When is an hour and "hour?"

Hair Removal Methods Professional Electrolysis
#1

I’m in contact with a patient that had a bad experience some time ago (well, actually my client now). The client went in for “multiple long treatments.” The electrologist started CHARGING the moment the patient entered the establishment.

The electrologist “kept the clock running” during the breaks, (both client AND electrologist breaks … even toilet breaks), and even for lunchtime. This is nonsense! I’m outraged, and therefore talking about this on Hairtell. I’m “venting!”

My (normal) maximum time for big cases is 5 hours per day. However, we may start at, say, 9:00 AM and finish up at about 5:00 PM (sometimes later). We take lots of breaks … lots of snacks (walks at the beach or harbor), but I do NOT charge for these periods.

I only charge when I’m actually removing hairs … you know, when the needle holder is in my hand and I’m killing those little “bastards.”

I have a unique timer with a BIG switch on it. When we take a break, the OFF position is switched, and the client is not paying for useless time. Besides, my “hours” are usually around 70 minutes … extra time, always. (A typical 5-hour day usually ends up being 6 hours of real hair removal … I don’t charge for the extra time.)

I think the Dectro units have a “in treatment” timer on them. This is a very good idea, because you should ONLY be paying for time when the electrologist is WORKING!

Some technicians seem to think that being in their “holy presence” is worthy of charging a fee … I don’t. I’m just a “worker bee!”

Remember, would be clients, NOBODY is “all that!”

#2

I always act just like you, and all people who works in my office too. You’re right, The Apilus contains a timer that allows you to stop time and continue when the interruption is over.
In my opinion this type of practice is something the customer should know before starting treatment, or otherwise, he or she may feel cheated.

I know there are colleagues who charge an hour when they are killing hairs for 45 minutes, the remaining time is devoted to examine the area , take notes in the customer history , etc. . In these cases , the extra charge may be justified , however, when I go to the grocery store and pay for a kilo of apples , I want the bag containing 1000 grams of apples and not 750 grams. If the owner of the grocery store wants to keep track of the time that I bought , it is his problem! as a good entrepreneur is desirable to have a control on sales .

However, the case you describe , it is really reprehensible . Really someone think of himself/herself is so exceptional as to charge for enjoying his company over lunch?
As far as I know, only the kings and presidents of countries like the U.S. charge for this!

Well, Im glad hairtell is and all this can be prosecuted.

#3

I suppose I should learn to use that timer, if only so I can record treatments. Mostly I give away my time to a very few so it’s never mattered, but good work habits and all that.

Seana

#4

Michael, I am surprised that this client ever made a second visit there, charging in this way is totally unacceptable!! I have never heard of such an unreasonable practice before now. Charging for break times is totally immoral, to say but the least. I agree Josefa, that a kilo should be 1000g, not 750g and Seana, even if you are not charging for your time now, it is a good idea to get into the habit of using your timer, for every session you do. It is a really timely in your case, that the subject has arisen here.

#5

When working on myself, it’s horribly impractical to do so. I’m so slow at my insertions. Plus the machine isnt all that accessible, I would have to get off the bed and go around it.
When working on others, you are absolutely correct. I need to get into the habit.Though I dont see charging for my time for a couple years at least.

Seana

#6

I have heard of more than one establishment that made clients literally punch in a time clock when they arrived and punch out when they left, and what ever time in between was charged, regardless of what happened in between.

#7

I run a very tight ship and scheduling is very important for me. The clock starts at the time of their appointment and if they are late then they are paying for a service that they are not receiving. No one every has to wait in my waiting room. Does the clock stop for breaks? absolutely, but I schedule just enough time in-between clients to accommodate for breaks. My clients are rarely late and 9 out of 10 times they show up five minutes early and as soon as the probe holder is in my hands the clock starts. \m/

#8

I suppose a certain amount can be determined from rate.When you are having a lot of work done ( 4-5 hours say in one sitting) often you will get a lower rate, taking into account that short breaks will occur to stretch the back etc. I honestly dont know how some of the “pro’s” work 6-8 hours without obliterating their back.

Seana

#9

Who says we manage to do it without torturous consequences to our backs, necks, wrists, and let’s not forget eyestrain?
It is the reason many practitioners won’t work longer than an hour or two at a time, or for more than a few clients a day.

#10

I managed to slip a disk out just sitting wrong recently which put me in pain for 4-5 days. Guess what I was doing at the time?

Seana

#11

The Chiropractor, Massage Therapist and others of their kind are the silent partners of the high hour electrolysis practitioner.

#12

I have my days, too. Tried a massage therapist maybe four times and decided, not really needed, especially when the massage therapist complained about how she has blown out her thumbs a couple times doing her job.

Mostly, I have stayed pretty healthy in this profession, but whatever back, neck or wrist problem I may have had here and there is relieved by Advil and a good nights sleep. I did develop a right shoulder discomfort from my resistance weight training that I do twice a week, not from electrolysis. I don’t think that will ever resolve, but at least I now have defined muscles that I notice when I drive, so that is cool! Hands and eyes are still good, so, check, check for those categories.

Let me just say that I agree with my colleagues about charging for an hour of work if the probe is going in and out of the follicle for 60 minutes, but I have a different “what if” twist for this discussion. I have had clients arrive for an appointment, for a a defined amount of time, only to have the client sit and talk with indecision about whether to work on one area over another, pointing to three ingrown hairs and being indecisive about whether to get them out or not, go to the bathroom and stay in the bathroom for 15 minutes, stop to eat their yogurt and pita pocket, take a phone call and jump off the table every 15- 20 minutes with a mirror, standing by the window so they can lay back down to point out blond vellus hairs that they want removed. With all these interruptions, an hour of actual hair removal can turn into a two hours of being together.

So, if the phone rings and I need to get it, I turn off the timer. For SHORT bathroom breaks, I turn off the timer. If I am doing a five hour appointment and I need a 15 minute break at the two hour mark, as does the client, I turn off the timer. If the client is jumping on and off the table for whatever “this” or whatever “that” and they are cutting their own hair removal time short if there is someone scheduled after them or if they are extending my day, if there is no appointment scheduled after their session, then it becomes a matter of unfairness tilted toward the practitioner.

#13

Oh Dee Dee … yes! Thankfully, such clients are extremely rare.

I do remember one client that took a full 20-minutes vacillating about the removal of ONE eyebrow hair. The appointment took about an hour to remove only a few hairs. I didn’t charge her at all. When she phoned for her next “episode” I kindly referred her to another electrologist. For me, it’s NEVER the money.

To that point, I have never charged for a missed appointment, or for being late. Clients all end up being like family, and consideration is what it’s all about (for me anyway). Even if clients insist on paying me for being late or missing an appointment, I always win the argument and they don’t pay.

#14

I just wanted to revive this thread because I have been seeing a new practitioner for about a month and she is the only one whose machine beeps at the 30 minute mark and every 10 minutes thereafter so it is fully clear what you are paying for. I honestly feel like this is how it should be done. I was never sure how my last practitioner would charge but on a couple of occasions she would tell me that my next appointment would be two minutes shorter because she worked an extra two minutes, even though she would often leave to check on another client, try to sell a product to another client, or to answer her phone. My current practitioner will not answer her phone during a session which I fully appreciate.

#15

This is why I love Hairytell.

Consumer feedback on all aspects of their experience makes us all better electrologists (if one even cares about what the consumer observes and tries to improve).

Those interruptions shouldn’t happen. You should get what you pay for and how will she even remember that you get two minutes more or two minutes less next time! Glad you looked onward and found someone with more professional behavior.

One of the bells and whistles that I demand be a feature on my epilator is a timer that counts up or back. I like the beep beep stuff, too, that signals and reminds me and the client where we are in the treatment. Worth the extra money one pays.

#16

My Dallas electro charges for every minute she works with me which includes some of the setup and payment time. She is, however, very fast at the overhead so this is less than two minutes total of my hour. She ejects the previous client at the top of the hour and is ready with probe in hand before I can drop my pants in her office and jump onto her table. She stops short of the hour to clean and treat the skin with lotion; payment is quick and I am out the door at the top of the hour. I do not mind paying for the overhead as she could charge the same for 55 minutes and it would be the same experience. She also does not answer calls, work slowly or take any breaks on the clock. And if I am late to the appointment, she does not extend the time.