Uncertainty: It might be the worst feeling in business. With nothing but the dense fog of the unknown before you, your lungs deflate, your heart throbs in your chest, and your mind churns over the possibilities. Do you try something new? Do you get rid of something old? Do you stand still as the fog rolls in?

Uncertainty permeates decisions with the heavy feeling of anxiety, which is why most valuable resources are the ones that give you peace of mind. The tools that reduce uncertainty reveal a clear path between you and success on the horizon.

Finding and implementing these tools can be the most difficult task — especially when you consider the cost of new equipment or a remodel — but professional training continues to improve confidence and reduce uncertainty while remaining one of the most affordable investments in your business.

This is fortunate, since the most contentious point of uncertainty in a salon is what employees do and say when the owners aren’t around. Behind the front counter, your employees’ performance determines the profitability of your salon. When your salon is in their hands, are you confident that they are walking your business down the path to success, or do you feel your lungs deflate with that uncertainty?

Smart Tan has spent almost a quarter century propelling your business in the right direction with trustworthy professional training that turns your biggest question mark into your greatest asset. Now, the industry-leading UV Tanning Certification is even better with the introduction of a new, interactive format and behavior-focused content that was designed to make a measurable difference in indoor tanning businesses. The new-and-improved program tackles current industry issues through the lens of practical application, making it a high-return investment for salons of all kinds.

Since the first Smart Tan Certification was created in 1991, it has been the leading source of education for sunbed operators across North American and beyond. From the beginning, it was intended to give people the knowledge to cultivate professional workers and prevent overexposure. While that is still true 24 years later, the certifications have followed the evolution of our industry by continuing to take employee training one step further.

Developing cutting-edge training systems requires thoughtful attention to the needs of new employees, salon owners and an industry concerned with professionalism and moderation. For years, the climate of the industry indicated a need for fundamental knowledge, showing operators how and why the skin tans. The Basic Technical Certification, known today as the UV Tanning Certification, became a crucial tool for acclimating new workers. And as the content adopted an online format, training became easier, faster and more effective than ever.

Later, a more mature market demanded more advanced training options that combined knowledge with attitude. The Ambassador Program and Master’s Certification provided pathways for transforming employees into engaged enthusiasts. Salespeople grew into advocated with the  potential to transform the perception of indoor tanning, one client at a time.

But knowledge was only the first step, and attitude the second. As Smart Tan analyzed the needs of a changing industry landscape, it became clear that the complex demands of being a professional sunbed operator could only be met by building on that attitude. The training needed to clarify how operators could help consumers in practice.

The ultimate goal of Smart Tan’s reimagined UV Tanning Certification is to use knowledge and attitude to reinforce desirable behaviors. By simulating the trainee’s job environment through common scenarios, it has become the industry’s first and only system to incorporate an equal focus on behavior — and knowledge-based training.

Instead of educating front-line employees with passive lecture on the theory of tanning, this behavioral approach seeks to improve retention and application through a unique interactive format. The new-and-improved certification allows employees to get up to speed by giving them practical skills that help them navigate the challenges of their position.

This approach is so powerful because employees are immediately empowered. Knowledge, attitude and behavior work in tandem, leading to more powerful results. Even better, operators receive a uniform education, free of the inconsistencies and difficulties associated with other forms of training. In the updated UV Tanning Certification, decades of knowledge is synthesized into an easily digestible online classroom where operators are taught to model industry standards of professionalism.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.