Almost three out of four tanning salon owners have updated their lobby decor in the past 12 months or will be updating their appearance this season, according to a SmartTan.com poll conducted in February.

According to the poll, only 26 percent of salons have not made updates in the past year or do not plan to update their look. Sixty-one percent say they have updated their lobbies and another 13 percent say they will be this season. The results are not scientific, but are directional.

“The one thing you can take from this poll is that it’s always important to make sure what your customers see and experience when they walk into your store is what you want them to see and experience — and that most professional salons are figuring that out,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy says. “An important part of Smart Tan’s management training curriculum deals with this sometimes overlooked part of ‘The Tanning Experience.'”

The 26 percent who haven’t updated their lobby decor could fall into different categories: Those with impressive lobbies that didn’t require updating and those who have not emphasized salon appearance.

“There are a lot of different success models — that’s for sure, but evaluating how the first appearance of your store affects the type of experience you are trying to deliver is something everyone should stop to consider,” Levy said. “And it appears that most professional salons are.”