UpClose & Personal - Massage Today

Last month, our topic was Initial Marketing for opening your Spa, which parallel tracks, as far as timing, with the Initial Startup Training, which is this month’s focus.

As the energy builds and you can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, it is time to get physical—hands-on training. It is the time to cover every aspect of your operation and communicate clearly with your staff.

Ideally you should have an outlined manual prepared with detailed instructions—item by item of every phase of your operation. This will be the foundation and starting point for all of your initial training. Your operations manual will always be a work in progress because of expansion, new ideas and new trends and services you need to adapt to.

Whether you are big or small, I would recommend that every employee and therapist should know every job to some degree and be willing to be flexible especially if you are just starting out.

As an owner I like to be able to fill in and have experienced every job, from reception, bookkeeping, computer, and retailing to the not-so glamorous jobs such as cleaning the showers, doing the laundry, and sweeping and vacuuming the floors. That way I have a feel for the job. So I can not only train the employees, but also can always help out in case of an emergency. Loving to work—no matter what the job—means that everything you do is fun and everything above that seems to be a lowly job is above average.

As I stated in a previous article, you should allow about two to four weeks for training before your grand opening to get all of the kinks ironed out and have your staff working harmoniously and in sync. Your training should include ALL aspects of the operation to all employees.

I would make sure to have an internal communication system so that nothing falls through the cracks. Every employee should have his or her own email address so important personal and company wide messages or policy changes are not only documented, but current and can be acknowledged. Each employee should also have his own voice mail so personal calls or specific instructions from management or customers can be directly communicated.

Company-wide standards and expectations should be spelled out clearly. Tell employees what you expect from them so you can put issues on the table before they become problems. Ethics, client confidentiality, and proper treatment protocol can never be over-emphasized.

Employees should be aware of timing and traffic flows within. Staggering startup times means less congestion in hallways and dressing areas. They should also be trained in the physical plant and have a basic knowledge of electrical, mechanical, water, and HVAC control locations.

It is very important to train every employee to be an ambassador to your business. Everyone should be trained to sell products and services and be knowledgeable of the following:

All current marketing materials- Spa Menu, Current Ads, Email blasts, Promotions, Community events, and special events such as wedding parties.

Product knowledge- Knowing and believing in the products that you offer can sometimes make the difference between profit or loss. Every employee should be passionate about the products they use. If not, find products that are acceptable, or find passionate therapists. If your therapists are not believers, then don’t expect to sell much of that product.

Equipment- Not only the therapists, but the owners, front desk, and marketing department must feel comfortable about the equipment the client will be using. I personally have a very hard time selling equipment if I don’t love it and know its functions. The equipment is a part of your image—just like driving a fancy car.

If your construction is complete, you can train in your new facility and do a soft opening with friends only and reduced pricing. If it is not, you may have to train off-premises with portable equipment and floor plans. Some of the training will be about operations and protocol, which can be taught anywhere. Ideally your therapists should be trained on the equipment in the rooms they will be using.

After the training we’ll be ready for the Grand Opening. Next month we’ll add some final details to make the perfect Presentation—just like your best chef.

Only Victory!!!.

John Fanuzzi

John can be reached for comments at john@goldenratio.com