Assessor Resource

SIBXPSM503A
Promote a personal services business

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit applies to the full range of personal services industry sector environments and may include single or multiple outlet businesses.

Personal services managers may also be small business owners, and are required to apply initiative and judgement across a broad range of management functions.

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop and implement marketing strategies, to expand both the client base and business turnover.

The unit describes the function of regularly developing and integrating a full range of marketing strategies and tasks to expand and diversify the client base, maintain and improve client re-booking, and increase average client spending in a personal services environment. Ongoing monitoring and adjustment of marketing activities, along with evaluation of business performance, are also required to achieve ongoing business success.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

Nil


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.




Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

developing a mix of marketing and promotional strategies that complement the business

implementing and regularly monitoring and adjusting the marketing and promotional strategies to optimise the chances of business success

maintaining, monitoring and evaluating service and sales delivery

regularly and accurately maintaining records and interpreting data on service and sales delivery

applying research skills to investigate and evaluate market opportunities for the business.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

that competency is consistently demonstrated over a period of time and observed by the assessor or the technical expert working in partnership with the assessor as described in the Assessment Guidelines

that competency is demonstrated in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment in a range of situations which may include client interruptions and involvement in other related activities normally expected in the workplace.

Assessment must ensure access to:

relevant salon business software

appropriate text and online research resources

information regarding relevant business networks and experts

appropriate marketing and promotional documentation and resources normally used in personal services businesses, including sample organisational strategic and marketing plans

simulated data and information records from relevant previous marketing research activities in personal services businesses

direct marketing activity data

relevant industry codes of practice.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct observation of the learner undertaking the marketing and promotional tasks in for an actual or simulated personal services business, over sufficient time to demonstrate handling of a range of contingencies, including:

developing and integrating a full range of marketing strategies to expand and diversify the client base

maintaining and improving client re-booking

increasing average client spending

evaluating the outcomes of strategies

portfolio of evidence demonstrating the planning, implementation and evaluation of marketing and promotional strategies designed to improve business turnover, including the analysis and evaluation of customer reactions

case studies related to specific salon marketing and promotional scenarios

third-party reports from technical experts

written and oral questioning appropriate to the language and literacy level of the learner, to assess the required skills and knowledge of this unit.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

BSBSMB404A Undertake business planning

SIBXPSM502A Manage treatment services and sales delivery.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

communication skills that take into account the culture, background and abilities of suppliers, staff and clients, while demonstrating communication techniques, including:

listening and questioning techniques

verbal and non-verbal communication skills

negotiation techniques

literacy skills to:

research, analyse and interpret marketing information

prepare reports

document results

numeracy skills to:

calculate fixed and variable costs

calculate team and individual target turnover

determine and monitor stock level costs and turnover

evaluate business turnover and profit

interpret and maintain data

set and manage budgets for marketing and promotion

problem-solving skills to identify performance gaps and take corrective action

technology skills to use salon business and marketing software as a research, planning and evaluation tool

record-keeping skills to:

organise marketing research

track progress towards the achievement of marketing goals.

Required knowledge

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

current and desired business demographic

target market for the business

risks and benefits of the marketing strategies outlined in the range statement in the context of the particular business

risks and benefits of the promotional activities outlined in the range statement in the context of the particular business

range and availability of new products and services

sources of product supply

valid methods for measuring and evaluating customer reaction to marketing and promotional strategies in the context of the particular business.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Customer demographic may include:

residential and business location in relation to the business

age group categories, including:

18-25

25-35

35-45

45+

gender

socioeconomic groups.

Target market may include:

being confined to:

a particular age demographic

a particular socioeconomic group

growth in low performing age-group categories

retail consumers

services consumers

groups and/or individuals.

Marketing strategies may include:

increasing the average client bill through staff incentives

incentives to attract new clients

off-peak promotion ideas

incentive schemes to encourage re-booking by clients

pricing, presentation and display of products and services

promotion and advertising

changing the service and professional product range, retail range and/or mix

pursuing cost leadership and/or product differentiation within a specialist market segment

creating a very different product line or service so that the business becomes a class leader in the industry.

Relevant people may include:

owner/operator partners

financial backers

accountants or other specialist services

family members

team members

regulatory bodies

suppliers.

Services may include:

full range of hairdressing services

areas of hairdressing service specialisation

full range of beauty services

areas of beauty service specialisation

complementary services available from the same business.

Product ranges may include:

professional hairdressing products

professional beauty products

retail hair care products

retail skin care products

sundry hair or beauty care equipment

other retail products stocked by the business.

Legislation, codes and national standards relevant to the workplace may include:

award and enterprise agreements and relevant industrial instruments

federal, state or territory, and local government legislative requirements affecting business operation, especially in regard to:

occupational health and safety and environmental issues

equal employment opportunity

industrial relations

anti-discrimination legislation

relevant industry codes of practice.

Persons involved in the marketing effort may include:

team members

partners

advertising professionals

promotions professionals

graphic designers

photographers

printers

product suppliers.

Promotional activities may include:

website

word of mouth, referrals and testimonials

professional and industry journals

advertising in newspapers, on radio or on television

mail drops

display posters

telephone canvassing

exhibitions and in-store promotions

sponsorship

development of networks and strategic alliances

staff development programs to enhance customer service orientation

staff incentives

client incentives, including loyalty programs and discounting.

Performance gaps may include:

level of customer service provided by team or individual staff member is below required standard

average dollar value per client is below required level

individual staff member down-time

inefficient time management of treatment

under-achievement of turnover targets by some team members

profit margins being set too low

insufficient allocation of funds to marketing.

Customer reaction may be determined through:

survey or other feedback mechanisms

informal discussion

customer meetings and focus groups

sales to contact ratio

trend analysis.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Analyse the business and its key services and products to determine the focus of marketing activities that support business objectives. 
Evaluate the customer demographic and target market for the business as a basis for marketing strategies. 
Determine marketing objectives and strategies in consultation with relevant people and according to the business plan. 
Balance volumes and pricing of service and product mix to optimise turnover and profit. 
Evaluate costs and benefits of providing different services and product ranges and consider the results in determining the marketing mix of the business. 
Determine the marketing mix according to market and business needs, legislation, codes and national standards relevant to the workplace. 
Brief persons involved in the marketing effort on their roles and responsibilities to ensure the success of marketing strategies. 
Plan and implement promotional activities according to marketing objectives and budgetary requirements. 
Regularly monitor marketing activities and evaluate business performance against targets. 
Analyse performance gaps and take corrective action or set new targets. 
Encourage relevant people to propose ways to improve marketing performance. 
Seek customer reaction to all aspects of the marketing mix, and analyse to improve targeting and outcomes. 
Conduct ongoing research of customer requirements to identify opportunities for change and improvement. 
Monitor changes in market opportunities and investigate new business opportunities that assist business development. 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

SIBXPSM503A - Promote a personal services business
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

SIBXPSM503A - Promote a personal services business

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: