Everyone loves a good deal, getting hooked up with a special, or knowing someone who can get you a discount. In the beauty industry you are that someone. As far back as you can remember you’ve probably been standing over your kitchen sink shampooing someone’s head and doing cuts, color! While doing services for people you love brings you joy and will be something you do your whole life, when it comes to doing them in the salon or spa, it can get a bit tricky unless there are clearly defined boundaries. 

Each salon or spa is going to have their rules in place for this, some will be lax and some strict. If you are an employee of a salon then you must abide by the rules your owner has in place for you. Be sure that you have them explain exactly what you can and cannot do and follow through with it. 

If you own the business this is a part of owning a salon or spa that you seldom think of until it becomes a bad habit. Dealing with friends and family can be emotional, so it's very important to come up with standard and rules. Also, you need to follow these rules yourself. If you provide free services to your family and friends and now will be telling your employees they cannot, you may have a minor revolution on your hands.

1. Put their feelings first. This means, before you put a policy in place think of your teams feeling and emotions, of how you would want things handled if you were in their shoes. This is a good practice for just about any situation that arises in a salon or spa.

2. Think about the benefits. The business benefits from employees doing a free or discounted service on a family member because they are a walking advertisement that helps to generate referrals for the technician, thereby building business. When you look at it this way, allowing for a free service for a family member makes a long term difference. It would be wise to track each new client to learn exactly how many referrals are coming from a family member. This way it can be quantified. Another benefit is a happy employee doing something they love for someone they love, its great energy.

3. Immediate family only. Put a limit on who can get a free or discounted service by having only immediate family qualify. This would be husbands, wives, children, mother, fathers and grandparents.

4. Regular clients first Family and friends should not be served during normal business hours and not in place of a paying customer.

5. To charge or not to charge? That’s your preference. Immediate family can be done for free during hours the salon is closed or they can pay 25-50% of normal prices. Use your discretion.

6. Cover your hard costs. Whether the service is free or not, be sure that you charge a fee for your hard costs to provide the service. This can be $2-$5 per service depending on what it is.

7. Put it in writing.  Once you create your policy, put it in your handbook and then communicate it to your team.

8. Follow through Follow the rules and do not make exceptions.

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