Posted : 11/01/2002

Posted : 11/01/2002

The Upgrade Decision

Currently, my salon has 10 32-lamp tanning units and I am evaluating whether to upgrade to newer equipment. Is there a right time to upgrade and do you have any advice?

Now is the perfect time to examine your equipment needs for the upcoming tanning season. I have always thought that a salon owner should be able to check the pulse of the salon to know if changes should be made--whether it deals with new or different lamps, lotions, pricing or equipment.

Circulate a questionnaire or instruct your staff to ask your customers for input. You might be surprised what you might learn! The answers may have nothing to do with the original question, but it could be valuable information nonetheless. The comments may deal with the given subject, but customers tend to elaborate on other topics such as customer service.

Now, back to the big decision--whether to upgrade your facility with new equipment. Currently, there are an overwhelming amount of equipment choices. New models can range from $6,000 to more than $40,000. The high end may sound like a lot of money, but consider it an investment. According to one equipment manufacturer, "The ROI [return on investment] on the newer, larger beds are phenomenal." These systems may include such high-tech options as aromatherapy, misting, high-pressure facials and full-body, high-pressure tanning. In addition, some tanning units now feature more than 60 lamps per unit or 200-watt and 2-meter-length lamps.

Next, you need to evaluate the competition if you haven't already done this. Just about every week, it seems, a new salon opens in my area and many are outfitting the facilities with a mix of standard equipment, high-end beds and booths. The bottom line is that you have to know what you are up against. If you don't upgrade your equipment choices, you may run the risk of slowly losing your customers. You may not notice it before it is too late, but once your customers leave it's hard, if not impossible, to bring them back. The old axiom "it's cheaper to keep 'em" certainly applies!

So, armed with the input from your customers and your evaluation of the competition, you should be ready to make your move. Next month, we'll take a look at how to choose your bed supplier.

If you have a question that you would like answered in this forum, contact joe_lsi@bellsouth.net.