In Part 1 of our "How To Provide A Memorable Spa Experience" article we looked at various ways to ensure that your Spa clients keep coming back to your Spa. Join us as we continue our look at ways to ensure that your valued customers provide you with rave reviews and return visits as opposed to a run in the opposite direction.
Imagine the scene.... Your client is on the therapist’s table, happily enjoying her wonderfully relaxing massage and trying her best not to fall asleep out of sheer pleasure. Lazily she takes in her surroundings when all of a sudden she spots (horror of horrors), a giant dust-bunny under the table! There can be nothing more off-putting than discovering that the Spa you’re attending has overlooked the most important thing of all – cleanliness. What other health standards have they overlooked if they can’t even keep their treatment rooms spotless? To avoid this train of thought amongst your guests, spend a little time each day on housekeeping.
If your client has elected to enjoy one of your three-hour deluxe packages, try to schedule a half an hour for refreshments to be served in between treatments. Trying to enjoy your manicure, pedicure, sauna, hot stone massage and facial while your tongue is sticking to the roof of your mouth is just NOT something a guest will embrace. If you are strapped for time, perhaps offer to bring the refreshments to the room while they are enjoying their treatment.
Provide a “relaxation area” for your guests. If you can, provide access to an indoor or outdoor garden area where refreshments can be served or a short time-out enjoyed. Water features are a wonderful background noise providing that relaxed atmosphere to the area. If you have an outdoor relaxation area, endeavour to attract bird life to the garden. The chirping of birds in the trees further enhances that relaxed and natural environment.
Keeping with the relaxation theme, if you happen to have alterations to be done to the building, lawn in need of mowing, staff meetings to be had or a squeaky chair to be squeaked, try to position these activities on the opposite side of the building to your treatment rooms. Even if you have to relocate treatment rooms for the period of time that you are carrying out alterations, go that extra mile. No-one wants to have to listen to outside noises while they are paying to relax!
Give your client a vast range of products to choose from when it comes to manicure and pedicure time. Make it a memorable experience by having an exclusive brand on your shelves and try to cater to as many different colour tastes as possible. Also, encourage your nail technician to keep a hygienic environment. The last thing a Spa-goer wants to have to worry about is what germs are floating on the various nail-sculpting instruments. Sterilise the instruments if possible and replace any equipment that is looking aged.
There is nothing more distinctive than the smell of a nail technician’s chemicals. Try to limit the effect that this smell will have on the guest as well as the whole of your spa by having the manicure and pedicure section in a well-ventilated area. Also, try to mask the smell by burning incense or arranging scented candles to the area.
If you are offering a Mother’s Day special, perhaps considering offering a child-minding service for the day. Many mothers don’t attend Spas because they can’t find someone to watch the apple of their eye, so try to encourage them to attend YOUR Spa by having a few reliable part-time or even full-time nannies on standby.
After a day of pampering at the Spa, the customer approaches the cashier to settle his or her account. This is usually the time when a small grimace appears on the faces of the more budget-conscious customer. Why not put a smile back on their face by presenting them with a small token of your appreciation for their business – perhaps present a female customer with a single rose or the unisex option of a small box of chocolates. These gifts can even feature your branding to make it a useful marketing tool for you.
After a wonderful massage, the one thing left to do is get back into your clothes, climb back into your car and drive off. But who wants to have that feeling of a gallon of massage oil between you and your leather car seat! Think about providing a shower facility for your guests if they’d like to rid themselves of excess oil before they leave.
One last tool that might make your customers feel thought-of is by remembering their special day. Keep a database of customer details, including birthdays, in order to send them an SMS or email to wish them well on their day of celebration. Who knows, you might even get extra business as a result – birthday gifts of money need to be spent somewhere! Another added touch is to give your Spa-goer a follow-up phone call – find out if they enjoyed their time at your Spa – don’t be afraid of feedback!
A memorable Spa experience comes down to how much effort you, the Spa of choice, is willing to put into your customer’s enjoyment. It’s the personal touches that are remembered, so don’t be afraid to go that extra mile to provide your client with that “fairytale” treatment that they’ll be dying to experience over and over again! 
