RETAIL IN THE BARBERSHOP DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS Q&A with Joost Mulleman

RETAIL IN THE THE BARBERSHOP DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Q&A WITH JOOST MULLEMAN

Dutch barber Joost Mulleman is well-known in the barbering world. After working in different specialised areas in the hairdressing sector, he made a conscious decision to focus exclusively on barbering. He has served as Creative Director of the Barber School Amsterdam and as Chef de Cabine for various fashion shows. In his role as international educator, he gives large-scale hair shows and look & learn sessions worldwide. He became the proud owner of his own barbershop in Rotterdam three years ago: The Garage 39. In addition, he serves as an ambassador for SEB MAN. We asked him about the coronavirus crisis, which has had a huge impact on many businesses, and his vision on product sales.

Impact of the pandemic on product sales I believe this crisis has had a temporary effect on sales in barbershops. This is, of course, first because all hairdressing salons and barbershops in the Netherlands were forced to close for two months. So hardly any products were sold during that period. But in our case, we fortunately have a very loyal group of clients and associates and many of them have bought our own ‘The Garage 39’ merchandise during the crisis. That’s why we did not suffer a loss after sales of hair products came to a standstill earlier this year.

Tips for boosting product sells during this period In my view, it’s tough to increase sales during a lockdown period. Because if you want to sell more products during a lockdown, you’ll have to put a massive amount of time and energy into online sales. So you’ll have to have a webshop that your clients and other consumers will be able to find. And that’s difficult

because there is huge competition from all the webshops that have been around for longer. I believe it’s important during a lockdown to ensure that as a busines you remain engaged with your client and interested in how his hair looks. You can let them know via channels such as Instagram and Facebook that your business is open at certain times on certain days for product sales and tips. This gives you a chance to encourage your clients to buy products from you rather than online outlets and helps maintain the relationship with the client.

When lockdown has been lifted and the barbershop is open as usual, I see product sales as a natural extension of my service. It’s an integrated part of our standard consultation with the client: so you determine with the client when he sits down in the chair which style will suit him and take his habits into account when making this determination. Does he want to spend a little or somewhat more time on his hair? Does he want to blow dry his hair or not? Based on this information, you can give him the right advice on which product or products he will need to achieve the

I see product sales as an extension of my service

desired look. We give advice in a very natural and subtle way and don’t lay it on too thick or stray into hard selling. At the end of the service, before removing the barber cape, I’ve already placed the related products on the cash register desk. In this way you help your client achieve the same desired result at home.

How did you conceive the idea of starting your own line? My ‘The Garage 39’ merchandise line came about through my interest in beautiful and highquality items. In addition to cutting and shaving, I want to create a total experience. It started out as merchandise from my barbershop, but I purposely disconnected the new designs from ‘The Garage 39’. My aim is to position ‘39’ through a new line as a stand-alone fashion brand.

Own hair product line I also have plans to launch my own line of hair products under the ’39’ brand, but only if this does not breach the current contract with SEB MAN. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and it’s a real dream of mine, so I want to take my time and do it right. For example, I’ve been researching and testing all kinds of self-developed products for several years now. I will, in any

case, only put something on the market if I believe in it 100% and once all the hair products have been fully perfected.

Why do clients come back to your barbershop? The great thing about our clients is that they sometimes just drop by for the fun of it – for a cup of coffee or to make an appointment. Or they come by when they want to treat themselves to a first-class haircut or shave. The frequency of their visits depends on the client. Some clients come every other week, while others only return after months. But that doesn’t matter, each and every client must feel equally welcome and appreciated.

How do you use social media to build client relationships? We use social media without having any marketing agencies or plans behind our communications. This is how we develop relationships with clients in an authentic way. We use Instagram as a means for sharing our lives, real-life experiences and our daily activities with our clients and followers. We try to post something every day with the aim of giving our followers a sense that they know us and are actually in the barbershop. This means that new clients already know what to expect when they come to the barbershop for their first appointment.

Could something positive come out of this coronavirus crisis? This crisis has affected everyone and as a result all barbers and business owners must find new ways to be distinctive. Being forced to look at how you can approach your business or work differently actually creates space for new ideas and innovations. This has in many cases resulted in great, new and better solutions. That otherwise might not have come about. You could say that business owners are forced to think out of the box. Take for example the wide range of online education on offer and all the new ways of working, which enable these activities to be carried more efficiently and effectively. Businesses have reviewed and optimised their business structures and working method.

I’ve also asked myself these key questions: How do I ensure positive contact with my clients? How do I keep my employees satisfied? How do I make sure my clients get what they need? With respect to the latter question, I can go to pretty great lengths. A client recently asked me when placing an order: ‘Will you deliver it?’ In response I drove over an hour to Eindhoven to personally deliver the order. I obviously can’t do that for every client, but I will if I can. That’s how you create goodwill among your clients. What’s important is to remain in interaction with your clients via social media, with a joke thrown in every now and then, just like in real life. So this also means getting in touch with other business owners in your area and asking how they’re doing as a way of showing interest. It’s all about taking a backto-basics and no-nonsense approach to business.