It has been just over a week since the beauty industry across England started to be unlocked. We caught up with Amy Card, who is the owner of Pure Emporium on Grandstand Road, the award winning salon will be reopening this week.
Amy told us about how she had to move swiftly when lockdown was announced four months ago.
“We acted very quickly when told by government to close on Friday 20th March, and this meant a huge amount of appointments needed to be cancelled. As a personal and service-based business over the last 4 months we have missed our clients profusely. I think I speak on behalf of everyone who works in the Beauty and Hair industry when I say that we are programmed to be around people and to enhance the way they feel. To not be able to provide these services has been challenging however the lockdown was essential regarding national health and this exceeds any businesses wants or needs.”
Many other salons offered plenty of social media advice, and Amy and her team were keen to keep the profile of the business maintained.
“It was always important to keep communication levels high with clients and therefore kept as many lines of communication open. Without our clients we would not have a business to return to! We tried to brighten people’s days with phone calls, messages, emails, and continuous social media updates. I also delivered updates regarding the business’ position at each stage. Our clients are the heart and soul of the salon and by staying in touch and offering help and a friendly chat wherever possible has also kept me focused and driven. To now be able to see clients in person rather than just virtually is amazing! The team and I have also carried out online training and staff meetings to keep skillset and knowledge high.”
From the 1st August under the easing of the lockdown Amy and the team will be able to include facial treatments. She added:
“The importance of the beauty industry has really been truly highlighted over the past 4 months regarding client’s well-being, mental health, and self-esteem. Anyone can paint their nails at home, or ask someone to give your shoulders a rub after a hard day, but there really is no comparison to visiting a private, calm and serene environment, taking time out of general day-to-day life, whilst being treated by a professional to correct personal concerns and where relaxation is the main goal. It is truly about the experience, the results, the knowledge, and the service where clients are the main priority”
