons in the Buffalo, N.Y. area, is satisfied by the way ETS responds to the needs of the Council and the industry as a whole. "At one meeting, Council members expressed the need for a premium face and neck browning lotion," she says. "And ETS responded by creating the exact product we requested."

The Swedish Beauty® browning lotion Browning Silk™ is part of the Swedish Beauty new product line for 2001, and the Salon Council already has given it rave reviews.

Not only is the Salon Council a forum for product needs and expectations, it is also an effective arena for getting positive suggestions and feedback from others in the industry. In fact, it was through the Salon Council and Distributor Council that ETS was made aware that the tanning industry needed a strong organization that would help represent it to the FDA and other regulators.

"I remember our first Council meeting," says ETS President Trevor Gray. "Ed Shelby asked me personally to do whatever I could to help get an industry organization moving to protect the tanning industry. Shelby had been in a similar situation with his previous industry and he wanted to make sure that the tanning industry was more proactive."

Eager to take the challenge, Trevor asked Bill Pipp, vice president of sales at ETS, to do whatever was necessary to coordinate this effort. As a result, the Indoor Tanning Association (ITA) and the efforts that they have put forth were due to the direct involvement of the Salon Council program.

Council member Troy Cooper, owner of Palm Beach Tanning Salons in Dallas, gained helpful insight into the tanning industry when he joined the Council two years ago. "I was new to the tanning industry and the knowledge and insight that I gained from the other members of the Council was invaluable to me," he notes. "Sharing information with members from different markets and stores was helpful in setting up my salons."

Cooper's success in the tanning industry has been so great that he now has more than 20 salons in the Dallas area.

ETS is pleased with the information and valuable feedback it generates from the Salon Council and believes it has a vital place in the future of the tanning industry.

"The salon owners are a valuable source of information because they can provide insight from both the salon owner and the consumer perspective," says Pipp. "This helps us tremendously when planning what steps we will take next to meet the needs of salon owners and consumers."

Editor's Note: This column is part of a series that will examine how industry veterans are increasingly more aware of the importance of education and the programs their companies are designing to meet this need for salon owners. LOOKING FIT would like to commend these proactive companies for their foresight in leading the indoor tanning industry into the 21st century.