What Spa Managers Should Know About 1,848 Hours
The U.S. just celebrated Labor Day. The holidays will roll up quickly. That’s why you might want to think about this now.
There are exactly 11 weeks before the holiday season begins; 1,848 hours to be exact.
If you manage a spa you probably look forward to the holiday season. That period from mid-November to January 5 is always ripe with opportunities for everyone to boost their income. Beginning with Thanksgiving through Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa and into the New Year has always been a prime time to recoup revenue that was lost during the first three quarters.
This year, the fourth quarter has greater significance because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some spas that had anticipated opening by now are still unable to do so because of government restrictions. Others are opening with insufficient staff and reduced management. But the good news is that a number of spas are doing a brisk business with guests who are thrilled to be able to receive services again. Gift certificates sales are up but are used more for purchasing products rather than services.
No matter what category you’re in, you need to be thinking about a success strategy, especially if you will be in operation during the upcoming holiday season.
People have been dreaming of spa treatments for months. Rarely does reality match fantasy so you’ll need to exceed their expectations.
It is just not wise to assume that everyone on your team is providing a great customer experience. Most therapists can deliver an acceptable treatment, but great service is above and beyond. Great service means connecting to the guest in a way that makes them want to return. It’s a combination of listening well, active engagement, and ensuring that every resource is thought of to satisfy the guest’s needs.
Ask yourself what systems you had in place before coronavirus to measure and assess performance? When was your last therapist review? If you’re like a lot of spa managers you may have a difficult time remembering. Guess what – that’s not good enough in today’s environment. With competition at an all-time high, you’re setting yourself up to lose precious guests.
You have 1,848 hours left before the holiday season. If you devote just five hours to your success strategy you will come away with a stronger team that will deliver the type of service that generates full schedules and phenomenal sales.
And that would make a very nice fourth quarter now, wouldn’t it?
Linda Harding-Bond
