I’ve been on-call at the spa around the corner now for a little over 3 months now and thought I’d give you all a brief review.  I remember when I was scouting out the ‘net, trying to figure out what to do, it was hard to make a decision between going independent, hourly or commission, so I hope  you’ll find this article useful somehow.

After graduating late November ‘08, I took about 3 months off before actively submitting my resume anywhere.  When I finally did get out there, I only applied to 2 spas, one commission-only, the other – hourly.  Suffice it to say, I went on board with the commission-only position and have been there since March. 

The first month was exciting, going to training out of town, learning about a new supposedly-sophisticated product, and once again, giving facials!  Back in March, I averaged about a client a week – that’s one 60 minute facial per week.  The deal was (and is) the spa takes 60% and I earn 40% on their fixed prices plus 10% of any retail product sales.  I was a bit disappointed, as I’d read that it was supposed to be the other way around, but I figured, why not?  I’m just starting out with no clientele.

April, last month, I served 12 facial clients, 5 hair removal clients, and 1 retail sales client.  Total dollars earned: about $500 including tips.  The agreement from the beginning was that she’d provide everything – back bar, wax supplies, towels, body wraps, bed sheets, etc.  The reality:  this month, I had to run out to Bed Bath & Beyond to purchase a body wrap at the last minute $16, I had to bring in flat sheets from my personal esthetics stash to use at the spa $7, bring in my own bowls $15, product table and supplies (cotton rounds, cotton balls, extractors, tweezers, etc.) $50.    That’s 88 bucks right there taken from my earnings.  And this month, I’ve managed to rack up 2 days of going in to work (1 60 minute Euro, 3 mini facials – mini facials are awesome!!). 

Based on my experience so far, outlined are some benefits and setbacks.

On-call Commission Pros
– I don’t have to be at the spa all day
– I can set my own availability
– The spa provides
          — clients and appointments for me
          — my own room to maintain and work out of with no overhead for me
          — all facial and wax products and equipment

On-call Commission Cons
– Last minute calls to go in immediately.
          — Last minute calls are difficult to accommodate because I may either be in the middle of something or setting up will take a good 20 minutes.

– No-shows
          — Luckily, I only live a mile away from the spa, but no-shows are a complete waste of time.  You have to consider the time it takes to set up for them, the time you wait for them not to show up, and then the time it will take to tear down and put everything back away.  Really sucks.

– Accomodating clients who show up earlier than appointed time
          — Twice now, I’ve had clients show up as early as an hour prior to their appointment and I have not been ready to go, as I usually set aside only 20 minutes prior to their scheduled time to go set up for them.  This creates chaos for me because I’m either rushed into setting up for them or the appointment is given to another esthetician.

– It’s harder to plan out your day. 
          — It’s true, you can always turn down the request to go in, but I don’t always feels good about doing this.  As a new esthetician, I am looking for any opportunity to build a clientele, and as an independent contractor with the spa, I want to make sure my reputation is reliable.

My reflections?  I would like to be commission-only if the spa were busier.  However, the couple of times we’ve been busy, it’s been hard to find enough sheets and supplies to ensure a pleasant experience for everyone.  My suggestion is if you are planning to go commission-only,  do so with a spa that’s well-established – or at least established.  There’s no frustration greater than not having the tools necessary to make your appointment go smoothly – especially when it’s promised.  

Additionally, make sure that the staff is professional and friendly (so important).  I do have to say that’s something my spa does offer and it helps make all the setbacks that much more bearable.