The right device

Investing in a new aesthetic device is a big decision. Roy Cowley, managing director of 3D Aesthetics, outlines the questions to ask to ensure return on investment

How can salon owners choose the right technologies for their business and clients?

“It depends whether you’re an existing business or a new one. If you’re an existing business, you’ve got a feel for what you’re passionate about and a feel for your client demographic. It’s always better to follow your passion because passion sells in bucket loads.

“But whether you’re going for face or body treatments, I’d start off with a multi-technology platform that can treat more than one indication. That way, you’re building your database on that service and then you’ll know with the demands and the needs, which specialist service to go for next.”

What questions should people ask to make sure they will get return on investment?

“Find out what your price point should be and whether that’s something you can charge in your area. Be conservative with your projections. So, are you going to do one treatment a week or are you confident you can do four a day? If you’re going to lease, are the repayments realistic? Always do your own research and question what the supplier is telling you. They might suggest charging £700 a treatment, but can you achieve that?

“With new technology, treatment prices start high then usually come down over three to five years – but repayments on your machine aren’t going to drop in line with that. So, question that ROI opportunity from front to end. How much is the monthly cost? Factor in maintenance, then work out what you need to charge, and what you actually can charge.

“Remember, expensive doesn’t necessarily mean best, and there are also ways of mitigating the cost. A lot of suppliers have followed our lead and have offers such as ‘pay nothing for six months’, which is a great opportunity to ensure you can invest money in marketing to get a good return before you really have to pay a penny.”

Should you talk to other people already using the device?

“Definitely; do some research online to find out who has the device and phone them up if they’re in the same demographic. They might not want to talk to you if they’re on your doorstep but it’s good validation to talk to others in a similar position to you. I wouldn’t ask the supplier to put you in touch with people because they will always put you on to someone that they know is going to say good things so it’s better to do that independently.”

What questions should people ask of suppliers?

“You want to scratch below the shiny surface of a brand to find out more. Go on Companies House and check the financial stability of the organisation and the number of people there. If there are only three people, how can they offer great training, engineering and customer service? They can’t. Another thing to look for is ISO 13485 because if they’ve got that certification – and it’s audited every year – you know they’ve got to have a very strong quality management system.

“Ask about external validation of training too. You know if it’s VTCT accredited, for example, that they’ve had to go through a lot of work to ensure the credibility of their training programme.”

What mistakes do people often make when buying a device?

“Rushing into things – there are trends, but are they right for you? Too many people rely on the promises of the company selling the device, but particularly with newer technologies, you need external validation. With our 3D lipo-ultimatepro, for example, we underwent a clinical trial, as we’ve also done recently with 3D EMlift, and that gives the buyer confidence because these are independently done.