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Even in times of crisis, people need to look and feel good. Because of this, beauty salons remain among the most viable businesses all over the world.

In the Philippines, two of the more popular salons are Salon de Manila and Ystilo Salon. They are known as the most enduring salon brands in the country and they tell us tips to gaining this position.

1. Maintain a High Level of Quality

Pin Antonio of Salon de Manila says hairstyling is "not just cut and color, but also how to do it." Antonio who has been styling hair since the early 1980s says that to ensure the quality of services at the salon, she relies on "constant updating, training and education," not just her own skills but also that of her staff as well. This is all for the benefit of the customer , she states.

2. Be very upbeat

Antonio says that it is better to "be active". Like most entrepreneurs, she is a very "hands-on" owner. She says: "Work-wise I handle everything, just to ensure the quality of our services to our clients.That's why I'm around our branches everyday." Also, what she learns in her stints abroad, Antonio then passes on by training her fellow stylists and staff at Salon de Manila at their beauty school, The Glass Academy.

3. Give Customers a Choice

While many clients would want to be styled by Antonio, sometimes she is just not available; her schedule only allows her to be at particular Salon de Manila branch once a week. She also candidly admits that most clients could not afford her talent fee.  But despite common perception, Antonio stresses that her salon is not at all expensive. Their roster of junior stylists, or what she describes as their "younger generation," can do an excellent job for a fraction of her fee." "What's important is the execution of the job," Antonio says. In addition, Salon de Manila has an array of products and services to choose from. What's important for Antonio is to help the client make the right choice by offering them all the options available to them.

4. Invest in your education

Antonio worked at salons in Los Angeles, California - considered among the fashion capitals of the world -- for three years early in her career. Since she came back to the Philippines for good in 1995, Antonio has made it a point to return each year to the renowned Vidal Sassoon and Toni and Guy hair institutes in London, where she picks up the latest tips and trends in hairstyling. As for the Glass Academy, she admits not everyone can afford the tuition there. But she reasons: "My expertise is high-priced, but I will be giving you a skill you can use for life."

5. Go for quality each time

To give quality, you have to have quality. That's why Antonio believes in only getting the best salon materials from both here and abroad: Salon de Manila has acquired digital equipment used by the top salons abroad, while she says some locally made hair colorants and treatments are "the best in the industry."

6. Keep the trust and confidence of the customer

"This means you give them what's right for them, 'di mo sila niloloko [you don't deceive them]," Antonio stresses. Operationally, she says they give their customers the beauty work they ask for, and not suggest more expensive services they may not need at the time, just to earn more.

7. Be loyal to your customers

Salon de Manila wouldn't have lasted over two decades without the constant patronage of its customers, so to return the favor it has established a privilege card program using purple and gold cards that help regular clients get discounts at all of the salon's six branches. Also, Antonio says she regularly issues gift certificates that can be used as giveaways at events. The salon also offers seasonal discounts for its products like Davines, Wella and Tigi Color.

8. Develop your own talents

Antonio says she makes it a point to train Salon de Manila stylists "from the ground up." She doesn't believe in getting talents from other salons because, she says, "I have my own standard, my own character to teach them." As a result, more family members have joined the salon's staff: Pin's son, Adlai Peter Antonio, is among Salon de Manila's featured artists. His sister, Malka Marist Antonio, is an expert on hair extensions. Meanwhile, Scion Antonio Mangundayao, daughter of company president Sonny Mangundayao,  is their head make-up artist.

9. Be Selective in your locations

Salon de Manila has three branches in Quezon City, two in Makati City and one in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. "Usually, Sonny decides on our location," says Antonio. She adds that a shop's prospective location has to have a good environment and good surrounding shops, isn't crowded but has good foot traffic and a nice flow of walk-in clients.
 
10. Be service-oriented
 
"One must have the desire to serve customers and to treat them as an extended family," says Federico Moreno of Ystilo Salon .

11. Refresh expertise

Ystilo maintains a salon training center that conducts quarterly refresher training of the staff to keep them up to date in styles and trends.

Salon de Manila
595 Banawe St., Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City
(02) 732.6014; (02) 732.1490; (02) 712.6993;
www.salondemanila.com

Ystilo Salon Corp.
Unit B Gil Preciosa Building 2,
75 Timog Avenue, Quezon City
(02) 927.7508/7509/7532
www.ystilosalon.com