COME into my parlour... that may be the refrain elsewhere. In Gujarat, come festive season, and men and women alike flock to salons and parlours. And in their quest to look good, they don’t mind shelling out Rs 1,200 for a single one-hour session of facial skin polishing or Rs 2,500 for a back polish. With Navratri followed by Diwali, a beautiful business graph is a certainty for beauty clinics and centres in Gujarat.
‘‘During the festive season, there is a 30 to 40 per cent sales increase from our average,’’ says Ram Iyer, Head Operations, Kaya Skin Clinic. ‘‘But then, the festival season is about looking good; we call it the trading-up phenomena where people from all strata want to come in for treatments that enhance their look. We are also launching a Navratri package that will consist of Kaya Glow for face and Kaya Back Shine along with a cleanser, toner and moisturiser that would come to about Rs 4,500 for a three to four-hour session,’’ Iyer adds.
However, while Kaya’s annual business comes from 40 per cent of laser treatments in Gujarat, product sales here — at 17 per cent— are one of the highest in the country. And with Navratri round the corner, it’s not just women, ‘‘even the men inflow goes up,’’ says Iyer. ‘‘We have 25 per cent of male clients who prefer the Kaya Glow treatment days before the festival. That apart, Back Shine treatment — that comprises nine per cent sales otherwise — picks up by 20 per cent. Our Vadodara and Surat centres have their first Navratri season this year and inquiries are pouring in. Business has also picked up in flood-hit Surat in the last 10 days,’’ he adds.
However, while Kaya beauty business blooms in this month, Cambay Spa & Resort had sales go up by 400 per cent last year before Navratri. ‘‘While it may be also due to Cambay being the first spa in Gujarat which opened in 2004, this festive and marriage season we expect a 40 per cent increase, may be going up to 46 treatments a day as against the usual 20-25,’’ says D K Barik, general manager.
While inquiries are rising, Barik says it is the Swedish and Balinese massages that are a hit with most. And with Ahmedabad ‘‘treating Gandhinagar as a satellite town with socio-economic exchange between the cities growing,’’ he adds: ‘‘We have plenty of pre-Navratri queries for beauty treatments, including facial and body massages, from both men and women. They come from Gandhinagar as well as Ahmedabad.’’
However, there’s more than just the face-and-back-beautiful phenomena, especially in this festival season at the three VLCC centres across Gujarat. ‘‘Our business in beauty services increases by 25 per cent in Navratri and Diwali months with average age group of clients being 25-45 years, the female to male ratio standing at 70:30,’’ says Yogesh Sethi, COO, VLCC Healthcare Ltd.
While the turnover of the VLCC Group will touch Rs 300 crores in this fiscal, the three centres — Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara — in Gujarat contribute nearly Rs 3.5 crore to this figure.
‘‘Festivals provide sufficient reason for looking good and there’s a sudden increase in the sales figures. Some of the sought-after beauty services include facials, cleansing, manicures, pedicures and hair styling pre-Navratri,’’ says Sethi, about Gujarat that has shown an increase of 38 per cent since last year. ‘‘VLCC has recognised Gujarat’s position as a leading metro which has been greatly influenced by globalisation and changing demographics,’’ adds Sethi.
But, looking good extends to looking fit, which means those extra kilos have got to go.
Personal Point directors in Ahmedabad, Shant and Preeti Bhansali, agree to business going up before and during Navratri. ‘‘As far as girls are concerned, we have a 100 per cent rise in beauty treatments come Navratri (September and October). But it is hair colouring that goes up four-fold before Navratri. That apart, our Gold Premium facial (it promises a glow and comes at Rs 600 for a single sitting, Rs 2,750 for five sittings and Rs 5,000 for 10 sittings) is also most sought-after,’’ says Bhansali.
A Body Polish here comes at Rs 1,000 for a single sitting, something those looking at a change for the better don’t mind. Moreover, it’s not just the beauty aspect, there’s the slimming centre that does well ahead of Navratri. ‘‘In Ahmedabad, for example, we have a 50 per cent rise in people approaching us for the slimming programme about two to three months before Navratri,’’ says Bhansali.
In Vadodara, Personal Point is witnessing a growing number of clients for almost two weeks now. ‘‘The Gold Facial and the Body Polish are some of the most sought after and there’s as good as a 30 per cent rise in client inflow,’’ says dietician Deepika Shah at the Vadodara centre. With Gujarat known for its spending capacity, the business bloom prior to Navratri is no surprise. And you thought Navratri was all about song and dance?
Source: Expressindia.com
‘‘During the festive season, there is a 30 to 40 per cent sales increase from our average,’’ says Ram Iyer, Head Operations, Kaya Skin Clinic. ‘‘But then, the festival season is about looking good; we call it the trading-up phenomena where people from all strata want to come in for treatments that enhance their look. We are also launching a Navratri package that will consist of Kaya Glow for face and Kaya Back Shine along with a cleanser, toner and moisturiser that would come to about Rs 4,500 for a three to four-hour session,’’ Iyer adds.
However, while Kaya’s annual business comes from 40 per cent of laser treatments in Gujarat, product sales here — at 17 per cent— are one of the highest in the country. And with Navratri round the corner, it’s not just women, ‘‘even the men inflow goes up,’’ says Iyer. ‘‘We have 25 per cent of male clients who prefer the Kaya Glow treatment days before the festival. That apart, Back Shine treatment — that comprises nine per cent sales otherwise — picks up by 20 per cent. Our Vadodara and Surat centres have their first Navratri season this year and inquiries are pouring in. Business has also picked up in flood-hit Surat in the last 10 days,’’ he adds.
However, while Kaya beauty business blooms in this month, Cambay Spa & Resort had sales go up by 400 per cent last year before Navratri. ‘‘While it may be also due to Cambay being the first spa in Gujarat which opened in 2004, this festive and marriage season we expect a 40 per cent increase, may be going up to 46 treatments a day as against the usual 20-25,’’ says D K Barik, general manager.
While inquiries are rising, Barik says it is the Swedish and Balinese massages that are a hit with most. And with Ahmedabad ‘‘treating Gandhinagar as a satellite town with socio-economic exchange between the cities growing,’’ he adds: ‘‘We have plenty of pre-Navratri queries for beauty treatments, including facial and body massages, from both men and women. They come from Gandhinagar as well as Ahmedabad.’’
However, there’s more than just the face-and-back-beautiful phenomena, especially in this festival season at the three VLCC centres across Gujarat. ‘‘Our business in beauty services increases by 25 per cent in Navratri and Diwali months with average age group of clients being 25-45 years, the female to male ratio standing at 70:30,’’ says Yogesh Sethi, COO, VLCC Healthcare Ltd.
While the turnover of the VLCC Group will touch Rs 300 crores in this fiscal, the three centres — Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara — in Gujarat contribute nearly Rs 3.5 crore to this figure.
‘‘Festivals provide sufficient reason for looking good and there’s a sudden increase in the sales figures. Some of the sought-after beauty services include facials, cleansing, manicures, pedicures and hair styling pre-Navratri,’’ says Sethi, about Gujarat that has shown an increase of 38 per cent since last year. ‘‘VLCC has recognised Gujarat’s position as a leading metro which has been greatly influenced by globalisation and changing demographics,’’ adds Sethi.
But, looking good extends to looking fit, which means those extra kilos have got to go.
Personal Point directors in Ahmedabad, Shant and Preeti Bhansali, agree to business going up before and during Navratri. ‘‘As far as girls are concerned, we have a 100 per cent rise in beauty treatments come Navratri (September and October). But it is hair colouring that goes up four-fold before Navratri. That apart, our Gold Premium facial (it promises a glow and comes at Rs 600 for a single sitting, Rs 2,750 for five sittings and Rs 5,000 for 10 sittings) is also most sought-after,’’ says Bhansali.
A Body Polish here comes at Rs 1,000 for a single sitting, something those looking at a change for the better don’t mind. Moreover, it’s not just the beauty aspect, there’s the slimming centre that does well ahead of Navratri. ‘‘In Ahmedabad, for example, we have a 50 per cent rise in people approaching us for the slimming programme about two to three months before Navratri,’’ says Bhansali.
In Vadodara, Personal Point is witnessing a growing number of clients for almost two weeks now. ‘‘The Gold Facial and the Body Polish are some of the most sought after and there’s as good as a 30 per cent rise in client inflow,’’ says dietician Deepika Shah at the Vadodara centre. With Gujarat known for its spending capacity, the business bloom prior to Navratri is no surprise. And you thought Navratri was all about song and dance?
Source: Expressindia.com