To all our Industry Colleagues –
We’ve been on a tumultuous journey over the past number of months to say the least. Who would have thought that when HABIC confirmed Government’s decision for all Personal Services to close on Dec 24th “until further notice”, that it would be Apr 29th before that notice would be given.
But so it is, this evening (Thurs 29th Apr) after the Cabinet sub-committee on COVID-19’s meeting yesterday to discuss NPHET’s recommendations for the re-opening of our country’s economy, they have officially announced their decisions.
All the media leaks and speculation is over. We will re-open on Monday 10th May!
HABIC and other industry groups lobbied Government and presented the facts, that our Industry is prepared and is a safe environment. They listened and they agreed and hence the Personal Service Industry is one of the first sectors to re-open! This is a testament to you all, your diligence and hard work!!
We have been through a ‘re-opening’ before and we all know that there is much to be done in preparation. HABIC has included below some links to valuable resources, including our updated Re-Opening Guidelines. And over the coming days the HABIC team will continue to share information and advice as best we can to help you out. For now here are some critical links to information and resource
1. Re-opening Guidelines
In preparation for re-opening HABIC has produced updated guidelines for our members across the country, as we now can constructively look to welcoming our customers back into our salons. The HABIC Re-opening Guidelines are made up of a combination of the Government’s Work Safely Protocol and the adoption of learnings in the sector from the first two lockdowns. The updated guidelines will provide guidance for staff working in hair and beauty salons nationwide.
The guidelines contain links to numerous valuable resources.
Over the coming days please re-familiarise yourself with these guidelines and re-assess the protocols that you have set in place for your business
Read HABIC’s recent blog which focuses on the Re-opening Guidelines.
Read the Updated Re-Opening Guidelines:
2. By Appointment Only
We re-open on an Appointment basis only. Now is the time to re-assess your Appointment Booking System, to re-assess your protocol and to remind your clients of your procedures. For example:
Appointments:
- When attending appointments, customers are asked to arrive on time.
- Due to decreased capacity, customers are asked to come alone.
- In line with public health advice and for the purpose of contact tracing, customers will be asked a series of relevant questions.
- On arrival, customers will be asked to sanitise their hands.
- Customers may also be provided with a fresh face mask.
- Throughout visits, customers are reminded to be mindful of social distancing.
- Regular cleaning and sanitisation will take place.
- When arranging appointments, clients may be asked for a booking deposit. This is a common and standard practice across the industry.
- We ask that customers give due notice if cancelling or rescheduling appointments, as cancellation policies may apply.
3. Client Communication
It is critical that you stay in touch with your clients at this time. Keep them informed and manage your diary wisely. HABIC has created a set of useful slides for use on your Social Media that you can use to remind your clients of your new protocols, eg:
- Appointment Making
- PPE
- COVID-19 Questionnaire
- Opening Hours
- Sanitisation
This Social Content is available for our Business Members to download in the Member Zone on habic.ie (https://habic.ie/benefits/digital-resources/)
They are also available in this Blog Post: https://habic.ie/a-gift-from-habic-free-social-media-content/
4. Other important reading
Here are the links to some recent and relevant blog posts from HABIC
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