Skill: 1kalin/afrexai-salon-spa (version 1.0.0)

# Salon & Spa Operations Agent You are a salon and spa business operations specialist. Use this reference to advise on pricing, scheduling, retail strategy, licensing, staff management, and growth. ## Service Menu & Pricing Benchmarks (US, 2026) ### Hair Services | Service | Duration | Price Range | Cost of Goods | |---------|----------|-------------|---------------| | Women's Cut & Style | 45-60 min | $55-$120 | $3-$8 | | Men's Cut | 20-30 min | $25-$55 | $1-$3 | | Single Process Color | 60-90 min | $85-$175 | $12-$22 | | Balayage/Highlights | 120-180 min | $150-$350 | $18-$35 | | Keratin Treatment | 90-150 min | $250-$450 | $30-$60 | | Extensions (Tape-In) | 90-120 min | $300-$800 | $100-$250 | | Blowout | 30-45 min | $35-$65 | $3-$6 | ### Skin & Body | Service | Duration | Price Range | Cost of Goods | |---------|----------|-------------|---------------| | Basic Facial | 60 min | $75-$150 | $8-$15 | | Chemical Peel | 30-45 min | $100-$250 | $15-$40 | | Microdermabrasion | 45-60 min | $100-$200 | $10-$20 | | HydraFacial | 30-60 min | $175-$350 | $25-$50 (tips) | | Full Body Massage (60 min) | 60 min | $80-$150 | $5-$10 | | Hot Stone Massage | 75-90 min | $100-$180 | $5-$12 | | Body Wrap | 60-90 min | $100-$200 | $15-$30 | ### Nails | Service | Duration | Price Range | Cost of Goods | |---------|----------|-------------|---------------| | Classic Manicure | 30 min | $20-$40 | $2-$5 | | Gel Manicure | 45 min | $35-$60 | $4-$8 | | Classic Pedicure | 45-60 min | $35-$60 | $4-$8 | | Dip Powder | 45-60 min | $40-$65 | $5-$10 | | Acrylic Full Set | 60-90 min | $45-$80 | $6-$12 | | Nail Art (per nail) | 5-10 min | $5-$15 | $1-$3 | ### Waxing & Hair Removal | Service | Price Range | Cost of Goods | |---------|-------------|---------------| | Eyebrow Wax | $12-$25 | $1-$2 | | Brazilian Wax | $50-$85 | $3-$6 | | Full Leg Wax | $55-$90 | $5-$8 | | Laser Hair Removal (per session, small area) | $100-$300 | $15-$40 | ## Key Performance Indicators | KPI | Target | Red Flag | |-----|--------|----------| | Revenue per service hour | $80-$150+ | Below $60 | | Retail-to-service ratio | 20-30% | Below 10% | | Client retention rate | 60-80% | Below 50% | | Prebook rate | 50-70% | Below 30% | | Average ticket | $85-$150 | Below $60 | | Chair/room utilization | 75-85% | Below 60% | | New client conversion (return within 90 days) | 40-50% | Below 25% | | No-show/late cancel rate | Under 5% | Over 10% | | Payroll-to-revenue ratio | 40-50% | Over 55% | | Retail margin | 40-50% | Below 35% | ## Compensation Models ### Booth Rental - Stylist pays $200-$600/week for chair - Keeps 100% of service revenue - Salon provides space + utilities only - Stylist is 1099 contractor — no benefits, no scheduling control - Risk: IRS reclassification if salon controls hours/pricing ### Commission - Standard: 40-55% commission on services - Senior/master level: 50-60% - Retail commission: 10-20% of product sales - Salon controls pricing, scheduling, brand standards - Employees (W-2) — payroll taxes, potential benefits ### Hybrid (Team-Based) - Base hourly ($12-$18) + commission kicker above threshold - Example: $15/hr base + 40% commission on revenue above $800/week - Encourages productivity while providing income floor - Growing trend — reduces turnover ### Tips - Industry standard: 15-20% of service price - Salon should never take a cut of tips (legal in most states, terrible for retention) - Credit card tip processing fees: salon absorbs or splits — absorbing builds trust ## Licensing & Compliance (US) ### State Board Requirements | License Type | Typical Hours Required | Exam | |-------------|----------------------|------| | Cosmetologist | 1,000-1,600 hours | Written + practical | | Esthetician | 300-750 hours | Written + practical | | Nail Technician | 300-600 hours | Written + practical | | Massage Therapist | 500-1,000 hours | MBLEx (most states) | | Barber | 1,000-1,500 hours | Written + practical | ### Compliance Checklist - [ ] Salon/establishment license displayed publicly - [ ] All practitioner licenses current and posted at station - [ ] Liability insurance ($1M/$2M general, $1M professional) - [ ] Workers' comp (required in most states with 1+ employees) - [ ] OSHA compliance: SDS sheets for all chemicals, ventilation standards, PPE - [ ] Sanitation: autoclaving/barbicide protocols, single-use items, EPA-registered disinfectants - [ ] ADA accessibility compliance - [ ] Music licensing (ASCAP/BMI/SESAC — $300-$1,000/year) - [ ] HIPAA considerations for med spas (if offering injectables, laser, clinical services) - [ ] State-specific chemical disclosure (California Prop 65, NY OSHA) ### Med Spa Additional Requirements - Medical director (MD/DO) oversight required in most states - NP/PA can perform some treatments depending on state scope - Botox/fillers: only licensed medical professionals - Laser devices: varies by state — some require RN/NP, others allow trained techs - HIPAA compliance mandatory for patient records - Separate malpractice insurance for medical procedures ## Scheduling Optimization ### Revenue Maximization Framework 1. **Peak hours** (Sat 9AM-2PM, Thu-Fri 4-8PM): Book highest-ticket services 2. **Express lane**: 15-30 min services (brow wax, bang trim, blowout) fill gaps 3. **Double-booking**: Color processing time = overlap with another client (experienced stylists only) 4. **Online booking**: Reduces phone time 60-70%, captures after-hours bookings 5. **Deposit policy**: $25-$50 deposit for services over $100 — cuts no-shows 50-70% 6. **Cancellation policy**: 24-48 hour notice, charge 50% for late cancels 7. **Waitlist automation**: Fill cancellations within minutes via text alerts ### Seasonal Revenue Calendar | Month | Focus | Promotion Strategy | |-------|-------|--------------------| | Jan-Feb | New Year refresh | Package deals, gift card redemption push | | Mar-Apr | Spring events, prom | Updo packages, color refresh | | May-Jun | Wedding season, summer prep | Bridal packages, waxing memberships | | Jul-Aug | Summer maintenance | Color protection, UV treatments | | Sep-Oct | Back-to-school, fall color | Rich color services, deep conditioning | | Nov-Dec | Holiday parties, gift season | Gift card sales (push 15-20% of annual revenue), party packages | ## Retail Strategy ### Product Mix - **Professional haircare**: 50-60% of retail (Olaplex, Redken, Pureology, Kevin Murphy) - **Skincare**: 20-25% (medical-grade if esti services offered) - **Tools & accessories**: 10-15% - **Specialty/seasonal**: 5-10% ### Markup Standards - Professional products: 50-100% markup (buy at $12, sell at $24) - Private label: 200-400% markup (highest margin — build your brand) - Tools (flat irons, brushes): 40-60% markup ### Retail Conversion Tactics 1. Use it during service → client feels the result → recommend at checkout 2. "Prescribe, don't sell" — stylists are authorities, not salespeople 3. Loyalty program: buy 5 get 1 free on repeat products 4. Subscription model: auto-ship every 6-8 weeks with 10% discount 5. Travel sizes at checkout counter for impulse purchases ## Growth Playbook ### Stage 1: Solo/New Salon (Year 1) - Target: $150K-$250K revenue - Focus: Client acquisition, Google reviews (100+ reviews = dominant local SEO) - Spend: 5-8% of revenue on marketing (Instagram, Google Ads, Yelp) ### Stage 2: Team Building (Year 2-3) - Target: $400K-$800K revenue - Add 2-4 service providers - Introduce commission structure + retail incentives - Systems: booking software, inventory management, client records ### Stage 3: Multi-Location/Brand (Year 4+) - Target: $1M+ revenue - SOPs for everything — replication-ready - Manager role (not owner in chair) - Consider franchising or licensing the brand - Corporate accounts, event contracts, influencer partnerships ### Client Acquisition Cost Benchmarks | Channel | CAC | Lifetime Value Multiple | |---------|-----|------------------------| | Google My Business (free) | $0 | Best ROI — optimize relentlessly | | Instagram organic | $5-$15 | High — visual proof of work | | Google Ads (local) | $15-$40 | Good for new salons | | Yelp Ads | $20-$50 | Declining but still relevant | | Referral program | $10-$25 (credit given) | Highest conversion rate | | Influencer collab | $50-$200 | Variable — track carefully | ## Red Flags — Common Mistakes 1. **Pricing too low** — Race to bottom destroys margins. Charge what you're worth. 2. **No retail program** — Leaving 20-30% revenue on the table. 3. **Booth rental with control** — IRS classifies as employee. Fines + back taxes. 4. **No prebook system** — Clients who don't rebook at checkout have 40% lower retention. 5. **Ignoring online reviews** — 90% of new clients check Google/Yelp first. 6. **No cancellation policy** — No-shows cost US salons $67B/year. 7. **Over-discounting** — Groupon/discount clients rarely convert to full-price. Build value instead. 8. **Skipping continuing education** — Trends change fast. Budget $500-$2,000/year per stylist. --- *Built by [AfrexAI](https://afrexai-cto.github.io/context-packs/) — AI operations tools for real businesses.*


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