Maintenance Tips

Maintenance Tips

Today’s equipment choices blend unmatched technology with inspiring elegance to create the ultimate tanning experience. Selecting the right mix of tanning equipment is one of the most important, and most expensive, decisions a salon owner can make. For this reason, it is imperative to keep equipment operating at optimal performance.

Tanning equipment maintenance starts with organization. The most important part of a tanning salon is the equipment, and that is the main reason why clients are loyal to a particular salon.

However, any tanning unit that runs continuously day in and day out is bound to malfunction. How well a salon owner is prepared to handle the situation can and will make the difference in keeping clients satisfied and the salon’s reputation intact. A firm understanding about the specific equipment and its components will reduce downtime if a unit fails.

A tanning unit that needs repair or is not functioning is a direct loss of revenue for the salon. In fact, a salon that continues to operate with malfunctioning equipment ultimately will have to reschedule appointments, turn away clients or take a client out of a unit after a session has begun. This causes a domino effect, and customers will lose confidence in the salon and take their business elsewhere.

One of the best ways to monitor equipment performance is to query tanning clients after their sessions. Customers are paying for a service and they certainly will speak up if lamps were not functioning or they heard strange noises coming from the unit. Be sure to investigate every lead and remedy the problem before revenue is lost.

Salon owners should keep precise records of the type or types of tanning equipment in their salons. Additionally, these records should be accessible to all employees so they can become familiar with the equipment and their specific functions.

It also is an excellent idea to keep a detailed maintenance log on each and every piece of equipment. Everything from lamp changes to part replacements should be noted in the log as well as copies of receipts for parts, and phone numbers and contact names of suppliers.

Maintenance begins the day equipment is purchased. If the units are being installed by a factory technician, take advantage of this opportunity to learn from the experts. If a salon owner chooses to install the equipment themselves, it is wise to study the owner’s manual to become familiar with all of the unit’s functions. This will allow a salon owner to describe equipment detail to clients as well as spot when a unit is not operating properly.

Once the tanning unit is in place, the salon owner is responsible for knowing as much as possible about the equipment. Salon owners use the equipment on a daily basis; therefore, they should be the most familiar with the functions. It is imperative that the front-desk personnel be as educated as the salon owner since they will need to contact the supplier or technician if a problem arises in the salon owner’s absence.

Take the time to learn the maintenance basics such as removing the acrylics and replacing lamps and lamp holders. The more a salon owner can learn to do, the faster a repair can be made. Be sure to call the service technician if there is some uncertainty about how to make a repair because a mistake can create a bigger and more expensive problem.

Get to know the suppliers and technicians, and remember that no question is a dumb question. When trying to describe a problem, be as specific as possible. Know how long a particular problem has been occurring and any other specifics. Keep a detailed record of when the problem occurs.

When discussing the problem with a technician, don’t use words like “whatchamacallit” or “thingamajig.” These terms can be difficult to identify, especially when talking over the phone. If necessary, use the owner’s manual or a copy of the brochure to determine the exact part being described. If a part has been ordered previously, refer to the invoice for the part number.

Find out all of the costs involved in repairing the machine and make sure the supplier has the correct shipping address. Always have the part shipped to the salon owner’s attention so it does not get misplaced. By speaking clearly and to the point, a salon owner will ensure receiving the part in the quickest manner. If possible, have a backup supplier available in case the regular supplier is out of stock. Remember, downtime means loss of revenue.

It is impossible to know which part will fail, but a salon can take a proactive approach to the problem by stocking small components known to fail every now and then. This allows a salon owner or employee to replace the part immediately with very little downtime and saves money on overnight shipping charges for the part. For example, a lamp holder only costs about $5, but because the unit is a favorite among customers the salon can’t afford to shut it down for two days. The express shipping costs $20 to get the part overnight, and that added expense comes right off the top of profits.

Since tanning is a seasonal business for most salons, take some time to make a list of parts to keep in stock during that busy time. Remember that during the busy season, some suppliers can run low on high-demand parts. In fact, with certain equipment it may be weeks before parts can be delivered if the supplier is out of stock. That puts you at a disadvantage and leaves your competition smiling while gaining your customers.

Cleanliness is a major part of a salon’s image, and cleaning the tanning unit is just as important as making sure the machine is mechanically sound. A clean machine also gives your clients a sense of security and comfort. Cleaning your machines also will help keep them running better and longer. Dust can be a major contributor to certain component failures. If there is consistent dust buildup on the fan blades or in the relay system, it is possible that it will reduce the life of these components considerably. Dust on the lamps or on the reflectors will reduce the lamp output and result in clients becoming dissatisfied with their tanning results.

Acrylics should be removed periodically and cleaned on the top and bottom because dust can collect on the surfaces of the acrylic.

Whenever you are using a cleaning product on a machine or the acrylic surface, call and speak to the bed manufacturer or the supplier to make sure the product will not damage the unit or the acrylic. The more the unit is kept clean, the better opportunity there is to locate a potential problem that otherwise might go unnoticed.

In general, tanning bed maintenance is a very important responsibility of the salon owner and his or her staff. The benefits from proper bed maintenance can greatly improve a salon’s performance and overall reputation. Regular maintenance will increase the overall life of your equipment as well as increase the return on your investment from your equipment.

The most important thing to remember is to ask questions if you are not familiar with something. Although there are many points about machine maintenance that could have been elaborated on in more detail, if a salon owner follows these tips along with some common sense, operating through a busy season and solving problems quickly can be accomplished easily.

Maintenance basics include:

1. Check the warranty. Some companies will void a warranty if you remove anything but the acrylic shield, starter or lamps.
2. You can and will lose up to 20 percent of your tanning power through dust buildup alone. Most units have an air-cooling system for the lamps, which becomes a giant vacuum cleaner for room dirt. Dust buildup on the lamps and the bed components can have a significant effect on the units overall output and the lamps’ intensity.
3. Hair clogged in the vents and fans will make your tanning bed overheat, causing it to work twice as hard. Thus, the possibility of burning out your fans, motor or lamp sockets is great, leaving you with a bed that cannot be used until repaired. You easily can avoid this by following a regular cleaning schedule.
4. One of the most important and overlooked components of a tanning bed is the acrylic shield. The factors that determine how often an acrylic shield must be replaced depend on how well it is manufactured and fabricated and the kind of wear and tear the bed undergoes from customers. The most common cause of acrylic breakdown is using the wrong disinfectants and cleaners on the beds and allowing customers to use outdoor lotions and oils during their tanning session. Use only those products that specifically state they are safe for indoor tanning; if you don’t, you may have to replace your shields more often than you like.
5. Check the voltage going to the tanning bed checked periodically.

Imagine, if you can, seeing your salon for just one day through the eyes of your customers. Learning to use customer eyes is an idea that many successful tanning salon owners have accomplished in maintaining a professional looking facility. Year after year, surveys reveal that cleanliness is one of the most important factors influencing customers when deciding where to spend their hard-earned tanning dollars. From the moment a customer enters a tanning salon, impressions begin to form. Whether to appeal to a first-time tanner or a client that has been with you for years, your salon must be clean.

With more tanning salons opening every day, your customers will have more choices about where to shop. Customers are the first to see old smudges, smears and dust that seem to become invisible to employees over time. In addition to the thorough tanning unit sanitation after each use, the following are some things to look for with those newly acquired fresh eyes.

The floor is the first thing a customer sees when they enter a salon, and it continues to be scrutinized throughout the tanning session. Clean floors can be achieved by attentive staff that pays close attention to details while carrying out their cleaning duties.

Edge cleaning is usually the biggest challenge. That’s the spot where the shelving and walls meet the floors and sweeping and mopping seem to push the dirt into that space. Staff should be especially trained to keep those edges clean. Your floors literally can reflect who you are as a tanning facility.

Your shelves, cases and doors require constant attention. Most salons still are in search of the perfect feather duster that can clean without knocking the tanning lotions over. The most effective cleaning program has staff working with a rolling cart; they remove lotion bottles in small sections, clean the shelves and restock the product.

There is no other area that reflects your cleanliness commitment more than your bathrooms. Try and keep these areas free of brooms, mops and buckets, employee coats, and cleaning supplies. Keep them spotless and well stocked with paper supplies and soaps. Framed pictures or posters (not ripped, worn ones taped on the wall) can add a nice touch.

“It’s the back of the salon so customers don’t even see it,” is what many salon staff may think about the receiving or employee area of the store. The standards that you set in your employees-only areas are indicative of how clean the entire store is. If an owner makes a cleanliness commitment in the back, then employees will be more focused on keeping the customer areas clean. Strive to keep employee break areas clean and clutter free— including the refrigerators, counters and microwaves.

Cleanliness accountability is one key to ensure your salon stays clean. The closing staff should have a checklist for each area of the salon that should be checked each night before the employees leave. The closing staff should review the list together, sign off and leave it for the owner or opening staff.

In larger salons, it may take five minutes or more to check each area on the list. However, the results are well worth the investment of time and money. Staff will work hard as the day comes to a close to clean properly so the check goes smoothly and everyone can go home.

Be sure that when a section of the salon is checked on the list to allow enough time to correct anything that was not done properly. Remember, at the end of a busy day, fatigue takes over and employees can forget certain cleaning procedures. As a reminder, a checklist displayed in a prominent area can help reduce errors and make it easier to maintain store cleanliness.

Finally, spend some time in your competitors’ salons. Look for areas that stand out as both clean and dirty. Then go back to your salon and check how the same areas compare.