High-tech and high-touch interactivity, Smarter LifeStyle Network from GenOne shows the latest in fashion, beauty and wellness programming on high-definition screens and tablets placed throughout processing and reception areas. Christine Martier, president and CEO of GenOne Media Group Inc., walked us through this smart technology for salons and spas.

MS:Please tell us a bit about GenOne and the technology, Smarter LifeStyle Network.

CM: GenOne is a media company that aspires to be the go-to business partner for salon owners. We have built a business tool that enables salon owners to entertain and educate their clients while they wait and ask questions of guests to learn how and why they make their buying decisions.

 We provide a platform that gives the salon the ability to market the best of what they offer – retail or services. The technology is an interactive television platform designed specifically for health and beauty locations. Customized video content that includes the salon’s own featured content syncs between the television and tablets and allows clients to interact with the videos to learn more on the spot about the featured products and services.

 Most importantly, Smarter LifeStyle Network shares ad revenue with the salon,  creating a new revenue stream in an area that already exists but has never generated income, the wait space.

MS: What was missing in how salons retail that you thought Smarter LifeStyle Network might be able to provide?

CM: Stylists have traditionally missed opportunities to build their business as they shied away from selling. We thought we could provide a tool to make the conversation more comfortable. Now, clients can start the conversation in areas of interest and stylists can facilitate client demand to provide an overall better salon experience.

MS: How does Smarter LifeStyle Network help salons showcase themselves?

CM: Salons can add their custom video content to the video playlist as well as use graphics and copy to market products and services under the About, Learn More and Style Advice tabs on the tablets. Additionally, the tablets are branded with the salon’s logo, which never leaves the tablet screen, ensuring that brand awareness is being created with every interaction.

MS: How does the featured advertising function? How do the ads appear?

CM: Advertisers can sponsor video content segments or buy traditional 30-second TV spots. We add value with skyscraper ads, coupons and links to interactive content they provide. No ads are ever competitive with the salon brands or services. The ads appear on TVs and tablets in the wait space but do not dominate the content. The salon is always in the spotlight.

MS: What are you hearing from salons incorporating this into their marketing mix?

CM: The feedback from salon owners has been good. They understand the importance of soft selling and the value behind educating and entertaining clients while they are on site. They are excited about the opportunity to customize the information clients are receiving during their time at the salon and are continually improving their content to add more value with each day. That’s the joy of this network, it’s never stagnant. Content can continually be added and changed as needed to be sure that you are delivering the right message at the right time.

Our journey so far has been a real learning experience. We have found that many salons needed assistance in finding and preparing their custom content. To that end, we have built a custom content wizard that will simplify the process of branding their tablets and turns it into a drag and drop process that is intuitive and user friendly no matter the level of technological expertise.

 We wanted to be sure that every salon, big or small, was able to take advantage of the customization features of Smarter LifeStyle Network. The customization provides them with the opportunity to share their very specific targeted messages with their clients about their team, their services and their products. It’s the keystone of the application, so we have worked hard to make it easier for all to navigate.

 We also learned that prebooking the clients’ next appointment is a valuable client-facing transaction and are now working on adding that functionality to our network. We expect that to be available Spring 2018.

MS: Final words?

CM: Our bottom line is to help improve the salon’s bottom line through data collection to learn more about the client to improve their experience, increased retail and service sales and new revenue from advertising.