When it comes to job satisfaction, there’s one career that stands “head and shoulders” above the rest—hair! For hairdressers and barbers, the “average workday” is anything but average. These professionals report higher levels of job satisfaction because they have more personal creativity, direct communication with customers, schedule flexibility, and enjoy immediate appreciation for the labor invested in each service. October 1 is designated as National Hair Day, an opportunity to celebrate the people who keep us looking great and the larger industry that keeps them working. But even the most talented professional needs the right tools for the job! As one of Vagaro’s core verticals, we recognize the need for creative solutions to keep professionals in this field on the move. Vagaro’s all-in-one software helps hairdressers and barbers make the most of every workday, from automated daily admin tasks and creative marketing solutions to streamlined payment processing. Here are the top 4 reasons that hairdressers and barbers cite as the greatest sources of job satisfaction, and the Vagaro “Tools of the Trade” that help support them.
1. Job Stability
According to recent statistics published by the US Bureau of Labor (BoL), barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists account for 766,100 of the US labor force. The profession is projected to enjoy a 13% increase in job growth by 2020, and that by 2026, an estimated 80,100 new jobs will become available. And since the average American spends between $800 and $900 a year on haircuts, color, and other hair-related services, there’s an industry job stability that holds up, even during times of recession.
Vagaro Tools of the Trade
- Mobile
Apps—Client-facing Vagaro app to help clients book appointments, make payments,
and manage their profiles. Vagaro Pro app for you to manage your bookings,
payments, marketing, and customer accounts.
- Invoices—Get
paid quickly, easily, and efficiently with invoices you can calculate, customize,
send, and process from any device, anywhere, anytime.
- Inventory—Always know what’s
in stock, what’s on order, and when shipments are scheduled.
- VMS Payment Processing—Streamline
your payment processing with your scheduling software and make every
transaction simple, secure, and speedy.
2. Emotional Satisfaction
According to psychologist Barry Schwartz in his TED talk, stylists and barbers experience higher levels of emotional satisfaction than those in other industries. This is due in part to the profession’s unique combination of technical skills and “people skills.” When you’re working with people’s hair, your career is based in large part on both intimacy and trust. This means that people working in the hair industry are creative problem-solvers with finely-tuned communication skills and a vast capacity for empathy allowing them to truly “hear” their clients. In fact, 2 in 5 barbers and stylists report their job makes them “extremely happy,” with 40% reporting they enjoy their work. Another survey indicated that barbers and stylists say they’re happy 79% of the time. The ability to make someone feel confident and attractive by just doing your job well—and being immediately thanked for your labor—is one of the key reasons people are drawn to the profession.
Vagaro Tools of the Trade
- Customer
Tracking—Tools to give every client the VIP treatment with every appointment.
Manage everything from allergies and preferences to detailed personal notes,
preferred payment, and custom formulas.
- Forms—Don’t wonder if your
clients are happy, or if you’re giving them what they need. Use forms to ask
them!
- Notifications—Stay in
touch with appointment confirmations, reminders, and updates to every
appointment modification.
3. Creativity
As a hair professional, you have the opportunity every day to make a meaningful change in a person’s life by helping to shape how they see themselves. This, in turn, can influence their social interactions, personality, and even have professional impacts for them. Your creativity can inspire clients to try out a new look, which can impact their self-confidence and consequently change how they engage with the world, socially and professionally. The best part of working with hair is that your creativity isn’t constricted the way it might be in other professions where bureaucracy, approvals, and chain-of-command dictate the limits of creativity. Because you work with your clients directly, there’s only one sign-off you need to be creative: theirs.
Vagaro Tools of the Trade
- Marketing Tools—Create marketing campaigns, Daily Deals, and promotions to stay top-of-mind and keep clients booking and buying with you.
- Get Featured—Become a featured business on the Vagaro Marketplace and attract new clients by showcasing your creative edge.
- Daily Deals—Create flash sales and service promotions to attract new clients and reward loyal customers. You create the deal, we help you market it, and you keep all the profits.
- Website Builder—Customize your website to put your creativity in the spotlight with a centralized landing page housing your online booking and payments, service menu, professional portfolio, and additional content like blogs, videos, and customer reviews.
- Branded App—Take your creativity to the next level with a branded app, and put your business, website, and online store directly in their pocket.
4. Flexible Independence
Barbers and stylists have the freedom, flexibility, and
independence to create their own schedules, and often work different hours than
the traditional “9-to-5.” More flexibility and independence mean more control
over your schedule, and a better work/life balance. Likewise, there are many payment
structures available to those who work in the hair industry, such as
commission, booth rent, hourly compensation, or salary.
Vagaro Tools of the Trade
- Online Booking—Give clients the tools they need to book services and appointments 24/7, from any device. Automated notifications give you peace of mind and help boost customer loyalty.
- Calendar—Stay on top of your daily appointments and view your calendar alongside other service provider calendars.
- Dashboard Reports—Up-to-date, real-time analytics that provides a business overview at a glance.
- Customized Reports—Pull reports by sales, services, employees, and payroll. Dive deeper into any aspect of your dashboard report.
- Payroll Preferences—Booth renter, commission-based, hourly, and salaried customizations make paying your professionals a snap.
Hair-Way to Heaven
As a stylist or barber, you already know that your profession provides you with an array of life skills that can serve you at work and after-hours, too. Hairdressers and barbers are constantly learning new techniques, new tools, and new technologies to evolve their skills to meet customer expectations. That means that your profession has given you the ability to think quickly, decisively, and process new information efficiently. In your career, you’ll also pick up a layman’s degree in customer psychology, customer service, and time management, along with a fine-tuned financial know-how. These are all skills that make you killer behind the chair—and beyond.
Let’s hear it for the hair-mavens and scissor slingers! Use #NationalHairDay on social media to give a shout out to your favorite stylist, barber, or hair business. If you’re a stylist or barber looking to add some sharp business tools to your kit, try Vagaro free for a month, and see how we can help you make every day a money day!
Header Image: Giorgio Trovato via Vagaro
Salon Hanover –
Walnut Creek, CA
