There is no telling the impact that the pandemic has had on Aesthetic Practitioners. As one of the hardest hit industries, with closures spanning over a total of 12 months for some, it’s fair to say we have had to overcome and adapt a lot. For some practitioners, this would have meant putting their clinic on the back burner and partaking in alternative means of employment, such as the 200,000 nurses who honourably returned to the NHS to wage war on Covid-19 – of whom we are extremely proud of and grateful for. On the other hand, many practitioners will have utilised this time at home to reflect and refine their business practices and focus on their business goals for 2021.

The last 12 months have looked very different for us all, and with that in mind, it’s extremely unlikely that we’re all starting on the same start line come April 12th – some practitioners will be all set and raring to go, whilst others may be apprehensive as to what the future holds for their business, and who could blame them?!

No matter what position you find yourself in, to help you feel prepared for your reopening we have put together this blog to highlight key areas of consideration to ensure you are ready to hit the ground running when you reopen your clinic in just two weeks.

What to expect…

Worried whether your clients will come back? Don’t be!

Did you know beauty therapy is the most-anticipated consumer activity after the covid-19 lockdown according to Cosmetics Design Europe. Moreover, according to Aesthetics Journal, enquiries for aesthetic treatments (particularly round the eye) are growing exponentially due to the ‘Zoom Boom’ and the everyday use of facemasks!

At Aesthetic Nurse Software (ANS) we have had a very busy time throughout lockdown, consulting with many Aesthetic Practitioners who have sought to re-configure their business and go paperless, something we highly urge you to consider ahead of your reopening. From these conversations with our clients, we feel a great sense of excitement and positivity amongst practitioners as they prepare to reopen.

Of course contingency plans may still be in the back our minds as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times however, as the entrepreneurs that we are, it’s important that we place great confidence in our abilities to remain agile and should approach the months ahead of us with sense of enthusiasm and optimism as we welcome back new and existing clients.

Things to consider for reopening:

Over the next few weeks a lot is set to change in the UK as we begin to ease out of lockdown, including the re-opening of many other sectors such as hair and beauty, retail, and hospitality. Having reflected upon the most recent advice published by the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) regarding Covid-19, we strongly agree that as an industry of medical professionals, not only do we have a duty of care to our clients, but we also have a responsibility to lead by example to the wider public – implementing the up-most covid secure practices. Besides preventing the spread of the virus, this will also instil confidence in your clients that you have their best interests at heart and that it is safe to return.

Where to start…

Whilst there are many ways in which you can create a covid secure clinic, such as by conducting a COVID-19 Compliance Risk Assessment, have you ever considered how a paperless system software can assist you in creating a covid secure environment?

With just over one week to go, now would be a really good time to start notifying your clients of your reopening if you haven’t already. Not only is it a personalised welcome back appreciated by your clients, it’s also a great opportunity to:

Outline the precautions you are taking in clinic

Check to see if there have been any changes in the clients’ medical records since their last visit

Inform them of their obligation to visit alone and wear a face mask when entering your clinic.

By gathering this information prior to your client’s arrival this will save you valuable admin time, as well as reduce the amount of time you’re in direct contact with the client.

When your clinic reopens…

Software designed specifically for Aesthetics can offer multiple features which you can utilise, not only to give your clients an outstanding customer experience, but also to save you hours of admin post treatment.

So how can a paperless system, such as Aesthetic Nurse Software (ANS) support your clinic after lockdown?

To reduce the time spent going back and forth with clients when arranging appointments, simply set up online booking with ANS and let clients find an available time that suits them. Secure your bookings with a deposit to reduce no-shows.

Don’t worry about manually sending texts to remind clients of their appointment. This is all taken care of with automated confirmations and reminders.

Send Covid-19 screening questionnaires out to clients to check for symptoms, in advance of their appointment.

Ask your clients to complete medical questionnaires and consent forms, digitally, prior to their appointment, not only reducing the amount time spent in direct contact with each client – but massively reducing admin time. (especially when ANS has all the necessary medical questionnaires and consent forms preloaded for you!)

Follow up with clients after their appointment by sending aftercare forms, and make it super easy for clients to address any questions or concerns they may have with an automated follow up text/email. This is also a great opportunity to link to any of your review pages and increase your testimonials.

Protect your work-life balance!

There’s no doubt that the next few weeks are going to be testing at times and so it’s equally as important that you take all the necessary steps to support yourself, not just your business.

As your diaries are quickly filling up – this does not leave a lot of free time – and when time is so precious, you certainly don’t want to be spending hours getting your administrative affairs in order!

Given the amount of additional precautions you are now faced with, admin should be the least of your worries and for that reason we would highly recommend using a paperless system , such as Aesthetic Nurse Software, if you don’t already.

With a cloud-based software such as ANS, you will not only be able to manage all your bookings with ease, you will also have peace of mind that your documentation is compliant, fully completed and stored securely, enabling you to achieve a much better work-life balance.

If going paperless would be of interest to you, why not get in touch?

We hope that you have found this information useful and wish you and your colleagues all the very best with your reopening!