Why are we expensive? Chop!_ vs Cheaper shops

Published on 11th September '19

Running a business can be expensive

Everywhere you look someone is asking for money - another monthly subscription or the latest industry tools and software. Several annual events where barbers meet to discuss industry trends. All the added extras of being an employer such as the recent workplace pension.

All of these costs add up

Why do we charge so much?

It's true; we do charge more than other barber shops when it comes to cutting your hair. Honestly you don't need to pay £17.50 for a standard cut or £24 for a skin fade, there are shops who will be happy to charge you £10 or £12 respectively and batter out a cheap quick cut in 10 - 15 minutes. So why would you pay more?

It's a good question and one that I hope I can answer in this post.

I speak to lots of clients who have 'tried to save money' by getting a cheap haircut. It's normally when they come into Chop for another cut minutes later. This is a regular occurence for us and we always do our best to get them to the style they want but it can sometimes be a period of time before the hair is back to a shape that they want.

Heads of hair are not all cut the same, barbers don't all learn in the same place. There are so many potential pitfalls when cutting hair that you'll want to make sure your choosing an experienced barber to look after you. There are traditional barbers, modern barbers and unfortunately in our unregulated industry some barbers who arent even barbers.

Good Shop vs Bad Shop

Bad Shops

Sitting in a queue for a long time
Unclear communication
Key consultation questions not being asked
Can't produce a broad range of styles
Cutting time is fast
Cheap products used
Doesn't offer a range of payment methods
Unwilling to address problems clients may have
the list goes on

Good Shops

No Queueing through a smooth appointments system
Clear communication at all times
Spends the maximum amount of time possible on you
Applies a range of techniques to every cut to produce cuts specific to every individual
Thourough consultation in order to create a complete picture of a clients needs
Offers a broad range of styles.
Able to provide many years of experience in the industry
Offers an easy to navigate website and clear information

The cost of a 'cheap' haircut may seem appealing, to begin with, until you realise that it's not sitting the way you want it. Then you may find your wasting more time and money trying to get it to the way you want it.

Why do we charge more than other shops?

Over the years I've come to realise it's our process that makes the biggest difference. The time and focus it takes to produce quality is ultimately what will make happy clients.

Below I've broken down key areas of what we do so you can see how we are different.

We spend time understanding you

Before we start cutting your hair we like to take time to consult with you. We will discuss any problems your having with your hair, anything that won't sit correctly or how you'd like your hair to look after your visit. We will also try and find out how you are getting on at home with styling and advise on the correct products, how to use them and what different effects they may have on your hair.

Without spending the time to fully understand your hair needs, how can we produce what you imagine in your head and tailor a cut just for you?

We'll advise you on every visit

After consulting you we will cut and style your hair with a goal in mind. On the first cut we may need more hair in certain areas and will advise you that it may be 2 or 3 cuts before we can achieve the completed look. We will also be honest and let you know, based on our many years of experience, if your hair type isn't suited to a certain style, but will certainly help you to find a good style for your hair type.

The right tools for the job

Modern barbering now requires a huge range of different tools which without, many styles are unachievable. We have every tool imaginable on hand for anything that might be thrown at us. We also have the knowledge to understand every tool in the shop and on a visit a client might see us switching between many different tools during a service.

Over 70 years of industry knowledge

Chop!_ benefits from a group of highly experienced personnel working on the shop floor. Our Barbers have decades of combined knowledge which is constantly discussed and shared on the shop floor. Over these many years of experience we have encountered many different problems with different styles and products which we have developed solutions for. This experience is valuable in producing something suitable for every client in the shop.

Offering bookings

By offering booking software we have eliminated the need to sit in queues at the barber shop. Clients can now book in at Chop!_ without even talking to us. They can go onto our website or use the Nearcut booking app to book a set time which is convenient to them. You will be able to see each barber that is on every day and what time they have available without the need to make phone calls. Booking takes seconds.

Gone are the days where you sit in a queue. Imagine having two days off in a week and on one of those days your sitting a barber shop queue. What a waste of your time. We can get you in the chair on arrival if you book in.

Cut Duration

High turnover is never on our minds. We think about the client in the chair during the time they have booked. Unlike cheap shops that need high turnover, we will never race to get to the next client waiting. If you've booked half an hour with us then we won't have another booking until the next half hour. This ensures we aren't working under pressure to get your cut finished. We can spend more time putting the fine touches to your hair.

To conclude

The most visible part of a person is their hair, it is exposed almost all of the time. No matter what the reason for a cut, maybe its just your routine or a holiday, sales meeting or job interview, we will make sure your hair is perfect. We may be priced differently but it's long been said in the industry 'Good haircuts aren't cheap and cheap haircuts aren't good'