Employees

Running a float centre does not need a high degree of education, so it is not necessary to pay college graduate salaries. A conscientious person with an out- going personality and pleasant telephone voice willing to do all aspects of the job would be ideal. The job entails answering the phone to give information and to take bookings, greeting clients and escorting them to the float room, giving detailed information to first time floaters, taking money from clients, handling the booking system, as well as the more laborious jobs of cleaning the float rooms after each float session, maintaining the float pools and float rooms, serving drinks (if you decide to do so), doing the laundry, cleaning the rest of the centre and perhaps even making purchases of supplies for the float pools. Some centres hire more mature, stable people with experience in people- oriented sectors instead of students who might only be available for a short period of time before moving on to some other employment.

Do not hire someone if they tell you right off the bat that they do not like to clean! This is the biggest, most laborious part of the job and the most essential one too!

How Many Staff Will I Need?

The two most expensive operating costs in running a float centre are the rent and the salary paid to the employees. If you are planning a dedicated float centre, we have found that one member of staff can typically operate between 2-4 tanks, depending on your individual centre’s needs.

There are many considerations when looking at staff requirements. For example, how many hours per day will the centre be open? And how will float times be booked? If the start time of each float session is staggered by 15 minutes, then one person can handle greeting each client, showing them to the float room, explaining how to float (for first time floaters only) and most importantly, one person can handle cleaning each float room after each float session. If you decide to have 4 float pools, they can also be sequenced in pairs. You will find that many customers like to come with a partner or friend, especially the first time. One person can deal with two floaters and the implied cleaning tasks. Some float centres have a dedicated member of staff to meet and greet customers while another member of staff is only responsible for cleaning.

One note about staggering the start times of your float sessions: it is important to have good sound insulation between adjacent float rooms because the shower and pump noise, and doors opening and closing can disturb the person floating in the next room.

It is important to carefully consider all aspects of your business plan in order to decide the optimum number of staff required to let you run the best business possible both for your customers and your profits.
Do keep in mind, if you decide to have a 4 float-pool centre, you do not need to purchase all four at the start of your business! If money is an issue, you should consider starting with two float systems only, one for couples and one individual pod or even 2 float systems large enough for couples because one person can also float alone in a pool large enough for two. You can add a 3rd and a 4th float pool as your business grows, limiting the large amount of capital you would otherwise require up-front.