Growing a salon is about doing more of what works, with less guesswork. These three KPIs keep you focused on the work that moves the needle: Utilization, Rebooking Rate, and Retail Percentage. Track them weekly, coach from them in 1:1s, and review trends monthly with your team.
Quick formulas (copy these)
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Utilization = Booked service hours ÷ Available service hours × 100
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Rebooking Rate = Clients who scheduled their next visit before leaving ÷ Total clients served × 100
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Retail Percentage (Retail %) = Retail dollars ÷ Service dollars × 100
1) Utilization (Chair Time Filled)
What it tells you
How much of your team’s available time is booked with revenue-producing services.
Why it matters
High utilization means healthy demand, accurate timing, and strong pre-booking. Low utilization points to gaps in schedule design, timing, or marketing.
How to calculate
Add each stylist’s booked service hours for the period. Divide by their available service hours on the schedule. Multiply by 100.
Targets to aim for
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Solo stylist: 75–85% average, with protected blocks for content and admin.
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Multi-chair salon: 80%+ for senior stylists, 65–75% for new stylists while they build a clientele.
How to improve
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Tighten timing: Audit service timing quarterly so blocks match the real work.
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Stack demand: Promote high-value services on slow days, and concentrate quick services together to reduce gaps.
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Pre-book intentionally: Every ticket ends with an offer for the next ideal date and time.
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Use waitlists: Text clients when cancellations open, and fill holes fast.
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Optimize hours: If a day runs under 50% for three weeks in a row, test new hours or consolidate shifts.
Report cadence
Check weekly by stylist, then review 4-week trends monthly.
2) Rebooking Rate (Clients Who Schedule the Next Visit)
What it tells you
How well your team protects the future calendar and client results.
Why it matters
Rebooking drives retention, smoother outcomes for extension maintenance and color, and a stable cash flow. It also reduces frantic last-minute marketing.
How to calculate
Count clients who scheduled their next appointment before they left. Divide by total clients served that period. Multiply by 100.
Targets to aim for
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Extension clients: 75–90%
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Color clients: 65–80%
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Cut-only clients: 50–65%
How to improve
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Make it part of the service: During the finish, recommend the ideal return window and offer two time options.
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Use scripts that feel natural: “Your rows look their best with a 7–8 week refresh. Morning or afternoon work better for you?”
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Book maintenance before installs: For new extension installs, schedule the first maintenance at checkout.
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Show the why: Keep a simple visual of what happens when clients wait too long, like matting risk or color fade.
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Reward consistency: Consider a maintenance bundle that includes scheduled visits and a small perk.
Report cadence
Weekly by service type and stylist, then roll up at month-end.
3) Retail Percentage (Retail Sales as a Share of Service)
What it tells you
How well your team protects client results at home and drives high-margin revenue.
Why it matters
Healthy retail supports outcomes for extensions and color, keeps clients happy between appointments, and improves average ticket without adding chair time.
How to calculate
Divide retail dollars by service dollars for the same period. Multiply by 100.
Targets to aim for
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Salon average: 15–25%
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Extension-heavy teams: 20–30%, since proper home care protects the investment.
How to improve
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Prescribe, don’t pitch: List the three items you used, explain when and how to use each, and place them at checkout.
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Bundle by service: Create “Install Care,” “Blonde Care,” and “Scalp Health” kits.
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Teach the team: Quick huddles on one hero product each week, including who it is for and exact wording to recommend it.
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Track attach rate: How many tickets include at least one retail item. Celebrate small wins.
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Keep stock tight: If it is not on the shelf, it will not sell. Check top SKUs weekly.
Report cadence
Weekly by stylist, with a monthly product mix review.
Scorecard you can run every week
|
Stylist |
Utilization |
Rebooking Rate |
Retail % |
Notes / Next Move |
|
Alex |
78% |
72% |
18% |
Add “Install Care” script, test Thursday late block |
|
Jordan |
64% |
55% |
12% |
Move glosses to Tue specials, tighten timing by 10 min |
|
Riley |
86% |
80% |
24% |
Shadow for retail coaching, record script for team |
How to use it
Pick one small improvement per stylist per week. Coach on behavior, not just the number. Review wins in the Monday huddle.
Common pitfalls to avoid
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Counting non-service hours as “available.” Remove lunch, meetings, and admin from available hours.
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Only watching averages. Look at trends and outliers. Fix schedule holes, timing, and scripting.
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Chasing retail with discounts. Lead with education and bundles. Use promos sparingly.
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Skipping pre-booking on busy days. These are the best days to lock in demand.
Implementation checklist
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Build a shared KPI sheet with weekly tabs and stylist rows.
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Set targets by role, then revisit quarterly.
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Train on rebooking language and retail prescriptions.
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Audit service timing, then update online booking durations.
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Hold a 20-minute weekly review and a 60-minute monthly deep dive.
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Celebrate leading behaviors, not just big numbers.
FAQ
How often should we review KPIs with the team?
Weekly for coaching, monthly for strategy and scheduling decisions.
What if a stylist’s retail % is strong but rebooking is low?
Shadow their finish and checkout. They may educate well on products, but skip the “next visit” offer.
Can utilization be too high?
Yes. If you sit above 90% for weeks, clients will struggle to book. Add hours, raise prices, or adjust service mix.