INTERVIEW
RAVI CHANDRAN
the company, although they are required to sign a training contract for two years. In the event of early resignation, they will be expected to pay a compensation fee. While many Asian therapists undergo
training at the academies in person, senior therapists/head trainers are deployed to spas further afi eld, such as in Portugal, to train new staff on-site, although head therapists must attend one of the Asian academies. Refresher
PERSONAL FILE Ravi Chandran
Favourite non-Banyan Tree spa: T e Datai Langkawi, Malaysia Favourite treatment: Our signature treatment – the Tropical Rainmist What do you do in your free time? Play tennis, watch BBC World News, read papers and follow Arsenal football club Favourite book: Nineteen Eighty- Four by George Orwell Favourite fi lm: T e Godfather Favourite food: Japanese cuisine Favourite places: Lisbon and Cape Town Who do you most admire in life? Nelson Mandela Best piece of advice you have ever been given? Never take anything for granted; everything changes according to the law of the universe whether it is good or bad. We are only as good as yesterday
courses are scheduled monthly to refi ne skills and each therapist’s progress is tracked. “More than half our staff are university
graduates,” explains Chandran. “We are sometimes compared to Singapore Airlines in terms of our reputation, standards and consistency in recruitment, training, devel- opment and welfare. We are committed to promoting internally with our Fast Track and Management Trainee Programmes that iden- tify individuals with the potential to advance to senior positions within two years. T is helps in terms of staff retention and career development, as does the opportunity for our therapists to travel abroad. Five years ago, we noticed that other spa owners were poaching our staff but this happens less as we expand globally and because our therapists are encouraged to set their sights high.” To ensure spa protocols and meticu-
lous touch points are being observed, the group conducts regular internal and mys- tery shop surveys. It also tabulates guest feedback forms to monitor consumer sat- isfaction. Testament to the policy’s success is a stream of awards recognising Banyan Tree as a leading international spa brand and an outstanding employer.
LOOKING AHEAD
Of course, the group hasn’t been able to escape the economic diffi culties of the past three years but Chandran explains that it
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Banyan Tree was one of the fi rst hotel group’s to launch a spa academy and now it has three with a fourth being considered in Bali
has weathered the storm pretty eff ectively by general cost cutting, reducing staff hours and introducing strategic promotions to ensure price competitiveness. More time has been invested, meanwhile, in training. He adds:
“We’re a fairly lean organisation and around 80 to 90 per cent of our staff are revenue generators, which helps to optimise profi ts. But with increasing labour costs in mind, we must continue to concentrate on the devel- opment of a strong labour force.” Looking ahead, he identifies the pro-
liferation of competition from local and international operators as one of the biggest challenges. T is will call for strengthening of brand identity in combination with innova- tive strategies to further diff erentiate Banyan Tree from rivals. In terms of future opportu- nities, Chandran concludes: “We are gearing up through our academies to cater for the emerging wellness trend. Our staff have recognised that travellers are now seeking holistic wellness experiences that comprise therapies, relaxing activities such as yoga and advice about eating habits in destina- tions with a strong sense of place.” ●
SPA BUSINESS 2 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011
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