This month’s blog focuses on a position that you may or may not be utilizing in your studio, an admin. If you think you cannot afford one, you are wrong – you can’t afford not to have one if you are looking to grow your business. The employees you bring to your studio should bring value to the business, and an administrative assistant is no exception. Finding the right person is key for the studio to thrive; we suggest taking an inventory of your day-to-day duties.
A great administrative assistant will seem out of budget, but living without one can cost you more in the long run. What do we mean by that? Read on friends, read on…
If you’ve been working without an admin up to this point, you are probably pretty good at doing things yourself, juggling many tasks, and most likely have become a master at googling your answers to problems. This is time consuming, and not cost effective for your business. You will need to determine just how much your time is worth. Think about that for a second – should you be paying yourself your normal, studio owner wages to be searching how to run a Facebook ad? Should you be paying yourself the owner’s wages for making copies of contracts/handouts/etc? The answer is NO! And, let’s face it, our ego could use a reality check when we realize that they may do things a little better than we are (and that is ok!).
Take an Inventory of Tasks
Make a point to write down exactly how you are spending your time for a couple of weeks. Even use an app like Clockify to track the time you are spending on tasks that could be outsourced to an admin
Next, take an inventory of your own unique skills to determine what to automate or outsource and what you prefer to keep on your plate – yes, the choice is for YOU! For example, if your talent & passion lies in artistic direction, you may want to stay in that role and find the right office staff to help you manage the day-to-day business.
Admin Tasks
Your admin assistant should know the ins/out of your studio and its operation, and if a tricky question arises, they should have the proper tools for finding the answer. They should be friendly, eager, enthusiastic, and happy to be a part of your studio team.
Other potential job duties
- Scheduling – setting up classes, assigning instructors to each class
- Processing new registrations
- Taking payments
- Maintaining staff & customer contact info
- Marketing & advertising to help attract new students to the studio
- Resolving conflicts that do not need to go all the way to the director
- Engaging customer service skills on the phone, replying to emails/texts/DM’s and in person
Hiring an exceptional administrative assistant can have a huge effect on your productivity and bottom line. An assistant pays for themself by creating more time for you, as well as providing convenience and a better workflow for the entire team. The best administrative assistants are well-versed in a variety of responsibilities, making them an integral part of any company.
Your studio staff will shine when they are well trained and given the responsibilities they are best qualified to manage. Leveraging everyone’s skill set will help your staff put their best foot forward, meanwhile bringing your dance studio to the next level.
Bonus content!
What should you have at your front desk? This varies studio to studio but we have put together a little list for starters:
- Studio computer
- Printer/photocopier/fax
- Printer paper
- Phone
- Credit card processor
- Cash box and change
- File box for receipts
- Basic office supplies (pens, stapler, paper clips, rubber bands, etc.)
- Shipping supplies (stamps, envelopes, labels, etc.)
- Teacher contact information (email and phone number)
- Messaging system
- Small calendar
- Current schedule
- Parent/student handbook
- Any current handouts for students
- Operations manual and employee handbook
- Student emergency contact information (you should have hard copies in addition to digital)
- Business cards
- Small first aid kit (bandaids, gloves, alcohol wipes, etc.)
- Extra hair bands and bobby pins
- Small sewing kit (safety pins!)
- Access to studio documents via Google Drive, Dropbox, etc
Get ready to grow – your studio, your free time, your bottom line – when you hire the right person!
All the best!
~Team Gems
