Be Prepared!

“Be prepared.” This advice from the Boy Scouts is good for all of us to remember. The time to protect yourself from trouble is not when it’s bearing down on you.

Insurance is a very important way to provide security for your business assets. Make it a habit to review your insurance coverage at least once a year. Determine whether you have all the protection you need and if the limits are adequate. If you wait until you need insurance, you may not be able to get it. If a storm is on its way to your area, coverage providers will not be willing to write new policies. Flood insurance has a 30-day waiting period. And, of course, if you have a fire, purchasing insurance on the day after will not help you repair or rebuild.

But, there are also day-to-day things you can do to minimize the effects, or chances of an event. Good housekeeping is an often overlooked, but very important business practice.

Clothes dryers are one of the most common causes of fire. Cleaning the lint traps on a regular basis can reduce the risk, especially since you are probably drying a lot of towels every day in your salon.

Consider storing anything that can be damaged by water on shelves off the ground. It doesn’t take a flood to cause water damage; a burst pipe or hose can be just as harmful.

And speaking of burst hoses, make it a practice to turn off the water supply to your washing machine and spray-tanning units every night. You would be surprised to see what kind of damage a hose running all night can do. Think of not only the damage to your salon, but also to your neighbor’s businesses. And, you can be held liable for that, too!

Surge protectors are vital devices in any tanning salon. Not only does your equipment need them, but your computers, as well. If your computer fries, you lose your operating system and can’t use your tanning units. Also, if a storm is coming, unplug tanning units before leaving for the night. Then, you can be certain a power surge won’t affect them.

Make sure your staff is not in the habit of mopping lobby and hallway floors while customers are in the salon. The exception is if there is a spill of any kind – you’ll need to clean it right away. Post “Wet Floor” signs and don’t remove them until the area is fully dry. If the area is a hallway, warn clients in the tanning rooms to use care when exiting them.

Taking a few extra precautions such as these on a daily basis might make it easier to handle a disaster if it strikes. And if you’ve prepared your business, you will have more time to take care of the really important things – yourself and your loved ones.