The old adage is true: “You get what you pay for.” This is especially true when choosing a salon. If you want the best services you should decide to deal with a salon because of the overall value you receive, NOT because they are the lowest price.

Here’s why: Value = Quality + Service + Price

It is impossible for any business in any industry to offer the cheapest price, have the highest quality, and provide the best service all at the same time.

You can get high quality and super service, but you can’t get both and still get the lowest price.

Salons have a lot of overhead such as employees, products, leases, continuing education, etc. If their prices are “too good to be true” then they are cutting corners somewhere. Whether it’s in the quality of their services and products or the customer service they provide, something has to suffer to give you those low, low prices.

Total value is all three: Quality, Service, and Price.

The three most common problems you will have when you pick a salon based on low prices are:

Cheap salons don’t usually stand behind their work if there is a mistake. Sure, those salons might charge you less, but how will they treat you when you are not happy? To give the cheapest price they usually have low-wage, inexperienced employees with a license to practice but little or no real-world skills. They also cut corners by using cheaper products. The end result is “you get half of what you pay for.” And the little bit of money you save ends up costing you more in the long run, especially if you have to miss work because you’re locked in your room crying for 3 days after getting “butchered.” Believe me, there is a saying I always tell my clients: “The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten ...”

A salon that offers the lowest prices often has to compensate for being cheap with quantity. Not quality. Your salon experience is anything but relaxing when you are being herded like a sheep waiting for your turn to be shorn and then sent on your way. Many times these salons don’t even wash your hair; it’s just wet down with a spray bottle, and when you’re through they usually send you out with soaked hair. It’s tough to evaluate the end result when you can’t see it.  

And the final reason why picking the cheapest salon is a problem relates back to the low-wage, inexperienced stylists that are usually employed at these types of salons. Anyone can go through the schooling and have a license, but it’s the finishing schools and spending the time and money on furthering education and developing talent that really makes a “stylist.”

If you really care about keeping your hair in optimum health, whether you want to look polished and professional or stylish and trendy, whether you are interested in color that can enhance your natural beauty or turn you into a vibrant vixen, and if you want to be pampered, treated with kid gloves and learn beauty “secrets” from experienced experts, then don’t choose a salon based on price.

No two salons are really the same. Every salon has different services and different employees who have unique talents and specialties. Styling is a combination of talent, experience and skill. Most people don’t realize the time and money the best stylists put into their art. Contrary to what some people think, styling is not just a matter of cutting hair. It takes workmanship and talent to create really quality styles, and an eye for color and dimension to design a total look for an individual.

Communication is the key to picking the best salon for you:

Ask what type of training and experience the stylists have.

Ask how much time they will spend with you before the appointment.

Ask to see pictures of their work.

Ask to read testimonials of past clients.

Ask any other questions that are unique to your needs.

This will help you to decide if they are the best salon for you. After you ask your questions, it will become pretty obvious which salon you should choose. The salon that wants your business will prove to you that they are the best salon for you. Take your time and decide which salon you would like to use—but when you decide, you must be loyal to them. That brings us to Mistake #3.

You may think this is good for you because whoever can get you in soonest wins the appointment. And it is, to some extent. But here is why it usually isn’t a good way to deal with salons.

A good salon has enough loyal clients that they don’t have to deal with price shoppers. Once you find a good salon, you must be loyal. If you flip-flop from salon to salon, a good salon won’t be too motivated to keep YOU as a client. They will cater to their loyal clients.

Price is important. But price should not be more important than good quality and good service.

When you aren’t loyal to your salon, and only show up every 6 months for them to “fix” your cheap haircuts, who are you going to turn to when you need a favor? When your best friend that you haven’t seen since college calls and says she’s going to be in town for the weekend, and you’ve got an inch and a half of roots showing, who’s going to bend over backwards to get you looking your best for the reunion?

Every salon expects to bend over backwards for their loyal clients now and again; they might even see you after hours, or early in the morning or pull off a miracle  provided the client is loyal. The salon will do all they can to help you look your best for an unexpected special occasion.

All good salons will be loyal to you if YOU are loyal to them. Keep loyalty in mind when you choose your salon.

Mistakes happen when you rush!

When you’re in a hurry, you may not get enough time to communicate with your stylist to make sure you get exactly what you need. And sometimes one late client can push back schedules for the whole day. When you schedule a salon visit, don’t short yourself on time. Ask the salon how much time you should allow in your schedule and then add a half hour. You deserve it, it’s your time to treat yourself right—don’t rush it. Before you get serviced at the salon, talk with your stylist. Make sure he or she knows what your likes and dislikes are, what your “goal” is and how you will achieve your desired look.

You can save time, money and headaches from the very beginning with communication!

Why do most people do the opposite and find themselves at the mercy of their stylist? Because everyone takes the stylist for granted. Everyone assumes they read minds or that they can make you look just like the photograph you brought in even though you have a completely different hair type and face shape. Most everyone thinks the stylist is a “miracle worker” no matter what condition hair may be in. This just isn’t the case.

You should think of your stylist as your “beauty expert” and “project partner,” and you are the project. Consult with your stylist. Let them know in advance what you want. Ask them if they can give you any tips and ideas on creating a look and maintaining it between visits. A good salon will take the initiative in communication.

All reputable salons guarantee their services automatically. This means that if you are not happy, they will attempt to “fix” whatever it is for free, and if you still aren’t happy, they will return your money.

Unfortunately there are unethical salons that won’t do this. Instead they will argue with you for having “unrealistic expectations.”

An unethical salon may charge you for a re-visit, or refuse to give you your money back. The best thing you can do is pick a salon that guarantees their work. This way you know they have to be good and have good communication with you. There is no risk for you.

There are hundreds of thousands of licensed stylists. They’ve all gone to school, or been apprenticed and passed their state board exam. That doesn’t mean they are all good.

Hair styling is an art. Having a degree of talent is important, although the skills can be mastered with time and practice. It is important for stylists to continue their education and go through extra training such as “finishing schools.”

Don’t be shy. Ask stylists about their training and find out what kind of skills they have mastered before you put yourself in their hands.

Avoiding this mistake is probably your best bet at finding a fantastic salon. Ask to see examples of their work. If they don’t have a book for you to look through, ask for references. A good salon will happily give you references.

Ask for the names of at least three people who have visited the stylist you’re interested in, and call them and ask them if they are happy with the salon.

Also, ask to read through any testimonials the salon has from clients. This is the easiest way you can find a salon for you!