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Lisa McIntyre
Never Run Out Of Lash Supplies: Tips for Lash Technicians
Fear of Running out of Lash Supplies đ¨
One sure nightmare for any lash technician would be running out of lash supplies during the times you need them. One would probably assume that replenishing products when their stock gets low should be the solution to this problem. However, managing the inventory of your lash business requires much more than just ordering lash products every time you reach a certain level. A proper plan will help one avoid disruptions, delays, and the hassle of doing last-minute orders. How can you be perfectly prepared at all times and never run out of the essentials?Â
Now, imagine that you feel like you have enough lash adhesive for the week. You cannot remember when you last restocked, but you seemed okay after your last client appointment. You put the glue aside until later, thinking that everything will be all right. Then your next client comes in, and as youâre preparing to attach their extensions, you discover that the glue has dried up or dries right away. You begin to panic. You can try to order more quickly, but it will likely arrive too late, and you will have to reschedule â every lash technicianâs worst nightmare. The trick is to plan a strong inventory management strategy.
Hereâs how.
Tip 1: Planning Effective Inventory Management đĄ
Firstly, to stay in stock you must find out how much product you use daily. From lash adhesive and lash trays to pretreatment solutions name it. But knowing the monthly usage is of the utmost importance. Some products, such as lash adhesive, have to be kept in certain conditions in which they will always be effective in a cool, dry place and not in direct sunlight. Monitoring your inventory can seem dull but, is a good way of avoiding more stress and keeping your business running as smoothly as possible.
Set up an inventory tracking system that can be a downloadable app, or spreadsheet even on plain paper to track your levels of stock. Include how much of each product you have and when you bought/opened it. For instance, how many sealed bottles of glue do you have in stock? What is the lifespan of your currently used lash trays? This would keep you abreast of what you should order and when thereby eliminating last-minute surprises.
Tip 2: Label Products đˇď¸
One of the most common mistakes lash technicians make is using products that have exceeded their shelf life and do not know it. Of course, glue has a shelf life; never really does âexpireâ. Most lash adhesives are still good for six months if unopened, but once you open the bottle, you get about two months when it begins to take effect. After that, the glue can get sticky, stringy, or just stop attaching the lashes as well as it used to.
A solution to the problem of this happening is to label your items once they are opened with a date. You would use just tape and a marker for this, but at least that way you can write either the opening date or the expiration date onto the bottle so you know when itâs time to change it out. Help track the life span of products so that you are not using outdated items and so you can work with newly stocked inventory.
This is especially vital for items such as adhesives which will degrade many, many times faster if left sitting in improper conditions. Be sure to date your products so that you do not get halfway through an appointment wondering why your adhesive is not doing what you want it to do.
Tip 3: Make Restocks a Habit đŤ
Once you get a general sense of your usage rates, itâs time to make restocking a conditioned behavior. Plan to check stock and put in orders monthly. Maintaining routines, like scheduled monthly restocking, keeps you one step ahead of your stock before you run out of anything critical. One easy use for a spreadsheet, a digital planner, or even a piece of notebook paper is to help you catalog items you reorder frequently.
Itâll eliminate the attitude of âIâll order it when I need itâ and keep you from a last-minute, scrambling mess. When you have an array of appointments and tasks like I do, finding a system even makes me less stressed about all that juggling. Meanwhile, it gets you ready for those peak seasons youâd least expect, such as holidays, where demand bookings may be through the roof, and running out of glue would certainly be a big hassle.
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Tip 4: Take advantage of Subscription Services đ
If the trouble of keeping tabs on your orders for products is paining you, use a subscription service to order your lash supplies. Most suppliers today arrange for you to have regular deliveries of the products you need so you never run out. For instance, lash adhesive subscriptions allow the user the option of when the product arrives: every two, four, or six weeks. Such services not only save you time but can ultimately save you money too. A subscription order is often a discounted deal.
Because the intuitive delivery program takes all guesswork out of reordering, youâll never be without necessary merchandise again. Many subscription services allow you to make changes to shipment frequency based on your business needs. For example, if youâre going to have a busy stretch ahead of you, you can ship more products. Ensuring youâre prepared for it.
Tip 5: Avoid Overstocking đ
It is good to have a sufficient stock, however excessive orders end up throwing away the products. Most Lash Products such as adhesives, primers, and removers expire, and using expired ones will negatively affect your clientâs outcomes. Overstocking always leads to wasting money and resources since you will end up with expired products that you cannot use.
Overstocking can also lead to storage-related issues. If your stock turns out to be overstocked due to the mis-storing of products, the shelf life will almost come to nil. We love to buy them at a discount and when on special, but order only what you are realistically going to use in the next few months, so you will not be tempted to use that past freshness date, which could lead to a pretty bad client experience.
Tip 6: Stock Alerts when Critical Re-order levels hit đ
This is the other way in which one can avoid a critical point to be exhaustively used stock of an essential item. Set an alert whenever the stock reaches a critical level. In most inventory management systems, mobile applications offer features where you can set alerts to reorder for specific products. For example, if you are relatively sure that you get through one lash adhesive bottle every six weeks, then it will mean that you will set a reminder once you are in the last bottle. Thus, you will be able to order more some other day before it becomes a frantic affair.
Even if youâre not using an application, you can set reminders on your phone or computer to remind you that it is time to reorder particular items. Taking charge and not playing catch-up is the way to keep your lash business well-stocked.
Tip 7: Get Ready for the Seasons đ
There are seasons with changes in demand from your clients. For example, holidays, wedding times or summer holidays may mean there will be more appointments at one time than usually expected. Order more stock before the busy periods begin to manage this particular increase in appointments. Avoid stocking too much and trying to do too much all at once. Use your busiest time projection by examining your schedule of appointments year over year and estimate how much product you will use that period.
Take advantage of the slow season to inspect your stock, replace all the ones already near the expiration date, and then arrange your storage. This way, you will not be taken by surprise when the demand of your clients suddenly increases.
Final Thoughts â¨
An ample supply of lash products would be the secret to a successful lash business. A good inventory management system would often ensure that there was always ample stock; therefore, if you were able to track the opening dates, make regular restocking schedules, and avoid overstocking, you wouldnât experience the stress and disruption of running out of supplies. Some subscription services and reorder alerts can simplify the process by keeping you fairly organized and prepared.
Being proactive about your lash supplies speaks volumes for yourself in the eyes of your clients, that youâre professional, dependable, and willing to go that extra mile to provide them with the best service. Proper management of the inventory will save time and let one focus on what he or she does best: beautiful lash extensions for the client.
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