Mobile hair cutting salon cum massage parlor. Today most of the products sold across the

counter deliver the Core benefits and Basic product benefits and sometimes on Expected product

benefits, but in most of the brand choice the consumer often makes a decision on the basis of

augmented product benefits and Potential product benefits. Core benefits offered are hair cuts

and body care. But, the augmented benefits from the service offers are that above two services

are blended into one mobile van and offered at a most convenient location. In the future such

service offers can be provided to individual family units as per their requirements.

 

The firm intends to achieve $5000 of sales per month from single mobile van. During

the first few months the expected sales target may be as low as $ 2000 to $3000. The company

intends to add new mobile vans from internal accruals within next six to eight months. The

company expects to Break-Even within six months of business operation. The expected fixed

cost to start a business is $25000.

The objective would be to serve the customers with an aim to exceed their expectations.

To increase the number of clients served by at least 20% each year through superior

performance, word-of-mouth referrals and local TV ads.

This type of business is a new concept not entirely new to the world but, it is still evolving and

many people need to understand it before they would think in terms of adopting it. Word-of-

mouth publicity will play a major role in making the customers loyal to such services. Local road

shows and Ads in local channels would certainly be handy strategic move to make the target

audience aware about the concept.

This being a very small business, political factors would not influence it much. USA is a free

economy with least political intervention of any kind.

Economic factors like income levels and growth in disposable would have considerable impact

because such service would not come very cheap. This being hair cut –cum- massage salon

would have to charge premium price from the customers availing it. When National economy

and personal income do not look on the brighter side, it would be a hard bargain to easily sell the

services to every individual.

Societal norms are still such that many people many would find it difficult to digest the concept

of mobile salon especially baby boomers. New generation people who are busy and have less

time can try the concept and could prove to be instrumental in making it popular. Role of opinion

leaders would be important to encourage the idea and infuse it among early adopters. Since,

service would be available at personal call; it would be marketing the concept of social

convenience and speedy service in minimum time. The slogan of “time is money” has to be

spread in social media and circles to understand its underlying meaning and to have wider social

impact.

Technology is certainly going to play a vital role. Internet, e-mail, and phone calls can be used to

have easy access with each and every customer. Customer data bank along with their preferences

and liking can easily be stored through a especial customized software. Customer Relationship

Management (CRM) can be employed by the mobile salon to dish out the best to the customers.

Scientific information on use of herbal cream, its suitability to particular skin, allergies, hair cut

design etc can be installed through the internet and its website to encourage potential customers

to adopt the concept of mobile van for hair cut and massage.

Men will typically make up 70-75% of the clientele because men have shorter hair and thus

require regular hair cuts at a faster rate than woman. Working people would be the target market

because they have less time to go to up market salon for their hair cuts. Mobile salon would be

more conveniently located at most appropriate time. While men would primarily turn up of hair

cuts and body massage, women would turn up for facial and other services.

Potential customers can be segmented as working men & women, children and house

wives as three segments. Timings would be different for the three segments. Working people

would be available in the morning, evening and on weekends at a particular locations. School

and college going children can be available even in the afternoons and non working or

housewives who do not constitute the major market would be always available.

Benefits would be different from traditional hair cutting salons as they can be called as

per the demands of customers of particular locality. Apart from hair cutting, skin care, and hair

massage or total body massage can be rendered to target segments. The prime benefits which

would segregate from other salons would be availability of vans at a call, especially in remote

localities.

The company would reap the benefit of first mover advantage

Since this would be a new concept of hair cut salon cum massage parlor, there are no competitors

in given area where the firm would start its operation. The competition would come from

traditional salons located in each area

For viability of this business Marketing Research is required to be conducted for Feasibility Study

Market Research (MR) is required to be conducted on selected town and with sample size of 200

people drawn randomly. From each locality sample size of 50 persons would be chosen

randomly and survey conducted through sets of five open ended questionnaires followed by

Multiple Choice Questions. The purpose of survey would be to know the need gap if any, exists

and then how to fill the gap through mobile hair cut cum massage salons. The purpose would be

to undertake an exploratory research to know the reason whether existing traditional salons

satisfy their needs. Secondly, number of people who would be attracted towards mobile salon

would help make an estimate of new market. Exploratory research need to be followed by

conclusive research to make an estimate of possible market and revenue generated from the

estimate.