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Alex Smith, owner of The Treatment Rooms in Harrogate shares her experience of getting through lockdown, with love and support from somewhere you wouldn’t expect

“When news started to spread back in March, it all seemed surreal. I was determined we’d work through this. How wrong I was. The first couple of weeks felt like a holiday. The sun was shining, I was able to catch up on house work and have some time for myself.

“Two weeks in and the novelty wore off. I started to realise how serious it was and my mind turned to what I need to do to keep my business alive.

“The communication we received from our skincare house, Germaine de Capuccini (GdC), was fantastic. It began with supportive emails and ideas of how we could generate income by working from home. GdC then organised online training with Valerie Delforge, which gave me lots of new ideas. It was also really special to be able to talk with other salon owners going through the same thing and offer each other some advice. My social media had a complete makeover. I started to schedule posts and do live videos. Doing this made me feel like we were still keeping in touch.

“Germaine de Capuccini ‘at home’ facial boxes were a big hit with clients. These were a post box-sized package that GdC delivered directly to our clients, offering them a professional facial that they would be able to do at home. My constant interaction on social media and emails to clients meant I was able to receive orders. I would hop on my bike and deliver to their doorstep. GdC also offered direct delivery of any skincare that I didn’t have in stock.

“I then turned my attention to my team. It was so important to keep them in the loop. Nothing too serious; quizzes to test our knowledge, videos talking about our favourite skincare to keep our minds active.

“I cannot thank Germaine de Capuccini enough for their support throughout this challenging time. Linda is a fantastic trainer and Julie, my account manager, is always there for us when we need her.”

“When your family need you, what do you do?” Clare Dickens managing director, Germaine de Capuccini UK, explains how the company is supporting its customers

“It’s the question we asked ourselves in early March at Germaine de Capuccini. What do our GdC family need from us right now?

“As a team of industry experts, many of whom have worked together for years, we know our customers are your customers. Our brand partners are part of our team – part of the family. We couldn’t let them down at a time of crisis so we reached out personally to everyone. Being part of a community provided a sense of belonging, helping business owners and spa managers share best practice and make sense of a confusing situation. Private Facebook groups provided a much-needed tool for this immediate connection.

“GdC stayed open every day during lockdown, supporting partners to maintain income while they were told to stay away from their business. From bounce-back vouchers in Treat Yourself professional homecare facial kits, to drop-shipping retail, workshop webinars and advice for those wanting to use the time to develop and progress their business. The GdC Professional website was accessed more than ever to view new product knowledge webinars and download Covid support documents. PPE was in stock early to ensure stockists could hit the ground running.

“Communication with our partners will never be the same for us now. We have always had a strong and personal connection but I can’t see that we’d ever go back to the old ways of just phone calls and emails.”

To find out what real business support feels like, contact Germaine de Capuccini : 0845 600 0203 

germaine-de-capuccini.co.uk/pb