Interview
room we allocate to each station” – made
the business ideal to roll out.
“I wanted to serve customers in other
parts of the city, but I knew I couldn’t
simultaneously oversee multiple shops
with my small staf_f .” Cue Randal Eastman:
a Canadian with roots in Shanghai, who
became the company’s third business
partner in February two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedthree.fitted. His primary
role was to help develop a suitable fran-
chise model and grow the business
nationally and internationally. Reticent to
give away precise f_i gures, Yam says that
under a Dragonf_l y franchise agreement,
the franchisee pays an upfront fee as well
as a design fee, which depends on how
big the retreat is. On top of this, they take
a percentage of revenue each month and
have a rolling monthly or quarterly man-
agement fee. In return, the Dragonf_l y head
of_f_i ce handles operational support and Dragonf_l y employs nearly one.fitted,zero.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted people of bad training schemes in China. We
helps with recruitment. As Yam explains: across two.fittedzero.fitted retreats while its training found moving our facility back to Shang-
“We have reinvested the majority of fees academy produces three.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted graduates a year hai helped to reassure trainees and their
from franchisees back into our head of_f_i ce families that we’re a reputable company
to further support our businesses and their they will treat clients well and be full of joy. that can of_f er career prospects.”
growth. Our team visit sites weekly to We want our staf_f to grow with us.” T_h e one.fitted,six.fittedone.fittedfive.fittedsq f_t (one.fittedfive.fittedzero.fittedsq m) academy in
ensure quality control and we also respond To this end, Yam set up a Dragonf_l y Shanghai can train up to three.fittedfive.fitted staf_f at a time
to customer service issues that can’t be Academy in July two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted. But things did and produces around three.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted graduates a year.
dealt with at shop level.” not go well for the f_i rst year. Originally, Courses last for about three months, but at
By far the most important thing head this was in conjunction with a school the moment ef_f orts are focused on retrain-
of_f_i ce provides is training. “Training, in Chongqing, a municipality in west ing employees in new techniques.
motivating and respecting staf_f , is key [to China that was home to Dragonf_l y’s chief Tuition fees cost RMBtwo.fitted,zero.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted to RMBtwo.fitted,five.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted
surviving the heavily saturated market- trainer. However, it was dif_f_i cult to recruit (USdollar.fittedtwo.fittednine.fittedthree.fitted to USdollar.fittedthree.fittedsix.fittedsix.fitted, Euro.fittedtwo.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted to Euro.fittedtwo.fittedfive.fittedeight.fitted, sterling.fittedone.fittedseven.fitted to
place],” says Yam. “If the staf_f are happy therapists. Yam explains: “T_h ere are a lot sterling.fittedtwo.fittedtwo.fittedtwo.fitted) but students don’t have to commit to
working for Dragonf_l y. “If people don’t like
the company, there’s no point tying them
down, but our stay-on rate is nine.fittedfive.fitted per cent,”
DRAGONFLY RETREATS
Yam says. “It’s hard to keep staf_f in China,
but our philosophy is to treat staf_f well and
SHANGHAI HANGZHOU there aren’t many massage places that do”
Dragonf_l y @ ... Dragonf_l y @ ... T_h e biggest future challenge is f_i nd-
Donghu, Xuhui District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedthree.fitted) Huang Long, Xihu District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedeight.fitted) ing middle management. “We’re slowly
Kerry Gym, Nanjing West Road (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedthree.fitted) Nan Shan, Shangcheng District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittednine.fitted) promoting senior therapists to supervisors,
Xinle, Xuhui District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedfour.fitted) but the language problem means we can’t
Biyun, Pudong New Area (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedfive.fitted) YANGZTE RIVER promote them to a shop manager unless
Changyi, Pudong New Area (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedfive.fitted) Dragonf_l y @ ... they are in a second or third-tier city.”
Hongmei, Hongmei Road (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedfive.fitted) Sea: sails between Yichang and T_h e f_i rst-tier cities in China are Beijing,
Fuxing Park, Luwan District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted) Chongqing (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedeight.fitted) Shanghai and Guangzhou (SBzero.fittednine.fitted/two.fitted pthree.fittedzero.fitted). A
Jingan, Jing An District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted) second-tier city can be practically def_i ned
Shanghai Racquet Club & Apartments, QINGDAO as having a population over three.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted,zero.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted, but
Minhang District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted) Dragonf_l y Hideaway @ ... less than one million. A third-tier city has
Anfu, Xuhui District (opening October two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittednine.fitted) Baden Club, Jimo Hot Springs (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedeight.fitted) a population of less than three.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted,zero.fittedzero.fittedzero.fitted.
Sietu, Xuhui District (opening October two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittednine.fitted) Yam is hoping to work with internship
NORWAY students at university level in Shanghai to
BEIJING Dragonf_l y @ ... tackle the management challenge.
Dragonf_l y @ ... Oslo, Oslo, Norway (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted)
Forbidden City, Dong Hua Men (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted)
T_h e Dragonf_l y family
Sanlitun, Chaoyang District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedsix.fitted) UAE
Yan Sha, Chaoyang District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedeight.fitted) Dragonf_l y @ ... All the existing Dragonf_l y retreats are
BurJuman, Dubai, UAE (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedeight.fitted) located in high footfall areas such as
SUZHOU central business districts, tourist hubs and
Dragonf_l y @ ... Half of Dragonf_l y franchises are fully owned by busy suburban communities.
Jinjihu, Suzhou Industrial Park (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedseven.fitted) franchisees and half have a mixed ownership, While all franchisees must demonstrate
Shi Shan, Suzhou New District (opened two.fittedzero.fittedzero.fittedeight.fitted) where Dragonf_l y retains a stake in the business business acumen, it’s important that they’re
2422 Read Spa Business online spabusiness.comm // digital SpSPa BuA BUSINESS 4 2009SineSS 4 2009
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