Back in June of 2020, the BeautyCouncil ran a survey of members and discovered approximately one third of those surveyed were not implementing a price increase or surcharge to recover COVID-related costs.
While this was concerning at the time (after all, every beauty business accrued costs during the mandatory closure in May), it is even more so now that we have a better understanding of the long-term costs of new operation standards during and post COVID. From extra cleaning and sanitation supplies, to extra time between appointments, to limiting the number of staff and clients operating at once — these necessary changes aren’t free.
The guidance remains the same: NOW is the time to gain a solid understanding of the costs you’ve accrued so you can make a strategic plan to recover them.
So, how do you choose between a COVID fee (a stand-alone surcharge or separate line item added to each client’s bill) and a general price increase (raising the menu price of your services)?*
*Hint: Even if you have already implemented one of these strategies to recover costs, we still recommend reading further to ensure you’ve chosen the best option for your business.
Caylee Augé of Salon Profit Project is a fan of the COVID fee for a few reasons: