There is something to be said for the security of working for a franchise spa, a place that has every protocol down to exact amount of skin care pumped per treatment; the precise number of cotton rounds and 4 x 4's; and specific amount of time per each piece in the facial so that the esthetician stays on time like a soldier. A place that turns over clients so quickly that McDonald's might have competition in turning out burgers that fast--impressive yes, but quality is questionable.
Okay, let's be honest here, when you go to McDonald's for a burger and fries it probably isn't about quality but speed of service that you are seeking. If you go to a place like Five Guys it is likely you are willing to trade in speed of service for high quality instead. The ingredients at McDonald's vs. Five Guys probably aren't even on the same caliber.
I was hired at two competing franchise spas--they are run very similar but one offers waxing and the other doesn't. They both focus on high customer turn over--get the customer in and out and get the next customer in the door. One of the places I actually went through complete training and the other place I just went through the first employee meeting. You might be wondering why I would even go through training for a place that I thought was akin to McDonald's for facials. The answer is simple, I wanted to work there because they both sounded like good places to work because they have a lot of advertising, education and all the supplies an esthetician could dream of, but in the end I decided it wasn't only NOT RIGHT FOR ME, but it was COMPLETELY WRONG FOR ME!
The reason these franchises aren't for me is simply the way that they do business, and how they turn customers out like an assembly line. I completely understand staying on task and on time, but I also realize customers pay good money and deserve to be pampered each and every time they walk through my treatment room. For me, I wanted to customize each facial, spend time with my customers and treat them like they are special.
The facials that are sold at these franchise spas are bare bones at best, and there isn't much wiggle room to custom create a facial based on customer needs. They save money and time from disinfection by using popsicle sticks, fingers or cotton swabs to apply masks. They turn over rooms in 5 minutes...which is difficult to properly disinfect the room and change bedding in that short amount of time. I don't know about the rest of you, but that alone makes me cringe.
Now, if you are an esthetician working at one of these places, please do not take offense to what I am writing, I don't believe it makes you less of an esthetician, you have to follow their protocol or they will fire you--I get it!
All spas, no matter where you work want estheticians to sell products that is a given, but some places are stricter than others. The franchise spas really push SALES. I don't have a problem with selling--I've sold many skin products in my time, but I refuse to sell products just to SELL. I only sell products when I think it will truly help a customer and improve their skin. I don't sell them more or less than what I believe they need. I educate them as to why they these products will help. With the two franchise spas that I have experience with product sales were just that--they were pushing of products by any means you could sell them. They didn't care how you sold products, but they wanted sales period. At one place, I was told I should strive to sell seven skin care products per customer even if they had just come in a week earlier and bought all seven products because there is always more product to sell. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? And I was told that I had to sell so many dollars worth of product to keep my job.
At the end of the day, I have to live with myself. I won't, no I refuse to sell people products that they don't actually need. Now if they needed all seven products of course I would sell it to them, but I don't think every person that walks in the door needs seven products at every facial.
Then there are the products they use, ugh I didn't like either product line. The one product line didn't have anything that jumped out at me that was horrible, but I didn't love it that is for sure. The second franchise using a product line that customers can buy at other stores, but I think it is junk. Some of the ingredients are questionable considering they claim they have some of the best skin care products on the market.
I tried to give the franchise spa business a good run, but after training I turned in my notice at the one spa and the other I told them right after they offered me a position that I wasn't interested. I know myself, and it was far better to run than for me to work at a place that I didn't believe in. So in the end, I decided that no matter how many of these franchise spas that keep popping up (seems like there is a new brand all the time) that it is not a good fit for me.
Although it is not for me, that doesn't mean a franchise isn't right for you, some people enjoy working for a place with so many protocols and expectations in place, and if that is right for you then you should go for it. Each of us has to find our own path within this field, what is wrong for me, might be exactly what you are looking for.
