Get the inside scoop from May’s Member of the Month, Bronze Bay Tanning in Lansing, Mich. Owners Sarah and Al Munkacsy tell about business in the hometown of the Spartans.

Q: How do you think your employees feel about work? What do you do to motivate them?

A: We try to make it a fun place to work. It’s amazing – we never get people who call in sick. We have reliable employees because their job is fun for them, and that is a self-motivator. Some of the stuff we do to keep them motivated includes putting together goodie bags for holidays throughout the year. We might do something like a nail kit, polish and candy or some cute holiday socks. Each year, Al and I host a Christmas party at our house – I do the cooking! We also have an end-of-season party: We all get in a limousine and go out for the night. We recognize the staff for the end of the year, where we announce the winners for best team players (They get $250) and top sales person (They get an iPad). We used to take everyone to a cider mill on one Sunday in the fall, but it’s becoming more complicated to do because school is in session.

Q: Tell me about how you have diversified your salon in the past.

A: It’s important to diversify, but what you diversify with is just as important. In the past, we tried an oxygen bar and smoothies, but they were hard to tie back into tanning. I think that some services can distract if it’s not right for your market. Since we have so many students, we had someone come in with a massage chair during finals. Red light is catching on because it is like tanning in a lot of aspects; people can understand it.

Check out this video of owner Al Munkacsy demonstrating the power of teeth whitening! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8_95aHTJi8&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]