Jenni Gilbert Having “bums on seats” is essential for businesses like theatres and cinemas to stay afloat. But for a salon, spa or clinic owner, people just sitting around is potentially ruinous to the bottom line.
If you have therapists idle because your appointment calendar has glaring gaps, you’re pouring money down the drain. After all, you’re still paying overheads and wages, for products and consumables, without income to cover outgoings. And staff will likely get bored and demotivated.
In turn, if you just sit and wait for business to come to you, you could be drumming your fingers for a long time – until it’s too late.
Entrepreneur Andrew Ward has come up with unique ways to fill your appointment book and, in so doing, make money from otherwise wasted time and the chance to build a new customer base.
He is the brainchild behind Angel Massage and the 3 Minute Angels phenomenon, operated nationally in corporate and event markets, where people receive five-minute massages delivered by 3 Minute Angels therapists.
“This five-minute massage is a product sample, if you will,” says Andrew. “It leaves customers wanting more.”
But this year he has taken his Angels to stellar new heights with two ventures that make it possible for you to get more business and make more money: the Get Angels Now App, and the new 3 Minute Angel massage kiosks being rolled out nationally at all 39 Westfield shopping precincts (more of those in a moment).
What does this mean for you, whether as a business owner or solo operator?
The Get Angels Now App enables you to flag in real time what staff and times you have free, prices and what kind of massage therapies you provide. In turn this provides would-be customers an extensive “menu” to choose from.
“Customers who contact Angel Massage are looking look for qualified, experienced massage therapists to deliver them a one or more hour service at home, a hotel or at their office – and they usually want it within an hour or two of booking,” Andrew says.
“Get Angels Now will make this process quicker and easier for all, but will also facilitate customers being able to go a salon, spa or clinic’s premises. It is a free App that can be downloaded by both would-be massage customers and service providers.
“It’s connected to their Google or Apple calendars so vacancies are in real time. The providers get a notification from Angel Massage if a booking request is made.
“If it’s confirmed, the provider will then liaise with the customer about where the massage is to take place.”
The service is pre-paid by the client to Angel Massage, who takes a commission of 10-20 percent. Angel Massage then pays the spa or clinic owner/manager who in turn pays the staff member according to their pay structure.
The more a provider uses the service, the less commission they are charged. The App also offers the chance for provider and customer to rate each other. The more feedback a provider gets, the bigger following they will attract.
On October 1, the concept expanded into a new dimension when the first 3 Minute Angels massage kiosk opened at Sydney’s East Gardens Westfield.
Each kiosk has space for four therapists to provide seated five-minute massages.
While branded 3 Minute Angels, it is actually staffed by therapists who are qualified and work in one of the many spas, practices or clinics within a 5km radius of each Westfield.
“The idea is that businesses don’t just passively join Get Angels Now and `hope’ for new business to walk in the door,” says Andrew.
“It means sub-letting a shift when they’re not busy and getting paid for prospecting.
“The businesses (or sole-operating therapists) pay a fee to rent the space in the pod and then keep what they make from the recipients of the massage – who pay what they think it was worth.
“This novel pricing policy is attractive to consumers and was used by 3 Minute Angels from 2002-2007 within AMP shopping centres, bars and clubs and Qantas domestic airports.
“Contractors use one of the iPad minis attached to the kiosk to gather customer consent, the before and after mood rating by the client, payment details and so forth.
“A key feature of this is the digital `worksheet’ that collects the mobile number of every client. At the conclusion of each massage it sends the client a receipt for payment along with a link to download the Get Angels Now App.
“The message also contains a VIP Code that the customer can use when they register with the App. This VIP Code is specific to each business. If entered, it links the customer to the business where that therapist works.
“That way the therapists doing the five-minute massage are also incidentally prospecting and building the database of the salon, spa or clinic where they work.”
To the customer who enters a VIP Code, the business associated with the code will appear on the map as a big gold pin (normal pins identifying nearby clinics are green).
The customer will be linked to that business in two ways. If they buy from that spa or clinic, he or she sees the product price is reduced by 10 percent on the normal walk-in price.
“This discount is provided by reducing our Get Angels Now commission from the normal 20 percent to 10 percent,” says Andrew.
“The VIP codes that are used to link consumers to businesses when they have a short massage at Westfield can also be used by spas and clinics to bring their existing clientele onto the Get Angels Now App. The code will make their business appear prominently as a gold pin to their customers (instead of green).
“Customers who buy through the App can book themselves in to see their preferred therapist availability,” says Andrew. “They don’t need to call and book. This reduces friction in the sales process and it means you can take bookings while massaging; even potentially forgo the cost of a receptionist.”
“Just as importantly, the VIP code tracks when customers spend with other massage providers (other than the business whose VIP code they entered).
“When a customer of `yours’ spends with someone else – perhaps because they move, travel or just want a different experience – then Get Angels Now shares 50 percent of the commission (ie. 10 percent of the product price) with the business who introduced that client.
“This means a client is a client for life.”
www.getangelsnow.com.au; angelmassage.com.au; 3minuteangels.com
