Chicago Salon Styling Chairs

Everyone part of the hair industry understands how the chairs you use can effect your business. Chicago as well as other major cities are lucky because you have a selection to pick from. Problem is you don't have everyone represented. You have a lot of lower prices importred pieces that simply don't last very long. You have a few very well made USA manufactured brands that all lack style.  A few Italian made lines that are both in style and made to last but priced way out of the budget of many shoppers. If you want high quality and a price point that is not cheap but in line then take a look at Salon Chair Cafe. German made style and Quality and easy to understand price information.

5 ways to block frenemies from your Android phone

Thanks to our Android phones, it’s easier than ever to keep in touch with friends and loved ones—too easy, perhaps, especially in those sad cases where friends turn into frenemies.

Take those long, meandering Gmail threads that just won’t stop. Or a tiresome buddy who’s forwarded one too many bad jokes. Maybe there’s an ex you never want to hear from again—no calls, no texts, no nothing.

Luckily, your Android phone offers plenty of ways to block unwanted calls, text messages and email, as well as mute endless email threads. And if unopened newsletters feel like virtual friendships that have fallen by the wayside, there’s an easy way to deal with them, too.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Marketing For Hair Salons

Salon Chair Cafe not only provides some of the finest hydraulic barber and salon chairs money can buy they also provide original marking plans for member salons. Many of the concepts are listed online and are free to try. Others are part of an exclusive marketing concept that is available for those who purchase salon chairs or higher quality hydraulic makeup chairs. This video is a sample of what can be done for your salon.

How to embed fonts in Word documents so they stay even if you send the file

Sara Shutt wants to email Word documents with an unusual font. But her documents arrive without the font she chose.

Back in the days when we printed our documents and snail-mailed them, this wasn't a problem. But today, if you care about your chosen font, you have to make sure it travels with the document.

That's actually pretty easy with Microsoft Word. But there are, of course, qualifications.

I tested this in Word 2010 and 2013.

[Have a tech question? Ask PCWorld Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector. Send your query to answer@pcworld.com.]

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

About Event Photography

When you contract to photograph a event or convention the usual problems are the lighting is really bad and you can't get very close to the subjects on stage without blocking the view of those in the audience. All things that can be worked around. What you don't plan for is a police roadblock blocking all the streets near the hotel. Driving in at 5:30 in the morning you don't expect much traffic but you still allow time for things that could come up. Lucky for me I always plan to arrive early allowing time for a flat or something else that could delay the drive. I had made the righr decision about what parking lot to go to and was able to enter just before the roadblock. Then I was worried about being allowed to access the hotel. Lucky for me only auto traffic was stopped and they allowed people to cross the street so I made it to my assignment with time to spare. 

Beauty Business

One problem all business owners face is marketing. Most in the beauty or spa industry know a lot about the creative side but few understand advertising on a budget. sure you can place print ads in local publications but do you really want about investing thousands into something that might not make a return. For me the answer is always no. that kind of advertising might be fine for a well established shop with a nearly full booking schedule to keep the name frest but is way too risky when you need to turn ads into profits fast.

I would recommend opening various accounts on social media and  post 2-3 times a week. Not just FB but LinkedIn, Redit, instagram, tumbler and others that are popular. Spend a hour when not busy making 15-30 second how to or product demo video with your phone. You don't a professional video crew to get somehting nice. sure, it won't be cinema quality but clean and to the point is what people will respond to. 

Post one every few days and soon you will see calls increase. The cost will be nothing except for a little investment in time. Look around you salon right now. How many of your staff don't have a client in the chair. This would be the perfect time to record a quick video about one of your services. A few seconds is all it takes to get attention. For more hair salon marketing ideas check out the website.

Rideshare or Not

Today is September 25, 2015. A couple days ago I was forced to purchase a newer car. Okay no one tied me up and made me do it but my older car with 277,000 miles died and was too costly to repair. It's time was over so I found a 2014 that fit my requirements. One big one was a full warranty as I grew tired of repairs over the last few months. Long story short is I thought Uber would be a way to increase income since I (read more) #rideshare #uber#uberinsurance

Salon Chair Quality

Purchasing online is a good way to shop and almost the only way to go when searching for a salon chair. Too bad the image and descriptions might not match the product you are really buying. With salon hairdresser chairs and shampoo units the bottom line is they cost money to make right. If you want engineered designs where the parts fit together and stay tight, arms that don't move a fraction of an inch and cushions that feel the same new as several years down the line you need to expect to pay a little more. Sure there is a place for low cost goods but don't expect high quality and exceptional life. Expect something to work somewhat okay and fill the space in your salon. Expect it to last a few months and be ready for replacement with no resale value. Remember your salon styling chair represents your brand so be careful with your decision process.

I would suggest if you are purchasing any chairs made in China to bring in a single sample.If the price is under $600.00 it is a good chance the parts are all from China. Check the construction and fit of the pieces. Look at the materials used and make sure it does not have a strong odor. Yes, many using lower end materials have that plastic petroleum scent. It stays and even transfers to clients clothing which is a good way to chase away clients.,

Expect to pay around $100.00, for return shipping. Most cartons are oversized and without a high volume account the cost is about double what it would be for a standard box of the same weight. Plus few refund shipping charges even if they say free shipping the fine print usually excludes the shipping cost from the refund. Also a few charge a re-stock fee. No wonder most who buy 5-10 pieces just keep them as it is too costly to return when 30-50% of your cash will be gone doing so.,

Just be careful and ask a lot of questions. Stick with a name brand and only long time established manufacturers. Belvedere, Takara are both older companies with established brands known for quality. My manufacturer, while not well known in the USA has manufactured for the European market for close to 90 years and not includes Dubai in their markets serviced. The one thing all mentioned have in common is they are not low cost. They provide you something better than a low price. that is called value!
,

New Salon Chairs

When buying online for salon chairs they all look great. Interesting how a photo can hide the most important factors in buying a chair. Many of the $400.00 - $500.00 chairs have great looks but when you get them in the salon disappointment soon follows. First you unpack the box and things are all thrown together. Okay not a deal breaker but it would be nice to receive it in a box that actually fits the product. Those slight indentations will come out with time. Next you place it on the stand. Now the real test begins. You look at the base of the chair and the stand assembly appears to not really fit the chair. A few gaps where the screws hold it on. Okay so they save money by not engineering much of anything, just throw a few pieces and hope they fit. Not a deal breaker but not what you would call quality either. Next you place the chair on the base. A but of excessive movement as it simply slides on. No way to tighten. Now you try it out and the arms shake. they are tight from the factory but that lack of engineering is now showing its shortcomings. A new out of box salon chair that has shaky arms. Next you try the tilt function and it works. In fact it tilts and wobbles so much you are afraid a male client might just hit the floor if you try to use it. A tiny but of movement might be fine but about an inch of play just does not look safe. That chrome base looked heavy duty in the photo but it is really thin metal and the chrome is actually so thin it will rust from the inside out sooner than you want to believe.,

Now is decision time. Admit to yourself and your staff that you got taken or pretend it is all fine because you have to have chairs to do business. Also the cost to ship back is a lot. Small shippers pay full retail rates so a heavy box can easily be $125.00 even though you paid $50.00 to bring it in. The real decision is throw away $175.00 each in shipping and have nothing to show for it or just hope they last long enough to start making a profit.,

Most end up keeping the chairs because they can't afford to buy better especially after spending so much to return. All the refund would be is for the chair price minus shipping so they are stuck., And we didn't even mention the poor sewing or cheap cushions used on the chair. You know, the kind that go flat after a few minutes of use and stay flat forever.

Review of Salon Styling Chair 

Euro On The Rise

For salon owners in the market for salon equipment the choice is usually well made American manufactured products lacking style. Chinese imports with (copied) sytle but missing overall value due to low quality that a piece of daily used equipment must have or Italian and German imported goods with style and quality all in one. With an international economy few think about the cost to buy is not based on a US price but international exchange rates. The big banks get the published rate which was around 1.28 to 1 9 months ago. It had gone down to 1.08 to 1 3 monts ago and is now slowly moving up. The higher it goes the less the US dollar can purchase so that means higher prices for the exact same product, even if the manufacturer does not raise prices.

If you are in the market for European goods now is the time to make a decisoin. For example a $1357.00 salon chair at todays rate of 1.13 to 1 would be $1536.00 at 1.28 to 1 value ratio. About $200.00 more and it is the exact same piece.

Worlds Finest Salon Chairs

Everyone in the beauty business makes their living with a chair. The key is form and function. If one is lacking then it can cost you return clients and profits. You might be wondering how that is possible. Image is everything. If a client sits in a well worn chair, even it it is somewhat new they instantally have a lower perception of your business. That cushion that hits bottom or theside arms that move around just a little too much makes a bad impression. On the other hand a well made salon chair that feels firm and solid as well as looks amazing tells the client they are at a top quality establishment and they expect to pay a little more from the start. 

Low End Or HighEnd Salon Chairs And Equipment

When you are building or remodeling a salon or spa one factor to consider is how long your equipment will last. Is it best to purchase lower cost styling chairs and shampoo chairs knowing they will have a short life or invest in higher quality? Having purchased cheaper chairs, or I should say lower cost because they were not cheap the problem is they just make life more difficult during the time you are using them. What I mean by this is when a client sits in a chair the cushion is okay but can't compare to the upper end lines. The comfort level is low and the client is not going to like being there for 2 hours. Basically it is like sitting on the wood frame and not a soft cushion. It is a lot harder to raise the hydraulic lift then it should be and other parts of the chair get loose and are difficult to get tight. The overall finish becomes weak and the chrome plating looks dull as it is either wearing off or showing through from the inside out. I think the lack of base metal quality and preparation is the culprit. This tightness issue is actually a safety issue. The more the chair moves the more likely a bolt will break or strip out. The other connections slowly bend and no telling when something will break leaving your client on the floor and a lawsuit in your mailbox. It is all due to using low quality metal to save money during manufacturing.
For me it is just a lot of small things to put up with every day at my salon. Plus they have no resale value when you want to replace them so that adds to the overall cost. Higher end simply look good for years, feel comfortable for clients which make them want to come back and work as needed without having to babysit the piece. The base stays tight and secure. You never have to worry if it is getting weak or if a bolt will strip out. Try to think long term when making your salon equipment investment.

If you want more facts about salon chairs take a look at Salon Chair Café.

Review Of Hair Salon Chair Model 55

We did a quick review of this hair salon chair. It is quality all the way. For example the sponge is molded into position, not just stuffed like a sofa. This means it is the highest quality available and will hold it's shape for many years to come. Lower quality sponge (cushion material) looks great for about 90 days. After that it is a downhill ride until the cushion has lost all support. Another issue with lower quality materials is odor. Many have that chemical scent that never fades. It bonds with your clients clothes and they smell it all they way home. This is not good for business. Invest in yourself and your salon by purchasing higher quality salon equipment.

New Hair Salon Styling Chairs

I am really excited to announce that Salon Chair Café has finally received a few samples of our new salon chair styles. These are already getting amazing reviews from the salon owners that have come in to look. What is nice about the new chairs is they are available with traditional hydraulic lift plus as a stand alone for clients in the waiting area. We even have a couple multi location salons who are serious about branding and want to use part of the design in their brand and clothing selection for stylist. Just think about that! A chair that matches not only your décor but also your clothes and branding. This is perfect for a single location who wants to look like a larger corporate player as well as those building their brand for future expansion. The video has a little more information so please take a look.