GO GREEN WITHOUT GOING BROKE

The battle for client and team loyalty is fiercer than ever, but there is one simple way to grab the advantage over your competition: start introducing sustainable practices in your salon.

It needn’t be difficult or expensive, despite what many might say, and taking those first steps doesn’t mean overhauling the entire salon. Timothy Howard, chief innovation officer at Vish Colour Management, cuts through the myths to show how going green doesn’t mean going broke.

MYTH: You have to change to organic colour

The biggest myth is that you have to abandon your favourite colour house to be more sustainable. But almost all the big colour houses are making moves towards sustainability, and while they do – which will take time – you could make your own steps towards greater sustainability by introducing technology like Vish to cut colour waste and help the planet. Salons are wasting up to 40% of their colour. Research shows that Vish can bring waste down by as much as 80%. It’s worth pausing to think how much better that is for the planet and for salon profitability.

MYTH: It’s expensive to go green

Possibly the second greatest misconception about going green is that it will drive up costs, but sustainability is as much about conserving cash as it is about using eco. Excess of anything – water, energy, product, etc – translates into a lot of money being spent on something that’s not needed. Salons using colour management technology are able to be more precise about what and how much is dispensed, bringing down their weekly spend on colour.

Vish also monitors stock usage, making it easy for salons to replenish only what’s been used instead of keeping a surplus of product. This means less stock gathering dust in the salon, easing cash flow and reducing your overall colour quantities. That’s money in your bank, not your supplier’s.

MYTH: Sustainability practices mean more work for you

Some people are reluctant to go green because they fear it is more time-consuming. But lots of sustainable alternatives are also time-savers. With Vish, there is no scrabbling around looking for past notes on previous formulas or having to work up new formulas from scratch, which saves time. Formulas are automatically saved in Vish, ready for your next appointment.

And if you need more colour mid-service, you can quickly mix an additional bowl (or have an assistant do it for you), knowing you’re getting the exact same formula without having to remember what you mixed previously.

MYTH: Clients don’t care

People care about the environment. In fact, a recent study by the Sustainability Institute showed that over 90% of consumers care more about the environment now than they ever have, and are actively seeking out sustainable alternatives in all aspects of life – the salon is no exception. Clients want great, guilt-free colour and service, and only those salons that recognise this will win the fight for a high-spend, loyal clientele.

To find out more about Vish Colour Management visit getvish.co.uk