Do You Have a Wicked Problem?
You may have a Wicked Problem if you are unsatisfied with your answers to any of the following questions:
- Professional clients are changing. Are you offering outdated solutions that no longer meet today’s needs?
- How are you meeting the needs of today’s Internet-savvy beauty professionals?
- Distribution is fragmented and competition is fierce. What are you doing to set your company apart?
- Are you dependent on the brands you distribute?
- How do you plan on remaining profitable in the age of booth renters and fly-by-night DSCs?
- Is your company getting the recognition it deserves?
- Is client loyalty a thing of the past?
- It is 9:00 PM, and one of my best clients has just finished her day. Do I have systems in place to meet her needs at this hour?
You Are Not Alone
You’d be surprised by the number of clients we work with who have the very same problems. Our industry is evolving. Technology along with an ever increasing number of new brands, consolidations and mergers have altered the traditional face-to-face service that was the hallmark of customer relationships just 10 years ago. Although, our industry has been slower than others to adopt to new technology, the Millennium is here, and with it, there is a greater demand by salon and spa owners for online ordering, access to sales and marketing tools and education. Many of the industry’s largest manufacturers have entered into exclusive distribution through national chains, or have chosen to sell directly into many markets. For the traditional professional products distributor this is both a challenge and an opportunity. From entrepreneurs just building their dream business, to multi-million-dollar established, global beauty brands, everyone is finding it difficult to maintain momentum, keep existing customers loyal and attract new ones. Sometimes the root cause of these problems lies in one or more of the following:
- Loss of territory and/or major brands
- Difficulty attracting and maintaining a sales force
- Difficulty servicing and establishing relationships with the increasing number of independent beauty professionals
- Needing to set oneself apart to gain brand recognition and customer interest
- Needing help defining brand and corporate message and image
- “Old School” sales methods dating your distributorship in an age where salon and spa owners are better educated, more demanding and looking for a true partner, not a product peddler
- Not evolving sales methods to provide consultative driven solutions to address your customers’ true needs
- Competing against major manufacturers who have gone direct in-market
- Lack of personal insight into all that is possible in terms of support and options
- A Living Brand that is on life support…
