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42 September 2015 | beautystorebusiness.com THE ENTRY It's the one place every single customer enters and it's even a part of the facade of your building. But how outdated is it? Are there nicks or scratches in the metal or wood? Is the glass cracked or taped? Is it clean? The entryway is a critical piece of the experience your customers have with the store and it's important that it looks good. You don't have to spend a lot of money—sometimes a scrub brush or some paint will do wonders. But try to look at it from a customer's point of view. If it's not inviting, why should she enter? HUMAN RESOURCES AND BUSINESS FILES Granted, you should keep employee records for a minimum of seven years, but are all your files updated? Associ- ates have obviously come and gone, but do you still have past employees' files intermingled with current employees' files? Are all your records up to date and are you following privacy laws? For example, medical records should not be acces- sible to other associates and should be securely locked away. Similarly, ensure that customer credit card information is not easily accessible. Organize your past records in boxes that are properly labeled with contents and dates. Keep current records properly organized and alphabetized. Vendor files, emergency contacts, accounts payables and employee files should have easy-to-read labels and be appropriately secured. SAFETY If it's been awhile since you've done a safety audit, it's definitely time to do one now. Look for trip hazards such as cords, torn carpet or damaged displays. Are all your switch plates and electrical receptacle plates in perfect condition with no cracks or chips? Take a look at lighting in dark areas and don't forget the front and back doors. If employees have constantly complained about insufficient lighting, now is the time to fix it. It also wouldn't hurt to examine things you may not readily think of as safety hazards, such as sharp burrs on metal shelves or a piece of equipment that's propped up with phonebooks because it's missing a leg. Put together a team of two or three associates to walk through every aspect of the store and write down what they see. This is especially helpful, since managers are often "too close" to the store to see everything. EMPLOYEES OK, this is a tough one. Your checkup on the team means determining first if you even have the right team! If you've been carrying your worst performers, hoping year after year that they'll improve, it's time to cut those strings. There is too much good talent out there that you don't need to keep these duds on the payroll. Also, with the associates you want to keep, have they received any training or develop- ment recently? Consider sending them to some seminars or attending classes at a nearby community college. You might even pass along this magazine to your team so they can keep up with the latest in the beauty industry. An employee checkup is an important part of your overall assess- ment of the store. Employees are the lifeblood of your organization. RESTROOMS If you have public restrooms, you know how dingy they can become in a very short period of time. It's amazing how much of an impact new floor tiles and wall paint can have on such a small space. Check the toilet paper holder, soap dispenser and towels. Replace them if they are chipped, broken or missing. Avoid wallpaper in the restrooms as it is easily scratched and vandalized. A fresh coat of paint is much cheaper and easier to apply than new wallpaper. EMPLOYEE BREAKROOM Inspect the area where employees store their belongings or go to on break. As with the restrooms, this area could probably use some sprucing up. Paint or new floor tiles will go a long way to enhance this space. Consider adding whiteboards for associates to leave notes, or tacking up bulletin boards for messages. If the chairs or tables are in a dilapidated condition, replace them. Once this area is improved, assign rotating responsibility among each employee to keep the area clean. GENERAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE Beyond the restrooms and breakroom, take some time to look over the entire store to see what projects have been Continued from page 38 Soma Colour Enhancement Procedures SOMA Hair Technology 1.866.843.2257 www.somaorganics.com Apply Soma's Complete Colour. Tis deposit-only color replaces any demi-color, while not fading like a demi-color (and does not fade brassy). It is great for sensitive scalps! Style the client's hair as desired using any of Soma's pH-balanced and SD 40 alcohol-free styling products. Low pH products keep the cuticle closed and prevent loss of color. Products with SD 40 alcohol cause immediate fading and dehydrate the hair. 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