Jason Budiarto, general manager, PT. Kaizen Indonesia (left) and Chinky Gabas, director, Kaizen PH
Quick, clean, stylish, affordable—and waterless.
These are the five “pillars” upon which recently opened salon Kaizen stands—factors which will also likely make the Indonesia-based brand a hit here in the Philippines, says Kaizen Philippines director Chinky Gabas.
“The five pillars make [Kaizen] unique, as we respect our customers’ time and their need for no-fuss, fast, and efficient ways to look and feel good,” Gabas adds.
The salon’s most attractive offer is its 10-minute, P150 haircut—an option for those in a rush and on a budget.
The 10-minute countdown starts as soon as the stylist finishes with prepping the client for his/her cut, Gabas clarifies. “If a customer wants a specific cut that’s not on our menu, the service might take more than 10 minutes; but it will still be a quick, satisfying experience.”
And since it’s a waterless salon, don’t expect any shampooing before or after your haircut. Instead, Kaizen offers a “zen wash,” which makes use of an air-washer vacuum—which clients love to capture on video and post on their social media accounts, Gabas says.
“It’s actually more efficient in making sure that no stray hairs are left behind,” she says.
Hygiene is of utmost importance to the salon’s operations, she adds, which is why all equipment are sterilized inside boxes using ultraviolet light. Combs are not repeatedly used either; instead, they are given to the clients as a souvenir after their haircut.
Kaizen was established in Indonesia in 2004 by Jack Wijaya, says Jason Budiarto, general manager of Kaizen Indonesia, who, back then, was looking for a salon where he wouldn’t be made to wait too long nor get his hair—and collar—wet.
“Concerns about cleanliness also made him avoid getting haircuts at salons and barbershops. He wanted a simple, stylish and hygienic haircut, [while] skipping the hair wash process with water,” adds Budiarto.
Kaizen now has 75 branches across Jakarta, Tangerang, Bekasi, Cirebon, Cibubur, Karawang, Bandung, Bali, Batam, and Surabaya.
The salon also has branches in Cambodia and Myanmar, and is set to open its first in China by the third quarter of the year, says Budiarto.
“We are targeting [to operate in] all countries, just like McDonald’s or KFC,” he adds.
Here in the Philippines, Kaizen was established by Techno Holdings Corp., which also recently opened other health and wellness-related businesses such as Karada Japanese Body Therapy Center and Oracle Korean Beauty and Aesthetic Clinic.
Kaizen’s first local location is in SM Manila.
Gabas says the group is poised to open additional branches in more malls and other areas with high foot traffic.
While established in Indonesia, Kaizen’s brand name has Japanese roots—“kai” means change, while “zen” means continuous.
Put together, Kaizen translates to “continuous improvement,” which is what the salon hopes to offer its Philippine clientele through its unique concept.
“The hair is our crowning glory, and having a bad hair day somehow affects our mood. Kaizen offers a snappy solution with a reasonably priced haircut that won’t take too much of your precious time,” Gabas says.