How can you elevate your services by adding hospitality and luxury experiences
Premiumization is a trend that enables salons to deliver substantial growth within the beauty sector. A result of extraordinary customer service, product quality and unique features, premiumization also underlines the use of premium products and a luxurious ambience.
The StyleSpeak Beauty Conference 2025 hosted a Leadership Session focused on Premiumization of salon services by adding hospitality and luxury experiences at HBS 2025. Chaired by Prannay Dokkania, COO, Lloyds Luxury, it featured Sneh Koticha, Director, JCB Salon, Kiran Bawa, Founder & Chairperson, IOSIS Wellness & Sorin Luxury Spa Salon, Director, Bawa Group of Companies and Aankith Arora, Founder & CEO, Streamline Beauty India. The Panel delved deeper into how premiumization is the need of the hour and unlocked the aspects that go into making a salon premium.
Kicking off the session, Prannay Dokkannia asked the panellists, “What is Premiumization and is it a growing buzz?
According to Sneh Koticha, ‘premiumization’ is derived from aspiration and desire for something better, e.g., good treatments, service and experience in a salon. All these factors combined make it premium. Co-panellist Kiran Bawa felt that standard salon services delivered with a unique experience are their premiumization, e.g., a service like threading is elevated by adding a little massage, powder, aloe vera gel, making it a premium experience. Serving beverages after the service makes the client feel important, and the service is elevated to make it look premium.
Premiumization starts with personalization, sophistication and care, says Aankith Aroraa, in the absence of which, the impact falls flat.
Is there a need for premiumization in today’s era?
With the expectations of clients rising manifold, becoming premium gets you noticed, according to Kiran Bawa. Sneh Koticha concurred, “Premiumization is an experience. It’s about how much you go out of the way for a client, irrespective of whether it is a small or big salon.” If we are not able to match the product with the customer’s lifestyle, then we fail.
Premiumization is being noticed and becoming a decisive factor. Exposure to social media is the main difference between 20 years ago and today. Awareness has increased manifold. Differentiation in terms of product delivery and service has become eminent, and is now the only way to succeed. Salons should therefore cater to different consumers in different ways… premiumization can be in steps. Service delight/ excellence will lead to Customer delight.
Prannay Dokkania concluded: Increase in disposable income, influence of social media, technology like AI, exposure of international brands have led to evolved customer choices and higher expectations, paving the way for premiumization and better value for money. Training and proper treatment ofthe client is another important factor that adds to the premium experience.
Important aspects of premiumization
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- Location: Offering premium services irrespective of location
- Soothing and appealing ambience: Lights, music, and controlled noise
- Comfort and décor: No overspending, adding a little green element like a money plant or a few paintings, premium products. Books/magazines to read when clients come to spend a lot of time makes an impact and keeps them engaged. Beverages, soothing music: For a great experience
- Hygiene: The salon should be very clean, and the therapist well-groomed and presentable when they are doing a service
- Exclusive products: Leads to product efficacy
- Personalizing exclusive experiences: Think out of the box on upgrading services (train staff, create SOPs personalization and client retention)
- Service excellence: Understanding customer preferences, offering care and wellness, training and customer feedback through reviews. Focus on customer delight through service excellence
- Measuring premiumization: PNL, reviews, feedback, client experience, quality of the product, and tracking footfall
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- Common mistakes to avoid: Overspending, not trusting training and hiring staff, and not picking up young talent
- Soft skills: Easy client interactions leading to their comfort before, during and after the service. Technical skills: Building expertise for perfect service execution. Raining from vendor partners so as to prevent technical mistakes
- Technology: Adopt technology and AI for salon management and service efficiency
Premiumization is all about exceeding clients’ expectations. A collective superlative experience encompassing the salon ambience, hospitality, expertly delivered service, and a feeling of being well looked after is where the journey begins.
