Recently I was sitting in the lobby of a neighborhood spa in Bangkok. I was the first person there and the therapists were still prepping their rooms so I had a chance observe front desk operations. It was nightmarish. Read More
Last week in Deauville, France I presented on the topic of Spa Retail Sales at the Biologique Recherche Worldwide Convention. I had an opportunity to speak with distributors and spa decision makers from over 90 countries. There was a great exchange of ideas but what stood out was that increasing retail sales is still a global challenge.
If you haven’t read the brilliant article Spas vs. big E-tail by Vivienne O’Keeffe your’re missing out. Here’s an excerpt: Read More
Last week a beauty industry friend from Philadelphia arrived in Thailand. I’ve been here for several years now and even though there are still new sights, sounds and aromas to experience, the original wonderment of it all has passed. Read More
When I worked for the largest telecommunications company in the United States my director said “Linda, you’re doing so well as a trainer I’m going to transfer you to a position managing the production team. They just lost another manager and you’re good with people”. Read More
In the past two years, I’ve noticed more Five-star hotel and spa groups investing in retail training for their therapists and front desk team. The decision makers tend to be younger or mavericks or both! Read More
I started my year out with a bang, training at one of the top spa organizations in Thailand. Most therapists are introverts but in parts of Asia it can be particularly challenging. Read More
My husband and I live in Bangkok, Thailand. As an international hub, there are lots of different restaurants to explore. Read More
I’ve been in the U.S. now for longer than I anticipated. What started as a three week trip from my home in Bangkok has morphed into a prolonged visit. While I now have an unlimited opportunity to watch cable networks like CNN and MSNBC I feel that I am caught in the throes of a weird addiction to political news. I begin my day craving information on what havoc has been visited on our world overnight. I check Twitter trends and Huff Post headlines for my fix on the latest global backlash caused by our current administration. Because truth be told drama has happened everyday since January 20. I find myself headachy before the day really begins.
I know that I am not alone.
I exist in a constant self imposed state of low level anxiety.
I recently read an article that discussed how Susie Ellis, CEO of Global Wellness Institute spoke of Trump as the leading influence of wellness trends for 2017. http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Market-Trends/The-Trump-Effect-is-already-altering-the-personal-care-and-beauty-market
“As things get more uncertain wellness gets more important.”
I totally agree with her viewpoint.
Last week I visited my favorite massage therapist. Nothing fancy, she works at Hand & Stone and she is fabulous! The time spent in a quiet environment with her was exactly what I needed. She knew exactly what to do and recommend and I can’t begin to express how much I appreciated her. In this time of turmoil and stress and uncertainly, the spa and wellness industry should be a safe haven. It is crucially important for our therapists to be totally on point. Excellence in customer service is a teachable skill that should never be taken for granted by management.
Enabling therapists to listen well, respond authentically and recommend knowledgeably is what proper training can do.
Let’s get on it now. The world needs it.