How the Amazing Lash Studio Brand is Guiding Franchisees Through the Reopening Process

As states slowly open their doors, studios across the Amazing Lash Studio system are preparing to start the reopening process. The brand’s leadership team is focused on providing all of the necessary support for franchisees during this time, including everything from safety and employee engagement tools to operations and marketing. Now, the Amazing Lash Studio brand has created an Operation Rise Up playbook to provide franchisees the information and tools they may need to emerge on the other side of this as a prepared, confident, compassionate and thriving business.

• We’ve been working very hard to ensure that all studios are positioned for a strong reopening.
• The benefit of being a part of the WellBiz Brands Inc. management portfolio is that we have essentially three teams working as a task force behind the reopening plans.
• This has allowed us to utilize expert advisors, national sanitation companies and top-tier resources that we wouldn’t have had access to otherwise.

Safety and sanitation

Implementing enhanced sanitation procedures and offering private suites will undoubtedly become the new normal, as consumers may have lingering concerns about safety even after the crisis itself ends. That is why the brand created updated safety, sanitation and guest communication protocols for franchisees, including mask usage, check in/out inventory process, health screenings, virtual consultations, social distancing practices, curbside check-in and more. In addition, franchisees are making sure their employees understand these new protocols and are trained and ready to execute them for a successful reopening.

• We’re putting a lot of thought into the reopening process.
• We’re coming up with great new ways to re-engage existing members and attract new ones while keeping in mind that for a long time after this chapter is behind us, guests are going to be especially aware of safety and sanitation.
• That’s why the brand is also introducing communication plans to support franchisees in helping guests feel safe and confident during every visit.

These safety procedures will continue to be evaluated and updates will be made depending on how the situation changes in accordance with OSHA’s guidance on preparing workplaces for COVID-19. Amazing Lash Studio is also providing all i n-studio materials and signage to help studios communicate safety and sanitation procedures to both guests and their staff.

• As an Amazing Lash Studio franchisee, the franchisor has helped source PPE items that studios will need to reopen successfully, such as hands-free soap dispensers, gloves, masks and other essentials.
• These types of PPE items need to be ready well before opening — studio owners don’t want to be two days away from reopening and not have the tools they need.

Stylist training

All stylists will go through at least three days of training when they come back as will the front staff. It is essential that all team members understand the scripts and procedures for sanitation and safety. We’ve been holding teleconferences frequently to inform our employees and managers about what is going to be expected from them moving forward, whether it be temperature checks or mask regulations.

In addition to tools for bringing back and re-training Lash Stylists, Amazing Lash Studio is providing tips for enhancing studio culture to ensure that the entire studio team feels safe, loves coming to work everyday and raves about their experience with the brand. These include soliciting PPP loan-spending suggestions, offering branded appreciation gifts, adapting training timelines and providing communication tips.

Members, and their monthly membership fees, are the core of Amazing Lash Studio revenue. Members help provide recurring revenue that is necessary in the long run, and due to the closures, likely have a number of services credited on their accounts.

Member support

The Amazing Lash Studio Support Center is also executing a multi-touch campaign to assist studios in winning back suspended, cancelled and frozen members. While the Support Center is handling the paid social and email component, individual studio owners will call these members weekly to try to get them booked.

Expanded studio hours can be key to a faster recovery. The more available hours studios are open and available to service members, the sooner they can start filling their books with new prospects. If studio employees are busy and making more money, data shows it’s likely they will stay longer, which saves money on recruiting and training. As people go back to work and resume normal routines, studios will need to have availability on nights and weekends.

To create the most streamlined process, the Amazing Lash Studio brand has provided various resources to help franchisees manage member appointments and determine their stylist capacity. For example, studios need to stagger stylist start times and block 10 minutes between each service for proper sanitation.

The support of the Amazing Lash Studio team has been truly unbelievable. Throughout the whole process, they have been available to provide instructions, resources and guidance. I’ve been more impressed now with the brand than I have ever been before and it feels good to feel a part of a system that can make it through a crisis. With the brand’s guidebook, communication and support, we are confident that our studio will reopen stronger than ever.