TO VISH OR NOT TO VISH?!

By Jarred Stedman, GM of Mocha Group

From humble beginnings to an award-winning, specialist hair colour salon, Bixie Colour has become a haven for sophisticated hair artistry in Sydney. Founded by Sheree Knobel, renowned for her signature blonde and lived-in colour techniques, Bixie continues to set standards in the hair industry. With a team meticulously trained by Sheree herself, Bixie delivers bespoke colour services that attract clients from across Australia.

Today, Sheree is pioneering further by integrating VISH, an advanced colour management system that minimises waste and enhances efficiency. In a recent interview, Mocha Group’s GM, Jarred Stedman, chats with Sheree Knobel, owner of the renowned Bixie Salon, about her recent journey with VISH, a smart colour management system designed to help salons manage colour usage, minimise waste, and improve stock efficiency.

Sheree takes us on a walk-through of Bixie’s salon setup, shares her passion for the space’s design, and explains how VISH has transformed her approach to salon management.

Creating a Coastal Sanctuary

Taking us through the salon, Sheree explains her love for Miami and Palm Springs-inspired coastal decor that keeps the salon’s ambience calming yet stylish. “I’m obsessed with Miami and Palm Springs – coastal but not too beachy. The colour palette here is neutral and calming, with pops of pink adding a soft touch,” she says, as she describes Bixie’s serene design.

The salon’s spacious layout includes 14 chairs and eight seats at the colour table. Originally starting with just four chairs and two basins, Bixie quickly expanded, indicating the salon’s rapid growth and popularity. “We started with 65 square metres and had to add more chairs within weeks. Our growth has been phenomenal, and our team and space have evolved to keep up with demand,” Sheree recalls.

Embracing Growth with Technology

As Bixie grew, Sheree needed a software solution to keep operations seamless. “We started with basic software, but it didn’t provide everything we needed, like stock tracking and linking services to our Shopify store,” she explains. After researching, Bixie transitioned to Phorest, a comprehensive system that integrated smoothly with VISH, allowing the salon to track KPIs and levels efficiently. “Phorest talks to all of our systems, making it easy to see KPIs at a glance,” Sheree shares, emphasising the benefit of choosing solutions tailored for growth.

The VISH Advantage: Revolutionising Colour Management

When it comes to colour management, Sheree is emphatic about the benefits of VISH.

“We had a huge issue with colour wastage, impacting our weekly stock orders and increasing costs. VISH has completely transformed that,” she says. With VISH, the team can precisely measure colour amounts needed for each client, reducing waste significantly. “Hairdressers tend to mix a little extra, but VISH provides exact percentages, so if we only need 3% more of a mix, it’ll calculate that precisely,” she explains, demonstrating how the system improves accuracy.

VISH also records colour formulas and client colour histories, allowing stylists to recreate formulas effortlessly. “We can look up any client’s colour history, see what we’ve used before, and get the exact formula for a consistent result every time,” Sheree explains. This feature streamlines the colour mixing process, creating a smooth workflow and enhancing client satisfaction.

A Life-Saver for Stock Management

Beyond colour precision, VISH has transformed Bixie’s stock management. The system tracks each stylist’s weekly colour usage, giving Sheree visibility into where waste may be occurring and helping to manage inventory accurately. “Knowing how much colour each stylist uses means we can place more accurate stock orders, preventing last-minute runs to the supplier,” she says. This feature has freed up valuable time and resources, helping Bixie manage expenses more effectively.

Sheree describes the unique challenges of opening Bixie’s new Surry Hills salon in Sydney without VISH, which has emphasised just how integral the system is to her operations. “I can’t wait to bring VISH to the new space. Not having it makes you appreciate just how much it does, especially for tracking colour history,” she shares, eager to implement VISH across both Bixie locations.

Having recently opened the stunning Surry Hills salon, Sheree’s journey with VISH underscores the transformative impact that technology can have on salon management. By using a system that streamlines colour usage, enhances inventory control, and reduces waste, Bixie has been able to channel even more focus into delivering exceptional service and fostering sustainable practices. With VISH supporting her team’s workflow and ensuring client consistency, Sheree’s vision for Bixie as a forward-thinking, efficient salon thrives across both Caringbah and Surry Hills, setting a strong example for the industry.

@bixiecolour @vishsalons