Gift Cert. Money

[NocturnalWitch]

Yesterday at the salon (while I was in with a client) a man came in and bought a gift cert. for his wife for massage and a full set of nails. Well, I saw a note up at the desk that he paid and what. I asked the girl about it whose writing was on it and she said that the money was in the drawer. She said that since they don't know who will be doing the full set (there are 3 girls that do nails) when the wife somes in I will get the money for the massage. (when she redeems the GC) I am the only MT and we are all independent contractors. So my question is do I say something to the salon owner about this? I really don't think I should have to wait to get the money. If I had sold the GC myself I wouldn't wait and we don't use her drawer we have to each keep our own change etc. Plus they don't keep track of GC sales so we have no info on who this person was at all. Please let me know what you think.

 

[hookah.]

I'd agree with Pete on this one.  Even when I sell my own I put the money away until the service is performed.  It isn't like someone else might do it in my case but if the salon sold the certificate the situation could easily change and why would you want to be paid for something not done? I suppose there are other ways of looking at it but it doesn't seem unreasonable to wait until you do the work. It will all come anyway.Steve

 

[Nicole J]

Gift Cert. Money

What makes me uneasy is not that fact that she didnt give you the money right away, BUT that they dont keep TRACK of GC sales?? That is no way to run, or keep track of, a business. Maybe you can do something about it, make a GC log w/ names, numeber...if nothing else, to protect yourself.

 

[Muttlove]

Gift Cert. Money

I'm with Pete on this one. It should all go through the salon, if the GC was the salon's GC. Whether they keep track of the GC sales or not, when the person comes in to redeem the cert, the salon will pay you for it. If they didn't keep track of the money coming in from the GC, then it sounds like the salon owner will owe you the money when the cert is redeemed. Make sure to write a record of the GC sale so that you know exactly how much you are to be paid from the GC, and give the salon owner a copy as well.At our salon, the receptionist has a plain ol' spiral notebook. We have sections for GC number, price of cert, who bought it, who it's for, WHAT it's for, and how they paid (check, cash, or credit card). When the gift cert gets redeemed, we just make a line through the record in the notebook with a highlighter. We keep the money stored in a bank bag with a post-it note including all the info I listed above, stapled to the money. When it gets redeemed, we just look up the GC number in the bank bag, check to make sure the correct amount of money's there, and take it, replacing it with the GC itself. They've been doing it for years and haven't had a problem. ;D

 

[Pompal 09.]

Gift Cert. Money

Okay, this salon is not at all organized or business minded. I keep track of my own clients etc... Everyone takes care of their own money sales etc... We print off generic GC that everyone uses for their own services. In Idaho we can put a expiry date on them and we do usually about 3 months out. Generally on a GC the techs name is put on it. I am not sure how this one was written as I was not there. Any other time a GC was sold for massage without me present the money was put in an envelope and given to me directly. This time it wasn't because it is a combo cert. and "they don't know who will do the full set". I also put the money into my account when cert. is sold and don't spend it until it is redeemed. Maybe I need to ask them to make seperate GC from now on. Because in reality she may not book both of her services at the same time.

 

[darkmousyfan]

Gift Cert. Money

Laurie, its extra work... butWhat if you make your own gift certs & keep them & a sales log in a tidy binder at the desk. Ask the reception team to use your certs for all massage gifts. That's what I've always done when working in a group/ salon setting. If you are the only MT, they really can't hold that money. They aren't a Massage Therapist & don't have others on staff to fulfill that purchase's promise: x amount of money for a massage. Ask them to pay you out the portion, or let this one slide & come up with a thorough & unique & beautiful system that makes you happy & secure. I just have to ask:  at the expiration date, if its not redeemed, are they willing to pay you? (I think we all know the answer.) At Gilbert Bodyworks, we offer combination purchases, but the clients still get separate gift certs from each of the practitioners. In the case of a couple of our Mother's Day Specials (choose any two for $99, etc), some people wanted the recipient to choose for themselves. I sold them my personal gift certs that had the "house" name & info on it, BUT I cashed those & made them available to anyone doing one of those services in a petty cash box (kind of like Seforum.xxxgnant decribed). All the practitioners were happy with that solution. I care about their trust, so I came up with a solution upon the first sale like that. I didn't wait until somebody had to ask:  what happens when... When I take care of business like that, I can visibly see their shoulders & faces relax. Not everybody will care to think outside of their own take on the experience, so that's why I say have your own system. Make it unique & simple & very user-friendly, so even another contractor could follow through on a sale for you without any hassle or having to study up on it.Jill/SagetherapistJill/Sagetherapist

 

[smile]

Gift Cert. Money

Thanks Jill, That is in fact what I plan to do. Just for the record we have no receptionist. We all do that job. I think I am going to ask about the money. After I get my system in place. I will order or by my own certificates to be used for massage or the other services I offer.

 

[Gemini]

Hi Laurie (all)Can I reply again with a situation that I recently experienced?Just before I openned up this great new place, the salon owner at my previous purgatory   sold a couple/few of gift certs out from under me. Two of them were happening when I walked up to the desk. I would never put a client in the middle of an argument, etc, so I had to bite my tongue until I could get her alone/off the desk. (BTW, this was the OWNER covering the desk. The receptionists who worked there were great. In fact one now works for me!) anyway...That salon just closed down with 24 hrs notice to all the people who stayed & 'stuck it out... it'll get better'. I have 3 clients that now cannot receive ANYTHING from their gift certificate purchase. They had let their MT go a couple of months ago, so had promised hair services or product, etc in exchange. That is why I do things my way, even if it seems like extra work. I can be reached by the people who do business with me. I don't have any shady dealings or grey areas that I don't correct. I am always open to newer & better ways to accomplish a task, but being detail-minded has paid off for me. My clients know they can trust me & that I've thought my business through well enough to keep records (the old salon owner did not even try to do it half-a**ed, yet required her receptionists to)Good for you Laurie, that you're going to bring it up. When I did, I didn't like the answer, but each time I just kept counting my blessings that this beautiful loft was waiting for me down the road!Jill/sagetherapist

 

[darkday]

Gift Cert. Money

The other thing I need to bring up is that she is recommending another MT that is not in our salon to her customers. I don't do really deep work like digging it out type work shich is what she likes and believes all massage should be that way. Anyway, I find it very tacky that she is giving someones elses card out while having a MT right there on the premises. One day I hope to have my own place. But for now I am where I am and fortunately I have quite a few regulars that seem to like my style just fine. thanks for the encouragement.

 

[berberosaharan.com]

Gift Cert. Money

The other thing I need to bring up is that she is recommending another MT that is not in our salon to her customers.

I find this to be extremely rude of her. She should know that to keep business coming to her shop, she needs to recommend the people IN her shop. I know of MANY great hairstylists, those that are better than the ones we have in our salon, but I would never recommend anyone that does not work in our salon. A salon needs to work as a team.

 

[Tinytears]

Gift Cert. Money

yep, that is exactly my feelings. I wouldn't recommend other stylists or nail techs, but she seems to think it is fine to pass out this other MT's business card and tell her clients that I am too light. She is not in today but I am going to talk to her next week.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Yeah, I don't think it's particularly prudent of her to go referring clients to a MT not currently on her staff.I currently work out a health food store which has a bulletin board where other MTs have posted their business cards... and they allow people to leave card holders with stacks of Business cards in them at the cash register. So far no other MT has been quite that bold. There's just MT cards for myself and the student I am mentoring... a hair stylist, an herbalist and an guy who does acupuncture.I feel your salon owner should recommend clients to you superspagirl, as you have said, your clients seem to be very happy with your work.  Why not get some testimonials to that effect from them and place such high praise in your advertisements? Then show it to your salon owner. Frame it... put it on your wall too! Anyway, I'd highlight the fact that you tailor your massages for each client... and that they're encouraged to give feedback as to pressure, etc.Also you can indicate to the salon owner that she's "sending money down the street." It's to her financial advaneforum.xxxe to keep you doing well financially there... gotta assume she's getting some form of rent. *shrug*BTW, the salon where I worked sold the GCs and kept the money until they were redeemed. If they weren't redeemed... and they often were not... I was not paid for them though they were bought for massage.On the other hand... they could always purchase product if they were not interested in redeeming a GC for the massage their friend wanted to buy for them. *shrug*Hope you come to an agreement and get it worked out soon!