I’m about to take on my first staff member - how can I best ensure their loyalty to me, as well as maximize client loyalty to my business, rather than the new therapist (and any other therapists that follow!)??

Congratulations. That is a big and exciting step. Well done for getting to that point.

Team Loyalty to Your Business

Have you ever worked anywhere where you really liked it? Where your loyalties were absolutely clear and you wanted to do anything for your boss to bring her business forward?

On the other hand, did you work somewhere where you felt taken advantage of?

Think of the differences of these two situations and you’ll be able to continue acting in such a way that your employees want to be loyal.

But I’ll be more specific as well:

1. Be aware of their value to you
   Not just what they earn you, but also how much more fun they make it to work.
   It is easy to slip into a mindset of how you could earn a lot more if you only did the massages yourself. The truth is you can’t, because your time is limited and you are much better off having someone to do it for you.
2. Provide value to your team members
   Treat them like you treat your clients, serve them with the best you have so that they can be great at their job. They want to be employed because they do not want to run a business. So be aware of this need of theirs that you are providing for.
3. Communicate openly
   Communicate your vision, make them part of that vision. If you hit a rough spot in your business life, also share it, rather than hiding it. You will get much better support if they have a broader picture of the business, rather than just doing their job.
4. Have clear and challenging targets
   Make sure your expectations (yours and your staff member’s) are matched. Train them in how you want things done and leave them room to add their own flavor.
5. Hire on attitude, not experience
   It is far easier to train someone with a great attitude to perform a great service, than trying to teach someone a positive attitude, no matter how experienced they are.
6. Get someone else if it does not work out
   That might sound a bit counter-intuitive to everything else I said before, but it gives it substance. Make them part of your family, but do not hesitate to replace someone, if the expectations are not met.

Client Loyalty to Your Business

There is no question about it, massage is a very personal experience and usually the loyalty is with a specific person, rather than with a business. By getting great team members, you can make use of that.

On top of that you can add things into your business process that makes the experience of being a client of your business special. Here are some examples:

1. Always being ready for a client when they come in, never letting them wait.
2. Sending a card for their birthday with a free massage
3. Sending a thank-you card after X times that they came
4. Following-up with a phone call to see how the massage was for them

I am sure you are already doing things like that. Think of how you can systemize them, so that all your therapists can provide that same level of service (beyond the massage) to your clients. That is another  services you can give to your team members, while delighting your clients at the same time.

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber is worthwhile reading if you want to get further into this.

Great question, I really enjoyed answering it.

Just comment if you have any other thoughts.

All the best

Alexander

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