3 Ways to Offer Nail Services Without a Nail Tech

Struggling to find or keep a nail tech on your hotel spa staff? We’ve got good news: you don’t have to.

When it comes to in-house nail services in the hospitality industry, we understand it can be a carousel of struggle. When you don’t have a nail tech on staff, it’s one missed opportunity after another. You’re sending paying customers to the nearest nail salon in town and missing out on opportunities to satisfy customers within your ecosystem.

When you do have a nail tech, those expenditures can sting: 401Ks, yearly bonuses, and even simply overstaffing your spa when there isn’t enough business to justify the position.

Lucky for you, this ride of turmoil has an off-switch. Check out these three ways you can keep nail services as an offering in your hotel spa without breaking the bank, suffering the hiring slog, or watching potential business walk out the door.

Local Nail Salon Partnership

Okay, we know—this goes against basically everything you just read. Hear us out.

It’s a story we’ve heard time and time again: your spa doesn’t offer nail services, so your clients get routed to the nearest nail salon in the city. It’s hard to watch all that money walk out the door and that does nothing to generate brand loyalty.

If you can’t beat them, join them!

Developing a professional partnership between businesses—although less-than-ideal—can be an excellent way to keep nail services as a marketable service on your spa roster. Yes, your consumers won’t technically be getting their nails done at your spa, but with potential perks like an exclusive partnership rate, convenient time slots, and complimentary shuttling to-and-from locations, even the stingiest hotel guest will be pleased to take the trip.

After thoroughly researching potential partnership salons to partner with, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Would my guests have a good experience at this salon?
• Do they offer products and services that are in alignment with our values?
• How can our business relationship be beneficial to both parties in an equitable way?

Hire a Mobile Manicurist

If the concept of sending your guests elsewhere doesn’t fit your fancy, we don’t blame you, but there’s still a way to give your clients the full nail tech experience without hiring one.

Mobile manicure services are exactly what they sound like: traveling nail techs who will bring their services to you! They’re licensed, experienced, and highly talented at what they do. They generally offer a wide variety of services and have all their own equipment—meaning your spa won’t need to close the gap with resources.

Of course, this isn’t a perfect solution and may present challenges for walk-in clientele, but it keeps patrons on the property in a controlled environment. A mobile manicurist might just be the gap between a satisfied guest and lost dollars.

Offer a DIY Product and Resources

Offering an off-the-shelf, attractive, high-quality product can make all the difference in your client experience and help them reimagine the luxury nature of a “DIY” product.

So what does that look like? A client walks into your spa and wants to see your manicure offerings. QUICK! Show them Dazzle Dry on your product shelf (as an example for no particular reason)! It’s a fast-drying, long-lasting manicure that your client can do 100% on their own—no nail tech required. They can have the salon-quality nails they want for their date, meeting, presentation, etc.

Here’s where your staff comes in. They’ll need to be properly educated on the product, make themselves available to help walk guests through if they need it, and even be wearing it themselves to show off how great it is! Whatever the technique, remember that you’re offering this product to keep nail services in-house, and that’s something your clients need (sometimes desperately).

Pro tip: Make the offer even sweeter by offering complimentary accouterments like manicure tools and disposables, nail oils, pampering amenities, and more

While this solution may not offer the pampering aspects of a traditional mani/pedi, it covers a lot of bases. It’s an in-house nail service that generates incredible results and can help even the most inexperienced guest feel great about their nails during their travels.

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At Dazzle Dry, we love sharing our beauty insight to connect people with practices and products that make the industry a better place for everyone. If you’re interested in more beauty news, industry tips, or the innovative Dazzle Dry nail lacquer system, you can find more information on our Blog, our How To Use Dazzle Dry page or our helpful FAQs.