Four Seasons Sales & Service, Inc.

by Matt Morgan

“The size of the company allows us the opportunity to take advantage of growth in the industry,” Robinson says. “We still have to manage this company as a viable entity in and of itself, but should we see an opportunity that would benefit the salon owners through offering a substantially different block of goods and services, the strength of Houchens would be of benefit.”

There are plenty of exciting developments at the distributor’s Paris, Tenn., headquarters, and many of them will be unveiled as the 2005 season progresses. At the ITA World Expo in November, however, salon owners caught a glimpse of the first additions to Four Seasons’ offerings.

The first two product introductions from Four Seasons focus on the general area of skincare, which are designed to improve skin’s look and texture and enhance its ability to tan.

Manufactured by Chase Products Co., Salon Solatte™ is eight ounces of premium sunless solution in an aerosol can. With fingertip control, customers can spray on rich, even body tans or touch-ups. Four Seasons believes Salon Solatte is the perfect sunless product to add to a salon or spa because it allows customers to maintain their tans between visits.

“This company has put all of its push behind the self-tanner, which is going to have a lot of promotional activities available for salon owners,” Robinson says.

The second new product, available exclusively from Four Seasons, is Giovani New York® Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliating Cream. Giovani New York uses the same crystal technology used in dermatologist offices to polish away skin imperfections, turn back the clock, and make tans last longer.

“Giovani Micro-Dermabrasion is the first microdermabrasion to come into the industry,” Robinson says. “It uses 100-micron ‘flat eggs.’ They don’t scratch the skin; they literally get underneath the dead skin.” These same types of products are used in burn centers and dermatologist offices and typically sell for $135 per bottle, he says. Four Seasons will sell it for less than a quarter of that price.

“It’s not typically available to the consumer as a retail product, so we think the tanning salons will have an edge,” he says. “You really should be exfoliating whether you’re tanning with UV or sunless—you’ll get a better application in either case.”

In 2005, Four Seasons aims to begin changing the way salons think about distributors and the products on their own shelves.

“Distribution in the past has competed on pricepoint more so than providing services and products that the salon owners need,” Robinson says. “If you drive the price-point of distribution down so low, distributors can’t offer the other products that a salon truly needs to be a well-run salon. Four Seasons is committed to providing all the components and services a salon needs in order to offer premium products to their customers.”

One of those components is education on skincare products such as exfoliators, after-tan moisturizers and SPFs that are necessary to fully utilize the tanning process—UV as well as sunless.

“It is our intention to assist our salon owners in educating their user/customer base about these benefits,” Robinson says. This will be accomplished through products offered by Four Seasons, on-site training when in the field and the company’s sales-consulting efforts, he says.

“The better the knowledge and practice of our tanning public, the more satisfied our tanners will be.”