Ward’s world

AI: ADAPT OR DIE?

As AI gathers pace, Hellen Ward looks at the practical implications for salon owners, from cutting admin costs to redefining team roles, while protecting the human experience clients value most

I recently attended a conference for salon owners where two of the headline speakers were AI experts. Their perspective was slightly different – with the future specialist being far more pro ChatGPT (Generative Pre-Trained Transformer – who knew?) and the speaker with the psychology background being of a slightly more cynical opinion. To hear their differing viewpoints at Wella's conference was very interesting. The former quoted statistics about impending future careers – or lack of them – that were mind-blowing. The latter was more reticent to embrace it, citing examples where if you ask it a question and query the response by offering a different view, it will quickly U-turn and tell you that you are right.

Although they had different perspectives, they both drew the same conclusion, however. How do we fit this square AI peg into the very round hole that is our sector? A sector built on relationship building and customer engagement, which is centred around creating connection and human relationships.

Opportunities in beauty

I wrote in a recent column that I thought AI would give us a unique opportunity as an industry when its adoption becomes more widespread. As more users get used to it and embrace it, it will invariably change many lives. More people will use it for writing letters, emails, asking advice and in their day-to-day lives – and not just in the workplace. Try using it as a therapist and ask it for its perspective on any deeply personal issues (heartbreak, estrangement, grief) and the response is astonishing. The speakers said the same.

Early adopters have long since realised it does have a place in the hair and beauty industry, but that it’s probably not quite what we envisaged. We’ve all seen the videos on Instagram where “lash robots” are able to create a full set of lash extensions and “hair robots” do cuts and chignons that appear to be pretty swift and accurate. It's quite appealing as a businesswoman to think of how you could hire a few bots … never off sick, no performance issues, no pastoral care required.

But I don’t see AI working like this yet for us, although it is astonishing to think that Elon Musk is on the record as saying the majority of surgery will be performed by robots within the next three-to-five years. And if a bot is capable of open-heart surgery, then I’m quite sure it’s going to be able to do a lash tint.

Digital detox

So where will it really work for us? When our clients, as consumers, will be so roboticised in their general lives, will they crave the human connection that salons and their teams provide? My assessment of a few months ago hasn’t changed. There is no substitute for human interaction, human hands and human touch and if we are on the ball we will be milking this USP in a consumer environment where it will become increasingly rare.

Using AI for back-of-house and admin is where I see it fast approaching. Many software providers are launching their own chat bots for appointment booking, both verbally and online. Saving on a receptionist might be appealing, but I know our salon clients probably won’t be embracing this technology very quickly. However, it is coming at us like a speeding bullet and it’s only prudent to get ready to adopt it, because the younger demographic among our clients will be happy to use it. Saving on non-productive costs is something every salon owner will want to consider.

What I think is critical is embracing the change in salon job roles that AI will inevitably bring. The more mundane tasks that are replaced with a bot, the more the team member has to switch up their role to solely focusing on the human experience. The danger is of course if they fail to do so, using their time unproductively and not maximising the virtual assistance that they have. It’s probably time to reassess the front-of-house and back-end admin and integrate AI where we can – creating rotas, answering FAQs, detailing staff performance, and save working hours for focusing solely on the bit that AI can’t deliver.

Promoting wellbeing

Businesses like ours where the personal touch is so important will see a big change, for sure. We will hopefully become far more valued in terms of the mental wellness we generate in the course of our working days up and down every high street in the UK.

AI will undoubtedly change the way we work, and listening to the speakers clarified for me where it can enhance my business. Maybe receptionists will be reduced in number, but the role will be more of a concierge. I know of companies that are already adopting this – in the leisure industry, for example. Using it to enhance consultations, prescriptions, diagnosis and record keeping, for instance, is really exciting. Totally embracing it just yet won’t be for me but contextualising it to fit into our customer ethos and ensure mundanity is reduced is very appealing.

P.s. If you’re wondering whether I used AI to write my column, I can assure you I didn’t. It might be clever, but it doesn’t have four decades of sector experience. Take that Elon!

Hellen Ward is managing director of Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa in London, vice president of The Hair & Beauty Charity and co-founder of Salon Employers Association (SEA).

“The more mundane tasks that are replaced with a bot, the more the team member has to switch up their role to solely focusing on the human experience”