What I mean by systems
Systems are policies, processes, procedures and instructional documents that you create so that someone else can come in and run your business if you aren't there. There may come a time when you would like to take a vacation, hire employees, or cannot work for a time. In these instances carefully created systems can be life savers!
Job Descriptions
Even if you will be doing everything in the beginning it is a good idea to break out each role you are managing in your business and write a job description for it, you may not want to do everything forever! This will make it easier for you to decide when the time is right to hand off certain aspects of your business to other professionals and/or hire employees or contractors. Writing job descriptions in the very beginning of your businesses journey will also help you stay organized, delegate, and understand what you need to accomplish each day. Check out this sample job description for a receptionist on workable.
Operation Procedures
Documented operational procedures will be a HUGE asset to your massage therapy business! They will help you and anyone who works in your business understand how things should be done and creating them will help you get clear on how you would like your day to day operations to run as well as work out any potential kinks in the process.
Below are some ideas of the different types of operational procedures you could document:
1. How to open your place of business
2. How to answer the phone
3. How to book an appointment
4. How to check in a client (new versus returning)
5. How to check out a client
6. Operating duties
7. How to close your place of business
8. What to do if you are sick and need to reschedule clients
9. How to handle difficult or inappropriate clients
10. Marketing plan that includes systems for carrying out tasks such as posting to social media
11. Daily/weekly/monthly cleaning duties
12. Tracking client information
13. Health and safety protocols
14. If you plan to accept insurance you will need to create a system of procedures for the following;
Below are some ideas of the different types of operational procedures you could document:
1. How to open your place of business
2. How to answer the phone
3. How to book an appointment
4. How to check in a client (new versus returning)
5. How to check out a client
6. Operating duties
7. How to close your place of business
8. What to do if you are sick and need to reschedule clients
9. How to handle difficult or inappropriate clients
10. Marketing plan that includes systems for carrying out tasks such as posting to social media
11. Daily/weekly/monthly cleaning duties
12. Tracking client information
13. Health and safety protocols
14. If you plan to accept insurance you will need to create a system of procedures for the following;
- HIPAA training
- How to handle a client's information when they are using insurance for the first time
- SOAP Charting
- How will you keep track of client visits that need to be billed?
- How will you keep track of insurance payments and follow up calls?
Procedures for staff
- Hiring/Firing and review procedures
- Calling in sick
- Tardiness policy
- Grievance policy
Policies for clients
- Cancellation Policies
- Tardiness Policies
- Refund Policies
- Membership and package policies (if you plan to use them)
- Privacy Policies
- Inappropriate conduct policies
View Example Systems/Protocols Here:
| Business Processes Examples |
| Customer Service Protocol Examples |