New member of staff not even making her wage

[nixnewcastle]

Ok so the problem I've got is that the new therapist I've just taken on isn't even making her wage as she's not booking clients back in and I can't even leave her on her own.
I'm also having to shell out a lot more for insurance as well as more for my accountant to do the pay roll.

What can I do? Someone please help!
I feel like I now need to work on the business and not in the business to get any further income as I'm now stuck for making any more money.

Is it too much to ask for a therapist to build up a clientele? I just feel like I'm having to spoon feed her and I haven't got the time to constantly supervise her and I need to be able to leave her at the salon on her own so I can work on the business which it's been proven I can't.

What do I do?

 

[Ammej85]

Did you not take her on on a trial basis?

 

[persianista]

Ok, within a few months you can tell whether a member of staff will be successfull or not. Do your statistics, eg, takings per week divided by number of clients per week. Also number of new clients per week and number of request clients per week.

Set the benchmark at what YOU acheive, that will give you an indication of whether she is progressing or not.

If she is hopeless, then get rid. Some employees just don't have "it". Some employees don't give a toss about their work.

 

[bombini]

Is she trying to get them to rebook or not even bothering to ask ?

Could you get a few 'mystery' clients to test her (friends and family she doesn't know) and get some feedback from them ?

 

[nixnewcastle]

Yes she's on a trial basis of 3 months. Excellent advise as always Dawn.
Mystery shop is a very good idea!

 

[jujojones]

how long has she been working for you? is she new to industry or experienced? It can take time for a therapist to build up clients (all not too long)

does she build up a good rapport with the clients? but imo if shes not working her ass off to do everything to impress during her 3 mth trial and get those clients back then maybe its worth trying to find a therapist who will!!

 

[nixnewcastle]

Is she trying to get them to rebook or not even bothering to ask ?

Could you get a few 'mystery' clients to test her (friends and family she doesn't know) and get some feedback from them ?

She hasn't been bothering to ask do I'm doing all the leg work to try and get her booked up but I'm fighting a losing battle cause I can't continuously do all the work for her.

This is her 1st beauty job and she is good at what she does but I think she doesn't understand the importance of building up a clientele. I think I should maybe do a leaflet drop to get entirely new clients in for her and see how she does cause she's not likely to build up a clientele from clients who have had me for treatments before as I'm very highly qualified and experienced

 

[WaxGirl]

Its great that she is good at doing treatments, thats a plus, maybe she needs some more training?

Have you gave her a written copy of your expectations and her job duties? Have you talked her through it?

If she is new to the industry she might need some more help with this.

Have a meeting with her and talk her through her strengths and weaknesses - maybe if you discussed it with her theres a reason why shes not good at rebooking? She needs to understand that this is as important as delivering an excellent treatment.

 

[muddi]

This is her 1st beauty job and she is good at what she does but I think she doesn't understand the importance of building up a clientele.

Just a thought - but have you gone through everything that you are wanting her to do - even all the obvious things, such as asking clients if they want to re-book, retail, up-selling treatments etc?
You say she is new to the industry so these things will be all very new to her and I suspect she is solely concentrating on 'doing a good job' at the moment and getting her treatments right with timings etc..

Maybe a bit of basic 'salon' training wouldn't go amiss - explaining the day to day runnings of the salon, like re-booking clients, letting them know of any offers you have running or ask her to hand out 'refer a friend' vouchers to encourage not only the client to come back but for them to recommend her to someone else too...

Try remembering what you were like when you started working at your very first salon, what things you take for granted now but didn't have a clue when you first started.. and probably how scared or un-confident you were at asking people to re-book with you?

Once you have done all these things, and she still isn't 'bothering' then it may be worth looking for someone else once her probation time is up. Good luck.


Edited to add - looks like me and loveleelady had the same idea! haha, we must of been typing this at the same time!

 

[The-Salon.Net]

Ok so the problem I've got is that the new therapist I've just taken on isn't even making her wage as she's not booking clients back in and I can't even leave her on her own.
I'm also having to shell out a lot more for insurance as well as more for my accountant to do the pay roll.

What can I do? Someone please help!
I feel like I now need to work on the business and not in the business to get any further income as I'm now stuck for making any more money.

Is it too much to ask for a therapist to build up a clientele? I just feel like I'm having to spoon feed her and I haven't got the time to constantly supervise her and I need to be able to leave her at the salon on her own so I can work on the business which it's been proven I can't.

What do I do?

Very difficult to now get rid I'm afraid due to very strict employment law.

Has she got a contract and handbook stating what is expected of her? You need to have a meeting with her and set her targets and achievements. Then review them in a month, if the targets or achievements aren't being met then start disciplinary action i.e. verbal warning, letter ect. Only then can you dismiss her.

I agree that employment law sucks. In an interview its hard to tell how good someone really is. They can sound great but then turn out to be lazy, or a nut case, or disrupt the business. You should be able to dismiss someone for no reason within the first few months in my opinion, maybe even the first year!!

Do you have a legal help line with your insurance company? We have an employment legal helpline and they can offer you the right advice on which path to take.

Another salon owner once told me that he had a special contract for new starters that allowed him to dismiss them without going down disciplinary - but I am not even sure if that would stand up if you were taken to a tribunal.

We will always try and work with staff like the one you have employed. They often need a lot of time and training. At her stage it sounds like she needs a lot of support. After all, if she knew it all, then maybe she'd have her own salon.

It's worth the time and effort working with these people however painful. They are the future of our business!!

 

[The-Salon.Net]

Just a thought - but have you gone through everything that you are wanting her to do - even all the obvious things, such as asking clients if they want to re-book, retail, up-selling treatments etc?
You say she is new to the industry so these things will be all very new to her and I suspect she is solely concentrating on 'doing a good job' at the moment and getting her treatments right with timings etc..

Maybe a bit of basic 'salon' training wouldn't go amiss - explaining the day to day runnings of the salon, like re-booking clients, letting them know of any offers you have running or ask her to hand out 'refer a friend' vouchers to encourage not only the client to come back but for them to recommend her to someone else too...

Try remembering what you were like when you started working at your very first salon, what things you take for granted now but didn't have a clue when you first started.. and probably how scared or un-confident you were at asking people to re-book with you?

Very good advice......this is what I was trying to say really. :biggrin:

 

[TracyS]

Hi Nix,

Depending on which course she did she might not have had any 'business' training so could be completely oblivious as to how to build clients. A lot of courses concentrate solely on the treatments, of course, but pay no heed to the world outside.

Try giving her set lines for clients, in the same was as you'd expect her to say good morning/hello whatever when she greets them, her standard line before they leave is, so we'll see you in a fortnight/month whatever. That might just give her the opening to start to get more repeat business.

If she's good and your clients are happy it shouldn't take too much.

T.x

 

[persianista]

Very difficult to now get rid I'm afraid due to very strict employment law.

Has she got a contract and handbook stating what is expected of her? You need to have a meeting with her and set her targets and achievements. Then review them in a month, if the targets or achievements aren't being met then start disciplinary action i.e. verbal warning, letter ect. Only then can you dismiss her.

I agree that employment law sucks. In an interview its hard to tell how good someone really is. They can sound great but then turn out to be lazy, or a nut case, or disrupt the business. You should be able to dismiss someone for no reason within the first few months in my opinion, maybe even the first year!!

Do you have a legal help line with your insurance company? We have an employment legal helpline and they can offer you the right advice on which path to take.

Another salon owner once told me that he had a special contract for new starters that allowed him to dismiss them without going down disciplinary - but I am not even sure if that would stand up if you were taken to a tribunal.

We will always try and work with staff like the one you have employed. They often need a lot of time and training. At her stage it sounds like she needs a lot of support. After all, if she knew it all, then maybe she'd have her own salon.

It's worth the time and effort working with these people however painful. They are the future of our business!!

This is not correct. As long as it is not racial or sex discrimination, you can dismiss during their first year of employment without fear of tribuneral.

 

[hippy-chick]

Why does she need to bother, she's employed, she's getting a wage. right!

so perhaps explain that her job is dependant on her bringing in repeat clients.

you can never expect an employed person to work as hard at building up a business as a self employed person.

 

[dandelionpoppy]

When you say that you have to supervise her, do you mean actually during the treatments? Or when it comes to the reception of clients?
If she's good at treatments and is personable then it may be worth your time and money to coach her through the selling side.
Explain why you need her to sell, how to sell, and what the consequences could be if she doesn't.
She may need to observe you selling, do some role-play with you, have some observations of her by you etc.
Then set weekly and monthly targets, with set times in the week to sit down privately and review. Don't do it on the hoof, have a proper meeting - this will demonstrate how seriously you take it.
Keep encouraging and praising any progress she makes, but be honest with her.
Hopefully she will become a real asset to you. Good luck!

 

[Bombalurina]

The IDI used to do an amazing course called "Implementing your retail roadmap" and it was brilliant!! Have a look to see if it's still running, it completely changed my attitude to retailing. Unfortunately I have no more gems of advice regarding rebooking clients, but it looks like the other geeks have that covered anyway

 

[The-Salon.Net]

This is not correct. As long as it is not racial or sex discrimination, you can dismiss during their first year of employment without fear of tribuneral.

That used to be the case. It's all changed - that's my solicitor speaking by the way......

 

[persianista]

That used to be the case. It's all changed - that's my solicitor speaking by the way......

So you think that despite failing, and not generating her own wages, Nix is stuck with her for evermore?

Can I recommend everyone to my HR company that I use for my salon staff issues. It's called Peninsula, and specialises in all employee and HR issues.
They organise handbooks, contracts etc etc. They give 24 hour HR advice to companies regarding staff issues.
Nobody needs to be stuck with incompetant, failing staff, whatever you may have been told by a generalist solicitor

 

[The-Salon.Net]

So you think that despite failing, and not generating her own wages, Nix is stuck with her for evermore?

Can I recommend everyone to my HR company that I use for my salon staff issues. It's called Peninsula, and specialises in all employee and HR issues.
They organise handbooks, contracts etc etc. They give 24 hour HR advice to companies regarding staff issues.
Nobody needs to be stuck with incompetant, failing staff, whatever you may have been told by a generalist solicitor

I am not saying she is stuck with her she just has to go down correct procedure. Anyway, I would also advise everyone to talk to solicitor rather than take advice off internet.

We already have a contract with Peninsula which we use for HR and other legal aspects in the salon.

They were only out to us the other day regarding an apprentice that is taking us to a tribunal because we decided not to employee her at the end of he college course. This is how mad it's got!!

By the way, you have to also understand that not everyone can afford to spend money on solicitors (we spend £350 per month with Peninsula). ACAS is a good port of call for most salon owners though but they will only tell you the law and at the end of the day that's what will matter in court.

 

[nixnewcastle]

Thanks for all the advise guys. I was meaning that I can't just have her in one day to open and close the salon without me being there so it's not like I can take a holiday and have her cover it or even take an extra day off to do admin or marketing or other commitments.

I think targets and reviews are definitely the best way forward. I'm just nervous of it getting past the 3 month period and then deciding it's definitely not working and having to go through disciplinary to do it rather than having the clean cut at 3 months