In the majority of cases, I’ve found that the reason why a resort or hotel spa doesn’t achieve top-line is simply due to a lack of customers. Many managers are effective in internal operations, which ensures guest satisfaction once they’re at the spa – but what strategies are in place to persuade guests to come to the spa to begin with?
I recommend breaking the hotel journey down into three sections and then ensuring that the spa has a presence at each stage.
Pre-arrival: What contact does your spa have with the guest prior to hotel arrival? Are guests able to pre-book treatments, and if so, how do you communicate this to them? Can you reach out via reservations with a spa tagline or special offer? The sooner you can let your guests know about the spa the better.
Hotel arrival: What’s happening at check-in? An arrival offer, valid for only 24 hours, could help. What script is the front office staff using to describe the spa? Consider giving them a commission to book guests on the arrival spa offer. One of my spas had a 40 per cent capture rate purely because the front office team was given a great incentive.
Throughout the stay: Breakfast is a key time to proactively engage and up-sell spa, as it’s the one time that the majority of hotel guests are in one place. Set up a booking table near the entrance to restaurant and have lots of treatment samples, signage, and therapists showcasing treatments. Ensure you have the appointment calendar ready – expect that guests will book. I’ve seen spas turn around just with this one tactic.
Ultimately, increasing the number of customers is all about taking the spa to the customers. Don’t wait for them to come to you – make it as easy as possible to book. I have a rule in my spas that if a therapist has down-time, 50 per cent of that time must be spent external to the spa – out in the resort and engaging with guests. This is the ultimate goal – be pro-active, go out there and get them!
Tara Hanrahan
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Tel: +66 95 672 1504