Salonfocus May June 2014

THE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE FOR SALON OWNERS

Industry becomes an apprenticeship ‘trailblazer’ “My ‘name and shame’ hell” – by an NHF member Prepare now for autumn minimum wage rise Get ready for Britain’s Best!

May/June 2014 | £3.50

PAGE 2 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2013

WAVELENGTH

Watch out – minimum wage ‘naming and shaming’ has hairdressing in its sights That’s why the message from the NHF over the minimum I have no doubt that, as an NHF wage is unequivocal: even if you think your payment processes member, you’ll have gone to are fine, make it a priority over the next five months to review every length to make sure your them. You need to make sure whoever is running your payroll, employees are paid correctly and whether that’s you personally, a payroll company, your on time. But, even if you have, accountant or some other agent, completely understands the our story on pages eight and complexities of the minimum wage. For example, you need to nine about the salon owner and be confident your system will be able to spot if an employee has NHF member who, through an had a birthday and so perhaps now needs to move on to a new accountant’s error, fell foul of the government’s tough new minimum rate. And even if you are paying someone else to do your payroll, you must recognise the buck still stops with you. In this current wage “naming and shaming” enforcement climate salons must not just be doing the right regime is likely to send a shiver thing, they must be seen to be doing the right thing. down the spine.

On a separate note, the announcement in March that Quite apart from the heavy emotional and reputational hairdressing, barbering and beauty were indeed to join toll the government’s approach has taken on one salon owner the government’s “trailblazer” programme reforming trying to do her best in difficult circumstances, what is deeply apprenticeships was great news, as we report in News, page five, worrying about it all is the lack of advance warning the salon and within Federation Focus, on pages 30-31. This is a massive owner had before she found herself, and her salon, splashed opportunity for our industry, once and across the media.

‘The message from the NHF is for all, to put in place proper standards In this instance the process appears – that will work both for employers and and I do emphasise only appears, because unequivocal: even if you think for trainees. Hairdressing as an industry without having full access to the paperhas always been deeply committed to trail on both sides it is impossible to know your payment processes are training and so it is for sure – to have fallen far short of the fine, make it a priority over the apprenticeship-based only right our voice and expertise is heard government’s own stated procedures in in this important debate. this area. Irrespective of what actually did next five months to review However, the idea that businesses will or did not happen, it also simply fuels the them. You need to make sure also be expected to make a compulsory, suspicion, now prevalent in many quarters, that the government sees small and micro whoever is running your payroll as yet unspecified, cash contribution “for a significant proportion” of the external employers as a much easier target for this completely understands the training and assessment costs is a worry. sort of sanction than big employers.

Let’s be clear. The NHF has always complexities of the minimum You can argue, of course, a contribution like this is simply a down-payment on emphasised that members must pay their wage. And even if you are future prosperity; if a business or industry employees their legal due and there is, ultimately, no excuse for not doing so. But, paying someone else to do your is going to benefit from a pipeline of better skilled trainees, why shouldn’t it be surely, effective enforcement should be about tackling and hitting serial, deliberate payroll, you must recognise the expected to make at least a contribution from its own pocket? offenders hard rather than coming down buck still stops with you.’

But many salons are still finding life like a ton of bricks on a business where, yes, a struggle, the apprentices’ minimum wage is going up and, a genuine mistake has been made (and accepted) but where indeed, is already structured and enforced in such a way that the error was resolved quickly and the back pay repaid? No taking on older apprentices is becoming a much less attractive one is suggesting (least of all the salon owner) that she should option. The concern therefore is that, having given with one have got away with a serious mistake like this scot free, but the hand – in terms of putting in motion a potentially very positive sanction imposed here does seem to be out of all proportion to apprenticeship trailblazer reform programme – the government the “crime” committed. now risks taking away with the other.

A further worry, of course, is that this has emerged against the backdrop of the minimum wage rising sharply now from October (also see News, pages eight to nine) and the government moving to bring in even tougher penalties for non-compliance, as we highlighted in the March/April edition of SalonFocus. It’s clear, at least to my mind, that not only is the government pushing minimum wage enforcement very hard, it has the hairdressing industry firmly in its sights.

www.nhf.info

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 3

CONTENTS OUR CONTRIBUTORS

News 05

06 08-09 10 11 12 14

17-20

INSPIRED

Claire Finn is owner of the Finn Jordan salon in Cambridge

Sarah Merry is employment consultant at Laura Kerr Croner, operator is training of the NHF’s director of the Legal Lifeline Rainbow Room International Academy in Mark Dalley Glasgow is managing director of Liaisons salon in Birmingham

Marc Westerman is co-director of salon chain Westrow which operates eight salons across Yorkshire and a training academy in Leeds. He is a two times winner of the Business Director of the Year award at the British Hairdressing Business Awards

Alert to change – how NHF’s allergy alert cards can help your business Cash in hand? – managing client demand for cashless tipping Don’t comb over hair loss – how to support clients with alopecia and hair loss

22 24

TOOLBOX

Card conundrums – do contactless cards stack up for salons?

Software – making the transition to a computerised diary system

26 28

REGULARS

03 06 11 12 16 30-31

Wavelength – Watch out – minimum wage ‘naming and shaming’ has hairdressing in its sights HairClips – Acas tribunal support Movers and groovers – Kevin Huggins’ celebrity visit Beauty spots – new rules for non-surgical treatments Column – how NHF workshops can make your business go ‘kerching’!

Federation Focus – your guide to the apprenticeship ‘trailblazers’ Case confidential – a helpline call resolved Events – key dates for your diary @nhfederation – all the online gossip and tweets

PAGE 4 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

PUBLISHER Hilary Hall e: hilary.hall@nhf.info EDITOR Nic Paton e: sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Andrew Don e: sfeditor@salonfocus.co.uk EVENTS Tori Priestley t: 01234 834386 e: victoria.priestley@nhf.info AD SALES Media Shed Ltd 22a Market Hill, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire PE16 6BA www.media-shed.co.uk Advertising Sales Manager Natalie Tuerena T: + 44 (0) 1354 818010 e: natt@media-shed.co.uk DESIGN & PRODUCTION Rick Fraterrigo Matrix Print Consultants Ltd t: 01536 527297 e: rick@matrixprint.com

All you need to know about this year’s NHF Photographic Stylist of the Year competition

BUSINESS FOCUS

21

32 33 34

Plan for employer cash contribution mars apprenticeship ‘trailblazer’ joy The countdown has started to 2014’s Britain’s Best!

NHF member’s devastation at being ‘named and shamed’, as minimum wage goes up Salons count the cost of winter storms Thefts and shoplifting hit an unwelcome high Salons lose sickness tax break… but gain absence scheme Analysis: why minimum wage ‘loophole’ may not stack up

Liz Iles is a senior employment consultant with Croner, operator of the NHF’s Legal Lifeline

SALONFOCUS IS PUBLISHED BY: National Hairdressers’ Federation, One Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford MK44 3WH t: 0845 345 6500 t: 01234 831965 f: 01234 838875 e: sfenquiries@salonfocus.co.uk w: www.nhf.info

Front cover Day at the races, the new collection from Anne Veck Hair: Anne Veck, for Anne Veck Salons Make-up: Ewa Pietra Photography: Barry Jeffery Styling: Kate Jeffery Styling products: Design Pulse,

by Matrix

While every care is taken in compiling this issue of SalonFocus including manuscripts and photographs submitted, we accept no responsibility for any losses or damage, whatever the cause. All information and prices contained in advertisements are accepted by the publishers in good faith as being correct at the time of going to press. Neither the advertisers nor the publishers accept any responsibility for any variations affecting price variations or availability after the publication has gone to press. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publisher, to whom application must first be made. The views expressed by contributors to SalonFocus are not necessarily those of the NHF, the publisher or its editor. © 2011 The National Hairdressers’ Federation.

Material for consideration in this section of the magazine should be submitted on CDROM as high resolution jpeg or tiff files to The Editor, SalonFocus. Submissions should be made on the understanding that the National Hairdressers’ Federation has the right to use the material in any part of the magazine and any of its other publications, promotions or website, free from any copyright restrictions, or appearance fees other than the issue of artistic and photographic credits where applicable. Please include salon name, photographer & stylist.

NEWS

Plan for employer cash contribution mars apprenticeship ‘trailblazer’ joy Salons will be forced to pay a compulsory cash contribution towards the government’s new-look, employer-led apprenticeships, with concern rising about how much this could cost hard-pressed salon owners.

The news is a blow to the industry just as it was celebrating being confirmed as one of the government’s second wave of “trailblazers”, so leading the reform of apprenticeships.

Earlier this year the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills decided employers, rather than training providers, will take direct control of apprenticeship funding once the new structures launch next year, and in March launched a snap consultation to gather views on how this might work. It concluded on May 1, and the NHF fed in a formal submission.

The government said that, while it recognised employers already contribute via wages, mentoring and in-house training, it would be necessary to impose a “compulsory employer cash contribution for a significant proportion of the external training and assessment costs”.

The exact level of this is still to be decided, though rumours within Whitehall have suggested it could be as high as 20 or even 50 per cent. The final level will be set by the Skills Funding Agency after consultation with the trailblazers.

The consultation also examined how money might be got to employers, with options including through existing PAYE processes or a new Apprenticeship Credit account.

The government is expected to outline the contribution rates later this year, once it has assessed responses to the consultation. An announcement on the preferred funding delivery model is expected in the autumn.

The plan is for hairdressing, barbering and beauty trailblazer standards to be available for new apprentice starts from May next year, with employer-routed funding in place from 2016 and all old apprenticeship frameworks phased out by June 2017.

These timings will be challenging, conceded Hellen Ward, managing director of Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa.

Hellen has been appointed the hairdressing lead for the core “strategic group” of 10 hairdressing, beauty and barbering salons or chains chosen to be the industry’s contribution to the government’s second wave of trailblazers, announced in March.

A first wave, of eight sectors, was announced in October.

“The deadlines are really, really tight,” she told SalonFocus.

A first meeting on developing standards was held in March and a second is due to take place this month, with this part of the process due to be completed by the end of next month.

“But what is exciting is we are going to be developing something employer-led; it is a chance for employers to make a real impact on ensuring young people come out of training job-ready,” Hellen added.

The government’s ambition is to develop apprenticeships that can be explained on a single sheet of A4 paper and include practical testing and grading at the end of the training.

George Hammer, chairman of beauty salon Urban Retreat, is leading the strategic group from the beauty side. The group is being supported by working groups in hair and beauty, again represented by many NHF members. The NHF and sector-skills body Habia are providing internal and secretariat support.

The initiative is also being backed by the Fellowship for British Hairdressing, the Hairdressing Council, the British Barbers’ Association, the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (Babtac), City & Guilds and VTCT. Trailblazers approached by SalonFocus were unanimous the process has the potential to be hugely positive for the industry and for the training of young people.

Yvonne McConnell, owner of Blackpool salon Phase 1 Hair, Nail & Beauty Lounge, who is a member of both the strategic and the beauty working group, said: “What I hope now is employers will be able to work more closely with training providers to produce higher standard qualifications. We need apprentices to come to us fit to work on the salon floor, able to run their own columns or build up clientele.”

Louise Hunter, owner of Rubies Hairdressing in Huddersfield, who is on the hairdressing working group, added: “I meet young people who have qualified from an apprenticeship, who have their certificate, but you have to start from scratch and retrain them. I’d like to help change the industry for when my children come through.”

•• Your guide to the hairdressing, barbering and beauty ‘trailblazers’, Federation Focus, pages 30-31

NHF trailblazer and apprentice visit 10 Downing Street Hampshire salon owner, NHF member and a member of the trailblazer working group Wendy Cummins (standing on right) and apprentice Hayley Robertson were given the honour of visiting 10 Downing Street in March as part of the official launch of the second wave of apprenticeship trailblazers.

Wendy, owner of Quiffys salon in Eastleigh, told SalonFocus: “It was lovely; it is a stunning place to visit. And the opportunity of being part of the trailblazer process – to change the training structures and standards within our industry – is immense.”

Hayley added: “Words cannot describe it; it was so amazing. I never ever thought I would one day go to 10 Downing Street.”

www.nhf.info

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 5

NEWS

The countdown has started to 2014’s Britain’s Best!

The NHF’s hugely successful Britain’s Best competition will be returning even brighter and better this year, and the countdown has already started for entries.

This year’s competition is being held on November 16, but in a completely new venue – the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

The NHF is also delighted that the 2014 competition is being sponsored by the NHF’s preferred insurance broker Coversure Insurance Services as well as leading hair brands Sleek and Revlon Professional.

There is an array of new categories this year, along with a new panel of judges and the chance to meet hairdressing names such as photographer and award-winning hairdresser Desmond Murray.

This year’s competition categories are: •• Blow dry •• Afro-Caribbean •• Hair-up •• Male fashion look •• Female fashion look •• The bride •• Bridal make-up •• Fantasy total look •• Body art •• Nail art •• Colour of the day NHF president Paul Curry said: “I am very excited about this year’s competition. Britain’s Best is now one

TRIBUNAL SUPPORT

Salons are being advised that from May 6 it will be compulsory for anyone taking an employment dispute to tribunal to submit an “early conciliation” form to conciliation service Acas. It will mean that, before a person lodges a claim to tribunal, they will have to notify Acas by completing an online form. Acas will contact the potential claimant within two working days and, if need be, pass the case on to a conciliator to see if a solution can be found without it being taken to tribunal. More details can be found at http://www.acas.org.uk/index. aspx?articleid=4028

CHILDCARE PLAN

of the highlights of the hairdressing calendar. Incorporating make-up, body art and nail art opens up the competition to make-up artists and nail technicians for the first time, and shows how hairdressing salons are innovating and extending into new areas all the time.

“With the addition of the other new categories, a new venue and new judges, it promises to be an inspiring event – and definitely a day not to be missed,” he added.

Full details about this year’s competition and how to enter can be found online at the usual web address, www.britainsbest.me.

Watch out, too, for a special four-page profile of the competition in the July/ August edition of SalonFocus.

NHF guides prove a hit by tapping into appetite to go it alone More than 400 copies of the NHF’s new salon “start-up” guides have been downloaded by entrepreneurial hairdressers, barbers and beauticians in less than a month since being launched.

The free online guides, one for hairdressing, one for barbering and one for beauty, were published by the Federation in early March.

An analysis of the downloads has shown that, within the first month alone, more than 400 copies had been snapped up, with the hairdressing guide proving the most popular, accounting for nearly three quarters of the downloads.

The guides set out practical tips and advice on how to get started and, crucially, how to build a sustainable, successful business for the long term.

Topics covered include: how to get started; how to carry out effective market research; the pros and cons of renting versus buying; fitting out your salon; writing a business plan; accessing finance; taxes, VAT and accounting; managing your staff and sustaining momentum once you have launched your business.

The guides can be accessed online at: http://www.nhf.info/salon-start-updocuments/

PAGE 6 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

HAIRCLIPS

The government has announced that, from autumn next year, parents of children aged under 12 (or 17 if disabled) will be able to buy online vouchers to pay for Ofsted-regulated childcare (as opposed to a friend or family member). For every 80p they spend, the government will add 20p, up to a total of £10,000, or £2,000 per child each year. One parent can make the claim, but will need to declare any income from a partner. They will also need to reconfirm they still qualify every three months. More details can be found at www.gov.uk under “tax free childcare”.

RATES HELP

Salons are being reminded the government is now allowing businesses to pay their business rates in 12 monthly instalments rather than 10. The change, announced in December’s Autumn Statement, means a business simply has to submit a notice to its billing authority requesting this facility. Although requests to cover the whole 2014/15 financial year had to be submitted by last month, late requests will be calculated on the basis of how many months of the financial year remain. Once a request has been agreed a business does not need to reapply.

CONFIDENCE RETURNING

Confidence is returning to the UK’s hair and beauty industry, with more than 21,000 new jobs set to be created this year, research has suggested. But the third annual Beautiful Britain poll from Salon Services found many salons were nowadays favouring part-time over permanent roles. Visit frequency and spend was finally increasing as the economy recovered, but many salons were still having to cut prices.

MOBILE WOES

Only one hairdressing salon website in five is mobile phone-friendly for its customers, according to research from digital marketing company hibu. The research, which compared 10 industries, concluded just a fifth (22 per cent) of hairdressing business websites were mobile friendly.

The NHF offers a mobile app through a partnership with Sappsuma, http://bit. ly/1aiugfM

NEWS

NHF member reveals devastation at being ‘named and shamed’… after accountant’s mistake Exclusive An NHF member has spoken for the first time about her devastation at being “named and shamed” by the government for failing to pay the national minimum wage, in a story that raises serious questions about how the government is applying its tougher minimum wage enforcement regime.

The trauma of being splashed across the media – and of subsequently receiving hate mail on social media – has meant the owner only agreed to speak to SalonFocus on condition of anonymity. It has also left her worried about the future for her salon.

But she also concedes she is, if anything, lucky. Although fined and named, she fell foul of the system before the introduction of much stiffer financial penalties, of up to £20,000, which came in force in February (SalonFocus, March/April 2014).

If this had been the sanction she faced, she fears it would have meant losing her home as well as her business, not to mention the fact her 11 valued staff would have lost their jobs.

“In the 10 years I have been a salon owner this is the one incident I have had and, while I accept it happened and a mistake was made, I do also feel I was set up by the government,” the owner, who runs a salon in the north of England, told SalonFocus.

The salon owner contracted an accountancy firm to manage her payroll, which failed to inform her that an 18-year-old apprentice had had a birthday, and therefore should have moved from the apprentice minimum wage to the 18-20 rate.

“It meant that, from March, when she turned 19, to September last year, when it first came to light, we were paying her the wrong wage, and so had underpaid her. While I was

unaware anything was wrong, as was the apprentice, I fully accept that – but by not advising me properly the accountant cost me dearly,” she explained.

“I naturally dealt with it immediately, repaying the money back in full as a lump sum,” she added.

The oversight would probably have gone unnoticed had there not been a falling out within the apprentice’s family, which led to one member reporting the under-payment to the government’s Pay and Work Rights Helpline.

“I was then called by an inspector. I explained it had been an error by my accountant, who now had it in hand, and the inspector also phoned up the accountant, who confirmed this.

But once a complaint has gone in, it has to be complied with through them; they cannot just say it has been dealt with,” she said.

“So I incurred a fine – 50 per cent of the under-paid wages – which I appealed against and, because the inspectors said they rarely had cases resolved so smoothly and quickly, the fine was reduced. It was clear to them I was not refusing to pay; that it was just a paperwork issue. In fact, they went back over my whole 10 years of wage receipts and paperwork and could not find a single case of anything else being out of order.

“Then, the naming and shaming happened. I was not aware of it at all, did not receive any information about it. The inspector, too, had not been aware of it and was quite surprised.

In fact, the first I heard of it was when the Daily Telegraph, The Mirror and BBC were suddenly on the phone. I got the first call at 4pm and by 6pm it was all over the news,” she said.

This lack of advance warning appears at odds with the

Prepare now for autumn rise in minimum wage, salons are told

VINCE CABLE: BIGGEST PAY RISE ‘SINCE 2008’

PAGE 8 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

Salons are being strongly advised to start preparing immediately for this autumn’s rise in the national minimum wage (NMW), after the government confirmed in March that all the minimum wage rates will rise sharply from October.

Against the backdrop of tougher enforcement, fines and “naming and shaming”, as highlighted by the case above, the NHF is urging members to prioritise reviewing their payroll and payment procedures before October.

Members concerned or unsure about how they stand should, in the first instance, contact the NHF. Salon owners are also being advised to, if they feel they need it, invest in

professional payroll and accountancy advice and make full use of resources such as the government’s Pay and Work Rights Helpline (0800 917 2368) and its online calculator at https://www.gov.uk/ minimum-wage-calculator-employers.

The conciliation service Acas also has online tools and guidance, which can be found at: http://www.acas.org.uk/index. aspx?articleid=1902.

If salons are using any offsets or exclusions, such as around accommodation or uniforms, they should ensure they are using them correctly.

The July/August edition of SalonFocus will outline in more detail the practical steps salons can take to ensure that their

NEWS government’s own guidelines for naming and shaming.

In August last year, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) announced plans to make naming and shaming simpler, doing away with seven specific criteria that employers had to fail on and scrapping a rule that had meant an employer needed to owe workers at least £2,000 (or £500 to an individual employee) before running this risk.

Crucially, however, it emphasised that, under the new scheme, an employer found to be at risk of naming and shaming would be notified by BIS “and invited to make representations against being named with a notice period of 28 days”.

In the modern, internet age the consequences of being named and shamed can be doubly devastating, our salon owner argued.

“I had my Facebook page targeted by three different people, one of whom wrote a bad review as a result. I also got some random phone calls and some people commenting on Twitter.

I even had one person send in a bogus letter. There was a lot of media attention but I chose not to speak to anyone,” she said.

“To an extent it’s not so much about the minimum wage, it’s about how it was handled. My accountant should have emailed me, they didn’t, and that was a mistake. But if they had, and at that point I had said ‘no don’t pay it’, then that would have been a totally different matter. But I’m not a bad payer – I have employees who have been with me for seven, eight, nine years.

“I’m really upset about it. Now, when you Google my salon, this always comes up. So far it hasn’t affected business – anyone who knows me, as most of my clients do, knows I look after my staff and it’s not right or fair. But I do worry it might put off new customers from coming to the salon; they might feel I exploit or rip people off.

“In some respects, however, I’ve been lucky. The government is talking about making the fine for not paying the wage £20,000.

I’m a sole trader and if that had been the case it would not just have been my business being lost but my house too. And, of course, all my employees would then have lost their jobs as well,” she added.

businesses are fully compliant.

The government in March accepted in full recommendations made at the end of February by the Low Pay Commission (LPC), which advises ministers on the rate the wage should be in future.

It means the adult NMW will rise by 19p to £6.50 an hour, from October 1, with the age 18-20 rate, the under-18s rate and the apprentices’ minimum wage also all going up (see panel).

Business secretary Vince Cable said the rises would mean low-paid workers “will enjoy the biggest cash increase in their take-home pay since 2008”.

He also warned the rises marked “the start of a welcome new phase in minimum wage policy”.

This means, in effect, salons can expect further sharp rises in the minimum wage in 2015, and probably beyond.

LPC chair David Norgrove, added:

www.nhf.info

WAGES: ERROR PROVED COSTLY

“Provided the economy continues to improve we expect to recommend further progressive real increases in the value of the minimum wage, restoring and then surpassing its previous highest level, so that 2014 will mark the start of a new phase – of bigger increases than in recent years – in the work of the commission.”

NHF chief executive Hilary Hall emphasised that, while the Federation was “disappointed” at the decision, the priority was for salons to use the time between now and October wisely.

The fact the government had moved quickly to accept the LPC’s recommendations had provided “muchneeded clarity”, she said.

“This means salons now have time to start preparing for the change – and we will, of course, be working closely with our members to assist them in making sure they are, and stay, compliant.”

National minimum wage rates from October 1, 2014, will be: Adults £6.50 up 19p from £6.31 18-20 £5.13 up 10p from £5.03 Under 18 £3.79 up 7p from £3.72 Apprentices* £2.73 up 5p from £2.68 (*under 19s and for first year) •• Also see our analysis on how to avoid being caught out by a minimum wage loophole, News page 14

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 9

NEWS

Salons count the cost of winter storms, amid fears they could become uninsurable in future

be wiped out,” she warned.

A new flood insurance scheme, Flood Re, is due to come into force next summer. But the fact it specifically excludes small firms has led to intense lobbying by small business organisations, including the NHF. The Flood Re scheme will create a “flood fund” that insurers will be able to use to keep premiums affordable, even

By Andrew Don for those in high flood-risk areas. It will also allow for premiums for high-risk properties to be capped.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has argued there is no evidence to suggest SMEs or other businesses in flood-prone areas generally have difficulty securing affordable flood insurance, and therefore no reason to include them.

A spokesman for the association told SalonFocus: “In those kinds of circumstances you would expect their own trade groups to come forward. We haven’t had any representation or any evidence that hair salons have problems finding flood insurance.”

But NHF president Paul Curry ELITE: LUCKY ESCAPE, BUT STILL LOST TRADE TO STORMS disagreed: “It would be a good move if Flood Re was opened One NHF member who Dozens of hairdressing, barbering and up to small firms,” he said. had a lucky escape was Clair beauty businesses up and down the And Alexander Jackman, Roy, owner of Elite, in country are believed to have suffered head of policy at the Forum Portland, Dorset. damage and loss of trade during this of Private Business, agreed Massive waves hit the winter’s extreme storms and flooding, the exclusion of small business window of her salon from raising serious fears they could find their premises could have “serious Chesil beach 200 yards away properties becoming uninsurable against but, because it is raised above future flooding. potential consequences” for ground level, it escaped being In fact, Coversure Insurance many owners. flooded.

Services, the NHF’s preferred insurance “Many will face some Even so, Clair estimated provider, has warned that salons unable decisions as to whether it is the salon lost about £900to get, or afford, flood insurance risked still profitable to even remain HEIDI MORTON: SOUTH £1,500 of trade because of being “wiped out” in any future storms. in business,” he warned. being forced to close on safety WEST HIT HARD There are also concerns within the Downing Street grounds three times in the wild and insurance industry that a new scheme had ordered a review of Flood Re as windy conditions, shutting for around specifically designed to help keep flood SalonFocus went to press, but the ABI 12-14 hours in total. insurance premiums down in future insisted the exclusion would continue Heidi Morton, Coversure’s insurance could simply make the situation worse to stand. administration manager, said claims for small businesses.

All salons should now be checking so far ranged from between £400 to As SalonFocus went to press in April, their insurance policies carefully and £10,000, with salons in the south west some 20 storm and flood claims had been talking to their insurer or broker if they among the hardest hit. lodged through have any concerns about their cover, Salons that had suffered flood Coversure’s advised Paul. damage would have to be referred to Salonsure •• In a separate development, Coversure underwriters when it came to renewing policies. is now offering a “price promise” for their insurance next year.

But the salons, promising that, if they can find “We will find all those people who picture across the a cheaper like-for-like quotation, it have been flooded will either have flood entire insurance will beat the rival price by £20. It has exclusions or higher flood excesses. industry suggests also developed a price comparison Unfortunately, insurance companies the total number chart to help salon owners compare have every right to do that. It will get of salons affected how different quotations stack up. to the point where people can’t get and damaged is Members interested in receiving a flood insurance. If they can’t get flood copy should ring the NHF on ALAN JACKMAN: WARNING likely to be much OVER INSURANCE insurance, the problem is they could higher.

01234 831965.

PAGE 10 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

NEWS

Shoplifting hits an unwelcome high over Christmas Salon thefts and break-ins during December and Christmas were the highest on record, up a fifth on what they were at the same time in 2012, according to the NHF’s preferred salon insurance provider, prompting calls for salons urgently to review their security and be even more vigilant, especially around retail or display product.

Ross Wilkes, sales manager for Coversure Insurance Services, said part of the problem was the very visibility of salons on many high streets nowadays, with the lure of retail products a particular risk. “Salons have a great big pane of glass at the front to show things off in their premises and they also have all their stock on show and many have invested in equipment. Salons are seen as an easy target,” he said.

The worrying figures have come as national crime figures have suggested shoplifting is on the increase generally.

The Office for National Statistics reported a four per cent increase in shoplifting to the end of September, with 313,693 offences recorded, the highest since 2008/09, when there were 320,739 reported offences.

The figures echo findings by the British Retail Consortium which earlier this year reported shop thefts from customers were at their highest level for nearly a decade.

One NHF member, award-winning Cardiff salon owner Ken Picton, has urged salon owners to take a more “proactive” approach to the problem.

At Ken Picton Salon, for example, if any staff member suspects a shoplifter is active, security can be alerted and be at the salon in as little as 30 seconds.

“Make sure all your staff are aware of any procedures that are in place should a suspected shoplifting happen so that the correct action is taken,” he said.

Salon staff needed to be reminded to be inquisitive and alert for anyone acting suspiciously.

“Our reception area and retail area are close together, so it’s always kept under a watchful eye. But at busy times it’s important not to neglect these areas, as this is an ideal time for an opportunistic person to steal,” said Ken. It was also a good idea to think carefully about where products were placed. “High-value products such as ghd stylers should never be placed near the exit of the salon. It’s so easy for someone to grab on their way out, so keep them out of reach and away from the front door,” he advised.

KEN PICTON SALON: BE PROACTIVE ABOUT SECURITY, SAYS KEN (INSET)

www.nhf.info

MOVERS&GROOVERS FUSION FUNDRAISER CARDIFF CHAMPION

Great Yarmouth salon Fusion Hair and Beauty Consultants was honoured by a visit from celebrity hairdresser Trevor Sorbie in March, who dropped into the salon, owned by Kevin Huggins, to collect a cheque for £1,427.38 raised for the wig services charity My New Hair, of which Trevor is patron.

Receptionist Sarah Gooch raised the money by agreeing to have her head shaved for charity. Trevor also opened the salon’s relaunched colour and spa bar.

MASTERS OF MEN

The Alan D Academy in Farringdon, London, hosted a “Masters of Men” evening in March, on behalf of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing. The presentations included one by celebrity hairdresser Darren Ambrose, who said: “Men’s hairdressing is a core part of our business and is a huge market now.”

Cardiff salon owner Ken Picton was celebrating in March after winning the hair category of the Cardiff Life Awards, which celebrate the work of independent businesses in the city.

IVF ‘CUT-A-THON’

Chichester salon Q Hair and Beauty hosted a “cut-a-thon” evening in March to help raise money for IVF treatment for a staff member. The day was themed to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and saw staff on hand all day. The day raised £3,737.80 which, when added to other fundraising activities, brought the total money raised to £6,500, said owner Anthony Barnes-Smith, who added: “We we are pleased we can help make a dream become reality for someone we’ve worked with for many years.”

Could you be NHF’s next treasurer?

The NHF’s current honorary treasurer, Roy Sparkes, completes his term of office in October. Therefore, the NHF is now seeking nominations from members to take on this important role.

The honorary treasurer keeps a special eye on how the NHF spends money raised through its membership subscriptions, including making sure they’re always used in the best interests of members.

The term is for one year and involves attending meetings of the National Executive Council, joint executive and finance committee meetings, the annual conference and AGM and occasional other meetings relevant to NHF finance. The commitment is usually around 15 days per year.

Although you don’t need to be financially qualified, you do need to have a good understanding of business finance, including profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, statutory accounts and investments.

You can nominate yourself, but nominations must arrive on or before May 10, 2014. Further details can be found on the NHF website www.nhf.info or by calling us on 0845 345 6500 or 01234 831965.

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 11

NEWS

Salons lose sickness tax break… but gain scheme to help ill employees The NHF has warned salons to be aware that, as of last month, the government scrapped a tax relief that had up to now benefited small businesses with employees off sick.

The decision to scrap the Statutory Sick Pay Percentage Threshold scheme was originally announced in the Budget last year but came into effect from April 6.

The original scheme compensated employers experiencing higher-thanaverage sickness absence by allowing them to recover some of the statutory sick pay (SSP) paid to their employees, as long as the total SSP paid in a tax month was greater than a set percentage of their gross Class 1 national insurance contributions for that same month.

The government has said it will use the money saved to fund a new Health and Work Service designed to help employers, particularly small businesses, get ill employees back to work more quickly.

Although the scheme is being wound up, the government has emphasised there will be a transitionary period until April 2016 in which employers will still be allowed to recover SSP paid for sickness absences that occurred before April 2014.

Salons are being advised to be aware that, while the associated SSP record-keeping requirements were also abolished from April, they will still be required to maintain such records for PAYE purposes and to demonstrate they are meeting their SSP obligations.

NHF chief executive Hilary Hall said: “This change may originally have been announced last year, but our feedback is that a lot of salons and small businesses remain unaware of it. The transition period will certainly help but employers need to be recognising now that this is happening and adjusting how they operate accordingly.

“On the plus side, while the loss of this relief may affect some businesses in the short term, if the new Health and Work Service is successful in reducing absence and getting valued staff back to work more quickly, that can only be a good thing,” she added.

The Health and Work Service is expected to begin in pilot form this autumn and be up and running nationally by April 2015.

It will help employees who have been off sick for four weeks or more by offering them access to a specialist work-focused health assessment.

This will set out a timetable for a return to work and what adjustments, if any, the business will need to make.

Both GPs and employers will be able to refer employees into the service, which will run alongside an online and telephone advice service.

Employers that spend money on a medical treatment recommended by the service will also be able to get a tax exemption of up to £500 per year for each employee on the cost of the treatment.

BEAUTY

SPOTS

COSMETIC RULES

Legislation is to be introduced to make it illegal for anyone to inject dermal fillers without proper training, and staff who give such fillers will need to be overseen by a doctor or health professional, the government has said.

The announcement was made in February in the government’s response to a review of cosmetic procedures carried out last year by chief medical officer Sir Bruce Keogh. But its decision not to introduce a compulsory register of those who carry out non-surgical cosmetic procedures was criticised by the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (Babtac), which argued going for a noncosmetic treatment would as a result still be a case of “buyer beware”.

BEAUTY SECRETS

British women only admit to a third of what they actually spend on hair and make-up when quizzed by their partner, a poll has argued. Research by hair and beauty website Hairtrade.com found, of nearly 800 women polled, most only admitted to 34.2 per cent of the actual expenditure. Among the biggest “hidden” expenses were trips to the hairdresser, with 57 per cent saying they lied about the cost of this to their partner.

MALE VANITY

British men spend longer looking at their reflections every day than women, a survey by bathroom, bedroom and kitchen fitter Betta Living has concluded.

The average adult UK man will spend 56 minutes looking at his own reflection every day, or the equivalent of 340.67 hours every year or nearly a whole year, or 355 days, between the ages of 25 and 50. Women, on the other hand, spend just 43.5 minutes, equating to 265 hours a year and 276 days over a 25-year period.

ONLINE OPPORTUNITY…

Beauty brands are still missing opportunities by failing to capitalise fully on the growth of e-commerce and digital retailing, a think-tank has said. The report

by L2 argued that the beauty market is still lagging behind other retail sectors in this area, despite the fact 41 per cent of UK internet users have researched a beauty product online before buying it in-store.

…AND VIDEO TOO

SEEING YOUR DOCTOR: TAX RELIEF SCRAPPED TO FUND ABSENCE SERVICE

PAGE 12 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

More than 40 per cent of UK women use online video tutorials for help with their make-up, according to research by money-saving website vouchercloud. com. The poll of nearly 2,000 women aged 18 or over, found 41 per cent used online video channels such as YouTube for tips in applying make-up. Of those, 61 per cent said they watched beauty tutorial videos regularly, while 38 per cent said they would consider buying the products featured.

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NEWS

In the current climate, be very wary of minimum wage loopholes Salon owners are being warned to be very, very careful about using a loophole that allows them, in very specific circumstances, to pay trainees the lower apprentices’ national minimum wage for a longer period than usual. Liz Iles reports.

Since October 2010 salons have been required to pay the apprentices’ national minimum wage rate to apprentices aged 16-18 or, once over 19 yearsold, during the first year of their training. At the moment the rate is £2.68 but, as has been reported in news in this Liz Iles is a senior edition, will rise to £2.73 employment an hour from October. consultant with This, superficially, is Croner, operator clear enough. However, of the NHF’s Legal when you look into the Lifeline detail, it’s not quite as clear-cut as it might at first appear.

The government’s regulations setting out the minimum wage stated that the apprentices’ NMW should be payable to any worker who is employed under a contract of apprenticeship and is “within the first 12 months after the commencement of that employment”, or has not reached the age of 19.

However, the regulations did not specifically define what was meant by “within the first 12 months after the commencement of that employment”, something that has led to a loophole arising in certain circumstances.

To explain: if you have a new apprentice who is in the first year of their training then, clearly, the appropriate NMW rate to pay is the apprentice rate, irrespective of their age.

But if after that first year the apprentice then starts a new apprenticeship, the lower apprentice rate may still be the right rate to pay because, of course, the apprentice will technically still be within the first 12 months of the commencement of that (second) training.

Win/win situation

In this scenario they could still be eligible for the apprentices’ NMW rate for another year instead of moving to one of the other higher, age-related national minimum wage rates.

PAGE 14 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

This sort of situation could arise, for example, if an apprentice initially trains to intermediate level but then decides (in agreement with you) to progress to advanced level. And this could even be the case where there has been no break in the continuity of employment between the two apprenticeships.

This, clearly, could be a win/win situation for both parties. The salon gets to retain the skills of the apprentice while continuing to pay them the lower apprentice rate. The apprentice, in turn, gets continuity of employment and stability, more experience and a higher level of qualification.

Proceed with caution

However, before salons rush off to see if they can take advantage of this loophole – and many salon owners in our experience already have – we are strongly advising salons owners to think very, very carefully before proceeding down this route.

This is because, first, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will definitely sit up and take notice and, second, you are only allowed to use this loophole in very specific circumstances, namely that the second period of training was unforeseen at the time you took on the apprentice.

In other words, unless you can provide clear evidence showing that the two apprenticeships were not intended to run consecutively, there is a real risk HMRC will take a distinctly dim view of what you are doing and probably conclude that you are simply trying to avoid paying the apprentice their appropriate NMW rate.

If that happens you risk being fined

by HMRC and given an order to pay any arrears to the apprentice – with a much stiffer regime of financial penalties and “naming and shaming” now having come into force.

It is also worth noting HMRC may “test” that the later contract (in other words the second apprenticeship) is genuinely a separate contract of apprenticeship and not simply a

convenient label that you have used in an attempt to avoid paying the correct rate, and therefore to circumvent the law.

Expert advice

What, then, should salons do? First, if you think you have a situation with an apprentice that may genuinely allow you to make use of this loophole, you should seek written confirmation of your course of action from either Directgov or HMRC. They will want to see documentation (such as a contract of employment or letters to the apprentice) to show that the offer of a further apprenticeship was not envisaged at the start of the working relationship between you and the apprentice.

It is also a good idea to confirm to the apprentice, again in writing, that the first apprenticeship was designed to train them to a particular level, which has now been completed, and that, as part of a new, separate agreement, you now agree to train them to the next stage, until that too is completed.

In essence you need a clear papertrail, both between you and HMRC and between you and the apprentice. This will best preserve your position and should avoid any future conflict with HMRC.

APPRENTICE TRAINING: BE CAREFUL WHAT MINIMUM WAGE RATE YOU PAY

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COLUMN

Making your business go ‘kerching’!

Cambridge salon owner Claire Finn went to one of the NHF’s ‘how to make your salon more profitable’ events in February. Now her retail sales are up 50 per cent.

Coincidence? She thinks not.

Finn Jordan is a hair and beauty salon in the heart of Cambridge, operating out of two private rooms. We’ve been an NHF member for the past five years and, as a Claire Finn is owner business, have of Finn Jordan in been growing Cambridge quite quickly in recent years.

About three years ago, I expanded the business by buying a beauty salon, as I was keen for it to have another arm beyond hairdressing.

I’ve always felt it’s important to try and stay on top of the business and financial side of things but, as the business has grown, this has become even more the case. You can’t just sit back and rely on your hairdressing skills to bring you success; you need to have business skills and knowledge too.

So when I saw the NHF’s programme of business events it immediately seemed like a good idea to go along.

I was very glad I did. I found the two trainers, Richard Wallace and Chris Amos, very inspiring. They were so passionate about the industry, but also really honest about where we often go wrong as an industry. It was just good to spend a day in the company of two really successful businessmen.

New ideas

I came away with a load of new ideas and practical tips about how to do things a bit differently. An important one has been to get the team more involved in the financial side of the business. I don’t mean sitting down and helping with the accounts, just me being more open and communicating more about how that side of the business works.

So I’m explaining more how things like VAT work, how much it costs just to open the doors, what it takes to run a business – so the team now has a much better idea of the whole picture of the business rather than just their little bit.

Another change has been around

PAGE 16 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

retail. Retail has always been an important part of the business, and it was something we were focusing on and reviewing anyway, but I’m now being much more structured about setting retail targets. Staff have a much clearer idea about what their targets are and what is expected of them.

We’ve always had weekly review meetings but I make a point now of planning them much more in advance – it used to be that I sometimes only started to think about them 10 minutes before, but that’s not the case now!

It’s great to pick up tips from other salon owners and, vice versa, to be able to pass on any advice you may have. It’s also, I think, just good from time to time to get out of the salon and go somewhere new, soak up a new atmosphere.

Overall, I definitely think going to business-related events (whether the NHF programme or more generally) can be really beneficial. After all, being successful is not just about being a good hairdresser; it’s about being a good salon owner too, which is a very different skill.

Retail rising

Year-on-year our retail sales were up nearly 50 per cent in February, which is astonishing and, of course, really pleasing.

Obviously, not all of that is down to going to one business event – it’s been a big focus for us for at least the last year – but showing how important it is, keeping on top of the figures and being clear about targets and expectations has, I think, really helped.

Employees are paid commission for their retail sales, so there is a natural incentive there. But what’s been important is getting them to believe more in the value of what they’re doing, and to believe in the product they are selling.

It’s given me a lot more confidence to get the team involved and has helped me to identify areas where staff members could do with a bit of extra training. It just feels like it’s changed the culture of the salon and the way the team interacts.

Getting out of the salon

Another benefit was simply in getting out and meeting other salon owners. One piece of advice I’d offer here is to consider going to an event that’s a little way away from where you’re located.

The event I went to was in Norwich – one of the “How to make your salon more profitable” events – and most of the other salon owners were as a result from Norwich, and many knew each other already.

But I found it was actually refreshing to be among people I didn’t know and to find out about what issues they have in their businesses and how they’re dealing with things.

The NHF’s programme of business events is covering three topics: • Delivering a great client experience • How to make your salon more profitable • Managing yourself and your team A full listing of the rest of this year’s events can be found on Events, page 33.

Anyone interested in attending these should contact NHF on 0845 345 6500 or email events@nhf.info

INSPIRED

NEW EVENT for 2014

Photographic Stylist of theYear 2014 New to the industry or years of experience?

There’s a category for everyone

www.nhf.info

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 17

INSPIRED NHF Photographic Stylist of the Year 2014

NEW FORMAT FOR 2014

NEW CATEGORIES FOR 2014

The NHF is really excited to launch a brand new version of its hugely popular Photographic Stylist of the Year competition, this year throwing it open to hairdressers and barbers at all stages of their careers.

Category 1 (Male and Female) Fashion Look

Simply take a look at the categories, choose which one is for you, check out the rules and then get entering!

There is no limit to the number of categories you can enter or the number of entries you can put in to each category. Apart from the entry fee, entering should not cost you a penny.

To help, we’ve created some useful hints and tips on how to put together your image or collection at very little or no cost at all.

These can be downloaded from www.nhf.info/photographic Entries for each category will be split into regions, based on the postcode of your salon or college. One male and one female image from each category will be shortlisted from each region, which will then be put through to the national finals.

All entrants will also receive a “press” information pack to help them generate media interest in their entry.

The closing date for entries is 12 noon on July 31, 2014. All finalists will be invited to attend the NHF’s Britain’s Best event on Sunday November 16, 2014 at the Heritage Motor Centre, Warwickshire, where the winners will be announced.

GENERAL RULES 1. Closing date for entries is 12 noon on July 31, 2014.

2. Competitors must ensure that models are aware of, and consent to, their image being reproduced.

3. Photographs/images entered into the competition must not have been previously shown on any magazine front cover.

4. Judges will be asked to consider the overall total look of the model.

5. Images submitted on disc must be high resolution JPEG or TIFF (300dpi minimum). Thumbnails or low resolution images will not be accepted.

6. No names of individuals or salons to be shown on the front of any photograph.

7. NHF will place all entries into the appropriate region based on the postcode of the salon/college.

8. All entrants must provide a counter signature as a declaration that the work is their own. The NHF reserves the right to request entrants to recreate their work.

9. Model signatures are required for online entries; all entrants must ensure they have prior permission from the model before entering

PAGE 18 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

Students and trainees working towards Level 3 • Create your fashion look • Take your picture • Go to www.nhf.info/photographic • Complete the online entry form • Upload your image • Make your payment Entry fee £10 Please read the general rules before submitting your entry.

Category 2 (Male and Female) Fashion Look

Open to all • Create your fashion look • Take your picture • Go to www.nhf.info/photographic • Complete the online entry form • Upload your image • Make your payment Entry fee £15 Please read the general rules before submitting your entry.

Category 3 (Male and Female) Fashion Collection

Open to all • Create your collection of images suitable for the front cover of a magazine • Send four images on a disc (high resolution JPEG or TIFF 300dpi minimum) • Complete the entry form and send everything to the NHF with your Entry fee £30 Please read the general rules before submitting your entry.

Category 4 (Male and Female) Afro-Caribbean Fashion Look

• Open to all • Create your fashion look • Send one image on a disc (high resolution JPEG or TIFF 300dpi minimum) • Complete the entry form and send everything to the NHF with your Entry fee £20 Please read the general rules before submitting your entry.

All winners will receive a trophy, certificate and an invitation to attend a course of their choice run by TIGI *Worth over £250 selected from their autumn catalogue. No accommodation or other expenses form part of this prize.

Further entry forms can be downloaded from: www.nhf.info

IN-NHF

Photographic Stylist of the Year 2014 Entry Form

SPIRED

Name Salon / College Address

Tel No Mobile No Email Please enter me into:

Category 3

Category 4

I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the competition rules and acknowledge that submission of the photographs/ digital images vests all rights, including intellectual and copyrights, in the name of the NHF. Work, either completed, or in part, together with the name of the stylist, salon or college may be displayed on the internet and/or used for exhibitions, NHF publications, newspapers and magazines and for any promotional material for the NHF. Entry grants this permission to the NHF.

Entrant’s signature Model’s signature I also confirm that the images supplied are my own work.

My model is under the age of 18 (Please tick if applicable) I: (Parent/Guardian) give permission For : (Minor’s name) to be photographed Signed:

(Parent/Guardian) Date

Credit /Debit Card Details Card type (please circle)

Credit card number Expiry date

Valid from date

Please collect sum of £

Issue number switch only

from my nominated card

Name on card Billing address

Return to: National Hairdressers’ Federation One Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business Park, Bedford, MK44 3WH t: 01234 831965 e: enquiries@nhf.info www.nhf.info

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 19

Further entry forms can be downloaded from: www.nhf.info

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

INSPIRED

NHF is supporting HABB with a donation from the event proceeds

The Hair and Beauty Benevolent Fund (HABB) is the industry charity helping hair and beauty professionals facing difficulties in their lives such as major illnesses, disability, bereavement, inability to work and financial pressures. Through donations and fundraising activities HABB supports more than 100 adults and children, changing their lives for the better. Why not make a donation today? www.justgiving.com/hbb/donate

Prizes generously donated by

in support of HABB

Closing date for entries 31st July 2014 Further entry forms can be downloaded from:

www.nhf.info or email your request to: enquires@nhf.info call: 01234 831965

BUSINESS FOCUS

Alert to change Eight months on from their launch, how are the NHF’s allergy alert colour cards benefiting salons? Laura Kerr of Rainbow Room International explains how the cards highlight the importance of regular skin testing.

RAINBOW ROOM: ALLERGY ALERT CARDS HAVE CHANGED ATTITUDES

We have 12 salons across Scotland as well as a large training academy. This means we always have a lot of apprentices coming through the business – 85 at the last count – Laura Kerr is so instilling best training director practice in them, of the Rainbow in whatever part Room International of their job, is Academy in Glasgow really important to us.

Within that, skin or allergy alert testing has always been something we’ve made a point of doing. For the past four to five years at least we’ve been proactively skin testing our clients.

Initially there was some resistance from clients but we just put our foot down and demanded that any new client always had a test 48 hours before their colour, and existing clients every 12 weeks. It was really hard at the beginning but we stuck with it.

Having said that, the fact we are a chain and have computerised systems means clients don’t necessarily have to go to the same salon to be tested as where they’ll be having the colour done; we do try to make it as flexible as possible.

www.nhf.info

So when the NHF launched its Allergy Alert Consultation and Colour Record cards it was immediately of interest. The fact when I went to the launch event in Stirling some salons there admitted they did not skin test at all – which was frightening – shows how important these cards are for our industry.

They are a great tool but, technically, we don’t actually even use them! That is because what we’ve done is take the information, the questions, and computerised it – the questionnaire on the card is now on our booking system.

It’s meant we’ve had to train the reception team in how to input the data and what questions to be asking over the phone, but everyone has been very quickly on the ball about it.

Important for industry

The fact it’s all computerised means it’s really easy to see the last date someone has come in and whether they need to be having a test. Another benefit of having it on the computer is that after it has been inputted it’s non-amendable, which gives an extra layer of transparency and security of data.

Our regular clients no longer need to have a test every 12 weeks; we’ve been able to extend it to a year, assuming there are no contra-indications or things the card highlights, such as a new tattoo or permanent make-up.

Client friendly

It is much less hassle for the clients and much more client friendly. Before, there were occasions when we lost clients because of the fact they had to have the test every 12 weeks.

With the cards, we’ve definitely seen a change of attitude among our clients; we’ve even had occasions where clients have said “do I need to come into the salon for a test?” or asking if they are overdue. It’s seen as more the salon supporting and benefiting them than something that’s a chore.

It is vital to skin test clients, especially in this day and age. They are so many advertisements out there now for “no win, no fee” legal firms. But if you have followed the procedures, stuck to the legal guidelines set out by the NHF on these cards, then you know you are covered.

The Allergy Alert Consultation and Colour Record Card was unveiled in September 2013 and is a joint project between the NHF and the Freelance Hair Association (FHA) in consultation with the Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association.

It can be used by salons insured

by Coversure Insurance Services, the NHF’s preferred insurance broker and broker Just Hair Insurance, as well as freelancers or self-employed hairdressers covered via the FHA’s members’ policy.

The first page is split into six columns, covering the date; whether a client has answered “yes/no” to the consultation questions; the colour brand; whether a base shade level or colour combination has been used; the stylist’s and the client’s signature.

The second page incorporates a range of “yes/no” answers (or “stop” if a client is under-16) focused on an initial allergy alert test, a repeat test and an annual test.

The cards come in packs of 100 plus a set of guidelines, free of charge (£4.50 postage charge applies) from the NHF through the online shop, at www.nhf.info, or over the phone, on 0845 345 6500.

The NHF has also now launched an online “FAQ” factsheet about the cards, which can be found at: http:// members.nhf.info/advice-andresources/fact-sheets/

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 21

BUSINESS FOCUS

Cash in hand?

With more and more clients wanting, and expecting, to pay by card, what do salons need to think about when it comes to accepting “cashless” tips? Marc Westerman outlines how he keeps his staff, accountant and the taxman happy.

Making a profit out of passion was, and still is, a wonderful by-product of why we originally started the business: because we love hair.

As a result our business has evolved over the last 27 years and has seen many changes, especially in terms of Marc Westerman is consumer behaviour. co-director of salon One area where chain Westrow this is most apparent www.westrowhair. is how clients spend. co.uk, which Credit cards have operates eight salons become an essential across Yorkshire and part of doing business a training academy and something in Leeds. He is a two that has altered times winner of the dramatically from Business Director of the predominantly the Year award at the cash-fuelled business British Hairdressing Westrow enjoyed Business Awards when we started in 1987.

These days more than 90 per cent of our clients across our eight salons pay by credit card. While this helps to eliminate fraud, it can make managing tips a monetary minefield, as more and more clients are asking if tips can also be paid via credit card.

Policy on tips

So what do we do? At Westrow our policy it is that it up to the individual franchisees

running the salons to decide whether or not they accept tips on credit cards. That’s meant we’re pretty much split 50/50.

The reasons why some salons have said no vary, but it’s mostly the feeling it complicates the system, plus the fact tips on credit cards are seen by HM Revenue and Customs as extra income into the salon and therefore taxable. Even in salons that do accept card-based tips, we don’t tend to advertise the fact.

But the other side of the coin is that, as more and more clients are paying by credit card, the trend is definitely downwards on the amount of cash tips left for the stylists/assistants.

If a client specifically requests to add a tip by card, we do make sure all our salons honour it as, at the end of the day, it’s about enhancing the client experience and responding to their needs.

Offer cash-back

If a salon has the appropriate payment processing technology in place, a useful alternative, we find, is to offer cash-back, so enabling the client to give a cash tip.

This is something we are looking at implementing across all of our salons in the future, along with mobile point-ofsale.

At Westrow, tips have never been a significant part of any of our salon’s cash flows; they have always gone directly to the individuals who have carried out the service. We have also never had a tip

WESTROW: MAKE SURE STAFF UNDERSTAND TIPS POLICY

PAGE 22 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

If you read nothing else read this…

• Clients are increasingly expecting to pay, and tip, by card • Offering cash-back can be a good half-way house • It is important to be aware of tax and minimum wage issues • Salons may need to respond to, and anticipate, change as it comes pooling or tronc scheme in place (where tips are shared out to tronc members).

Part of the reason for this is, again, the complexity of doing this. A tronc has a special status for the purposes of HMRC regulations relating to income tax and National Insurance. For a tronc to comply with HMRC regulations, it is an essential requirement workers, not the employer, decide who participates in the tronc and how distributions are made.

Another important point for salon owners to bear in mind is that from 2009 it was no longer possible to use tips to bring someone’s pay up to the national minimum wage.

Government guidance

The government has a code of best practice on tips that advises how employers should handle tips, which can be found online at www. revenuebenefits.org.uk or by typing into your search engine a phrase such as “government code of practice gratuities”.

This includes useful information on how tips are distributed (if a tronc is used); if cash and card tips are treated differently; deductions from tips and what happens during leave and so on.

Finally, when it comes to keeping the taxman happy, we find it’s better tips are accepted by the individual who has carried out the service for the client rather than the company as a whole.

The best business decisions come down to timing and, when we feel the time is right for each salon to accept tips on credit cards, we will undoubtedly implement a company-wide policy.

Until then, it’s a question of making sure all members of staff and all managers are well versed on the policies within each salon and can effectively deal with requests from clients on how tips work within their specific salon environment.

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BUSINESS FOCUS

Don’t comb over hair loss Alopecia is surprisingly common, yet many salons feel nervous about how to react when faced with a client looking for support for thinning or disappearing hair or access to a wig. Being there for clients at a difficult time is not just the right thing to do, it’s good business sense too, as SalonFocus discovers.

According to the charity Alopecia UK, approximately 1.7 per cent of the UK population, both men and women, are affected by alopecia or hair loss. That may not sound like much but, given that it’s estimated our population is now around 63.2 million, that’s nearly 1,100,000 people.

Wendy Cummins, owner of Quiffys salon in Eastleigh, Hampshire, suffered alopecia six years ago after her parents died, losing (thankfully temporarily) a third of her hair.

“It is something many people do not think about, and it is terrible. In my case it was absolutely related to stress. I would like to see the stigma attached to it being tackled more – it is still a taboo subject – and salons can play a role in that,” she says.

Wig ‘lottery’

or 20 wigs can potentially be a very effective retail point,” says Simone.

“And from a client loyalty/relationship perspective, just being there for someone at a really vulnerable point in their lives, just for them to have someone to turn to and speak to, that is so, so valuable too,” she adds.

“When you have alopecia it can often be a struggle to get referred to a specialist; I really had to fight. The NHS wig service does its best but it is a lottery, both in terms of variability of the service and because it doesn’t tend to offer wigs for all hair types. My hair, for example, is naturally tightly curled, and so I had no chance!” Wendy adds.

Simone Thomas, owner of hair loss, thinning and hair replacement specialist Hair Loss Bournemouth (http:// hairlossbournemouth.co.uk) and the salon MWAH, also in Bournemouth, couldn’t agree more. She, too, has suffered from ALOPECIA: SALONS CAN OFFER SUPPORT alopecia, losing her hair twice before the age of 30.

Ways to get involved Yet salons – the obvious, convenient place for someone to go for advice, a wig or (at the very least) just for some comfort One useful resource available to hairdressers is Trichocare and solace – don’t often tend to be geared up to helping clients (www.trichocare.co.uk), which specialises in trichology and at what is often a very vulnerable time in their lives, she argues. education in the diagnosis and treatment of hair and scalp “We’ve been running now for two years and there are 12 problems. It has run professional development courses for salons around where we are, and yet we now get so many more than a decade. referrals from them because of hair loss; because they don’t Another resource available to hairdressers is the UK Wig feel they have the skills or the training to be able to help clients,” School (www.ukwigschool.com), created by Maria Rosa she says.

Lopez, president of the Spanish Wigmakers Association and “Knowing how to respond as a stylist to someone whose chief executive of wig-maker Tricho Alopecia Solutions. hair is falling out, or knowing what to say or even just the The school offers training in a wide range of hair hairdressing skills – that’s not something taught in college,” replacement and related courses and, argues Maria Rosa, she adds. increasing demand for wigs is a potential commercial opportunity for many hairdressers.

Expert advice “Not only can wig-making serve clients who suffer from No one, of course, is expecting salons to become medical trichotillomania, alopecia or chemotherapy, but it can also stand professionals. But offering access to a wider variety of wigs (as for cosmetic purposes. With the stigma of wearing wigs rapidly well as advice on fitting, care and styling), being a source of decreasing and their use becoming socially accepted, more expert tips on managing, styling and protecting thinning hair, people are requesting hair pieces for every day wear, whether even just being prepared to spend a bit of time with the client that be full on wigs or partial hair pieces,” she says. can all be immensely valuable.

A further way to get involved is through the my new “Salons aren’t going to do this for the money; it’s going to hair charity http://www.mynewhair.org founded by Trevor be because they care about the relationships they have with Sorbie, which supports a network of salons providing wig their clients and their communities. But at the end of the day, of styling services. course you want to earn money from what you do. And, say, 10

PAGE 24 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

In-salon · In-store · Online

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TOOLBOX: SOFTWARE

Card conundrums A payment revolution or a data and security minefield? SalonFocus weighs the pros and cons for salons of moving to offering contactless payment and even payment via mobile phone.

According to the UK Cards Association, the trade association for the UK card payments industry, there are now around 36.3 million credit and debit cards in circulation in the UK that have contactless “functionality”, or the ability to be used to make contactless payment.

Contactless payment is where a shopper pays for an item simply by holding their contactless card a few centimetres above a special payment terminal rather than inserting it and keying in a PIN. As yet, contactless transactions are limited to £20, meaning they are still below the threshold for probably the majority of purchases within a hairdressing salon. But, according to James Frost, chief marketing officer for payment processor Worldpay, the expectation is this will rise to the £30-35 mark over the next two to three years.

“Customers are increasingly looking for the fastest, easiest ways to pay, and are using cash less often,” he says.

This means in turn, argues Chris Davies, managing director of another payment processor Global Payments, salons are likely to find themselves encountering a growing number of customers expecting to be able to pay via contactless cards.

“Contactless transactions can be processed in just a few seconds, so it can be quicker than taking cash payments… customers are keen to pay by card and that demand is growing,” he says.

A payment revolution

Contactless is also the first step in a wider payment revolution, with the next level being payment via mobile phone, where the mobile phone becomes in effect the contactless card.

So, how should salons be responding to these changes?

Aaron Baker, payment products manager at mobile and contactless payments specialist Weve, argues upgrading your payment technology to contactless and mobile is relatively straightforward.

PAGE 26 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

“Hairdressers, salons or small independent retailers can hire a contactless terminal from their bank; in fact a lot of banks nowadays tend to provide contactless terminals as standard,” he says.

“If you have a terminal that accepts contactless, it will be able to accept mobile payment. Contactless transactions should cost less than regular Chip and PIN while transactions via mobile are also cheaper,” he adds.

You will probably need to dedicate some time to training staff. You may also want to consider advertising the fact you now accept contactless payments. When it comes to charges levied it makes sense to ask around and see who is offering the best deal, he advises.

But there is also a wider issue: should you be getting into this at all?

One of the ongoing questions around contactless and mobile payment has been how secure it is and the potential for accidental payment, for example if a customer’s card is “read” while, say, in a pocket.

Indeed, a poll last year by eDigitalResearch suggested fears about security remain, for now, one of the biggest obstacles to consumer take-up.

To that end, there is an argument that

CONTACTLESS PAYMENT: COMING TO A SALON NEAR YOU?

it may make sense to watch and wait, to see how this technology beds down and whether it does become accepted by shoppers.

On the other hand, consumer champion Which? has made the point that, although contactless transactions do not require a PIN, card issuers do restrict the number of transactions that can be made before a PIN has to be inputted, precisely to prevent fraudulent activity.

“Our research suggests a thief would be able to spend between £45 and £100 before being asked to provide a PIN,” technology researcher Robert Leedham suggested in a money guide published last autumn.

Fraudulent transactions on contactless cards are also protected by the same rules that apply to other card payments.

On accidental payments, someone could be charged if they are standing within 10cm of a reader. “But in practice, most terminals will not take payment until the card is a couple of centimetres away,” Robert said.

“Contactless terminals are programmed so that they only take one payment from one card for any one transaction. Readers have also been designed to reject payment if two contactless cards are presented at the same time,” he added.

If you read nothing else read this…

• Contactless and mobile payment technology is developing fast but is, as yet, mostly for smaller transactions • It is relatively simple to upgrade, though staff training might be needed • But there are consumer worries, especially about security and the potential for accidental payment

Tickets just £35 each Back by popular demand, we are delighted to offer an inspirational evening of hair creativity from the famed Sassoon Creative Team, led by Bruce Masefield and Edward Darley.

The evening will see the Sassoon Creative Team expertly and confidently showcase their cutting, colouring and presentation skills on stage. The latest academy collection, PRAIRIE, will be featured.

Giving hope in times of difficulty and need

All money raised through ticket sales will support HABB’s many beneficiaries.

14th July 2014, 7.30pm - 9pm – Sassoon Artistic Team Wella Studio, 93 Mortimer Street, London W1W 7SS

Call us on 01737 212 494 or email teresa.frise@ntlworld.com Our supporters

TOOLBOX: EQUIPMENT

Book a date in your diary for going computerised Moving to a computerised diary system can feel intimidating, especially if your paper-based system has worked well for years. But, as salon owner Mark Dalley found, there can be instant benefits.

Liaisons has been a successful salon for the past 18 years and my wife Angela, who is a beautician by training, took over the running of the business nine years ago, the same time we joined the Federation.

We have five stylists and a salon manager, Catriona. Because we’re well established we’d never really felt the need to switch from our paper diary and booking system. There was an apprehension it would cause a lot of disruption, a fear it’d end up taking longer to book customers in and we’d need to be much more computer literate than we were.

But at the same time we did recognise we needed to modernise and tap into the potential marketing opportunities that can come with having a computerised system.

Speak to colour reps

I started off by doing a bit of research online and asking visiting colour reps what they saw other salons using. I spoke to several big players but in the autumn we finally decided to go with Premier Software, buying its booking and e-diary Premier Salon system for £2,200 plus a three-year £24-a-month support package.

From paying the deposit it all happened in about three to four weeks,

with the system being installed in November. I provided information on our prices, staff rotas and hours and it was all configured for me; so it was really straightforward.

We gave everyone a day’s training but we kept the paper diary running alongside to give the girls time to play around with it before it went “live”. December, of course, is also an extremely busy time and we didn’t want to do anything that made things more complicated or risked losing us business. This meant when we made the switch in February, once things were a lot quieter, people were able to get behind it quickly.

Client monitoring

I’ve instantly seen benefits. Cashing-up and booking clients in is more efficient, as is looking at future appointments and monitoring client history. You can see more easily how well staff are performing, which is great for appraisals or setting goals. Each day I get a text telling me what the sales have been; so I can track how the salon is doing from my phone! I can also text customers and use the system as a promotional tool.

My advice? Apart from, as we did, running it alongside your existing system for a period, I’d think about what it is you specifically want it to do – where or how

HAPPILY COMPUTERISED: MARK DALLEY WITH WIFE ANGELA (LEFT) AND SALON MANAGER CATRIONA.

PAGE 28 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

exactly is it going to help your business?

With something major like this, it’s worth taking a bit of time, asking lots of questions, working through possible scenarios and, if you can, speaking to other salons who have gone through the process.

Also, don’t assume that you need to buy every add-on. I, for example, went out and bought a receipt printer separately, and more cheaply, and it’s worked just as well.

My final tip would be simply to have the courage to let go of your paper system. I can now see every appointment a customer has made; see trends and connections or if, say, a customer is regularly cancelling at the last minute.

It is just about bringing the salon into the 21st century.

Mark Dalley is managing director of Liaisons salon in Birmingham

How to say “goodbye” to your paper diary Moving to a computerised diary can seem daunting but the benefits of increased client contact, better time management and performance monitoring tell their own story.

Jessika Carrera-Maybury, head of Premier Salon, outlines her top tips.

•• Do your research and shortlist the companies you want to see.

The NHF may be able to help with recommendations.

•• Get clear quotes from potential suppliers and make sure you read the small print.

•• Make sure you understand all the ongoing costs and what is or is not included in any support package.

•• Look at combined software, hardware and package options.

Purchasing a complete package could well save you money.

•• Get staff “buy in”. Show them how the software will improve their client relationships and their turnover; with self-employed staff you could even charge a monthly fee.

•• Don’t get stressed! Your supplier will have been through this process many times with other salons and so should hold your hand all the way.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Contact Dermatitis in Salons – Help is at Hand!

Contact dermatitis – a real challenge for salon owners and staff! Dr. Stefan, Managing Director of Reamin Hand Cream shares his expertise on how to prevent dermatitis from affecting your most valued asset - your hands.

How REAMIN works and why it is different from barrier creams

Unprotected skin from wet work allows irritants, toxins and viruses to enter deep into the skin, causing inflammation (dermatitis).

According to official statistics of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) up to 70% of hairdressers will get some form of dermatitis during their careers. Overall, dermatitis is bad for business. Hairdressers can be ashamed of their hands and customers might get a bad impression.

Suffering from contact dermatitis is also bad for staff morale, and absence cost due to illness can be high, not to mention the problems of a high staff turnover. In some cases salon professionals even have to change their beloved profession, meaning salons are at a big risk of litigation if the right protective measures for preventing dermatitis are not provided in the salon.

Contact dermatitis is so frequent in hairdressing due to the combination of working in a wet environment (e.g. frequent hand and hair washing) together with the regular contact with soaps, colours, dyes etc. which all are harmful to our skin if unprotected.

With the special requirements of hairdressers in mind REAMIN’s unique formula was especially developed to really quickly and completely absorb into the skin.

Additionally, being based on beeswax, REAMIN reinforces the skin’s natural protective layer, keeping toxins, bacteria etc. outside and the skin’s own moisture inside the skin (see below). The qualities of natural beeswax - being water repellent, anti-bacterial and wound healing - makes beeswax ideal for preventing dermatitis and also curing early signs of dermatitis, such as dryness, redness and itching. And finally, the best proof of REAMIN’s protective qualities is the fact that it works perfectly to contour protection for colours and perms.

What can be done to prevent dermatitis?

The best general principle to manage the risk of dermatitis is the A-P-C approach: AVOID means where possible reduce the time of wet works and exposure to irritating chemicals from coming into contact with the skin. This could be by regular job rotation, especially of shampooing, and by using less irritating chemicals.

PROTECT means wearing gloves and using a protective pre-work cream. Gloves can be very useful, but also have their challenges; not only that you can get allergies from latex gloves (so always use non-latex), but they can make you sweat inside and this has the same effect as working with water. Also gloves cannot be worn all day long to protect from irritants around the salon i.e. hairspray. So the combination with a pre-work cream helps maintain your skin’s natural protective layer at all times. Also the Health & Safety Executive recommends on its website especially to: “use suitable pre-work creams”.

CHECK ultimately means to regularly watch your skin for early signs of dermatitis and to take the necessary steps at the earliest stage possible. People often say “I am all right” but when they look at their hands, they are not!

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FEDERATION FOCUS

Your guide to the hairdressing, barbering and beauty ‘trailblazers’

The government in March confirmed that hairdressing, barbering and beauty will be among its second wave of ‘trailblazers’ helping to reform apprenticeship training. SalonFocus guides you through who’s who, and what will be happening over the coming months.

The “trailblazers” are a key element of the government’s ambitions, in the wake of the 2012 Richard Review, to develop and introduce new, more employer-led and employer-based apprenticeships during 2015/16 and 2016/17.

A first wave of trailblazer employers was announced last October, covering eight sectors: aerospace, automotive, digital industries, electro-technical, energy, financial services, food and drink, and life and industrial sciences.

Hairdressing, barbering and beauty are part of the government’s second wave of trailblazers, announced in early March.

The government has emphasised it is keen to move quickly and develop standards and high level assessment for the newlook apprenticeships within three to four months from the launch of the second wave, so effectively by the end of June.

It is intended that a consultation will be held during the second half of this month, electronically and on paper, to communicate with and gain feedback from salons, training providers and others.

The ambition is that the new-style apprenticeships will be simple and easy-to-understand, with ministers in fact having specified they should be able to be explained on a single sheet of A4 paper.

They will need to work for small and large businesses alike and, crucially, will need to include a range of practical tests

and grading at the end of each programme.

The end result, the government hopes, is to have apprenticeships that are relevant for the industry they are serving and which will give employers the confidence that if they take on an apprentice they will have the basic skills required of them and, in turn, be employable in a permanent position upon qualification.

‘Strategic group’

The trailblazer “strategic group” of 10 hair and beauty salons and barber shops, or chains, are the public face of the hairdressing, barbering and beauty trailblazer activity.

The group comprises leaders in their respective fields, split between large and small businesses and has been drawn from a broad mix across the industry.

There are two lead representatives: Hellen Ward, of Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa, for hairdressing and George Hammer, of Urban Retreat, for beauty (see below).

Operating in tandem with the working groups (see right), the strategic group will be expected to feed into and lead the development of a broad outline for new-style apprenticeship standards.

The trailblazers will, as the government has put it, “provide clear examples of effective practice and approaches which others can build on”.

The lead representatives Chair and lead representative for hair Hellen Ward, managing director of Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa in London, oversees one of the country’s largest and highest grossing salons.

More than 1,000 clients visit per week and the salon reports an annual turnover in excess of £5.5m. It employs more than 80 hair and beauty experts, including 18 apprentices.

Hellen is a member of the NHF and sits on several comittees of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing.

She is a council member of the City & Guilds’ National Advisory Committee for hairdressing and past president of the industry charity Hair and Beauty Benevolent.

Chair and lead representative for beauty George Hammer, chair of Urban Retreat, also in London, is famous for introducing the Aveda brand to the UK, as well as being the brains behind Covent Garden’s The Sanctuary spa.

George is well-known for being one of the biggest names in the beauty industry. He is also chairman of the Habia Skills Academy.

PAGE 30 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

FEDERATION FOCUS The NHF’s role

The strategic group

While the trailblazer activity is being led by individual employers, it is being strongly supported by the whole industry, with the NHF and sector-skills body Habia both playing an important support role.

The NHF and Habia will provide practical support in terms of the secretariat, arranging meetings and supporting employers.

Habia brings experience to help with drafting apprenticeship standards, while the NHF has a central role in securing employer engagement.

NHF chief executive Hilary Hall and John Armstrong, chair of the Federation’s education committee, will also be providing ongoing support to the process.

•

HILARY HALL: SUPPORT

•

Chair and lead representative for hair – Hellen Ward, managing director, Richard Ward Hair and Metrospa, London.

Chair and lead representative for beauty – George Hammer, chair, Urban Retreat, London.

Large employers: • Regis UK – represented by senior vice president and UK managing director Jackie Lang and senior HR business partner Helen Buck.

• Saks – represented by managing director Stephen Kee and head of education Tina Rook.

• Toni&Guy – represented by Brenda Mail, general manager and deputy to chief executive Toni Mascolo.

Small employers: • Philosophy Hairdressing, Oxford, Witney and Abingdon, Oxfordshire, represented by technical director Mark Creed.

• UR Beautiful, Kingston upon Thames, represented by managing director Mary Bell.

• Fusion Hair & Beauty, Great Yarmouth, represented by owner Kevin Huggins.

• Rogers of Chell Barber Shops, Chell, Sneyd Green, Leek, Meir, Smallthorne and Congleton in Stoke-on-Trent, represented by director Gary Machin.

• Phase 1 Hair, Nail & Beauty Lounge, Blackpool, represented by owner Yvonne McConnell.

The working groups The strategic group of trailblazer salons is being supported by working groups in hair and beauty.

These will do a lot of the groundwork in terms of working out the broad outline and detail of the new apprenticeship standards and will meet on a regular basis during the trailblazer process. The working groups comprise the following members: Hair working group • Alan D Hairdressing, London, represented by director of education Edward Hemmings.

• Chop & Change, Addlestone, Surrey, represented by owner Julie Wells.

• Quiffys, Eastleigh, Hampshire, represented by owner Wendy Cummins.

www.nhf.info

• RG Hairdressing, Oxford and Witney, represented by owner Richard Clarke.

• Fusion Hair and Beauty Consultants, Great Yarmouth, represented by owner Kevin Huggins.

• Rubies Hairdressing, Huddersfield, represented by owner Louise Hunter.

• Niche Hairdressing, Stockton-onTees, represented by owner Patricia Waters.

• Regis UK, represented by artistic director and head of education Angela Dolan.

• Andrew Collinge, Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, Heswall (the Wirral) and Ormskirk, Lancashire, represented by training division manager Sarah Collinge.

• The Master Barber’s Shop, Southport, represented by owner Robert Rix. • Rogers of Chell Barber Shops, Stoke-on-Trent, represented by director Gary Machin.

• Lady PJs Hairdressing and PJs Barber Shop, Bristol, represented by owner Lizzy Tucker.

• Legends barber shops, Newbury and Hungerford, Berkshire, represented by owner Mike Taylor.

• SG Hair, Sutton Coldfield, represented by owner Samanth Golding.

• Salon ABV, Dartford, represented by owner Abbey Asho.

• RUSH salon chain, represented

by Tina Brisley, director NVQ education.

Beauty working group • Phaze 1 Hair, Nail & Beauty Lounge, Blackpool, represented by owner Yvonne McConnell.

• Hidden Beauty, Tarporley, Cheshire, represented by managing director Angela Bartlett.

• Beauty Time, Bristol, represented by owner Maria Mason.

• That Nail and Beauty Place, Folkestone, represented by owner Sarah Abel.

• The Stress Exchange, London, represented by owner Ian Egerton.

• Armonia Health and Beauty, Selby, North Yorkshire and Hatfield, Doncaster, represented by chief executive Diane Hey.

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 31

CASE CONFIDENTIAL

A holiday headache

employee mean they have been unable to give proper notice, as was the case in this instance.

Additionally, given that this was not the first occasion in the salon that a holiday had been declined on the basis of business need, there could be adequate reliance on the NHF terms and conditions in respect of this matter too.

Put it in writing

Sarah Merry, employment consultant at Croner, operator of the NHF’s Legal Lifeline, analyses a reallife call to the helpline and the advice subsequently offered to the salon owner.

In a recent case referred to the Legal Lifeline, a salon owner called to query the rights of the employer regarding annual leave requests.

The employee, who we shall call Sharon, was a qualified stylist and had approached the salon manager on a Monday morning to ask for a week’s annual leave, to start the following week.

As the salon was approaching one of its busiest times of the year and already had one stylist who was signed off sick and would not be back that week, the salon manager decided to decline the annual leave request.

Sharon reacted badly to this and approached the salon manager for an explanation.

Notice before booking

The manager explained that, although the NHF terms and conditions relating to requesting annual leave clearly state that four weeks’ notice is required to book holiday, she did not always impose this and accommodated holiday requests with less notice if she possibly could.

However, she also highlighted that she had on previous occasions been

PAGE 32 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2014

forced to refuse holiday requests on the basis of business need, and so her declining Sharon’s request was not a oneoff incident.

Nevertheless, Sharon was very unhappy the request had been declined, as her husband had booked a surprise holiday to celebrate their wedding anniversary, which was why she had been unable to give more notice. She then told the salon manager she would be going anyway.

The salon manager had asked her to see if her husband could re-arrange the booking for another time as that way the holiday need not be cancelled only re-arranged, but the stylist was adamant that she would not do this.

The salon manager then rang the Legal Lifeline for advice on how to resolve this situation.

The advice was that, under the Working Time Regulations, an employer always has the right to decline any annual leave request if the business cannot accommodate it.

This applies even when the required period of notice has been given or when circumstances beyond the control of the

Armed with this advice, the salon manager went back to Sharon and informed her again of the decision to decline the annual leave request, emphasising that she was required to attend work the following week as normal.

In addition, given her refusal to even consider re-arranging the dates booked and the previous conversations that had been had around this issue, the salon manager had been advised to put this requirement to attend work in writing.

On top of this, it was advised the salon manager spell out the specific consequences to Sharon of her not attending work, namely that if she did not attend and the absence turned out to be non-genuine that disciplinary action may result, which could result in the termination of her employment. The result? She re-arranged her holiday.

What the Legal Lifeline offers you: • •

24/7 employment-related queries Advice on commercial matters, 9am-5pm Monday to Friday

Access to the Legal Lifeline is available by calling 01234 831965.

Alternatively NHF members can log on to www.nhf.info. A summary of cover can be found on the reverse of your legal card carrier or by logging onto www.nhf.info.

The NHF operates a “fair use policy” for the lifeline. Members making an excessively high number of calls within a 12-month period may be charged £20 plus VAT per call. All calls to the Legal Lifeline are recorded and monitored

by Croner. If your chosen membership category does not include employer support service or your membership is unpaid at the time of any call a charge of £20 plus VAT will apply for all such calls made.

EVENTS

EVENTS Please send your events to the NHF at events@nhf. info by May 1 for July/August, July 3 for September/ October and September 8 for November/December.

Updated events listed on www.nhf.info

NHF EVENTS

OTHER

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June ‘HAIR-FACTOR’ The Welsh Hairdressing Championships, Cardiff City Stadium.

Contact: Carl Hinder on 07931 518642 or welshregion@nhf.info

May Southern Region Competition, Novotel, Southampton.

Contact: John Light on John.Light@live.co.uk

July Closing date for Photographic Stylist of the Year competition. Details at: www.nhf.info

May Central England Hairdressing Awards 2014, Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham.

Contact: Colin Gardner on 0121 378 3321

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11

September London Region Photoshoot, Goldwell Academy, London.

Contact: Mikaela Martin on 07500 704705

June London Region ‘Look and Learn’, Goldwell Academy, London.

Contact: Mikaela Martin on 07500 704705

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November Welsh Hairdressing Awards, Angel Hotel, Cardiff.

Contact: Carl Hinder on 07931 518642

June Barber Extraordinaire with Chris Foster, West Nottinghamshire College Contact: Anne McPherson on 07958 602179

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November Cheshire Championships, Romiley Forum, Stockport. Contact: Eileen Clough on 01253 406834 or Stephen Coles on stephen@coles29orangehome.co.uk

Business Events The NHF is during 2014 running a series of three business-focused events:

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November Britain’s Best 2014, Heritage Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Details at: www.britainsbest.me

• Delivering a great client experience • How to make your salon more profitable • Managing yourself and your team Anyone interested in attending these should contact NHF head office on 0845 345 6500 or events@nhf.info

How to make your salon more profitable:

MAY

19 – Nottingham

JUNE 2 – Preston 30 – Newcastle

www.nhf.info

OCT

20 - Chelmsford

NOV

3 – York 10 - Edinburgh

Managing yourself and your team:

JULY

7 – Peterborough 14 – Worcester

SEPT 22 – Derby

NOV

4 – Chester 11 – Edinburgh

Delivering a great client experience:

JUNE

SEPT

JULY

NOV

3 – Maidstone

1 – Darlington

1 – Reading

24 - Swansea

MAY/JUNE 2014 SALONFOCUS PAGE 33

SOCIAL MEDIA

All the latest hairdressing-related tweets posts, pics and comments.

@nhfederation National Hairdressers’ Federation Help us finish this sentence.

“What makes a successful salon owner____________” Kevin Aron Reader Treat your staff and clients as you would your family Tribute Magazine @TributeMagUk Fancy starting a business? Check out @NHfederation start-up guides to help http://ow.ly/uv50k Plan to succeed! hji @hji Dreaming of opening your own salon?

The @NHfederation has produced some handy (and free!) downloadable advice guides: http://bitly. com/1izJzGD

Hills Barber Passion & dedication June Tomley Knowing your staff are 100% commited to training Katie Folger Ashton Knowing how to motivate your team Sharon Hope Determination Terri Ward Being a leader not a boss, being able to motivate the team and individual clients and stylists, being able to make work exciting and enjoyable xxx Kerry Mather Focus, drive, talent, compassion, hard working, sensitivity, leadership skills, broad shoulders, empathy, patience, good judge of people and above all a sense of humour!!

Image Barber A good team Polly Anna Is PMA (positive mental attitude)!!

Edward Hemmings @alandhair @NHfederation thank you for great article about us and @habbcharity #charity

Christina Lazarou-Pennington Level headed salon manager/owner to be able to motivate your staff as individuals & as a team and a team player yourself as the owner/manager.

Lorraine Farmery Someone who shares the success

Barber Connect @BarberConnect Stand C4 @NHfederation

Dawn-Marie Taylor Enjoying this exciting journey for thirty years and a meaning to life!

National Hairdressers’ Federation Do you trade on a Sunday? How does this benefit your business?

BeBaBo Yes we open Natasha Short I open the first Sunday in every month and it’s always steady Angela Usher In the centre of Manchester all hairdressers are expected to be open… Maybe more demand in the cities?

Philip Todd We used to open near Christmas but I would say there is not much demand.

National Hairdressers’ Federation What is your most popular service right now?

Paul Watts Hairdressing Perm and Botox Hannah Mlatem Colours and bridal Georgette Perrins Colouring and cutting too, very popular at the moment Facebook likes: 8,757 Top Liker: Julie Marshall, Zazu Creative Hair Twitter followers: 3,321 Top Tweeter: Hairs & Graces @Hairs_Graces Connect with us. and have your comments and tweets in the next issue of SalonFocus

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Visit your local store | visit: www.astonandfincher.co.uk | Call us on: 0870 240 2176

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0800 458 81 81 www.coversure.co.uk/nhf PAGE 36 SALONFOCUS MAY/JUNE 2013