Great Inventory ideas from a MIKAL client

From Kenneth and Mary Beth - 2 locations MIKAL Salon Software clients since 1986 Great Inventory and marketing ideas! Well, the downturn" hit us about 3 years ago. Inventory just piled up, and our retail sales fell through the floor! Just want to share some forces that are helping us remain successful. I have made inventory a calling with the extra time available to clerical staff. Clients, with support testimony from staff, told me they don't like asking for prices on products (which change constantly). After talking with manufacturers for six months about shelf talkers, we went "rogue" and created our own for a better price. We purchased plastic shelf talkers on the net ( $15 per hundred, I believe). We purchased a good label maker (could even be borrowed, or bought used). I assigned the new front desk person to set up the shelves and create the labels. (She is a former makeup artist for Saks and a manager of art galleries in California-ouch!) It has been the best idea I have had in a while! Clients love shopping without asking for prices b/c they are embarrassed. Clerical staff see immediately which products are low. Housekeepers and other support staff return products to the proper space reducing waste and lost sales. That little difference has made us more efficient and allows me to order in minutes every three to four working days. Don't need to tell you why that's good. You cannot imagine how happy I am to spend less than an hour maintaining shelves of eight product lines (and I have eliminated items that do not sell as I can special order and have them in days). Use the MIKAL Inventory ranking report each month and eliminate the last page (lowest ranked) items each month. Glen at MIKAL says you can also see these items as a screen under your MIKAL Management Check! I justified the expense of the label maker further by labelling/organizing closets and professional areas. This simple change has made us more efficient, neater, and less wasteful. On the sales end, we created a lovely promotion which rewards clients over multiple visits. We configured a bookmark (or frequent buyer retail card) which has a special promotion over four sequential visits. To get the bookmark checked or card punched you have to come in every 6 weeks for 4 visits in a row. I will let you know the results of the Discount Reason Code at end of year, but I think it has been one of the most successful promotions we have ever run. It is quite humerous: at St. Charles we have some clients from the wealthiest families in New Orleans striving to schedule appointments in such a way as to use the discount! They have been very vocal thanking Kenneth for rewarding loyal clients. For the first time in my work history, we have clients fighting for a $5 referral discount. Bill (their MIKAL consultant) showed us how to execute the Client Analysis Report(?) daily so we can update emails for birthdays and referral rewards. This is the phrase that has worked for us: " M__ we're not sending you your birthday special as we don't have your _______ (email/b-day) on file. I will correct that right now for you. Just put that info right here on your ticket." Anyway, am hoping to see you for your next Camp MIKAL. It is well-timed for a night at the Cincinnati Reds baseball game or maybe a Bengals pre-season game! Mary Beth Thank you for sharing MB and Kenneth! Learn more about MIKAL and the great control and marketing features at www.mikal.com or call 800-448-5420