Meet Hadad Tondo one of the best lockticians in town
Hadad Tondo is one of the best lockticians in town, running his salon Locked By Hadad. He chats with Manuel Ntoyai about his experiences as a hair stylist through the Covid-19 chaos.
How has your locks business been affected by the pandemic?
Business is currently super slow; the clients are trying to stay away from crowds as much as possible.
On the other hand, I would want to take more bookings in a day, but I can’t because of my own safety and the measures set by the government to contain the spread of the Covid-19.
We also had to reduce the working days for my co-workers and that means reduced income for all of us.
At the same time, it has been an opportunity to utilise the digital realisation to advertise our salon and products, and fish for clients.
Has there been an increase in demand for hair products online?
Absolutely yes. Before the pandemic, a majority of clients preferred walking in and buying from the shop, but now most of them have resorted to online purchases. I think it’s a great way to go.
Are there more ‘Do It Yourself’ clients than before?
Most certainly. The change is already there because a lot of hair products purchases have gone online, unlike before when most of our customers were walk-ins.
Some have even been asking for tutorials for things such as unplaiting their hair, something that was so rare before the pandemic.
What safety measures have you set up in your business premises?
Masks are a must for the clients and staff. Hand sanitizers are readily available, non-contact gun thermometer is also in place and social distancing is emphasised inside the salon.
Luckily for us the salon is spacious. At some point, we used to scatter the bookings across the day or week before we decided to start doing home visits.
We also had to cut down on the number of customers who are in the shop at any given time and limiting face-to-face interaction and wearing of face shields or masks. Again, mode of payment is through mobile money or cards.
What hair styling tips can you give to hair enthusiasts this period?
For those who are trying to maintain their locks,they should wash their hair thoroughly to keep it fizzed.
After washing, you should separate the roots to keep the hair as neat as possible.
You should also plait the locks in order to keep them neat for long and also save you the stress of having to style them on daily basis.
Some people also assume that since locks are low maintenance, they shouldn’t be moisturised.
Others use oils that are not recommended. If you are looking to moisturise your locks, use something with a water base.
Again, they can always contact us online through our Instagram account Locked By Hadad, and we will take them through what they need to do or share a tutorial.
Are there new trends in hairstyles during the pandemic period?
Men have used this opportunity to grow some hair. Since most people have had to work from home, personal grooming became a tall order to some.
It has also been a moment for some of my clients to experiment with different products and give feedback. And more people have gone the dreadlock way.
