Disclaimer: The information contained on this site/blog is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. You should not act or refrain from acting based on any content included herein without seeking legal or other professional advice. Performing cosmetology services that do not comply with State Board regulation or licensing requirements can result in adverse actions taken against your license and/or business. The contents of this blog contain general information and may not reflect current legal developments or address your situation. Vagaro disclaims any and all _liability for actions you take or fail to take based on content on this blog.
Making salon house calls sounds simple, but there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. Keeping house calls and offsite services profitable depends on a combination of business expertise and scheduling savvy. Here’s our list of tips of how to make it happen!
Setting Your Scheduling Rules
You know the favorite salon saying: Time is money! If you’ve decided to offer house calls, time management is more important than ever. Budgeting your time is a snap with Vagaro’s customizable Online Appointment Rules, Outcall Services, and COVID-Clean checkout! Here are five things to keep in mind when setting up your features for scheduling house calls.
Require Acceptance for Online Booking. Avoid long commutes and scheduling snafus by requiring acceptance for online booking of offsite services! This lets customers request house calls – but keeps you in control of where you travel!
Create Lead Times. Being late cuts into your profits, especially when you’re on the go. Give yourself a buffer with lead times, and make sure you’ve got the time you need. Estimate a 30-60-minute lead time between offsite appointments.
Let Customers Know Your ETA. When you’re working offsite, let customers know you’re on your way with Vagaro’s Outcall/Mobile Services feature. That way, you can start on-time or adjust lead times as needed, making the most of your offsite hours.
COVID-Clean Checkouts Are Fast! Vagaro COVID-Clean checkout is more than just a way to let customers feel safer checking out with their own device. It’s also a fast, reliable way to get paid and be on your way to your next appointment.
Managing Your Remote Staff: Employees vs Booth Renters
You may be taking some of your staff on the road with you! Managing offsite staff means adapting your usual processes. How much – and what – to adapt depends on whether your salon staff are employees or booth renters (independent contractors.) If you need help defining your staff here’s a quick definition. The IRS defines the difference as:
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An employee is “…anyone who performs services for you… if you can control what will be done and how it will be done. This is so even when you give the employee freedom of action.”
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An independent contractor is a worker where “…the payer has the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not what will be done and how it will be done.”
If Your Salon Staff Are Employees…
For staff classified as employees, you take on more responsibility and liability for their house calls. If you allow employees to provide house calls and offsite services, you will need a clear plan for insurance, supplies, salon payment, outside expenses, and documentation. Here are a few questions you will need to ask yourself:
Insurance. Does your current insurance cover employees making house calls? Will you need to reimburse employees for additional auto insurance coverage?
Supplies. How will you track, manage, and replenish salon and disinfection supplies and equipment taken out of the salon for offsite services?
Salon Payment. How will your business get paid for offsite services? Will you require payment in advance, use invoicing, provide an EMV chip card reader, or use Vagaro's COVID-Clean Checkout?
Outside Expenses. How will you track and reimburse employees for outside expenses like gas, auto insurance, mileage, COVID-19 tests, or extra supplies?
Documentation. How will you document offsite services for your state board, such as employees, customers, addresses, payments, disinfection practices and health screenings?
If Your Salon Staff Are Booth Renters…
States allowing offsite services require affiliation with a licensed stationary business. For booth renters, that affiliated business is yours. Before you green light offering house calls under your business name, it’s important to be clear about liability. After all – you don’t want to risk your business license because a booth renter doesn’t follow procedure!
Questions to ask before letting booth renters offer house calls:
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What liability – if any – does your business take on for house calls?
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How will you update booth rental contracts to reflect offsite services?
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Do your booth renters have adequate insurance?
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How can you protect your salon from legal claims?
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Do you need additional insurance for offsite services under your business name?
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Have your booth renters secured the correct permits and licensing?
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Are you responsible for documenting offsites done under your business name?
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Will your business be liable for booth renters who don’t secure the correct permits, licenses, insurance, or submit the correct documentation?
Tracking Performance Outside the Salon
Always remember to keep track of your purchases, mileage, and other essential assets simply because there can be hidden costs!
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Calculate your average income/expenses for a week of in-house services for a baseline of average weekly revenue
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Calculate the income/expenses of a full week of offsite services, then compare to your baseline
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Compare the number of appointments booked in-house vs. offsite
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Factor in time spent commuting for offsites
Remember, if appointments end up costing you money in the long run, they’re not a valuable addition to your service menu!
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to include ongoing expenses. They don’t stop just because you started making outcalls – those costs are part of your bottom line, too!
Vagaro gives your business admin tools to-go. Whether you’re navigating your everyday workflow or extraordinary circumstances. Enable our Outcall/Mobile Services feature and update your Vagaro.com business listing in just minutes, and let customers know you’re ready for house calls!
P.S. If you own or manage a business that charges rent and fees, learn more about how you can do that with Vagaro's new Automatic Rent & Fees feature.
Disclaimer: The information contained on this site/blog is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. You should not act or refrain from acting based on any content included herein without seeking legal or other professional advice. Performing cosmetology services that do not comply with State Board regulation or licensing requirements can result in adverse actions taken against your license and/or business. The contents of this blog contain general information and may not reflect current legal developments or address your situation. Vagaro disclaims any and all liability for actions you take or fail to take based on content on this blog.
Header Image: Giorgio Trovato via Vagaro
Icons: Mia Montemayor via Vagaro