Delivering impact with training

The Middle Eastern beauty industry is a billion dollar business known for delivering the best of the best in cutting-edge trends and quality products, but not always in service delivery. With an expanding market of well-informed consumers who are invested in personal care and beauty treatments, projections are that the industry will continue to grow and increase in value. According to statista.com, revenue in the beauty and personal care market in the UAE amounts to US$1.14bn in 2023 and the largest market segment is personal care with a market volume of US$0.52bn

With an estimated 8 000 to 10 000 beauty salons in the United Arab Emirates, competition is fierce. It is not enough to just have an attractive storefront and to offer the latest and greatest in treatments. Salons must be the best at what they do on all fronts to retain customer loyalty and ultimately, to make a profit and to grow.

VR Beauty Consulting’s newly-launched training programme and the subsequent appointment of our Training and Development Manager Chanté Jacobs allows us to leverage decades of industry experience along with regional experience across the industry, to guide salon owners and their staff as to how to identify ways to improve and how to deliver incomparable service and a memorable client experience.

Chanté says she doesn’t want to just train, she wants to create an impact. 

“The way in which information was passed on to me and the passion with which it was delivered is what inspires me to deliver my training in the same way, with my own unique twist. I want industry professionals to remember what they have learnt and to use it on a day-to-day basis. And this is what I love about VR Beauty Consulting’s training programmes; they are a practical, 360 degree approach to suit individuals from all walks of life and they cater to every learning style. I believe they will fill a huge void in our industry,” she said.

Chanté believes that as a trainer, you should be aware and considerate of the individuals you are training and take a personalised approach that suits the individuals on the receiving end.

“I recently trained a group of talented industry professionals, for whom I realised the training terms in English would be a challenge to understand.  I adjusted my approach there and then to meet them ‘where they were at’ which ensured that they were still able to gain the knowledge they needed to succeed. This makes me extremely happy and proud that I was able to deliver the training in a way that was effective and helpful for them.”

There are many challenges facing the industry in the region today, which training can help overcome. One such issue is high staff turnover. Staff are not afraid to leave a job because there are always other places where they can find employment. Salon owners also don’t go the extra mile for their staff, because they question the value of investing in people who they believe will leave their employ at some point. 

“Investment in your staff is so important – they are the face of your business and they need to know how to do better. I strongly believe that if salon owners invested in training their staff and provided them with the tools they need to succeed, it would reduce staff turnover as it would lead to happier clients as well,” Chanté says.

Service levels in our industry are generally poor, across the board, because people working in the industry are not well-informed. They have the skills to do the job, but they don’t take the customer experience into account. Because staff are under pressure to drive money into the business, they are focused on getting clients in and out the door and they are not delivering a personal service. 

“Client retention in the industry is very low, people will go to a salon and then not go back, there is very little loyalty. This is true even from my personal experience. There are a number of salons that I have never returned to, due to lack of service,” she says.

Many beauty professionals in the region are not native English speakers, so they don’t want to interact with clients and are possibly fearful of asking people in charge for training or help, when they struggle.

“When there is a language barrier, staff are not confident in speaking to clients. This is an area where training can help. By training staff they naturally feel more confident and it  opens up the doors of communication, which leads to clients who feel more comfortable and happy,” she says,

Chanté is certain that the VR Beauty Consulting training programme is going to be appreciated because it is so different to traditional training currently available in the industry thanks to having incorporated elements such as personal presentations with animated training videos, in-salon delivery and interactive games that form part of the training experience, as well as because it is targeted and designed to address the unique dynamics present in the GCC region in particular.

“I feel that it is a great method, as it appeals to different learning styles, and it creates a fun learning environment. It allows trainees to engage and interact while learning and, in this way, the knowledge they are receiving becomes easier to understand and to remember. It is not just listening to someone and watching a presentation, it is hands-on and leads to a high level of learning,” she says.

“My focus is to deliver and ensure that they understand why what we are teaching is so important and then to drive the lesson home through the provision of realistic examples. Our training offers a new way of learning that enables us to meet people where they are and to help them learn regardless of their learning style.”

Looking forward Chanté hopes to break barriers and show beauty professionals the power of learning to help them achieve their goals in life. 

“I feel that those who have been in the industry for a while, tend to become complacent, but my goal is to open their minds and to challenge them to learn. Simply because I believe that as the beauty industry is growing, you should too.”

At VRBC we are passionate about our industry and we know the benefits that can be gained when salon owners and staff are passionate about their brand and what they do. Our training will not only teach you how to create the ultimate client experience but also how to change attitudes and create a positive, presentable culture, how to provide a service that creates trust and how to be consistent and engaging. By improving service levels, we know that you can drastically improve your business.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you in this regard, please email us at letsconnect@vrbeautyconsulting.com.