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HANDLING BREAKDOWNS

Handling Breakdowns
BY LISA STARR
DAYSPA, pages 54-68

In the "old days" of the beauty business, spas offered European facials, which entailed the use of nothing more than an esthetician's hands and a steamer. Massage tables were adjusted manually and sterilization was done with a liquid disinfectant and elbow grease. But today's spas, especially medical spas, rely on an increasing array of equipment to perform services. As a result, the challenges handling equipment maintenance and breakdowns are multiplying almost daily. If a service is equipment-dependent, what happens when the equipment stops working? How can the client you've booked be appeased? What about your employees whose income relies on delivering the services?

Here's some advice from experts on these issues.

Buyer Beware
The quality of the equipment you buy will affect the impact breakdowns will have on your business, say our experts. “All equipment is subject to breakdowns," notes Charlie Slater of Spa Central, an equipment distributor based in Minneapolis. "But if the budget allows for high quality equipment, the frequency of breakdowns is less."

Henry Zogaib, vice president of operations for Cosmopro, Daytona Beach, Florida, which has been selling spa and salon equipment since 1986, gives an example: Cheaply made steamers are often designed so that their steam is created by a fluorescent bulb within the unit. “A high quality steamer will create steam with an ozonator and a coil. This type of steam is purer and more powerful than that created by a bulb, “ Zogaib explains, “and the ozonator and coil last much longer than a bulb will. You save money in the short term, but in the long term, you have a piece of equipment that will not work as well, will need maintenance more often and will not give your clients the high quality experience they demand.”

“Ease of repair can also be a consideration,” notes Byran Greene, head of the dedicated customer service group at Universal Companies, Abingdon, Virginia. "Bulb-type facial steamers may not last as long as one producing steam with the ozonator and coil, but they can usually be repaired more easily by the spa technician with a little telephone technical support, while the ozonator and coil-type steamers usually have to be sent back to the manufacturer for repairs when they do break down. There are advantages and disadvantages to both types."

Director of client services Kaz Smith at SpaElegance.com, Imperial, Pennsylvania, another distributor of spa and salon supplies and equipment, relates that manufacturers represented by SpaElegance are chosen based on the reliability of the equipment and the working relationships established between the two companies. For instance, the company distributes Silhouet- Tone equipment because that company's warranty periods are among the longest in the industry and SpaElegance has had few problems with their equipment.

" Another key to ensuring that equipment, especially machines that have electrical or plumbing systems, will operate smoothly from the outset is proper installation," notes Tom Rasmussen, senior mechanical engineer, Belvedere USA, Belvidere, Illinois. "If you know you’re going to buy a specific piece of' equipment, ask for an owner's manual in advance so you can get a head start."

A knowledgeable distributor can be helpful when it comes to choosing and installing spa and salon equipment, especially for those new to the business outfitting an entire spa. For example, when a client is purchasing a fairly standard piece of equipment, like a seven- function facial machine or an electric massage table, the distributor can help the spa owner choose a manufacturer that best fits the spa's needs, perhaps suggesting one that's geographically close to cut down on shipping charges and to facilitate maintenance and repair. For large accounts, most distributors will even send a company representative to help uncrate and set up the equipment.

That allows them to check for damage, coordinate the equipment placement, and see that all needed parts are supplied or ordered immediately.
"Salon and spa products are more technically advanced today than ever before," says Rasmussen, "and that trend will continue. Salon and spa owners need to take an active role in learning how to operate and maintain the equipment and systems they employ in their businesses. It will save them money if they invest the time early on to learn I how new equipment and systems work."

Maintenance Mantra
" Any piece of equipment should come with a maintenance manual," says Greene. "If you don't get a manual,
call and ask for it. Check the manual for any preventive maintenance schedules and follow them closely. This will increase the life of your equipment and minimize the potential for breakdowns."

As president of New Life Systems, a Midwestern company specializing in the sale of spa supplies and equipment, Allan Share regularly visits salons and spas throughout the country, and he's often dismayed to find that spa owners don't have maintenance and repair manuals for the equipment they use. According to Share, the operations manual should include:

Where the item was purchased and when.
The account representative's name. .A maintenance guide and check-off sheet, and any other internal guide- lines necessary to properly maintain and care for the equipment.
Where parts and maintenance supplies can be purchased.
The procedures the owner should follow if the equipment fails to operate properly.

"Proper care and maintenance is a matter of training," says SpaElegance's Smith, but it starts with how manufacturers package and document their equipment. For example, Smith says that an Amber wax pot comes with information detailing care taped in the bottom of the unit. Someone has to remove and, hopefully, carefully read the insert before the unit can be used for the first time.

At New Life, account representatives try to address potential challenges with a certain piece of equipment when the unit is first installed. For instance, with steamers there’s a tendency for spa workers to overtighten jar tops, causing jars to overheat and crack, says Share. Service representatives address this matter when equipment is purchased and even provide a free replacement jar with the purchase of certain facial equipment. And, says Share, "If you do break your jar, don't throw out the metal insert and rubber gasket! The replacement that the manufacturer sends you is just that, only the jar."

"We constantly recommend to our clients that they keep a few basic parts on hand so they'll be prepared to handle the small and predictable breakdowns," says Spa Central's Slater. " A blown fuse on a skincare console on a Saturday morning could wreck the whole weekend, but not if you invest the $5 or so it would take to have a replacement part on hand. There are several small parts like rubber gaskets, wheels, glass jars and knobs that spa owners should stock and keep in a Brian Gay, CEO of HydroCo, Tonance, California, suggests appointing one person to be responsible for in-house maintenance and establishing a monthly "housekeeping" schedule to assure proper cleaning and maintenance. " Avoid harsh chemical detergents in favor of cleaning agents recommended by the manufacturer," Gay cautions.

Someone from Greene's customer service group at Universal calls every new customer before installation just to introduce himself and let the customer know what services are available to him. The group has a broad base of equipment knowledge and the resources it needs to find out whatever the customer needs to know. Technical assistance is available via telephone during regular business hours, loaner equipment is available when necessary and Universal works with a nationwide company to provide on-site service to major pieces of equipment under warranty that can't be shipped back to the company for repairs.

Problem and Response
"If a piece of equipment isn't working properly, there are some simple steps you can follow initially that might get you up and running faster," says Rasmussen. "If your equipment manual includes a troubleshooting guide, use it. Easy system checks may clear up your problem. The simple things are sometimes the least obvious:

Is your electrical product plugged in?
Is the ground fault interrupter circuit (GFI) tripped?
Is the breaker tripped in your fuse box?
Is the water turned on?

Sometimes answering these basic questions is all it takes. Once you've exhausted troubleshooting steps, call your manufacturer's service tech hotline. At Belvedere, a service tech can walk you through advanced troubleshooting or may be able to identify issues not covered in a troubleshooting guide.

"There are different levels of breakdowns," notes Slater. " A replaceable broken part on a facial unit is a problem that's usually easily solved and not urgent. A hydrotherapy tub that has gone flatline is much more difficult to diagnose and is more urgent because most spas don't have another tub they can use while repairs are made."

Cosmopro offers a loaner program for its dry equipment, which means anything not associated with hydrotherapy-wax pots, steamers, towel cab is and adjustable facial beds, for example. If a piece of equipment breaks, they send out replacement parts, usually within 24 hours, reports Zogaib. If the problem can't be diagnosed by the spa owner during a phone conversation with company technicians, the spa owner packs up the malfunctioning equipment and sends it back to the company for repair while using the loaner. For its hydrotherapy equipment, Cosmopro works with a nationwide service company that sends an agent to the spa to assess the problem and communicate with the company about exactly what needs to be done to facilitate the repair. In most cases, says Zogaib, the problem can be resolved within a day or two.

If a client calls New Life with an equipment problem, a company representative will try to troubleshoot the problem over the phone. The company keeps an inventory of spare parts that can be sent to the client overnight. If company representatives can't determine the origin of the problem, they will call the manufacturer for assistance. And if these measures fail to solve the problem, they instruct the client to pack up the broken equipment and send it to New Life or the manufacturer for repair. New Life also offers its equipment buyers a 24/7 phone line to handle equipment emergencies.

"Spa Central has established standards and protocols to follow when breakdowns occur," says Slater. “Spa owners need to ask manufacturers they’re considered working with how they handle breakdowns, and view their responses with a critical eye. When the big stuff happens, they need to hold the vendors accountable but give them a reasonable time to remedy the breakdown."

Spa Experience Simonson's Day Spas, with four locations in the Minneapolis area, offer equipment-related services such as microdermabrasion and myotonology. Jess Lyman, director of operations, relates that, "Due to the nature of the microdermabrasion machines, the lengthy tubes and internal vacuum parts, they can break down and become a source of frustration for us and our guests. On rare occasions our myotonology equipment has failed as well."

Each situation is assessed and handled by the technician or spa manager. “If the guest hasn't yet arrived for her service, we simply call her, apologize for the inconvenience and suggest another service while the machine is being repaired”, says Lyman. "Where possible, we let her know when the desired service will be available. We do not compensate the guest this inconvenience; most people understand that spa owners have little control over things like equipment malfunction and power failures."

If the guest has already arrived the machine fails after the service has started, the manager will typically offer some type of compensation after assessing the reaction of the guest. "Many regular guests have strong relationships with the spa, after having experienced years of excellent services, products, promotions and free gifts with purchase, and don't make a big deal out of the situation," reports Lyman. "On occasion, though, a newer guest with high expectations may be so annoyed or disappointed that a manager may feel that it's imperative to compensate the client somehow. In those cases we usually offer the guest a discount card for up to 50% on the service once the machine is repaired. In every case, the manager offers a sincere and heartfelt apology and another available service, perhaps at a discounted rate." Since regular cleaning and maintenance are part of the technicians' job requirements at Simonson's, the spa does not compensate its technicians if me equipment malfunctions as a result of lack of maintenance. The focus is placed on appeasing the guest. Says Lyman, "The essence of success in these unanticipated situations is to remain calm, be empathetic to the guest's needs and willing to facilitate a resolution that not only fulfills the guest's expectations, but also inspires her to return to us in the future." At Simonson's, equipment problems, typically confined to skincare services. The day spas have multiple pieces of equipment for use in hair and nail services, enough to accommodate almost any situation.

Healing Waters Medical Day Spa in Wichita, Kansas, has more than its share of special equipment, including hydrotherapy tubs, microdermabrasion machines and lasers. Owner Amanda Gorecki, ARNP, relates that an extremely important aspect of running any spa smoothly is staff training. At Healing Waters, technicians are taught how to properly operate their equipment, and a lead staffer in each department performs regular equipment maintenance. Microdermabrasion machines are cleaned weekly and Gorecki purchases equipment only from companies who are willing to provide a loaner within 24 hours of a problem.

The staff at Healing Waters tests each piece of equipment that will be used for a service each morning to uncover any problem before the client arrives in the spa, or worse, is on the treatment table. If there's an equipment failure, and the department leader determines that the failure is due to lack of proper maintenance on the part of the technician, the technician is not compensated for the lost service. But if the problem is determined to be outside the scope of normal maintenance, the technician is paid his or her treatment rate for any missed services. Since no piece of equipment at Healing Waters is ever unavailable for more than one day, this has not been a problem. According to Gorecki, "If your equipment breaks down, it sends a negative message about your spa."

When there's a malfunction at Healing Waters, the client receives a signature gift. These are kept on hand, but are not part of the regular retail offerings of the spa. The latest gift is a private-labeled Lavender Chocolate Bar, made with lavender grown by Healing Waters. At other times, the spa has offered candles in its signature scent, or Healing Waters Signature, Body Lotion. The concierge staff has these gifts at the ready and knows they are free to award them whenever they feel it's necessary. In addition, the client becomes an instant VIP and is lavished with attention on subsequent visits.

The lesson here seems to be that with care in purchasing, proper training in the care and maintenance of spa equipment and well-thought-out operational protocols, equipment breakdowns and service downtime can be kept to a minimum, ensuring a smooth spa experience for both employees and guests.