Sneh Koticha-Contractor takes charge as Director at Jean-Claude Biguine Salons and Spa India. With the vision to retain Jean Claude Biguine India’s legacy and expand footprint in various geographies.
Jean-Claude Biguine Salons and Spa is one of the luxury salon chains in India. The salon is known for its expertise, quality, hygiene, and service. Recently, Sneh Koticha-Contractor took charge as Director at Jean-Claude Biguine Salons and Spa India.
Here’s an excerpt from her interview with Priyanka Parshurami, where she spilled beans about her vision and mission as Director.
You have played an instrumental role in setting up, scaling, and promoting the company in India. Can you give us a sneak peak into your 8 years of behind the scene journey?
Yes, eight years have been a lot of learning and insights. I started the journey with just understanding the business. Followed by new growth avenues. We have pioneered french and painless wax, bought Thalgo along with specific training for beauty and mani-pedi overseas which was unheard of at that time in the industry.
Then we started with home service training and kits as that was the new thing in the market at that point of time. We started with creating from understanding and creating specific kits, products specific mono dosed products for facial, mani-pedi. We ensured and created a protocol that the person is fully equipped right from entering the client’s house to leaving the client’s house.
And last but not least, we also started looking at the specifics of architecture for each salon outlet, based on its location, clientele, demand and other aspects. For example, in Jio Drive Mall we incorporated the concept of the Blow-dry bar. With high bar tables, meant for quick services, quick fixes, i.e in and out of the salon in 40 minutes, things like that. So these are kind of global concepts, which we started bringing in as well.
So, lots of learning. It’s been a great journey so far. But now I think we are at a point where we have learned what we had to, we understand the industry enough and we’re very confident that we, the company, definitely is doing extremely well to be able to go forth from here.
What is your vision for the brand for 2023?
I think this year, the vision for the brand is still as always. I.e remain on the top of mind when somebody thinks of luxury, experts, hygiene. And as soon as you think of all three, you gotta be thinking of JCB as the first thing. And that’s our vision throughout.
What are the parameters for recruiting the staff at JCB Salon?
While recruiting the technical staff goes through a very stringent process i.e through three levels of interviews. As they have to be proficient at technical knowledge as well as communicating with the customers for consultation.
We also have an in-house academy and trainers who do rigorous, technical test for the overall growth of the recruits.
What measures do you ensure for maintaining the quality services across all the JCB outlets?
There are a lot of systems and processes that we have in place as an organisation. Currently we have only 20+ outlets hence the problems are fewer. But, as we are on a growth path having watertight SOPs in place is the need of the hour. So, we have multiple level checks, like inventory audits, finance audits, feedbacks and Google reviews.
We also have a special hygiene checkpoint. And all our salon managers have to submit these reports every day. We do secret audits where, you know, some people just go in as clients, their out calls, things like that. There are lots of processes, day in and day out so that we know that none of them slip.
Your message to the aspirants of the beauty industry?
My only message would be that the industry is great. I think aspirations are growing. It’s not only women anymore, men are becoming a bigger part of that every day too. I think it’s a great place to be.
