Just this past week, I had a client tell me about that he was feeling stressed and overworked because his clients did not want to book appointments with his other employees. Clients always wanted to see him because they could expect their blowout to be a certain way each and every time. It wasn’t that his employees weren’t talented, but they were not performing the same way he did, and results were not consistent.
I’ve always believed that “Consistency equals luxury.” I know that one of the best ways to capture a client is to offer consistent results each and every time, which is exactly what lead me to develop the Four Layer Facial. Really, to offer consistency with each treatment at your salon or spa, and to provide clients with a luxurious experience, having protocols for every treatment is crucial.
Look at how McDonalds operates. One of the reasons why they are so successful is because they have the same protocol on how to make french fries, no matter what location! Whether you are in Montana or New York, fries are made the same way, and taste the same each and every time. This is exactly what protocols allow for – they standardize the quality of service that each employee will provide.
At Repêchage, we have a treatment protocol for all of our treatments. Whether it be a facial or body wrap, there is a protocol that corresponds. Not only do protocols raise the bar in terms of quality, but they allow you to understand two very important things about your business better: cost and time. What and how much product is going into each treatment, and how long each treatment can be expected to take, all become numbers that can be calculated, rather than estimated. A client doesn’t want to be seen at 1:15PM if her appointment is for 1PM, and this is one of the ways to guarantee timeliness!
Lastly, treatment protocols also can allow your spa to be unique, and develop a point of difference in your services. For example, if all your treatment facial treatment protocols add a 5 minute hand massage or for your body treatments, a 5 minute foot massage. Make sure these unique features are written into a thoroughly constructed protocol that is administered to all employees and that as a salon/spa owner you enforce the importance of adhering to treatment protocols! This is really key to benefit your business.
How have treatment protocols helped your business? Tell me in the comments below!
