BUILDING A BRIDGE TO BRIDGE A GAP!
By Kerrie Di Mattia
As a 40+ year veteran of this industry, I will be the first to admit that there is definitely a lot about the way we used to do things “back in the day” that need a rethink… when it comes to today’s salons and teams. But in saying that, there’s also so much that is still so valuable and current about “old school values” despite a popular consensus with some of today’s Young Stars in the industry! Now before you crucify me, let me just give you the back story! Over the past few years, Podcasts have become a huge part of my life. They were my saving grace during the worst of the pandemic, taking the focus off daily doom, gloom and devastating statistics, to unite and give hope to our industry, with situations so relatable to my own as a salon owner! I especially loved the ones that were conversational, 2,3 or even 4 participants at a time, throwing around ideas and trading stories that truly made me feel like I was a part of something special, and I was… The Hair Industry! Until it occurred to not only myself, but a few of my Vintage Buddy’s, that there seemed to be a slight US vs THEM scenario emerging, an “old School” versus “ new school” kind of vibe, and as I listened I heard a few of these Young Guns, some of who I knew personally and admired so much as artists, literally disregard a lot of the “old school “ values that I really believed in, the value of Customer service and team culture being stand outs. I took it kind of hard to begin with, I even got my back up just a little bit, because as those of you who know me will know I am all about SERVICE, not only to our clients but our teams!! But I really wanted to understand the why? So I re-listened to a few of the podcasts again, I looked at the situation from both sides, and I realised the main issue I was hearing was lack of communication, and believe me I get that, I have to admit there are still a few salon owners about that adopt the “My way or the Highway” super inflexible way of running a business, that just does not work with today’s generation, and 104
Hair Biz Year 16 Issue 3
it’s a gap I’m trying to bridge as a Salon Culture coach. It’s a definite “not what you say… It’s how you say it” type scenario, that somewhere along the line has caused a huge-arse gap in our industry, in the way we communicate between the generations. So, my question is, why can’t we meet in the middle? It’s not the “old school” values the young guys are butting heads with us over, but often the fact that we don’t take the time to explain to them WHY we value them OR… and here’s the kicker - what it is that is valuable to them! It’s also often the expectation from us, that they should just understand something they may have never experienced at their age, and pass that on to a client or contribute to as part of a team. So, what’s stopping us looking at what’s important equally as important to our teams and yes even our clients taking everything that is great about both “Old school” and “New school” and merge them together to come up with a scenario in which everyone feels validated and valued.
How good would that look for the future of our industry and maybe, just maybe improve our completion rates!! We are blessed to be a part of an industry that is constantly evolving and changing, if we (the older gen) stand still we will get run over! The landscape that we work in and language we communicate with today especially after the pandemic, is incredibly different to that of even 3-5 years ago, especially when it comes to connecting with and looking after our internal clients (team) and in order to not only survive but thrive in business today we have to learn to grow with the times. So yes, many things have changed in our industry over the years, but I would love to think we could celebrate, value and be inclusive of everything others value regardless of era even if we have to tweak it a tad to make it relatable for ALL of us. If you would like to book in for a complimentary 30-minute discovery session with me to see if together we can “Bridge the gaps” in your team culture connect with me on kdimattia@westnet.com.au
