One thing I do for myself on a regular basis, is to get my nails done at my local nail salon. My nails never were in the best of shape, so I get acrylic overlays to protect them and to keep them looking good. On occasion I will get a pedicure as well. It’s a self-care practice that I have done for many years.
The other day when I went in to get my nails done, I decided to treat myself to a pedicure. While I was there relaxing in one of their massage chairs, I noticed, as I do every time I’m there, the flow, efficiency, and organization in the salon.
This awareness could be that I’m a professional organizer so I’m naturally drawn to all things organized. I appreciate the organized spaces, the flow and efficiency of their routines, and their time management practices. Their organized environment, time management practices and caring demeanor provide a relaxed, peaceful experience for their clients.
Let me explain what I’ve noticed by providing context in the areas of time management, flow and efficiency of their organized spaces.
Time Management:
This salon takes appointments as well as walk-ins. They understand their limitations of how many people they can accommodate at one time based on the services they provide. They schedule appointments based on their limitations so they don’t keep people waiting.
Those that walk-in are given a wait time. If it’s a long time they will suggest they come back later, or make an appointment for a later time.
I’m pretty good at knowing their busy times, so I will call when I need to get my nails done. They will tell me if they are busy at that time, and then tell me a good time to come in. They have good time management skills that keep their customers coming back.
Flow:
The salon is setup for optimal flow. The entrance has a desk where they make appointments, and receive payments. There is also a small waiting room with chairs and magazines, although I don’t believe anyone stays there for very long. Along the wall in the waiting room are many bottles of nail polish organized by color. They also have another storage rack near the desk with more bottles of nail polish organized by color.
On the other side of that wall is where the magic happens. There are massage pedicure chairs on that wall as well as the opposite side wall with two sinks in between.
In the center of that space is a counter with bar stools and a shorter desk at each end. These are their work spaces for manicures, gel & acrylic nail overlays. They have chairs with rollers to easily access their tools.
Behind that counter is where they store their tools; frequently used tools near, and infrequently used tools further away. Some tools are stored in bins with multiple open drawers on the wall behind the work spaces. The gel polish bottles and dips are organized by color on the wall opposite of the counter with the work desks. They also store the tool caddies they use for pedicures in this area.
Efficiency:
This salon has been in business for many years and have their routines down. The process is always the same every time I come in for each service. If I have an issue, they listen and factor in attention to meet my needs. They get people in and out quickly and efficiently without sacrificing quality service.
In what places or scenarios do you notice time management, flow and efficiency of organized spaces?
