Will commission get therapists to work better?

[xkayla_herex]

I am a owner of a beauty salon and am fairly new at this.

It's just a small salon and there is only usually one therapist here at a time except Saturdays when were really busy then there's two of us.
I work four days a week and the other therapist is here On her own a couple of days a week.

My therapist is Fairly new she's only been here about 5 months and this is her first proper salon job, she is doing great but a few clients have mentioned how they haven't been able to get booked in on a certain date as we were busy, and when I looked back on the date I see that it wasn't that busy so not sure why my therapist hasn't booked them in (this is a date when she is in on her own) I have spoke to her about this but she seems to make up excuses why she couldn't book them in so I just explained to her to make sure she books people in whenever she can and I just put it down to the fact she was new to it all she was not that confidant- this was at the start but now today another client said she tried to get booked in yesterday but as the other therapist said she was too busy she had to come in today- yesterday wasn't that busy so again not sure why she didn't book her in? I was going to wait untill Saturday to ask her about this( we had a couple of cancelations yday so depending what time the client asked it could of just been before they cancelled)

When I work here I always try fit everyone in wherever I can but obviously that's because it's my salon whereas the therapist gets paid hourly so gets paid wether she has clients or no so probably doesn't care like I do or make the effort to fit people in as I would.Which is why I am thinking about giving her commission as well as her hourly rate, was thinking perhaps to only give commission for clients that she does herself and books in herself- that way she will fit more people in and want to do them herself rather than give them to me.(so I wouldn't give her commision on clients I have booked in for her, she has to book them is herself)

What do you think about this and does anyone else get or pay commission in their salon? If so how does it work with you do you find you work harder on commission as well and book more clients in? and what type of commission do you get do you get a %of the treatment if so what %? 5% 10%? Or do you get a set amount for each client? Like an extra 50p/ £1 for each client?

Would really appreciate any help and advice.

 

[BannerPenguin]

In my opinion commission is for good behaviour. Booking as many clients in as poss and working hard is her job!

She really needs a verbal warning/discussion to tell her she needs to being doing it.

 

[xkayla_herex]

Thank you for your reply, I have spoke to her about it previously and was very clear on how important it is to book everyone in and told her clients always mention if they can't get booked in so she knows i am likely to find out, it's a shame as she has improved so much after our review last time (there were a few other things i wanted her to work on) and I was even close to letting her go but decided to give her another chance which I am glad as since our talk she has been great, but now obviously this has happened and perhaps i am just being paranoid maybe she couldn't book this client in at the time the client asked as like I said we did have cancellations but not sure when those treatments were cancelled.
I need to talk to her and see what she says.
I do think maybe some kind of commission would help her and benefit both of us, just not sure what type of commission to do?

 

[Cheshire_Gal]

Commission is a great motivator, for the the simple reason that money is a great motivator. I pay basic rate p/h, then once they reach 4 x there monthly wage pay them 25% of everything above that. If theyre making, then im making x

 

[happydays82]

And are you sure these people that are cancelling on hers are not people she's just put in herself then canceled ( fake client). Sounds to me she wants to do as little as possible. I would say commission on any client she does that way she will book as much in as she can with her. Money is a great motivator for some people x

 

[squidgernetball]

My daughter works for me and knows how important my business is to me. I am positive she has never turned down clients and she often goes the extra mile to fit people in however even she has got better since going on commission. I simply pay her 5% on all the treatments she does and 10% on anything she retails although I now think the product commission is a little high.

Have you discussed goals with your therapist? I'm afraid I think it's rather appalling that she isn't automatically geared up to work. I hope she's not on salon geek lol!
We have a computer booking system which means our clients can book themselves in and I can log on from home and see the diary. This may help.
If she isn't doing clients, does she have a jobs list and if so do those jobs get done? Is she just a lazy cow?

Commission may help but keep an eye on her. It sounds like your goals and hers may not be the same. Do your clients like her?
Sorry! Questions all over the place but it is early lol!
Best of luck

Vic x

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[trudy.trudylee]

My daughter works for me and knows how important my business is to me. I am positive she has never turned down clients and she often goes the extra mile to fit people in however even she has got better since going on commission. I simply pay her 5% on all the treatments she does and 10% on anything she retails although I now think the product commission is a little high.

Have you discussed goals with your therapist? I'm afraid I think it's rather appalling that she isn't automatically geared up to work. I hope she's not on salon geek lol!
We have a computer booking system which means our clients can book themselves in and I can log on from home and see the diary. This may help.
If she isn't doing clients, does she have a jobs list and if so do those jobs get done? Is she just a lazy cow?

Commission may help but keep an eye on her. It sounds like your goals and hers may not be the same. Do your clients like her?
Sorry! Questions all over the place but it is early lol!
Best of luck

Vic x

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

Could u tell me about your computer booking system please Vic, is it easy to set up & does it cost much ? Thanks x

 

[persianista]

Be aware the these 'cancellations' could actually be turning up, paying cash, then getting taken out of the book. It's a popular scam in salons.

 

[squidgernetball]

Could u tell me about your computer booking system please Vic, is it easy to set up & does it cost much ? Thanks x

Its not cheap, but its fab. I use Salon Iris - you can see prices etc on their website - you want .co.uk, not .com!
Vic x

 

[Bombalurina]

Ooh Persianista I would have never even thought of that when I was in salon! Some people are so sneaky it beggars belief!! I guess you can't ever really trust anyone in business, need eyes in the back of your head!

To the OP, money is a great motivator for some (myself included) but for others it's not such a big deal. The other way to motivate for a job well done might be vouchers, treatments, nights out etc. I'm sure I've seen it posted on here years ago....something along the lines of, if she hits her target she gets a "reward". Might work better in a larger salon where a work night out would be more of an event, but salon cocktail night, or a visit to another spa might be a nice idea?

It depends what motivates her really. Have a chat to her and see what would make her keen to work harder...! It would be a shame to lose her if she's a good therapist and clients like her...

 

[MrsHBeauty]

Not everyone is motivated my money.

Some people see it as a bonus for what they do already, so not really worth much to be honest as your unlikely to get a better response.

What about monthly performance reviews. Discuss performance, things what went well, what could be better, Set targets together ie: every day to fill the collumn by an extra 25% and re-booking 75% if clients doing all jobs on the "to do" list every day - things like that. Then review them every month. My opinion is not to reward meeting those targets but to reward an overall monthly target say earn 4 times your wages and relieve 25% on anything over that.

Use the monthly targets as personal goals, include some personal goals such as learning a new nail art, improving her knowledge about a treatment, but make it all measurable - the treatment one could be read a book about massage movements, watch 10 you tube videos on simple summer nail art. Etc.

If you do it monthly - whilst maintaining as much as you like her and value her work she has to make the salon money as well as cover her wages, and improving her own skills should be important to both of you - you can keep on top of any issues.

Also make it clear that clients are
contacted randomly - both cancelations/no shows and completed treatments - for feedback, not checking up just to see if there is anything you both could have done better. That should make her think about the service she's offering as well as making her think twice about any underhand schemes she may be conjuring up.

That's my two pence worth anyway lol