I thought I would share with you the rewards of getting it right with staff for 2 reasons: to give you hope if you have had staff issues, as I have on occasions, over the years, although now I am attuned as to what to look for when recruiting (more of that another time); but mainly so that you know the calibre of individual you are dealing with at SkinFirst: someone who cares about the quality of service they deliver and who is motivated by a job well done.
We don’t usually use the term ‘staff’ at SkinFirst, because we are all team members, and equally contributive in different ways. We don’t like titles that denote any degree of superiority of one position in relation to another. The person who answers the phone (which can be anyone) is as important to our team as the strategist or trainers. The only time we will use a title is when it is required to explain someone’s specialism and only in a relevant context.
We try to ensure that most team members are well briefed in as broad a range of our activities as possible, so that we can help clients immediately, when they call, rather than them having to wait for a specific individual who could be unavailable. Obviously there are times when a level of detail is required that cannot be provided by all, but in general this is how we operate.
As such, our working environment is challenging and demanding, and not everyone is suited to it. But when the right individuals come along, the rewards are high for everyone, and it really is the most satisfying aspect of having a business.
I hope the team member, who wrote the email, which I am copying extracts from below, is too busy to be reading the website, and I will keep it anonymous, but how lovely to receive this:
‘I knew from that very first phone call we had I would love working for you….we are such a strong team…..if I didn’t have children I would work 7 days a week. I feel really excited about helping Natalie (one of our new recruits). I can’t wait to teach her what I have learnt. I also really want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to work for you: I have loved every minute and can’t wait for our future (SkinFirst’s). I always wanted a job that I was proud of, and which made me feel a little bit important and you have given this to me.’
Although this was sent to me last night by one team member, the others are as devoted and operate with the same degree of effort. Not one of them has ever had a day off ill since they started work (in some cases years ago), and that, I believe, is not that they are less prone to catching bugs, but that the underlying love of their work sustains them. Not one of them is on commission so that is not a motivating factor. They simply care about what they do and about our clients.
When you invest in a piece of technology that is expensive and where aftercare is important, then it is not just the price of the machine (although we are highly competitive on that) but it is the whole package including training and support, response times, attitude and concern of the company you have bought your equipment from, and an ethos of care and commitment and fairness, that can be the most significant aspect of the decision making process. When you get involved with SkinFirst you will be dealing with people who are passionate about what they do and who are genuine. We hope we can look forward to welcoming you aboard and help you to take your business forward.
Tel: 01925 446688