As a small business owner, you have to consider all the different components that make up a successful business. One of the most important factors is the wellbeing of your team. After all, happy employees are more excited to come to work every day and are more efficient.
We were so happy to sit down with Jenn Parks of Grounded Bodyworks in Palm Springs this month. She answered our questions about being a small business owner and how she manages her ever-changing role in her business, including how she manages a happy team.
Q: As a small business owner in a saturated market, how do you build customer loyalty?
A: First, I asked myself a lot of questions. What do I do that is special? Why do my customers keep coming back? What can I do to engender that loyalty? I thought really hard about these questions and came up with a few simple answers. We’re special because we provide a clean, quiet, relaxing atmosphere. We try to provide the most relaxing experience possible. Our customers keep coming back because they want to have the “Ah-ha” moment. It’s what we strive for as therapists and the biggest reason our clients come back.
Q: What is your management philosophy and how does that extend to your customer base?
A: Very simple. Happy team = happy clients.We spend a lot of time working on ourselves, not just from a professional standpoint, but we also practice on each other. It’s important, not just to provide each other with feedback, but also for our own health and wellness. I like to put it this way: if you’re a car salesman you better have a nice car. As a massage therapist, you must be calm and relaxed to make the client relaxed. We can’t put our personal debts on our clients. It’s better to be healthy and feeling good than otherwise. It calms our clients and is a big reason they keep coming back.
Q: As your business has grown, your role has changed. How did you handle that transition?
A: It’s really hard to manage a transition from a sole proprietorship to an employer. Now, I have to manage payroll, benefits, marketing and everything else. It’s different when it’s not just you anymore. You have to change the way you operate and get hands off with what you started to become more of a manager. I still like to work on people, but it’s far fewer than I used to do.
Q: What do you believe are essential things all business owners must do?
A: Really, it’s just two things. Make time for yourself and keep your employees happy. I try to make Monday a down day to catch up on office work. I do this because, like a lot of small business owners, I want to be there all the time, so this is a good compromise. I make sure I have creative outlets to get my mind working on something else. And I, of course, make sure to get a massage. As far as keeping my employees happy, I make sure they care for each other and have adequate time off. A team cares for one another and I try to make that company policy.
Happy employees are the secret weapon of every small business. How are you taking care of your team? Offering the medical benefits they want and need is a great place to start! Call one of our experienced, licensed insurance agents today and start managing a happy team.
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