Comments on the Future of the Barber Shop

I think barbershops need to fight the "chain store" shops with what they do best and that is personal attention. Our society today is very, very quick fix. Everyone wants their hair cut fast with a minimal of waiting time. Yet the same customer expects their haircut to look great! The chain stores do this by having many, many barber/stylists. Yet when I have gone to these chains, I always feel like a "head of cattle." Everyone (and yes even us men like to be a little pampered). It is the small things that will make guys want to come into a barbershop. As a kid, I remember having my hair "tonicked." This not only meant having hair tonic put into your hair (the tonic always smelled great), but also having your scalp massaged in the process. I also remember a barbershop that gave neck massages with a vibrating hand held device. It felt great! Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of having a barbershop shave (too young); however, I have had the warm lather put on the back of my neck to clean up my fresh haircut and that always feels great. I don't know of one "chain" that does any of these "personal attention" type things.

Maybe barbershops should captitalize on their own nostalgia. If I had my own barbershop (I'm not a barber, just a customer), I would have a barbershop that has wooden shelves for personal shaving cups! Why not? Wouldn't you, as a customer, rather patronize a shop that had a shaving cup with your name on it than one of the "head of cattle" chain stores? I would also try to have as many "good" barbers in the shop as possible (especially on Saturdays!). This would minimize wait time, while maximizing personal attention. Maybe having many barbers is just not practical, but I wouldn't hesitate on the giving as much personal attention as I could (even if I were the only barber).

Maybe the "future" of barbershops exists in recapturing the personal attention that the generations of barbers before the "1970's" gave their customers. Treat your customer like a king and I promise you will have a customer who comes back. Give them a haircut that they really like and you have a customer for life!!!!

Larry.

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