Yesterday, an important moment in America took place. Humanity won over inhumanity in the trial of Derek Chauvin.
As I read the statements issued by CEO’s for companies such as AT&T, Facebook, Microsoft , LinkedIn, McCormick & Company, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Wells Fargo and others, I truly wish that I was reading more from the leaders in Spa and Hospitality. As an industry that is built on the tenets of service and compassion, it is particularly important during times of sea change to make our position known. The world is watching and listening.
Right now as we slowly regroup, dreaming, planning and setting goals is the only way to move forward. The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes you do to accomplish it. Read More
Following a year of working from home, with personal and professional lives blurring more than ever, employees’ mental health is at the forefront of many companies’ minds. Read More
As late as February 2020, I was still writing blogposts to a somewhat skeptical audience about the importance of selling spa retail. Managers were still worried about pushback from their teams! Many found the process of seeking training budget approval from senior management nerve wracking. Combined with navigating the complex forms of the financial department it was too time consuming. Sales suffered.
Connecting the dots between retail revenue, staff training, customer retention and financial health was simply not being done.
Spas that did decide to take the training leap were for the most part considered outliers. Even as they achieved positive results, they still weren’t proof positive enough for a massive industry shift.
And then Covid-19 happened.
Today, we can all bear witness to these simple facts:
More spas with a strong homecare/retail culture managed to survive than those that didn’t.
Spas whose therapists were more comfortable selling retail transitioned more easily to online consultations than those that didn’t.
Spas with robust online retail sales before the pandemic, generated more revenue during shut-down.
The conditions that caused low sales before Covid-19 have not gone away and they won’t do so on their own.
According to March ISPA’s Pulse magazine article “The Training Experiment”, the days of sitting in an eight hour class are over. You may still be cumulatively in class for eight hours, but everything will be online.
This means a shift in convenience and affordability. However, the flood of training means that classes should be carefully assessed for the following:
Quality
A solid track record of training before Covid-19
The information being provided has real value
The company you select can provide any ongoing support that the spa may need
This means a shift in convenience and affordability. What may have been financially out of reach in the past is now not only doable but critical. However, the new flood of training material means that classes should be carefully assessed for the following:
When you get these things right, you are well on your way to accomplishing your retail goals.
On Monday March 15th at a presentation for the APSWC I highlighted some of the most important strategies that spas could use to boost their sales results and outreach.
Below are the companies that can provide services for improvement:
Sometimes its good to know we’re not alone, especially with our work challenges. Thanks to Lisa Starr and Mindbody for listing the 6 most common mistakes people in our industry make.
Spa services and procedures are considered luxury services, which most would expect to suffer during a recession. However, research has shown that cosmetic procedures actually perform well during times of economic uncertainty.
Increasingly consumers are taking to the internet to make their buying decisions and review, research and purchase goods and services. These individual consumer behavior trends will outlive the global pandemic. Read More
Online experiences that evoke the serendipity of traditional retail—complete with aisles of shelves—make shopping fun again. And they’re pandemic-safe, too.
