If there’s one thing we all seem short on, it’s time. And when it comes to running your spa or massage practice, that time truly can mean money, more or less of it on your bottom line depending on the efficiency of your operations. A more efficient operation can not only improve profits, it can increase your competitive standing, since clients value an experience when they don’t have to wait for their appointments, treatment rooms are ready and someone is available to answer questions about your retail offerings.
When it comes to improving your spa or massage practice efficiency, here are some excellent tips from Lisa Starr who works for a spa consulting and education company writing at the end of last year in “Efficiency Tips for Spas and Salons: How to Save Time in the New Year.”
Add a Support Staff Member
In a particularly busy spa or massage practice, adding a support staff member can free up the time it takes a massage therapist or esthetician to turn the treatment room around between visits. Rather than the professional having to clean up, close any retail sales, and get ready for the next client; a support person can handle these tasks. That leaves your professional team with more time to wrap up the session, including discussing the next appointment and making recommendations about at home products to use until the next visit. The quicker rooms are turned around, also means you can book more massage or skin care treatments during the day.
Automate Customer Service
Consider automating some of your front desk and booking processes. As Starr writes, cloud-based spa management systems can act as a front-desk assistant to handle bookings and online confirmations. The software can save your receptionists valuable time that can be used to answer client question and address their needs or focus on retail sales.
Review Inventory Management
Maintaining inventory for your back bar and retail products can be a time-consuming endeavor. Evaluate your ordering process to see where you can save steps or time. You may want to look into inventory management and ordering software. You also may need to consider different suppliers. If you are routinely waiting for a supplier or vendor to get back to you with products, answer a question or address a problem, think about making a change.
More steps to enhance efficiency
Outsource
Outsource activities where you lack the expertise and/or they are taking up too much of your time. Bookkeeping, marketing, and human resources are areas where you can find many professionals and service firms to take over the job.
Keep training
You want your team to be to date on their skills and even to acquire new ones to keep up with the demands of your spa or massage practice. Provide training as needed. You also want to consider the benefits of cross training team members so that someone can step into a role if an employee becomes sick or leaves.
Monitor morale
Employee morale can affect the efficiency of your spa or massage practice. When employees are feeling undervalued or overwhelmed, it affects their productivity. Check in with team members periodically to get ahead of any problems before they start to impact operations.
Even if things are moving along well, it’s a good idea to periodically review your processes to see where you can make improvements. The more time spent focusing on clients, the happier they will be and your bottom line will show it.