Adapting to a changing world - Ruth Bancroft

In the original lockdown, the opposite was the case, as the economy was effectively switched off like a light. This time, though, with ever-tightening restrictions and rules, many business owners, myself included, are feeling more nervous and unsure than we have for some time – and that takes some doing given that the country first went into lockdown in March and we’ve been living on tenterhooks ever since.

And it’s not just business owners who are talking about Covid-19 and the months ahead, but seemingly everyone.

The possibility of a second lockdown has been the hot topic in my salon over the past week with all my customers, whether they’re having a facial, wax or massage.

Everybody’s waiting for a grim-faced Boris Johnson to walk up to that wooden lectern flanked by his medical advisers and deliver the dreaded words.

For me, trying to figure out what the almost daily developments mean for my business is very difficult – and I’m sure that applies to many of the business owners reading this. The Government is U-turning and changing direction almost by the day.

It would be easier to herd cats than try to predict where we’re all headed next.

But such knee-jerk and ever-changing information from the Government makes it hard for businesses to plan strategically and financially.

Could we be forced to close completely again or just restricted on certain treatments? Who knows? 2020 has been a brutal time for so many businesses, and lockdown was just the start.

Even since we’ve emerged from it, the constant chopping and changing has delivered blow after blow.

For example, we lost 85 per cent of our bookings within hours when the Government restricted close contact treatments in August. It was a financial disaster delivered at the 11th hour.

Ironically, the feedback from clients about how safe they feel in the salon with all the new safety measures we have in place has been amazing.

Some clients over the weekend have said that further tightening of restrictions wouldn’t stop them from coming because it feels safer here than many other places they have visited, which is wonderful to hear and makes all the hard work worthwhile.

But like most businesses, our biggest fear is that further restrictions will decimate our revenues yet again, putting the jobs of staff at risk.

We’re also having to pay added financial costs for PPE and a significant time cost for cleaning in between appointments.

Looking forward, we are realistic. We expect things to be difficult for some time yet with people either feeling less well off or nervous about their finances, or generally having fewer nights out in the run-up to Christmas – all the more so now that pubs are having to shut at 10pm.

On the flipside, we have seen an upturn in bookings for facials and massages with people wanting to relax and de-stress – no surprise, really. With that in mind, I’ve been exploring different ways that we could support people’s mental health and if there is any way to incorporate that into the salon and our treatments.

What’s certain in the current climate is that all businesses need to be continuously adapting not just to the Government’s latest rules but the changing wants and needs of consumers.

Reflecting this, we quickly added a shop onto our website and started doing virtual skin consultations as a means to keep bringing income in throughout the summer and support our clients at home, which also helped us to stay in contact and on their radars – probably the most crucial thing of all for any business, whatever their size or sector they’re in.

Ruth Bancroft is the founder of Bramhope-based Number Eleven Beauty & Wellbeing

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James Mitchinson