PROMOTIONAL FEATURE: PART 4 FOLLOW THE SERIES 1. Feasibility studies
2. Concept & brand development
3. Design consulting
4. Pre-opening & daily management
5. Operational consultancy
PRE-OPENING
Opening a spa successfully is all about planning. Gary Henkin, president of WTS and Doug Chambers, principal of Blu Spas, share their experience of pre-opening
What makes a successful pre-opening? Gary: Planning, planning and more planning. Unfortunately, many spas are launched with- out it. It can take months or years to recover from a poor launch, yet not enough time and effort goes into this process, compared with that spent in the concept and design phases.
What’s your approach? Gary: Each pre-opening task should be out- lined in a timeline that describes the item to be delivered and the date of execution. A pre-opening timeline should serve as a road- map for the opening, but often this is never used and the attempt to open and promote the spa lacks direction and focus. Without the roadmap, the project runs the risk of taking a wrong turn – something which can easily be prevented. More than anything else, this area can make or break a success- ful launch and to some degree the ultimate financial success for the facility.
Gary Henkin (leſt) and Doug Chambers
Who should be responsible for pre- opening – the spa director or consultant? Doug: In some circumstances it may be appropriate to handle all pre-opening tasks in-house. However, the pre-opening phase will have a dramatic impact on the finan- cial performance and success of the spa, and merits the dignity of a proper budget. The fundamental challenges centre around the sheer magnitude of the tasks and the diverse skill sets and expertise nec- essary to complete them. WTS and Blu Spas take a team approach, focusing an assembly of seasoned opera- tional experts on the various components of a methodically created, comprehensive task list.
What ultimately makes or breaks a spa? Gary: The most important factor in deter- mining operational and financial success is quality of service. If your spa consistently offers this, you should expect a dramatic pos- itive effect on your revenue and bottom line. But there can be a breakdown in service at
Quality defines success
any point, from when a phone reservation is made, to the first meeting at the front desk, to the quality of the treatment, to the locker rooms, to, finally, the guest’s departure. It’s critical guests take away a positive and memorable experience. Nothing negatively
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impacts the financial success of a spa more than inconsistent or poor delivery of the experience at any touch point.
How should spas train staff? Gary: Well before the facility opens for busi- ness, go through every step of the service including training for therapists, aestheti- cians and nail technicians. Receptionists, locker room and main- tenance personnel, retail sales staff, reservationists and others should also be trained. Too many times there’s not enough focus on these individuals, yet the first per- son a guest or member typically comes into contact with is the receptionist greeting them at the front desk or by phone and this impression has a lasting effect on the con- sumer. This training can be given by the spa director or operator, but it’s essential all the staff understand their job responsibilities and how to execute them effectively. Prod- uct companies and vendors also offer very specific training for service providers.
Where should spas source staff? Gary: Finding and selecting qualified staff is one of the single greatest challenges for spa owners. The best sources come from con- nections or referrals within the industry. Another good source is through communica- tion with schools that have programmes for certification for these positions. The wider your contacts are, the more likely it is that you will be able to source qualified people for both executive and non-executive positions. For spas located in regions without sig- nificant numbers of qualified staff, it’s often necessary to import qualified individuals from elsewhere.
Spa Business 3 2013 ©Cybertrek 2013
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