We are privileged to be mentioned among other inspirational brands in the latest Advisory.Works report! We have been featured as a New Zealand company that has set new benchmarks for better business, throughout a challenging and uncertain year. Read the full report below:
COVID-19 gave us an opportunity to revisit everything we do and review it
It’s unlikely that there was an industry or business untouched by the events of this year – and that’s certainly no different for distributors of Dermalogica and Clear Start skincare and owners of Skintopia Skin Clinics, Two Hundred Doors.
“2020 was a rollercoaster,” General Manager Angie Montgomery shares. “We had plans to open a new clinic in Commercial Bay and our budgets and forecasts were set for the new financial year before the world flipped.” Although they had the benefit of people panic buying before lockdown began, it was a challenging time for the business. Between starting again on the budget, adjusting to working from home, and stripping back expenses, the business was soon armed with a team of staff for a clinic that hadn’t been finished yet. “We had nothing for our incoming staff to do, so we got in lots of training over that time,” Angie recalls.
On the surface, Two Hundred Doors might look like they’re about skincare, but their purpose is much more than skin deep. Two Hundred Doors exists to empower women with the confidence they need to create their best selves. They have continued to do this for both their clients and their teams this year. “It was important to us that we’ve kept communicating as well as possible throughout everything, and that we could do fun things to keep it positive. In particular, we had to remain mindful of everyone’s different situations, but it was cool to see us all pull together, look after each other and get through.” This extra care dovetails beautifully into Angie’s ideas about the role business plays in a better New Zealand. “COVID-19 gave us an opportunity to revisit everything we do and review it. It was a wake-up call that we can’t take ordinary life for granted. Instead we need to look at the way we work and provide flexible arrangements that support people’s lifestyles. Wellness and mental health have a big part to play in how we look after people and we’re excited to see more brands – like Dermalogica – put a focus on that with things like their ‘Meaningful Connections’ training that teaches our skin therapists how to have important and real conversations with their clients.”
This trademark care and kindness continues to open doors for the business, with more collaboration and stronger partnerships this year as a result. “Online, we have the option for consumers to select their local clinic who receive a commission from their purchase. While we always had this functionality, we made the decision when lockdown began to increase the commission to the full margin that clinic would make if they sold our product in-store.”
For Two Hundred Doors, this ethos extends to the planet also, as they further the reach of the Sustainable Salons initiative – a revolutionary resource recovery programme designed to help professional salons achieve zero waste, reduce their carbon footprint and implement sustainable work practices that benefit the local community. “We’re excited to be the first Skin Care Brand Head office in New Zealand with an official partnership with Sustainable Salons. We already have this in place with our own clinics and head office, but are encouraging our customers to sign up as well.” The initiative has already diverted more than 58,000kg of materials from landfill in New Zealand to instead be recycled or repurposed… Now that’s better business!