Dynamic Scheduling

Your staff is your number one asset. Without good qualified staff, your spa will not be a success. However, most spa managers complain that they do not have enough staff, especially during peak times. This means they need to turn down clients.

The idea behind dynamic scheduling is to optimize the number of therapists you have. 

One of the main challenges spas have is predicting demand levels. Sometimes, when you think your spa is going to be quiet, it turns out to be extremely busy. Equally, when you think your spa is going to be busy, it turns out to be very quiet. So instead of having four therapists doing nothing, or giving them downtime duties (such as deep cleaning, stock take, and so on), send some of them home. They’ll be happy too.

Some spas have expanded this idea further: they are now creating an ‘hour bank’ and appointing therapists ‘on call’. Depending on times of the month, the therapist ‘owes’ hours to the spa, or the spa owes the therapist ‘overtime’. Instead of being paid overtime, therapists can also choose to have a day off instead of using one of their holiday dates.

How can dynamic scheduling help your spa?

* You have a higher control of your staffing schedule.

* You have therapists when you need them (due to the on call system)

* Your therapists are happy as they don’t feel overworked and they remain motivated – sitting around and doing nothing is a drain of general team motivation.

* Your spa don’t incur huge overtime pay.

* Your therapists are more engaged and willing to help .

With this type of business model, there are two sides of the equation to consider. 

One side of this would be the spa owner that is “hiring” a contract freelancer to provide therapy services for the spa. 

The other side of this would be from the perspective of the therapist that was being contracted. Usually with this model the fee contract freelancer receives is either on per case flat rate or as a “split fee”. With a “split fee” the spa owner would give the contract freelancer a percentage of the total fee collected for the spa. Typical fee splits are 60/40 or 70/30. For example, with a 60/40 split, the therapist that provides the session keeps 60% of the total fee collected and the practice keeps 40%. 

A flat rate is just a set per session fee the spa would pay the therapist for seeing that guest at their spa regardless of what is collected from the guest.

Another business model that I think we will see more of is that the spa will have the same system as the hairdressers and personal trainers. As a new educated therapist you will charge your guest a cheaper rate and with more years, add-ons education, ratings and more established you would charge a higher rate. As a therapist you build your own brand under the spa roof. 

There are some pioneers out there and Nicola at a successful medical skin care clinic in Oslo says 

“ we have a provision ladder for the therapists, the more you bring into the clinic the more you will earn in provision. Some of the most established therapist has a bonus system as well. The clinic covers sickness, insurance and pension. We have a long tryout period of 6 months, anyone can show their best in 3 months, but during 6 months they will show their true self. A good team is so important. We pay further training, education too, and the therapist is bound to a time contract and has to pay back if the contract is not fulfilled.”

A dynamic scheduling should be practiced at every spa. To hire contract freelance therapists could be a good option or a mix depending on establishment and knowledge. 

As Nicola says it is important to have good working conditions for your staff that encourage them to stay and I think she is spot on.

Dynamic Scheduling

Your staff is your number one asset. Without good qualified staff, your spa will not be a success. However, most spa managers complain that they do not have enough staff, especially during peak times. This means they need to turn down clients.

The idea behind dynamic scheduling is to optimize the number of therapists you have. 

One of the main challenges spas have is predicting demand levels. Sometimes, when you think your spa is going to be quiet, it turns out to be extremely busy. Equally, when you think your spa is going to be busy, it turns out to be very quiet. So instead of having four therapists doing nothing, or giving them downtime duties (such as deep cleaning, stock take, and so on), send some of them home. They’ll be happy too.

Some spas have expanded this idea further: they are now creating an ‘hour bank’ and appointing therapists ‘on call’. Depending on times of the month, the therapist ‘owes’ hours to the spa, or the spa owes the therapist ‘overtime’. Instead of being paid overtime, therapists can also choose to have a day off instead of using one of their holiday dates.

How can dynamic scheduling help your spa?

* You have a higher control of your staffing schedule .

* You have therapists when you need them (due to the on call system)

* Your therapists are happy as they don’t feel overworked and they remain motivated – sitting around and doing nothing is a drain of general team motivation.

* Your spa don’t incur huge overtime pay.

* Your therapists are more engaged and willing to help .

With this type of business model, there are two sides of the equation to consider. One side of this would be the spa owner that is “hiring” a contract freelancer to provide therapy services for the spa. The other side of this would be from the perspective of the therapist that was being contracted. Usually with this model the fee contract freelancer receives is either on per case flat rate or as a “split fee”. With a “split fee” the spa owner would give the contract freelancer a percentage of the total fee collected for the spa. Typical fee splits are 60/40 or 70/30. For example, with a 60/40 split, the therapist that provides the session keeps 60% of the total fee collected and the practice keeps 40%. A flat rate is just a set per session fee the spa would pay the therapist for seeing that guest at their spa regardless of what is collected from the guest.

Another business model that I think we will see more of is that the spa will have the same system as the hairdressers and personal trainers. As a new educated therapist you will charge your guest a cheaper rate and with more years, add-ons education, ratings and more established you would charge a higher rate. As a therapist you build your own brand under the spa roof. 

There are some pioneers out there and Nicola at a successful medical skin care clinic in Oslo says 

“ we have a provision ladder for the therapists, the more you bring into the clinic the more you will earn in provision. Some of the most established therapist has a bonus system as well. The clinic covers sickness, insurance and pension. We have a long tryout period of 6 months, anyone can show their best in 3 months, but during 6 months they will show their true self. A good team is so important. We pay further training, education too, and the therapist is bound to a time contract and has to pay back if the contract is not fulfilled.”

A dynamic scheduling should be practiced at every spa. To hire contract freelance therapists could be a good option or a mix depending on establishment and knowledge. 

As Nicola says it is important to have good working conditions for your staff that encourage them to stay and I think she is spot on.