What do customers look for or expect when visiting a spa? - Part 1
When deciding to visit a spa, there are those who exactly know what they want. Likewise, there are others who are nervous with the idea of going to a spa. Many people have their first spa experience when they receive a gift voucher to a spa. Being unfamiliar with the finer points of spa etiquette and anxious about what will happen, many of them avoid using it. Some may research on the internet about the services offered in spa treatments, and then call up the establishment and set an appointment for the visit to the spa.
The first initial point of contact is when a client makes that appointment seeking the services of the spa. It is like the beginning of a journey and with that interaction of the call; the client begins to cultivate the first impressions of the spa establishment. Was the receptionist or spa concierge warm and welcoming, knowledgeable and accommodating in answering the questions of the customer? Was the experience in making the booking easy, comfortable and pleasant? A good Spa concierge would ask the caller if it was his or hers first visit to a spa.
When the client visits the spa on the due date, first impressions come into play. These first impressions count. Positive first impressions will put the client immediately at ease whilst a negative one can cause anxiety. As a spa salon operator you get that single immediate opportunity to convey the impression that your business is a successful spa and not a struggling establishment. To do that, you need to make the client feel welcomed, pampered and beautiful, and, it has to be genuine and apparent the moment the person walks through that front door.
Most clients look to see if the spa is beautiful to look at? This is important because visual beauty helps relax all of us. Does it smell good? Is there a warm, inviting and serene atmosphere? Is the décor consistent throughout the spa area - from the paint on the walls, to the furniture, the spa equipment, towels, etc? Does the spa maintain safe, sanitary conditions? If there is Hair in the wash basin - that's a no-go.
So far so good…but it’s not just about going someplace with beautiful treatment rooms, inviting swimming pools and fancy waterfalls, or an ice fountain next to the steam room. All this can be nice, but ultimately a spa treatment is a one-on-one experience. Great spas are built around great therapists. Hiring spa therapists, who are well trained, knowledgeable, properly attired and groomed, friendly and approachable, is of utmost importance.
Cleanliness is another vital tick in the first impressions of the establishment in the customer’s list. Whilst, sitting and waiting in the lobby of the spa, the client would flick through a magazine picked up from the table. It would be a negative impression if one were to encounter a dusty table with outdated magazines; an untidy lobby would mar good impressions of the spa.
Whilst customers rely on the knowledge and ethics of the therapists and management they are particular about hygiene. The sheets need to be changed for every facial. The hard surfaces, equipment and products need to be sprayed or wiped with sanitizer. If a towel is dropped on the floor, it shouldn't go into the hot towel cabi. Knowledgeable spa customers will quickly notice whether the therapist washed her hands before working on them or did the sponges come out of a sealed bag?
To be continued
Mehroon Wahab The writer is a former media representative for ‘Spa Asia’ and it was during her tenure that the Singapore based magazine published a feature on Sri Lankan Spas in 2005.
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