Can Your Spa Receptionist Answer This Question?
My husband and I live in Bangkok, Thailand. As an international hub, there are lots of different restaurants to explore.
One of my favorite questions for my server is always “what’s your favorite dish?” They seem to like that I asked and really come alive as they describe their preference. Their enthusiasm is addictive and most times I’ll order their recommendation.
As a retail trainer, I use the same tactic when I visit spas and the response tells me a lot. I’ll ask the spa receptionist about her favorite product and then ask her to recommend one or two products for me.
Unlike with restaurant wait staff, I am often met with a blank look and then led to the product shelves to figure out the answer on my own.
This is a problem.
- All guests don’t venture into a spa for treatments; some come to purchase products.
- How is your receptionist providing sales support to your therapist team if they’re clueless?
Occasionally I’ll encounter the receptionist who loves this question. It’s as if she’s been waiting for it her entire life. She’ll present her product with a flourish and wax poetic about why it’s her favorite. She’ll make certain I smell it, feel it on my skin and inform me that it is absolutely life changing!
She is what a spa receptionist should be.
How effective is your front desk staff? Let’s find out.
This weekend, ask your receptionist to tell you about her favorite product. Ask her why she likes it and who she would recommend it to.
And then ask her which products she would recommend for a 34-year-old female business executive who gets intermittent breakouts from stress.
She/he should be able to handle that simple question informatively, smoothly and confidently.
If not, training is needed.
If the scope of her recommendation does not include relaxation products, training is needed.
Let me know what happens. I’ll be waiting.
Linda Harding-Bond
