Morgan McArthur, DVM for Vetscript

6 August 99

When does just a mop chop become a Holy Cow, outside-of-the-box experience?

When you go to Jang’s barbershop for a haircut.

A colleague of mine suggested that I try his barber. I’m less selective about who cuts my hair these days because there’s less of it to cut. Where I get it done is mostly determined by location and price, making it a (ho-hum) commoditized service. So I went to Jang’s.

Mr. Jang has changed my outlook on exceptional (read unforgettable) service.

The first thing I was struck with was The Environment.

The two-chair shop is in the basement of the Jang’s house. At the door I traded my shoes for a pair of slippers and stepped in.

This was an unusual barbershop.

Even though I was a first-timer, the barber and his wife greeted me as if I were an old friend. Cheerful and welcoming, they invited me to wait my turn on one of the very comfortable couches against the wall. It’s been shown that people hate to wait for service. Nobody has a wait problem in Jang's Barber Shop. Soothing classical music wafts from a very nice stereo. Two large-screen TV’s show serene scenes of nature at its best. And clean? Literally, not a hair was out of place. The environment is purposefully positive and very comfortable.

Once nestled in, I realised that haircutting can be a spectator sport. There are three phases to a Jang’s haircut.

The mane event takes place in the first chair. Mr. Jang performs the haircut to customer specifications. In budget barbershops this is all you get if you’re lucky. At Jang’s the experience is only half over. When you’re satisfied with your coiffure you go to the next phase.

Mrs. Jang seats you face down over the sink. Wielding two powerful electric massage wands she administers a neck and back massage! A few minutes of up and down the back and all around the neck

and shoulders and it's clear why you're over the sink. You're so relaxed you're apt to drool just a bit!

Only then does she wash your hair.

But wait, there's more!

In phase three she dries and combs your hair. Mr. Jang comes over and checks his work. As a

grand finish, Mrs. Jang buzzes away all of those pesky little ear hairs. Ta Da!

Management expert Tom Peters would call this a WOW! experience. I'll second that motion.

The Jang's have created an amazing environment that is placid and positive. It's a wait that's worth

waiting for. The Jang's provide a service that is simply so complete and unusual that it's

unforgettable. It's worth telling others about - LOTS of others. And, even though this experience was just ten dollars, <pause, gasp>

price is no longer an issue. As a customer, my biggest concern is that I want my hair to grow faster so I can go back. Soon.

Can a visit to your business be an uncommon experience? Yes. Attention to several very simple

details and a dab of creativity can make you stand out by being outstanding.

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