B

Boots

By Ella, Sunbol, Joeffrey and Tessa

THE BRIEF Boots are reinventing the way they do beauty to meet the ever-evolving needs and expectations of customers. Within our project here at boots we have reviewed Boots beauty services, considering what needs to change or be implemented to appeal to a wider range of customers. Whilst we have been looking at inclusivity for all customers, a large part of our research has been dedicated to looking at inclusivity for the LGBT+ community and whether there is a need for trans services and if the trans community would embrace these services. This is highly important to Boots due to the need to meet the high quality customer service at the heart of the company.

METHODS The findings and recommendations proposed came from a qualitative investigation into the experiences of individuals that have interacted with the beauty halls and beauty consultants previously. Data was collected via an online survey targeted at LGBT+ communities through online social media platforms.

The questions used were generated through researching contemporary issues and challenges that the LGBT+ community faces in relation to makeup brands, and services offered in beauty departments.

Respondents were recruited through targeted emails and word of mouth. In total, 28 participants have completed the online survey and have been anonymised following the GDPR guidelines.

FINDINGS Findings found from the qualitative and quantitative method have been organised around three key themes: 1. Skill and confidence building: Majority (80%) of respondents would like to attend an in-store class, building confidence on their beauty skills.

2. LGBT+ Visibility: Respondents have indicated the need for inclusive representation within beauty promotions and LGBT+ inclusivity in the current services provided.

3.

Segregation: Respondents stated that they would prefer an overarching service that can cater towards LGBT+ needs but does not isolate or target the community, as it can be construed as “othering�.

APPROACHABILITY

It’s of the utmost importance that customers feel comfortable approaching and speaking to Boots Beauty Specialists. Within our survey we asked what beauty halls could do to encourage people to interact more with a beauty specialist with the main response highlighting approachability and being more welcoming. Ensuring the customer feels at ease and creating a friendly, non-judgmental environment would ensure that the customer has an enjoyable experience at Boots. Ultimately, this comes down to the right behaviours and welcoming attitudes of how the specialists approach, communicate and take customers with them, we know all staff members follow the HUG model, but it there more a Boots beauty specialist could be doing?

Creating a safe place where the customers feel comfortable trying and playing with makeup sets a relaxed atmosphere. It was also stated numerous times within the survey that having a diverse range of staff would make them more likely to approach a staff member. A brand that advertises itself as inclusive and diverse should have representation of a diverse spectrum of colleagues, so that everyone can see someone to whom they can relate.

Furthermore, through our survey we found that when customers can visually see inclusivity, it would enable them to approach beauty specialists with confidence. A way in which this can be done is through signage. For example, through wearing the LGBT pin, the people who need to notice it will notice it, without shouting it out too obviously. Beauty specialists could furthermore wear a badge in the areas that they specialise in. For example one badge could have ‘talk to me about feminisation’ written on it.

CONFIDENCE 101 A rebranding of “My First” or a new service in itself, this service will focus on a more inclusive and diverse range of classes that will be more flexible than five minutes. Confidence 101 will be a oneto-one consultancy which will feature a runtime accommodating the individuals specific needs. From our research of the LGBT+ community, we found that there is a demand for more tailored and inclusive classes that will require less time constrained ad-hoc advice. One respondent stated, “Having a welcoming space to support transitioning individuals, giving a tailored service sounds amazing” The skills and tips learned by the Boots Beauty Specialist for the “My First” service can easily be transferred and utilized to “Confidence 101”. Below, we will feature a menu of classes that follow the same format as “My First” but with the objective of making it more diverse and inclusive. This is supported by our research, with one participant stating, “I think some groups within the LGBT+ community might benefit from more targeted services, perhaps to help to normalise a situation or to show that beauty is for everyone and can mean different things to different people”.

FINDING YOUR FEMININITY OR MASCULINITY This is one of the classes within the menu that will require a more flexible time frame. Finding your Femininity/Masculinity is a step by step class facilitated by the BBS that will focus on enhancing an individual’s femininity or masculinity. This class will contain catered makeup skills for transitioning individuals that are easy to follow and replicate.

The class will have a key focus on the nose, eyebrows and jaw/beard area which are important features for anyone transitioning. This approach of enhancing one’s femininity and masculinity is applicable to everyone but can be used as a medium to cater towards the transgender community. From our research, the theme of discretion is imperative in ensuring that any individual is not “outed” or feels pressured to “come out”. One participant answered that they would like to have a LGBT+ personalised service, “Yes! I would love this. Although, it would need to be handled sensitively so you don’t approach people and ‘out’ them without their consent” In the future, this class could be evolved into a longer workshop, where the one-to-one consultancy can become a group activity/session allowing individuals to network with similar like-minded individuals and to not feel alone.

FINDING YOUR ANDROGYNOUS IDENTITY

A rebranding of “My First” or a new service in itself, this service will focus on a more inclusive and diverse range of classes that will be more flexible than five minutes. Confidence 101 will be a oneto-one consultancy which will feature a runtime accommodating the individuals specific needs. From our research of the LGBT+ community, we found that there is a demand for more tailored and inclusive classes that will require less time constrained ad-hoc advice. One respondent stated, “Having a welcoming space to support transitioning individuals, giving a tailored service sounds amazing” The skills and tips learned by the Boots Beauty Specialist for the “My First” service can easily be transferred and utilized to “Confidence 101”. Below, we will feature a menu of classes that follow the same format as “My First” but with the objective of making it more diverse and inclusive. This is supported by our research, with one participant stating, “I think some groups within the LGBT+ community might benefit from more targeted services, perhaps to help to normalise a situation or to show that beauty is for everyone and can mean different things to different people”.

FINDING YOUR CONFIDENCE WITH...

The one-to-one class will be taught like step-bystep guide and will require the BBS to empathise and avoid technical jargon. Our research suggests that customers most often feel intimidated when approaching a BBS, and one respondent said they should “not be intimidating, or use language that the average person might not understand. Also asking questions to the customer to establish their needs/wants” Further, to create a genuine bond with a range of customers, providing the BBS with LGBT+ training can provide the necessary awareness to deal with sensitive subjects. LGBT+ training will encompass how to communicate effectively without fear of offending and illustrate accurate empathy, such as not intentionally pressuring individuals to “come out”. This will enable BBS to approach customers with confidence and in turn make the customer feel confident and comfortable.

You can choose the find your confidence with … where you can ask a specialist to help you with a specific area such as a red lip, smoky eye or contouring. Again any one can choose this service and it can be adapted to your skill level. Or you can tell them exactly what you want and they will help. It’s totally tailored to the individual’s needs

LGBT+ TRAINING Boots Beauty Specialist training could include a crash course on the importance and value of inclusion and diversity. The use of the correct pronouns, awareness of stereotypes and other misconceptions will only enhance a more comfortable and enjoyable customer interaction.

In-house LGBT+ Training One main approach of delivery for such training would be including the LGBT+ training into the existing BBS training days. The value of this approach would be that the BBS would have an opportunity to ask follow-up questions. However, it will impede on the existing content learnt.

LGBT+ Training Outline: · The training session can last from 20-30 minutes. · Following a collaborative learning format where three to four BBS are grouped together and actively engage together to learn the differences between gender, sex and sexuality and its significance to their customers. · This could include an ice breaker called “MythBusters” where BBS identify and learn from the common misconceptions and inappropriate language used towards the LGBT+ community, from a pile of snippets of example dialogues.

LGBT+ TRAINING Correct Pronouns Using the right pronouns is one crucial way of demonstrating inclusivity.

Therefore, when someone is transgender, you should call them by the pronoun they prefer. It’s best to ask a person their pronouns, rather than to assume.

Examples are: Trans women usually have “she/her” pronouns.

Trans men usually have “he/him” pronouns.

Nonbinary, genderfluid, or agender people use various pronouns, such as “they/them,” “ze/zim,” and others.

“Sex” usually refers to a person’s biology, while gender refers to their identity.

Some people use multiple pronouns, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that any pronoun is okay. For instance, someone might use “she” and “they,” but not “he.”

Appropriate Language 1. Listen to how people describe their own identity, gender, partners and relationships and reflect their choice of language.

2. Avoid making assumptions about a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity: use gender-neutral terms such as partner(s) 3. Many languages use terms to describe LGBT people which may be derogatory. If you are translating material, be aware of the cultural context of the terms you are using 4. A cautionary note: some LGBT people may have reclaimed derogatory words such as ‘dyke’, ‘fag’, ‘queer’ or ‘tranny’ to describe themselves but it isn’t appropriate for your organisation to use these words to describe people. As a general rule people should avoid using the label ‘homosexual’ as it is still viewed negatively. Most people are happy with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender but if in doubt - ask!

E-Learning LGBT+ Training Additionally, an E-learning approach would enable all BBS to have the flexibility to learn and pause when needed. Moreover, an LGBT+ training would follow Boots’ “HUG” methodology of understanding and going the extra mile. Ryssdal (2014) study found that in our modern times, the average attention span of an American is in the remit of eight to fifth teen seconds. This is shorter than a goldfish’s attention span of nine seconds. Therefore, to engage the BBS, a drip-feed method can allow the content to be chunked more easily, especially when inputted into the existing HIVE e-learning content. The benefit of this approach would be combining semantically related content into one card. For example, beard defining, or beard neutralization would fall under the card of “Face Shaping”.

LGBT+ Training Outline (Online): · The training can be facilitated through the existing HIVE platform. · The content can be broken down into smaller more manageable pieces of information and be spread throughout different cards. · A personalized video from the LGBT+ community describing their experiences and the importance of appropriate and sensitive customer interaction can create emotional buy-in for BBS. · A short quiz to test their knowledge following a BuzzFeed format can keep the visual learners engaged. · As an incentive for completing the LGBT+ training, BBS can obtain a LGBT+ badges for lanyards.

Furthermore, to increase engagement, a personal video from the inclusion and diversity officer and, if possible, a member of the LGBT+ community explaining their experiences, importance of awareness and misconceptions, would be useful. An emotional approach is more persuasive when compared a more methodological and logical approach.

This creates buy-in and helps motivate BBS to take action, go the extra mile and encourage education. On the other hand, if there were questions or misunderstandings, it would be harder to communicate and find answers. A method to solve this problem could be including a FAQ attachment.

Pin Badges There are many websites such as Amazon and eBay that sell Pride themed pin badges which can be an incentive for any BBS that has completed the LGBT+ Training. The retail costs on average is 70p to £1 per pin, however, when bought in bulk at a wholesale price, it can help reduce the costs significantly.

Identity Identifications Reference - https://www.studentminds.org.uk/lgbtqresearch.html There are a plethora of terms and labels used by the LGBTQ+ community that may be unknown or misunderstood, thus these definitions were taken from the Comprehensive* List of LGBTQ+ Vocabulary Definitions (Killermann, 2017).

Terminology Agender - a person with no (or very little) connection to the traditional system of gender, no personal alignment with the concepts of either man or woman, and/or someone who sees themselves as existing without gender. Sometimes called gender neutrois, gender neutral, or genderless.

Aromantic - experiencing little or no romantic attraction to others and/ or has a lack of interest in romantic relationships/behavior. Aromanticism exists on a continuum from people who experience no romantic attraction or have any desire for romantic activities, to those who experience low levels, or romantic attraction only under specific conditions, and many of these different places on the continuum have their own identity labels Asexual - experiencing little or no sexual attraction to others and/or a lack of interest in sexual relationships/behavior. Asexuality exists on a continuum from people who experience no sexual attraction or have any desire for sex, to those who experience low levels, or sexual attraction only under specific conditions, and many of these different places on the continuum have their own identity labels Bisexual - 1 a person who is emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to males/men and females/women. 2 a person who is emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to people of their gender and another gender . This attraction does not have to be equally split or indicate a level of interest that is the same across the genders or sexes an individual may be attracted to.

Cisgender - a person whose gender identity and biological sex assigned at birth align (e.g., man and assigned male at birth). A simple way to think about it is if a person is not transgender, they are cisgender. The word cisgender can also be shortened to “cis.�

Gay - 1 individuals who are primarily emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to members of the same sex and/or gender. More commonly used when referring to men who are attracted to other men, but can be applied to women as well. 2 An umbrella term used to refer to the queer community as a whole, or as an individual identity label for anyone who does not identify as heterosexual.

Gender non-conforming – a gender identity label that indicates a person who identifies outside of the gender binary.

Straight - a person primarily emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to people who are not their same sex/gender. A more colloquial term for the word heterosexual.

Transgender - A person who lives as a member of a gender other than that assigned at birth based on anatomical sex.Heterosexual - a person primarily emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex. Also known as straight.

Homosexual - a person primarily emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to members of the same sex/gender. This [medical] term is considered stigmatizing (particularly as a noun) due to its history as a category of mental illness, and is discouraged for common use (use gay or lesbian instead).

Intersex - term for a combination of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, internal sex organs, and genitals that differs from the two expected patterns of male or female. Formerly known as hermaphrodite (or hermaphroditic), but these terms are now outdated and derogatory.

Lesbian - women who have the capacity to be attracted romantically, sexually, and/or emotionally to some other women.

Pansexual – : a person who experiences sexual, romantic, physical, and/or spiritual attraction for members of all gender identities/ expressions. Often shortened to “pan.”

Polyamory / polyamorous – refers to the practice of, desire to, or orientation towards having ethically, honest, and consensual non-monogamous relationships (i.e. relationships that may include multiple partners). This may include open relationships, polyfidelity (which involves more than two people being in romantic and/or sexual relationships which is not open to additional partners), amongst many other set-ups.

AMBASSADORS In combination with our approachability recommendation, our research has highlighted the key theme of representation in the BBS, which can be done through diverse hiring. One individual stated, “Representation is a must - a brand that advertises itself as inclusive and diverse should have representation of a diverse spectrum of colleagues, so that everyone can see someone to whom they can relate.”

However, we would like to put an emphasis on, not only through diverse hiring, but through highlighting the range of unique skills each BBS possess. Boots Beauty Specialists are unbiased, empathetic, and authentic but most importantly, “obsessed”. We recommend having an “Ambassador” for a specific skill they are obsessed with such as contouring, and including their strengths and specialties on their name badge.

One example is that the name badge can have the phrase “Talk to me about…”

This will enable customers and colleagues to collaborate, share tips and have an appointed expert to be heralded. This idea was generated through one participant’s notion indicating, “Ensure that the specialist is diverse and varied in themselves (ensuring we as a business are hiring representative staff members in this area) and do more to advertise the services available.”

LOOKBOOK

A lookbook could be created for use in store within the beauty services not only representing the LGBT+ community but showing that anyone can wear makeup whether this be young, old etc. We have created a collage to portray the diversity that this lookbook would entail. Within this lookbook, the models could be the Boots beauty specialists themselves to showcase their skills, reflecting the actual services that they provide.

Through our research it has become evident that having a diverse range of models within this lookbook would be beneficial as Ian Alexander an ambassador of the LGBT community said, “boys can wear makeup.

I wish I had seen something like that’”. Within our survey an anonymous response furthermore stated that “a brand that advertises itself as inclusive and diverse should have representation of a diverse spectrum of colleagues so that everyone can see someone to whom they can relate.’’ Through implementing this lookbook within Boots stores it would reflect a true desire within the company to support the LGBT + community, celebrating the fact that everyone can wear makeup. The survey we conducted furthermore had a varied response and what was noticeable generally within the answers we received was the fact that it is important to not single out the lgbt community, one of the answers said ‘I don’t think the LGBT community should be treated as a separate department’ which is why this lookbook could be a huge success due to the diversity it entails, overlooking gender and focusing on individuality and confidence.

This Lookbook could be in the form of an interactive screen which would enable the customer to have some freedom and view the different looks how they please. If customers find it difficult to communicate verbally or are perhaps lacking in confidence to do so, the interactive screen would enable them to interact with Boots beauty services in a way that suits them. To make it interactive for the customer it could offer ‘frequently asked questions’ if the customer is not comfortable in speaking to a beauty specialist directly.

Furthermore, if a customer sees a look they like, due to the form of an interactive screen there could be a way you can actually book an appointment with a beauty specialist through the system to learn how to do a look, for many, putting info into a screen is much less daunting than talking to someone directly.

Another benefit to having a lookbook on this interactive board is the cost of it, digitalisation is always evolving and is cheap and easy to do.

Creating this lookbook could be an exciting way to develop digitalisation within Boots further.

TRY IT OUT Through researching it has become evident that a barrier for some customers within the LGBT + community is the fact that a lot of beauty advisors assume that they know how to apply makeup which in many cases is not true. For example, a transgender individual transitioning from one gender to the other could be trying makeup for the first time to find their femininity. Therefore, we have found that both approaches of starting with the basics (i.e. contouring) and services for those who are more familiar with makeup (such as, eyeshadow looks) would appeal to a wider range of customers.

It is daunting for many to try makeup for the first time and through talking to members from the LGBT+ community, they have touched on the fact that a customer may not want to buy a full-sized product if they are experimenting with makeup. A way that Boots could show a genuine interest in supporting customers with this fear would be to continue to give out testers like they already do so that customers would be able to practise at home with, which shows that Boots’ sole interest is not to just sell. And encouraging this to the Boots Beauty specialists would be beneficial. Services for customers trying makeup for the first time without the pressure to buy anything would furthermore help the customer feel at ease. If customers were not looking to buy a full sized product, the beauty specialists could introduce them to the mini products which are available within the Boots stores, for example a mini bronzer for someone trying contouring for the first time.

OPTION OF PRIVACY Having private beauty rooms would be beneficial for the LGBT+ community, as they may not feel comfortable in taking part in, for example, a mini masterclass, whilst other customers are present.

Private beauty rooms should be advertised as being available for anyone, as many people may not feel comfortable being watched whilst having their makeup done for a variety of reasons, but this service will particularly benefit those from the LGBT+ community.

For example, when asking members of the LGBT+ community what beauty halls could do to encourage people to interact with makeup consultants, and we were able to conclude that privacy is an important factor, with one response stating that beauty halls are “usually passed by a lot of foot traffic” and “slightly more privacy would be nice”.It may be costly to have private beauty rooms in stores, so there are some alternative options. For example, stores could have quiet corners where the services could take place.

INTRODUCTION OF LGBT BRANDS One of the ways in which Boots could become more inclusive is by introducing LGBT+ friendly makeup brands, such as Fluide, Milk and Jecca Blac. Milk, for example, in 2017 gave 50% of the proceeds from its Glitter Stick to the LGBT Community Center in New York.

Milk also sells a makeup set called “Wear Your Pride”, and 100% of proceeds go to the Center. By introducing these brands, the LGBT+ community will feel that they are represented and that Boots is a place where they can shop to fulfil their makeup needs. Furthermore, this may also encourage the LGBT+ community to make use of the beauty services offered by Boots.

From our research, one response stated that the introduction of LGBT+ friendly brands would be a good idea because “Inclusion is really important. We have brands for BAME, the older skin, focusing on teenagers, why would we not have one for the LGBT community?”. Boots has already introduced inclusive brands such as Fenty, and has seen a lot of success. Fenty promotes diversity through its wide range of foundation and concealer shades. Therefore, if Boots introduced brands such as Milk, it might be able to gain recognition as an inclusive brand among the LGBT+ community, just like it has among people of colour who have benefited from the introduction of Fenty.

Furthermore, we also found that although the introduction of LGBT+ friendly brands would be important in showing inclusivity and welcoming LGBT+ customers, it wouldn’t be a decisive factor for them when deciding whether or not to shop at Boots or whether or not to use the services offered by Boots. Therefore, along with the introduction of these brands, other steps would also need to be taken by Boots.

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PROMOTION AND MARKETING When promoting the beauty services at Boots, it is important to show that these services are being offered to everyone, not specifically to women. The importance of representation was shown, for example, when we asked members of the LGBT+ community, how beauty halls could encourage people to interact with makeup specialists, and one of the responses stated that “representation is a must - a brand that advertises itself as inclusive and diverse should have representation of a diverse spectrum of colleagues, so that everyone can see someone to whom they can relate.’’ Therefore, in order to show inclusivity and make the LGBT+ community feel that they can use the services offered, Boots should use a wide range of diverse models when promoting its services in adverts or on social media, as well as makeup consultants who are representative of the LGBT+ community. Social media can be very influential and if Boots can show itself as an inclusive brand on social media, more and more people will become aware of this and therefore become more likely to use the services.

TO CONCLUDE

We believe that the strongest recommendation that we have come up with is the confidence 101 service and training that goes along with it, as we believe there is a demand for an inclusive service Ensuring the BBS’ are on board with this enables the LGBT+ community to be understood and shows that the staff are going the extra mile to ensure customers feel at ease and included.

Furthermore, linking back to the importance of empathy and highlighting the Boots statement of ‘lets feel good’

BE YOU BE BEAUTIFUL

SURVEY RESULTS

Be your own kind of beautiful