Deborah Farell-Forth, Midnight Sun

With twenty years in the business, Deborah Farell-Forth knows a thing or two about keeping clients happy. At Midnight Sun, Deborah goes the extra mile to ensure clients always have a fun experience.

Upon entering Midnight Sun’s two locations, you may be greeted by a seven-year-old Maltese-Shih Tzu named Lily Belles. According to Deborah, she is their mascot and greeter. When she isn’t at the salon, clients disappointingly ask where she is. She has been trained not to bark or disrupt the relaxed atmosphere of the salon. Lily brings a unique energy to their salon and eases any nervous energy new clients may have. She has even been known to judge whether or not prospective new-hires are “good” people – Deborah feels dogs can sense that with people.

Inspiration Abroad

In order to continually feel inspired to improve her salon, Deborah makes an effort to visit a tanning salon each time she travels to different parts of the world. According to Deborah, she is able to gain different perspectives on what works for the tanning industry in other places. She recalls a trip to Geneva, Switzerland where her husband tanned in a coin-operated bed without an attendant. He ended up accidentally buying a lotion with tingle, because there was no attendant to explain what type of lotions were sold in the machine. During this particular occasion, Deborah fully understood the importance of having someone assist the client; without a staff, you can’t guarantee the client has a safe and responsible session.

Recently, to further improve her loyal customer base’s experience at her salon, Deborah has hired someone to develop a software program that is specifically for their salon. Deborah discusses her newest addition that she feels will better her business and client experience:

We are developing manual client cards to track our client’s use of the salon and to have their information all in one place. The cards will track the following: what tanning unit they use; how long they tan for; the day of their last visit and what lotions they use. It will also have their skin type analysis results and verify if they are 18 and up – that way we’ll know if we need to check their ID or not. By tracking the date and duration of their last visit, we are able to monitor if the client is exhibiting responsible, moderate tanning practices. Also, if we know when they purchased their lotion and how often they use it, we’re aware of when they will need to purchase a new bottle.

With all of the efforts Deborah takes to create the optimal tanning experience for clients, she is sure to have another 20 years of success with both locations.

For more information about the salon, visit www.midnightsunguelph.com