Analyzing Customer Experience in the Hairstyling Industry

Well as heavy competition from stylists who work at home). Additional opportunities in this occupational group will become available as a result of attrition through retirement and, to a lesser degree, of employment increase. 2. Industries According to Census data, almost all hairstylists and barbers (98%) worked in the personal care services industry in 2006. This is the industry that includes hairstyling establishments and beauty parlous. 3. Trends Employment growth in this occupation depends mainly on the economic situation as well as demographic and regulatory factors. 4.

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Economic situation As with many of the non-essential services, demand for hairstyling services is highly sensitive to the economic situation. In fact, it is one of the first items to be cut from the household budget when consumer income drops. Also, the number of hairstylists and barbers fell off sharply in the recession of the early ‘ass and, although it rose subsequently, growth is clearly lower in this occupational group than in the rest of the labor market, in spite of the strong economy. The 2009 recession appears to be having the same effect, although to a lesser degree.

In 2012 the number of recitalists and barbers was a little higher than before the recession. Over the next few years, the state of the economy should contribute only slightly to growth in employment. 5. Demographic factors The ageing of the population and the higher female lab our market participation rate-women being the prime clientele for hairstyling services-might have spurred a growth of demand for and employment In hairstyling. The value of expenditures on personal care services (including hair styling and beauty salons) In Quebec rose by about 4% per year (counting Inflation) between 1999 and 2010 according to Statistics

Canada data. 6. Regulatory factors The hairstyling and barbering sector Is subject to the Regulation respecting hairdressing parlous, established under the Environment Quality Act. The Regulation mainly prescribes the standards of hygiene that a hairstyling parlous must meet in order to operate, but also empowers municipal councils to issue hairstyling and barbering establishments and prohibiting home-based hairstyling businesses. Only the Disputatious region is still subject to an order establishing minimal working conditions for hairstylists and barbers.

This is Just a simple anecdote but it serves as a reminder of a few broad concepts in customer experience. Although from a small hair salon, the lessons can be applied to organizations of any size and in multiple industries. Customer experience is a differentiator. Especially in a commoditized market in which competitors offer pretty much the same products and services, the customer experience is what makes an organization stand out, and can lead to customer loyalty. Companies in multiple industries are starting to realize this and are making customer experience their top priority.

More than loyal customers, exceptional customer experiences can create promoters. Beyond increasing the chances of repeat business, an exceptional customer experience can turn customers into promoters who will recommend the company to others. Keeping customers involved and informed during the service delivery process can increase satisfaction (it at least avoids or mitigates unpleasant surprises). The stylist in this story informed the customer beforehand what he would do, got the customer agreement along the way and explained again at the end what he did. The healthcare industry in particular could learn from this one.

Delivering value beyond expectations enhances the customer experience. This doesn’t mean it needs to cost the organization more. Sometimes it is about perceived value. In the example above, the customer Just wanted his hair shorter. What he got seemed to him much more than what he originally wanted. Superior customer experiences can command a premium. Some people are willing to pay more for a better customer experience. Charging a premium for better customer experiences may not be the best business strategy for every organization but in service industries that rely on gratuities, delivering a good customer experience increases staff wages.

And although the story doesn’t tell, this in turn means higher employee engagement and less employee turnover. The customer’s evaluation of a service depends on his or her experience. For a successful service experience to take place, the services marketer must understand how all of the various parts of the organization involved in the production and delivery of the service work together. Based upon the frameworks ,readers are likely to conceive of the service experience in one of three ways: marketing mix, correction system, or as a theatrical performance.