1 min. with a superhero: Wesley Williams
by Fred Roed on 22/07/07 at 5:44 pm
3 comments
I go with my son, Mikael, for a haircut every 3 months. Our destination: The Barber Shop for Men in Southfields. I would never have known about this place if it weren’t for the eagle eye of the Maven, who spotted it on one of his mysterious scouting expeditions around Cape Town. The Barber Shop is rarity in these days of unisex salons. It’s a hair salon for men only, a respite from a genderless society and a veritable palace for someone who enjoys having a haircut, shave and a beer at the same time. The Barber Shop deserves to be franchised all over the country. After seeing how the place has gradually grown as a small business, I interviewed the owner, Wesley Williams, and his brother Dylan.
What makes your business different?
Our commitment is specifically to men. With the abundance of ladies salons around, we are trying to create an oasis for men, where they can enjoy their specific grooming needs in an environment designed specifically for them.
What about your job makes you lie awake at night?
Wondering whether we could have done things differently or perhaps better.
Tell us one disaster story…
When Eskom cut the power in the area for maintenance purposes, it was on one of our busiest days and all the backup generators at shops in the area were rented out. So we had a shop full of clients and no power to run our equipment with.
What’s your perfect customer?
A man who can tell you exactly what he wants. That way you know what to give him, which means he will leave a happy customer. Anyone who takes their grooming needs seriously and are not afraid to pamper themselves with a little relaxing indulgence.
Your secret to success…
Commitment to constantly improving service levels
What is your best marketing tool?
A satisfied client that walks out the door. We ensure we don’t get too complicated with our services or products. Men like simplicity.
Destroy a myth about your ‘hair industry’
That only men can be barbers or that they make better barbers.
What is the best business lesson you’ve learned so far?
That in the long run quality is better than quantity.
Describe your average day…
Open shop, staff meeting, prepare the shop for clients, check stock levels and replenish, service clients.
And, finally, a word of advice to Ideate readers – is there money to be made in the hair-cutting industry?
Yes, there is long term. You have to develop a passion for this business and for customer care. If you do this successfully the money will automatically follow.
Contact The Barber Shop at 021 713 1212. The address is 229 Victoria Road, Southfields. To get there you need to turn into Victoria Road from Plumstead Main Rd, go over two bridges before you see the red and white exterior on the left hand side.
Above: Haircut, Heineken and the Tri-Nations
Above: Mikael getting ready for a few frames of pool
Above: A close shave
Above: The waiting room
Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.
Liezl
Dec 14th, 2007
Hi
New Number for The Barber Shop is : 021 713 1212
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