A SEAMLESS Switch

Harrogate-based salon owner and multi-award-winning hairdresser Joseph Ferraro shares how switching colour houses helped him elevate education and profitability

Multi-award-winning hairdresser Joseph Ferraro has built a reputation for excellence at his Harrogate salon, Joseph Ferraro Hair. Recently, he made a major business decision: transitioning his salon to Quif. Sharing his story, Joseph highlights the real business benefits, the education provided, and the surge in team confidence that followed the switch.

The Catalyst for Change

Changing colour houses wasn’t initially on Joseph's radar, having recently signed a contract with another brand. However, after Quif reached out, an initial meeting sparked his interest. When evaluating a brand, Joseph has strict nonnegotiables, including strong performance and value for money – especially with prices rising across the board. However, for Joseph, a true partnership goes further. “I also want a colour brand to offer more than just a product – can they help my team grow, can they support the salon’s journey?” he considers.

Many salons worry about the disruption of changing colour suppliers, but Joseph found the process incredibly straightforward. The salon set a transition timescale of four to six weeks to safely skin-test clients before fully moving over – and provide salon staff with time to undergo training on the products. Unsurprisingly, education played a vital role in making the switch successful, with Quif providing comprehensive in-salon theory and hands-on training, plus ongoing courses tailored to the salon's specific needs. On the day of the switch, representatives from Quif were present, which Joseph shares made the transition “as smooth as possible”.

Profitability and Performance

As the owner of an employed salon, ensuring his staff are empowered and continually progressing is vital to Joseph’s leadership. While some might worry that change will scare off staff, he explains that it has had the opposite effect. “It’s given people in my team a path to grow – and every quarter someone from the brand comes into the salon to deliver hands-on education,” he explains. “Whether it’s creative training or something we specifically want to refresh as a salon, the education is really led by us and what we feel we need.”

That tailored approach has proved invaluable, allowing the team to stay ahead of trends and client demand while building confidence behind the chair. “Styles change, clients change, colour technology changes,” says Joseph. “Without continually learning and educating yourself, you just become stagnant and end up doing the same thing all the time.”

For Joseph, stepping outside of your comfort zone is essential for growth – something he encourages throughout his team. “Education can make you feel a little uncomfortable sometimes because you’re learning something new, but that’s the only way you grow,” he says. “You get into your next comfort zone and then you push again.”

Since switching to Quif, Joseph has noticed a clear shift in his team’s confidence and creativity. “They’re happier to be more adventurous because they trust the product,” he explains. “The results are consistent and they know the colour is going to do what it says it will do. Plus, the education side of things has really helped build their confidence as well.”

The move has also delivered clear business benefits. “Colour is our second biggest expense, after wages, but we’ve definitely seen an improvement in colour profitability,” he says. “You’re not wasting product, the team trust what they’re using and clients are getting great results. From both a creative and business point of view, it’s been a really positive change for us.”

Client feedback following the switch has been overwhelmingly positive, with many noticing an immediate difference in the performance of the colour. While some clients were initially unfamiliar with the brand, Joseph explains that the trust they place in their salon team ultimately outweighed any hesitation. “Lots of clients hadn’t heard of the brand before,” he says. “But they trust us as hairdressers and they come to us as a salon, not just because of a colour brand.”

The improved longevity has also proved valuable at a time when many clients are thinking more carefully about where they spend their money. While some may choose to stretch appointments slightly further apart, Joseph believes delivering visible results is what ultimately secures long-term loyalty.

A True Partnership

One of the key benefits Joseph highlights is the close relationship he has been able to build with the brand directly. As a boutique brand, he feels communication is more personal, collaborative and responsive – something he believes can be harder to achieve with larger global organisations.

“If there’s ever an issue, or there’s something my clients are asking for, I can speak to the owner directly,” he says. “You’re almost cutting out the middleman.”

Joseph also points out that working with a UK-based company brings additional advantages, particularly when compared to larger international colour houses where decisions are often driven by overseas markets.

“Sometimes with bigger companies, decisions are made based on whatever their biggest market is, whether that’s Germany, France or somewhere else,” he explains. “I like the fact that the head office is in the UK and I can speak to people directly. Things can change quicker and products can come to market faster without having to jump through as many hoops.”

When asked what advice he would give to salon owners considering switching colour houses, Joseph’s answer is simple: keep an open mind.

“Don’t judge something before you’ve tried it,” he says. “A lot of us assume that because certain brands have been around for 30, 40 or 50 years, they’re the only options we should stick with. I’d encourage people to test it first and then make their decision because I think they’d be pleasantly surprised by the quality, the condition and the results.”

While the commercial benefits are undeniable, Joseph stresses that performance must always come first. “There’s no point saving money if the quality isn’t there,” he says. “The quality has to come first, but if you can also achieve value for money and help improve business costs, then I think salon owners have to be open-minded enough to explore those opportunities.”