The Cost of Staffing Your Spa Or Beauty Salon

Every month a high percentage (%) of your profits isReceptionists - are they earning their keep? - do your
spent on staff. We would all like to reduce our payrollreception team contribute positively to revenue
bill at the end of every month, so how do you know ifgeneration via re-bookings, products sales and
you are over spending in this area or actually gettingmaximizing your occupancy?
great value for money from your team?Opening hours - are you open too many hours or the
This is where we can apply some science (moreright hours to suit your business? For example if you
precisely use a calculator) and calculate your payroll toare located near a business area, are you open early
sales %. This will accurately show you what % of yourevening to catch commuters on their way home, do
total sales is spent on staff, so for example youryou have enough staff on at lunchtime to meet
payroll bill is $3,900 and your total net revenue isdemand?
$10,000 then your payroll to sales % is 39%.Increasing overall revenue
However if your payroll bill is $3,900 and your total netThe least painful way of improving your payroll to
revenue is $5,500 then your payroll to sales % is 71%.sales is to increase revenue, not always as easy as it
The lower your payroll to sales % the more profitablesounds however here are a couple of things to
your business, if your spa is operating at over 50%consider: If you change your staff rotas to match
payroll to sales then I would suggest a full review tocustomer demand you should see increased revenue -
see how this can be improved - this will be achieved ine.g. put 9 therapists in on a Saturday and you should
one of two ways:see full occupancy, have 9 in on a Monday and you
1. Reducing your staff costswill more than likely struggle for full occupancy.
2. Increasing your overall revenueLimit promotions to your quiet days, for example run a
Reducing staff costslocal advertising campaign with a special offer only
Review staff rotas against customer demand - areavailable Monday to Wednesday 9am to 5pm thereby
your staff in at the same time that your customersdriving more business into your quiet times. Make sure
are requiring their treatments?your receptionists are contributing to revenue
Review your staffing structure - is this top heavy withgeneration and fully managing your appointment book
too many supervisors? Full time v part time - too manyto drive business into the quiet times. If you can
full timers makes your rota more inflexible, part timersimprove your payroll to sales % by just 5% on an
can do more hours if required and give you moreannual turnover of $200,000 you will save $10,000 a
flexibility.year and that's a result!