Sal Capizzi / photo: Book4Time

Book4Time’s direct message and yield management functionalities are the most useful when facing extreme events, as one high-end coastal spa resort in the US can attest to. It was in the direct path of a hurricane and faced many operational and communication challenges when it suddenly needed to evacuate.

Using Book4time’s integrated messaging feature, the management team quickly sent real-time updates to clients with upcoming appointments – informing them about the evacuation and rescheduling and cancellation policies through personalised texts and emails. Guests appreciated the proactive communication as it avoided confusion and reduced stress.

Post-hurricane, the spa used the same feature to notify clients when services resumed and to reveal limited-time deals to lessen the impact on the business.

It created the deals using Book4Time’s yield management functionality. Via this feature, it was able to analyse historical booking data to identify the most popular services among local clients still able to visit (when it was safe), as well as apply targeted discounts and offer exclusive loyalty points to encourage these last-minute bookings.

Ricky Daniels / photo: Trybe

At one of our resort spas on the Isle of Arran, Scotland, adverse weather means boats are regularly cancelled, so any number of customers can miss treatments. Yet the flexibility of Trybe allows for last-minute changes – it’s designed to easily cancel appointments and rebook them. Other systems, where payments are required, might not be so accommodating.

Additionally, SMS and email communications can be automated and sent out to keep guests informed. Trybe’s ability to instantly contact clients helps with reputation management and facilitates quick resolutions, saving businesses from potential disasters.

On the other hand, our capacity management function enables spas to plan and quickly adjust team rotas and to handle a surge in clients – turning a hectic event into a growth opportunity. Essential to this is the fact that Trybe is cloud-native, meaning all information on the platform is remotely accessible and in real-time.

Luke Doolin / photo: Phorest

We’ve seen first-hand how challenging severe weather situations can be for owners. Having access to the right software, via an app or the web, when they can’t access the premises makes all the difference.

For example, a busy day spa in Ireland affected by flooding used Phorest to suspend online bookings, enabling the manager to reach out to clients and reschedule treatments affected. Similarly, an Australian business relied on the PhorestGo app when a storm damaged its building, making it unsafe and leaving its systems and electrics offline. It was able to manage and reschedule bookings remotely and communicate with clients, so no one attempted to travel in hazardous conditions.

Phorest’s platform has been designed to quickly pause new bookings and streamline communications – from sending a ‘back open for business’ message to reactivating social media ads. This integrated approach minimises business downtime and administrative burdens, boosts recovery and fosters client loyalty by maintaining a positive customer experience during difficult times.

Sudheer Koneru / photo: ZenotI

When COVID-19 disrupted business, a facial bar in Ohio relied on the Zenoti Advanced Marketing tool to revive its customer base. Rather than bombarding all customers with a generic promotion, the software’s personalised campaigns targeted different segments based on buying history and interests, but in a largely automated way. The campaign brought 211 clients back, with 41 per cent booking follow-ups. The impact: a 20 per cent increase in total revenue. The business credits Zenoti with playing a key role in helping it bounce back.

Our dynamic pricing helps spas navigate financial challenges after unforeseen events. A spa in a town recovering from a wildfire, for example, can amend prices when normalcy returns to draw locals eager to de-stress who might otherwise be hesitant to spend.

Zenoti also offers a suite of features to mitigate the impact of mass cancellations. Its intelligent segmentation of clients allows a spa to send out targeted notifications about service availability and alternatives. Its AI-powered HyperConnect is a phone system that flags up customer details so conversations can be deeply personalised. HyperConnect integrates with an AI-powered chatbot that handles missed calls to answer questions and complete bookings. Additionally, integrated smart features such as ezConnect with two-way messaging allows for real-time communication with customers in the event of a sudden closure.