OPINION: FRANCHISING
Millions of Americans are now experiencing massage and spa who might otherwise not have done so because of the lower price points offered by franchises
T
he franchise spa is a win for our industry with very little downside. Millions of Americans are now
experiencing massage and spa who might otherwise not have done so because of the lower price points offered by these franchises. As the brands continue to grow, they’re raising awareness of going to a facility for better health. The franchise model has allowed the public to sample, and to test, our industry. A result of this rapid growth, as with any
industry, is the risk that customers may have a bad experience which will reflect on the sector as a whole. But I’m a veteran of going to spas across the globe and I still have bad experiences. It’s for each facility to monitor their staff, survey their clientele and make changes to ensure the outcome is a world-class experience every time. When I entered the industry 23 years
ago, the mantra was ‘training, training, training’. I don’t think that’s changed. A
Allan Share President, Day Spa Association (USA)
facility that delivers the best treatments, backed up with strong operational management, will be successful and grow. Yes these new businesses need staff, but
this isn’t a problem yet. Therapy schools in the US are busy putting many people out into the industry. The bigger problem is paying therapists enough to keep them in our sector. We need to provide great benefits and show them what wonderful opportunities there are for their own personal development in our business. While some spa operators feel
threatened by the rise of franchises – there can be a ‘Chicken Little, the sky is falling’ feeling, if you let it – many others
embrace a new facility moving into their neighbourhood because it enables them to differentiate themselves. We may lose some independent opera-
tors who’ve been in business for years and have been involved in their communities and local events. However, franchise organisations have the ability to bring a larger presence to the communities they operate in. All in all, it’s a great trend and one that’s here to stay!
Share has been president of the US Day Spa Association since 2010, having worked as a supplier to the industry for more than 23 years. Details:
www.dayspaassociation.com
There shouldn’t be a concern about expanding through franchising because the massage therapy educational sector is stepping up to support this growth
S
ocial media reviews provide consumers with a powerful forum to write both positive and negative
comments. Positive reviews – whether for a franchise spa or independently owned spa – far outweigh the negative ones and are fuelling growth in the industry as a whole. Based on my 30 years as both a
franchisee and a franchisor, I’d say the biggest mistake we can make is choosing the wrong franchisees and employees to represent our company and our brand. At Massage Green Spa all of our train-
ing programmes, policies and procedures ensure an exceptional client experience. This is based on driving customer loyalty and creating word of mouth referrals. In addition, we seek to recruit people
who have a strong talent for leading, exceptional customer service skills, a great attitude and a passion for our vision and our business. The five members of our human resources and development
Allie T Mallad Founder, president and CEO, Massage Green Spa
team and our 51 managers are always on the lookout for great talent and we have a model that ensures a constant stream of qualified candidates. We also look to partner with educational facilities in communities where we’re located. There shouldn’t be a concern about
the spa industry expanding through franchising because the massage therapy educational sector is stepping up to support this growth. More people are studying to become therapists because there’s now a much larger need for them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of massage therapists is projected to grow by 23 per cent from
36 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com/digital
2012 to 2022. Schools and therapists’ programmes are responding in direct corre- lation to the spa industry’s rapid growth. Massage Green Spa is committed to
supporting the ongoing training and education of our 1,000 massage therapists and strive to create career paths that provide them with opportunities to move up our management chain. We’re also attractive to those therapists who would like to embrace the American Dream of owning their own business.
Mallad founded Massage Green Spa in 2008 and plans to expand to 1,000 spas within five years. Details:
www.massagegreenspa.com
Spa Business 2 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
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