Services
Salon provides around a dozen professional service lines, each honed from proven methodology over many decades. Essentially, these are just frames for each project, as we approach each on its own merits and are driven by client need-state rather than process.
You won’t find us turning up with a black-box solution and imposing that on you: our approach is always shaped by client need, market conditions, time and budgetary constraints and outcomes required.
Clients remark on the clarity and unambiguity of our communications and reporting,either distilled interim verbal updates throughout a programme or comprehensive presentations to Boards.
Each service line is described below and the case studies section cross refers to these services.
Corporate & Brand Strategy
Strategy is a much misunderstood and maligned term. We’re extremely comfortable with it – in all its guises – and we subscribe to the air traffic control model: guiding direction, altitude and pace for client’s businesses and brands. We take a rounded view, incorporating all the C-suite building blocks into our strategies, including funding, pricing and financial pieces; product and operations; the organisation; market context and future market direction; stakeholder needs, etc. It goes without saying that all this is only possible with indepth knowledge of the sector value-chain and the client value-proposition and we pride ourselves on having this commercial capital in spades.
Planning Support, Expert Witness & Arbitration
Salon Partners have many years of experience in providing expert input to support other professionals involved in hospitality and tourism related cases. We have worked with Planning Consultants, Solicitors, Barristers, Chartered Accountants and Chartered Surveyors on cases such as planning appeals, rent reviews, valuations, negligence and other forms of commercial disputes. In the planning area, we are often called upon to give early input in to scheme development based on market evidence and to provide a solid business case to accompany an initial application in order to maximise chances of success.
Market Entry Strategies, NPD & Project Feasibility Analysis
Proper planning and a well-defined market entry strategy based on in-depth market knowledge allows our clients to focus their efforts and resources on those opportunities that offer the greatest returns with the lowest risk. And where new products/concepts are required, you’ll find us creative as well as highly numerate and solid partners to help you deliver the product that best adapts to the market.
Hotel Asset Management
Our hotel asset management services have a single focus – value creation; each phase of the asset management cycle requires a different approach and skill set – all of them dependent on deep insights into the hotel industry.
Management Contracts & Franchising
By keeping up to date on the latest trends in franchise and management contracts we are able to support our clients’ negotiations, ensuring the most advantageous agreements – the focus shouldn’t be on just the base and incentive fees, it needs to be based on a holistic approach of the agreement and all of the clauses/conditions which can affect long term value for the owner. In the franchise space we work with both franchisees and franchisors – in hotels and foodservice – evaluating packages, negotiating agreements and assisting with roll-out programmes.
Market Research & Data Analysis (qualitative & quantitative)
We undertake in-depth analysis of the data, we ask the right questions of the right people – using conventional and innovative techniques – and we rigorously interrogate the findings, providing solutions rather than just leaving you with the raw data.
Commercial Due Diligence & Transaction/Funding Support
A fully rounded investigation of the proposition, its risks and opportunities within the market context – carried out by highly experienced specialists complements our clients’ financial and legal due diligence ensuring the optimum price of a transaction.
Organisation Reviews, Re-organisation & Restructuring
We provide fresh and highly experienced eyes to seek out improvements in your human resources and operating model. We help you create value by getting the best out of your people and operations.
Marketing Planning & Marcomms
We create commercially-sound marketing plans, often working with partners in relevant creative fields. We’re fortunate: our Partners forged their marketing metal in a broadcast/analogue era – learning the fundamentals of strategic marketing: planning, research and insights; segmentation; marketing mix; value propositions, etc – but we’re young, curious and adaptable enough to transcend into the media-fragmentation/social & digital era: so, we understand the need to create and amplify engaging content, integrate an increasing number of channels, listen furiously to users and respond at break-neck pace. Part art, part science, we deliver pragmatic, commercial, ‘sticky’ marketing programmes.
Trouble-shooting & Interim Management
Years of experience has helped finely hone our diagnostic skills and we tell it like it is. Equally, we’ll help sort out any problems in a calm, practical way. Our goal is to get the business stabilised and ensuring maximum value protection.
Tourism Master Planning & Destination Branding
We assist governments and major tourism destinations develop and implement the plans and strategies that allow them to effectively compete in today’s global environment.