Last month, Walker Tape the annual conference of the American Hair Loss Council. It was a fantastic experience for us and we are so excited to continue to attend in the future. Read on to find out more about what the American Hair Loss Council (AHLC) is. And, to hear about their annual conference.
What is the AHLC?
The AHLC is the only not-for-profit trade association in the hair replacement industry. Members of the AHLC include many types of professionals in the hair replacement industry. Anyone from wig fitters to hair transplant surgeons to product manufacturers and everything in between.
According to their website, their mission is as follows; “To provide education, accreditation, peer networking and support for hair restoration professionals while providing support for individuals suffering from hair loss. All services are provided in an atmosphere of respect, confidentiality and privacy with the utmost degree of sensitivity and professional integrity”.
Additionally, they publish a magazine called The Link that publishes current hair restoration industry news. It also gives their members an opportunity to share information about the industry, their products, and services with each other. They provide a subscription of the magazine to their members.
What happens at their annual conference?
The AHLC annual conference is a members-only conference that focuses on education specific to the hair replacement industry. At the conference, professionals from all across the industry educate other attendees about their products and/or services. There are classes, booths, dinners and events all focused on education and networking. This year, the show took place in Florida from April 28-30th.
What was it like to be there?
We sent Diane Bonham (President), Ryan Wismar (Director of Product Development), and Jen So (Administrative Assistant). They loved being at the show and making connections throughout the industry. Jen was nice enough to share her experience and give us an idea of what it was like to be at the show. You can read her experience below.
Why we went
We went to the show in hopes of providing attendees with information about Walker. We wanted to provide new, current, and potential customers with education and information. The best thing about the show was meeting some of our current customers face to face. Even some of our top customers were at the show. Some attendees flew in from other countries.
The turn-out was awesome! And, the majority of those who attended the show were there for educational purposes. There were classes being taught by instructors who mentioned Walker, which sent a storm of people into our booth.
What we enjoyed most
I personally enjoyed the show because I was able to put a face to the voices that I speak with over the phone while taking orders. I learned a ton. People were constantly giving feedback, recommendations, and thanking us personally. All while complimenting us for our great service.
I had some customers come up to the booth to ask about our customer service reps. They wanted to personally thank them and let them know they are doing an awesome job!
For me, it was rewarding to be able to return to Walker and let customer service know that their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. A thank you gesture as small as that can go a long way for someone.
The show also allowed us to connect with current/new customers on a different level. Diane and Ryan connected with people during meals and at the booth. I felt I personally connected with everyone I spoke to. I hope they will be returning customers and long time customers of ours.
We love that we were able to be a part of this show and are so excited to attend next year. We’re planning on teaching some classes and would love to meet even more of our customers there. If you’re interested in finding out more about the American Hair Loss Council, their annual conference, and their magazine, visit their site here.
