Related stories

Tongchunyuan Restaurant: Fine Dining Jiangsu Style Liu Bi Ju's Small Pickles and Big Business Serviced Officers: Start Business with a Computer Revel in Pinggu’s Peach Blossoms 30 Years of Reform and Opening Up, What Has Beijing Won

Stable Style Keeps Permanent Customers

At the Beijing Silian Hairdressing and Beauty Center at Wangfujing Jinjie, a man who appeared to be in his 60s edged close the reception desk and asked: “Tongzhi (comrade), how long should I wait to my turn?”

It was striking that he was nonplussed by the receptionist’s reply: “Two hours, more or less.”

He looked about the room where people could be found sitting or standing in every corner, all patiently waiting upon their barbers. Nearby, coat racks groaned under the weight of winter clothing placed there by those waiting in line.

This is nothing new for the barbers at this Zhonghua Laozihao (China Time Honoured Brand). The scene is replayed day in and day out as it has for about the last 50 years. When a barber finishes one haircut, another begins, and the customers edge forward one seat closer to their goal of the moment, a good haircut.

The new customer sighed: “I should come back when there are fewer people. I guess I’ll go walk around for a while.”

“Sending away the customers because of the long queue rather than because of the bad works” is a joke among Beijing Silian Hairdressing and Beauty Center customers, yet it’s a joke that rings true.

The history of Silian can be tracked back to 1956, to a few years after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Beijing was enjoying a rebirth, including its service industry. In line with instructions from Premier Zhou Enlai, some famous barbers and their family members from four famous barber’s shops in Shanghai—Huaxin, Ziluolan, Yunshang and Xiangming—were called to Beijing, along with their equipment, such as hairdressing boilers, hairdryers, chairs, barrettes, shavers, razors and whetstones. At that time, Shanghai was the most open and modern city in China, a leader in fashion trends. The four barber’s shops constituted Silian, which in Chinese it means “four shops union.” Anyone of the four barber’s shops was advanced and famous in Shanghai, so they were immediately recognized in Beijing. The effect of this union was huge.

Silian proudly charged a higher price for haircut than others, as much as 8 jiao or twice that of ordinary shops, but there were long queues from the beginning, and it has ever been thus. Silian led the fashion trends of society, and sometimes it even reflected the political winds of the times.

With Silian came modern hair-curling concepts, skills and equipment during its early years. The hair-curling style was forbidden during the Cultural Revolution (1966–76), so when a foreign TV station broadcast news in 1978 about the long queues in front of Silian, where people were waiting to get their hair curled, it signalled the opening up of China.

In 2003, China was challenged by an unprecedented horror when the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) swept the country. Nearly every industry was closed during this moment of danger, but places of business well known for their good hygienic practices found themselves in demand: Silian was among them. Its customers trusted its sanitary situation during this unusual time, and its business did not slow. For example, eight towels were used during a man’s facial cleaning, hair washing, shaving and haircut; the tools for woman’s hairdressing and beauty care were disinfected. The highest sanitary standards possible were practiced during this special time.

Sometimes, the term Zhonghua Laozihao connotes conservatism in people’s minds. Silian is wilfully conservative, in the sense of relying on what is tried and true and what continues to be sound business practice, yet it is not sluggish when it comes to innovation. Yet, it may be ironic in the fashion industry, for a company to persist in its tradition and survive as Silian has.

“Stable styles, experienced skills, reasonable prices and reliable products are the four factors of our success,” said Wu Xiumin, the general manager of the Beijing Silian Hairdressing and Beauty Center.

As with other Zhonghua Laozihao, Silian’s masters train their own technicians. Skills are handed down from generation to generation, so the styles endure steadily. This way, new technicians can count on being firmly grounded in solid, basic skills. Yet, this could be a kiss of death in a fast-paced industry which is often one of the first to embrace changes in personal styles.

“Our styles are welcomed by the middle-aged and senior citizens, and they are our permanent customers,” said Zhu Xingyu, the assistant manager of Silian. “Young people like pursuing fashion and difference. They are always ready to try a new experience; so they are not likely to become permanent customers. But the over-35 crowd are inclined to keep a steady image in society. They may become the permanent customers once they accept the styles of Silian.”

Silian’s customer base remains steady and true: their customers have followed Silian despite moves to three different sites in Beijing. Some people have seldom ever had their hair cut anywhere else. Two generations of barbers have retired from Silian since its establishment, but some of the first generation of the barbers who moved to Beijing in 1956 still work in Silian from time to time, such as Wu Yongliang, a 67-year-old technician who remains much in demand.

Conservative? Yes, but willing to change when it’s advised, Silian has tried to be sensitive to modern and advanced techniques and equipment that will better serve its customers. For years, it replaced old and outdated equipment with the latest and most advanced ones from abroad. When it comes to hairdressing and beauty products, Silian is not reluctant to use international brands, such as L’Oreal and Wella. It encourages its young barbers to design new hairstyles for younger customers.

In 1999, the New Concept Studio was established for the young people, the newest hairdressing skills were introduced.

Cautious, steady and soundly conservative, Silian also has a keen sense of what is new and emerging and does what it can to stay in step with the times, refusing to limit itself in its responses to the market.

北京四联美发美容中心

见证审美标准演变 引领时尚美发潮流

文/徐少杰

移植生根的京城老字号

1956年，上海四家著名理发店“华新”、“紫罗兰”、“云裳”、“湘铭”迁至京城，合并后改名为四联理发馆（四家联合之意），在王府井大街金鱼胡同正式营业。1998年，四联理发馆与有着80余年历史的京城老字号“美白美发厅”强强联合，成立了“四联美发美容中心”。

50多年的发展壮大，“四联”先后发展了4家直营店、3家加盟店和1家承包店，将老字号传统精湛的理发技术不断传承发展。2007年，“四联”共接待顾客16余万人，年营业收入达到1790万元。

美发潮流的引导者

上个世纪50年代的北京，到普通理发馆理发需要四毛钱，到“四联”理发却要八毛钱，但是很多顾客依然选择“四联”成为他们理发的首选之地。

当时京城理发店开设的大多都是刮脸、修面等男士传统服务项目，“四联”的出现在城市中掀起了一阵不小的波澜，它不仅带来了全国独有的美国专业理发椅，还带来了上海流行的细腻修剪、吹风定型的美发技术，它将南方细腻新潮的理发特色融入北方端庄大方的修剪手法中，创作出清新典雅的新发型，深受顾客的欢迎。

随着人们审美标准的不断变化，“四联”也在不断探索新的发型样式，并于上世纪七十年代引进电烫机器率先推出烫发服务，掀起了一股“烫发热”。同时，“四联”还加强与日本、德国、法国等国美发行业间的技术交流，先后推出了500余种新颖发型。采用国际流行的分层分块精细修剪法，剪出的发型线条自然流畅，动而不乱，在体现时尚潮流的同时强调与体态、身份的和谐。

经过50余年的发展，“四联”不仅见证了北京市民生活方式和审美标准的演变，也成为京城美发时尚的引领者。

创新，打造京城美发旗舰

老字号意味着传承，但更需要发展，尤其是在新的市场条件下，老字号企业想要重振雄风，必须不断创新。深喑企业发展之道的“四联”从创建伊始就对创新充满生机与活力。为了保证品质，“四联”不断从国外引进先进设备。1956年，从上海引进全国独有的美国纯正理发椅；1984年，从日本引进全套美发美容设备，增加皮肤护理等美容项目，填补了京城美容业的空白。为了更新设备，2008年“四联”又从日本引进全套美发设备。

顺应市场变化，迎合消费需求是企业长足发展的根本。为了满足年轻顾客追求潮流的需要，“四联” 于1999年开辟了“新概念工作室”，为时尚女性提供了一个了解美发最新动态的窗口，顾客在这里不仅可以了解到最新的发型流行趋势、护发知识和美发技巧，还可以与美发师沟通交流，根据自身的需求和特点设计出充分展示个性美的发型，极大迎合了追求个性的潮流需求，受到众多年轻女性的青睐。目前，新概念工作室每天都要接待50余名顾客，已经成为了京城美发行业的旗舰品牌，在创新的道路上充满活力。

服务，提高顾客品牌忠诚度

为了保持“四联”的理发风格，延续传统手艺的神韵，“四联”采取师徒相传的模式，每一个进店的新人都要都师傅带着从基本功学期，一点一点地将师傅的手艺、风格继承下来。精湛的理发技术使“四联”经过多年的发展，拥有了一大批稳定的客源。对此，四联美发美容中心的副总经理朱兴玉感受颇深：“我们的顾客平均年龄都在35岁以上，他们注重生活实际，偏好端庄大方、体现身份的发型设计。‘四联’精细的修剪与大方的吹风造型手法迎合了这个年龄段顾客的心理，他们对品牌的忠诚度也很高。”许多老顾客都是“四联”搬到哪儿，他们跟到哪儿，对于他们来说，到“四联”理发，过去是个时尚，现在是个身份。

于每天接待大量顾客，“四联”采取排队叫号程序，既节省顾客时间又规范了店内秩序。为了维护顾客的权益，推出顾客“信誉卡”，每张信誉卡都填有顾客的姓名、所做项目与技师的姓名。一个星期之内染发褪色或一个月内烫发出现质量问题均可回店免费重做，维护客户利益的同时也及时检验了自身服务。

参与公益回报社会

在推动企业发展的同时，“四联”通过参加公益活动回报社会，2007年，“四联”免费为国旗班的战士设计发型，并培养理发师。每年的北京市和全国“两会”期间，“四联”都会选派理发师到代表住地为参会的代表和工作人员提供理发服务。“四联”以深厚的文化底蕴与顺应时代发展的蓬勃生机弘扬着老字号的神韵，更绽放出新时代的风采。