Pamela Hill Institute

This Glogau photodamage classification system is an alternative system  developed by Dr. Richard Glogau. It is designed to help the clinician determine skin type of individual clients. As there are progressing degrees of photoaging within each skin type each client will have different needs.

Photoaging is the premature aging that happens to the skin after exposure to ultraviolet light. It affects everyone, and no one is immune. Starting in early adulthood  many people suffer the ravaging effects of excessive exposure to the rays of the sun. Facial  skin is tender and particularly susceptible to photoaging. The conditions which result  from photoaging are controllable and can be diminished depending on the extent  of the damage suffered. This damage is usually visible as discoloration and/or as wrinkles. Symptoms develop at various ages depending on the  skin type of the individual and their exposure to the sun. The Glogau classification system was developed to provide an objective measurement of  the severity of photoaging and especially of wrinkles. It is designed to help the clinician when making a choice as to  the best procedures to use for  clients to treat photoaging.

Glogau has four classifications. Type I is no wrinkles, with typical attributes being either no or minimal discoloration or wrinkling, no keratoses or skin over growths, and usually no need for foundation or makeup. Typical suggested treatments are daily skin protection through use of a sunscreen, moisturizers and over the counter lotions containing antioxidants and alphahydroxy.

Type II is wrinkles in motion. Typical attributes are wrinkling as the skin moves, lines near the eyes and the mouth, a need for some foundation and no keratoses that is visible. Typical treatments include daily skin protection using a sunscreen, and use of over the counter lotions that contain alphahydroxy acid and antioxidants or retinol. Prescription medicines that can be used include those containing tretinoin like Renova and those containing hydroquinone like Melanex.

Type III is wrinkles at rest. Attributes are constant visible wrinkles, and both keratoses and discolorations that are noticeable along with the need for a heavy foundation. Typical treatments are daily protection of the skin with a sunscreen, over the country lotions containing alphahydroxy acid and antioxidants or retinal. Prescription medicines that can be used are Renovo and Melanex. Light chemical peels also can be use.
    
Type IV, only wrinkles has typical attributes of winkles throughout, yellow or grayish color to the skin, prior skin cancer and makeup not usable due to caking and cracking. Typical treatments for Type IV are protection daily with a sunscreen, deep dermabrasion, deep laser resurfacing and use of deep, strong chemical peels. Also soft tissue augmentation through injections of collagen  or fat transfer.

Knowing when to expand a business, or when to bring on additional staff is something that every spa owner or manager needs to consider. It can’t be done too soon or the expansion and additional staff will be a financial drain on the business and could lead to financial problems, cash flow shortages and failure. However, not expanding when needed, or adding additional staff when needed, can result in clients having to wait too long for appointments which will lead them to look elsewhere. This can lead to loss of client and loss of revenue. Take a look at your existing client base and the time lag from when an appointment is set to when a client is actually seen. If it is only a few days and your clients are staying with you, and you have adequate room to work, then you are probably in fine shape. But if clients are starting to complain or if the time lag is more than a week, and especially if it is more than ten days, and not by client choice then you may need to look at adding in additional help.

Take a look at your competition. How large are they? How many square feet of space? How many aestheticians and other clinicians are working there? Do they seem to be busy? Some spa managers have been known to send a trusted employee who is not known into the competition to have a treatment and check out the competition, sort of acting as a spy. Some people believe this is unethical and others disagree. Other managers have had someone observe the parking lot of the main competition to see how many clients they average per hour and how many per day. Other people just use common sense in trying to determine how busy the completion is. Make your own decision as to which method is best for you.

If you believe your business is reaching the point of expansion, consider this a good problem. All businesses either grow, or stagnate. You want your business to be one of the growing ones. Delegating some of your authority to an assistant manager or trusted employee as a shift leader will free up some of your time to find a new retail space and run advertising to acquire new employees. These are important duties, and indicative of success in  your field.

Customer feedback and customer follow-up are the unsung heroes of marketing any type of service oriented business, and in particular of the aesthetics business. Getting feedback from customers, knowing what they like and dislike about the services they receive and what positive changes can be made to make them happy is key to successfully retaining those customers for a lifetime.

Here’s a thought…

If a problem exists and you don’t know that there is a problem, how can you fix it? Of if you know a problem exists but don’t know what it is, how can you make it better? The answer is obvious to both questions. Knowledge gives you the ability to correct problems. All business have problems. All clients have concerns at times. People are all different, but one thing they all have in common is ego. Taking the time to ask your clients for feedback information, for advice, and for opinions on ways in which you can improve the service they receive, or add additional services, will ensure that they understand that they are valued parts of the business. The clients pay the bills, and you are really working for them.

Many business owners have customer comment cards on the front counter, or in the waiting room. They are conveniently located where they will be seen and taken by clients. Other businesses simply give one to each client. Sometimes they are even made as postcards with postage already affixed to make it easy to prepare and send later. Many businesses give the option of the comment card being anonymous. This allows some clients to really open up and express their true feelings without fear of offending anyone.  Of course many people use the old tried and true method of simply engaging their clients in conversation and asking them for opinions. Others find that the internet is the perfect tool for this. They send out an email questionnaire, and often times offer a free gift or a discount for filling out the survey. Sometimes offering five dollars off of the next visit with the returned survey brings in many completed and honest sets of opinions.

Whatever method you choose to gather information, take note of it, discuss it with your employees and co-workers and find ways to incorporate client suggestions into business operations when the suggestions make sense. Keep your clients happy through feedback and you’ll have a successful business for years to come.

Spa management software can make a world of difference to the spa owner or manager. Computers are tools, designed to make us all more productive, save us time and money and in general make our lives easier and better. Of course some people simply use them as video game consoles or as permanent Internet surfing devices. All fine sues, but not what the spa manager has in mind.

When looking at spa management software think about what you want it to be able to do for you.

Point of sale software allows the computer to function as a cash register, and will keep track of income and separate it into the categories you need for follow-up and marketing efforts later, as well as for maintaining accurate tax records.  Point of sale management software will show you how much each client spends, what type of payment system they use (check, cash  or credit card), how often they come in and what services they use.  It also lets you track referrals and provides a mailing list maintenance source for newsletters and brochure or flyer mass mailings.

Accounting software keeps track of the financial side of your business - including expenses, revenues, tax deductions, etc. This can be simple or complicated depending on your needs. It can include payroll if you have employees and do this yourself in house. It tracks accounts payable and accounts receivable and will track your business check book and any business credit cards you may use.  Many small spas use QuickBooks, Peachtree, DAC Easy Accounting, MYOB accounting or one of the other off the shelf programs available and are quite happy with them. Other spas have grown to the point where more specialized software is called for.

Specialized spa management software systems are often simply modified versions of programs used for other small businesses. All business sell either a product or a service or both, and need to do essentially the same thing. Buying a modified version of already existing software costs much less than having a specific program written for your needs and will undoubtedly do the job. Spa management software will immediately book an appointment for a client, tell the aesthetician what services are needed and the time of the appointment, review treatments the client had in the past, and allow the receptionist cashier to fill out an invoice in a few seconds to collect payment. It will save tremendous amounts of time and money, and will help the spa become more efficient. This leads to better cash flow and more money and job satisfaction for everyone. Spa management software is essential.

As a general rule of thumb, you should allocated approximately 1% of your gross annual revenues to software and technology for non-technical organizations (which would include day spas and aesthetic clinics). Therefore, if your business earns $500,000 a year, you should be earmarking approximately $5,000 annually to software, computer upgrades, enhanced technologies, etc.

In today's business world, no company can thrive or get by without the use of modern technology. It is in the best interest of your business to seek out the best software tools for your trade and use them to your advantage.

For the aesthetician, as for any business, an organized office is essential to success. Keeping track of finances, clients and what services they like. Also consider the paper trail that accountants like to have for the tax  man.  In case of an IRS audit it is possible to just bring out a shoe box of receipts, but that doesn’t show very much organization and as a business person you owe it to yourself and to the other professionals you do business with occasionally to handle things in a proper, professional manner.

When keeping track of finances, multiple manila folders and large eight by ten inch envelopes are great ways to keep track of receipts, contacts and other business paperwork. For instance, let’s say you decide to run a series of commercials on WXYZ radio station, newspaper ads in the local daily paper, and print up flyers to distribute in various locations. These are all valid advertising expenses and entitle you to tax deductions, but you must be able to prove the validity of these deductions at tax time. That’s where the folders and envelopes come in.

Mark three folders, each with the name of the medium used or project. Place all documents and contracts relating to the project into the folders along with an envelop and into the envelop add any small pieces of paper connected with the purchase, such as receipts that are hand written.  You won’t need to itemize each and every small purchase that goes towards general business. For instance, just having one folder labeled car expense gives you a place for gas receipts and paperwork concerning tires, tune ups and other things that may be deductible for the business. What is and is not deductible is determined in consultation with a good accountant. If for instance your business owns your car, or leases it, then there may be more tax benefits than simply keeping the car in your name and taking the mileage deduction.  Meticulously keep track of the folders and envelopes and if you have a file cabinet keep them in it. If not, cardboard file boxes are inexpensive and can be purchased at the office supply store, or ordered online.

Some people prefer to keep their hand written records only, and others prefer to use a computer program to keep track of expenses. Either method is fine, just as long as you stay on top of your record keeping. You need to be accurate, and to be professional. You owe it to yourself and your business.

Although a mundane task, an organized office can actually help to increase revenues and build your spa or aesthetics business - so it is always worth the time and effort!