YOU SHARED THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING ON SEVERAL MERCEDES BENZ FASHION WEEKS. HOW HAS THIS INFLUENCED YOUR BUSINESS AND YOUR CLIENTELE TODAY?
Being a Schwarzkopf salon, we had the opportunity to work behind the scenes of the Brisbane Mercedes Benz Fashion week, which was an amazing experience. For Kris, and senior stylist Theresa, working with Dee Parker Attwood, 2019 Hair Expo Australian Hairdresser of the Year, meant so much. Dee was so generous with her knowledge, and we both came away from the experience with valuable skills and a knowledge of some of the high fashion looks that we could recreate in the salon.
WAS IT A DIFFICULT MOVE TO LEAVE MELBOURNE AND RETURN TO THE GOLD COAST?
After two years, we realised Melbourne was not the city for us as we missed the Gold Coast’s relaxed lifestyle and sun! The Gold Coast offers every opportunity the big cities do, with the bonus of a beautiful beachside playground. Plus, of course, our families are here, and family are very important to us.
YOU EACH HAVE QUITE UNIQUE AREAS OF SPECIALITY, WITH DAN’S AMAZING FOILING PATTERNS AND PRECISION CUTTING, AND KRIS’ BLONDES AND BALAYAGE. HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT THE BUSINESS?
In the first year of operation, it was only Dan and I on the floor, so our skills working well together benefitted the salon greatly. Daniel’s biggest strength is transforming a client’s style; building so much trust that they would allow big changes that suited their face shape and personality. There’s no bigger reward than seeing a returning client with so much more confidence and joy … a new hairstyle can really change someone’s life! Kris is known for his foiling technique, where foils are placed on a diagonal and meticulously weaved, for consistency which is one of our strongest values at Kiwi and Bull Salon. This allows a variety of options, from on-trend root shadows, to bright, creamy and expensivelooking blondes. Knowing the importance of guests returning regularly, Kris always creates a colour that can be refreshed or given an exciting new look to entice the client back at the six-week mark.
YOU ACHIEVED FINALIST RECOGNITION IN THE AHIA CUSTOMER CARE CATEGORY. CONGRATULATIONS! TELL US ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE PROCESS OF CLIENT CARE.
All of our guests are VIPs, no matter who they are, so we model our client care on how FirstClass passengers are treated on an international flight. We work really hard to create a safe, relaxing environment where guests can let their guard down and express what they would like to have done. Our salon experience is unique, in that we incorporate a Spanish style tapas lounge feel, inspiration from the streets of Europe, and a mix of Kiwiana! We’ve created a luxurious ambience where we serve boutique coffees and tea, complimentary wine, Spanish cocktails, and an array of snacks. We also offer a ‘Tapas Saturday’, where guests receive cheese boards and sangria! Every guest is welcomed at the door and escorted to their seat, while a mix of Spanish tunes and old school kiwi songs play. Customer care is another of our key values, and every new client is sent a message two days after their service to ensure they are 100 percent happy with their hair and experience. We treat our guests like family, because they are. cont’d over page