Matt Lerner / photo: Mindbody

Eighty-five per cent of first-time customers whose calls are unanswered by spas are not willing to call back. This is a precious, missed opportunity faced by many businesses which are short-staffed.

That’s where Mindbody’s AI receptionist, Messenger[ai] can provide a much-needed solution. When a spa misses a call, Messenger[ai] automatically sends a text to the caller, asking how it can help. It can field frequently asked questions and book appointments all on its own, saving spa staff from having to take time out of their already busy days to do so.

Additionally, Messenger[ai] works 24/7, which means it can make sales while the business is closed. By providing customers with an efficient booking method, the tool improves overall experience with the business. Messenger[ai] also gives customers what they want as 89 per cent of people say they like to interact via text.

Ricky Daniels / photo: Trybe

Our cloud-based, automated booking system is incredibly popular and it’s been shown to increase total revenue, total bookings and average spend.

Customers can book into live availability so reservation teams spend less time on the phone or computer. They can make payment when booking as well as curate their own itinerary and at this point operators can automatically upsell and cross sell too – giving options to add champagne on arrival or afternoon tea, for example.

We’ve also just introduced a new waiting list feature. If a customer cancels, an automated alert will go to others who’ve opted to be on the wait list, meaning cancelled reservations are more likely to be filled.

Sherry Cuti / photo: springer miller

When you think about bookings, the more the merrier. However, group bookings can be overwhelming, not to mention incredibly time consuming, if your software doesn’t automate the booking process for large groups.

SpaSoft seamlessly strings together multiple appointments in a group reservation and automates the creation of each guest profile with a single import form. Don’t have all group members identified? No problem. SpaSoft will allow you to book desirable time slots for the group and then update profiles at a later date.

Other automated features include alerts when hotel and spa reservations are discrepant and auto booking based on predefined provider preferences and priorities.

Guenther Poellabauer / photo: TAC

Guenther Poellabauer The Assistant Company (TAC) Our software and hardware enable fully automated solutions for spas – take our access/check-in process as a great example.

TAC’s Webshop, which can be configured to a spa’s corporate design, offers an intuitive booking process. The simple sale of gift certificates, tickets or products is just as quick as the reservation of treatment appointments or loungers. Digital questionnaires can be filled out in advance too.

Once at the spa, guests can use a QR code to access a RFID wristband from our new self-service vending machine (see p126). This ensures fast lane entry and the band can also be used to make cashless purchases and even for check-out.

Imran Zalfackruddin / photo: MILANO

Automated features remove manual and tedious tasks for staff – as well as the margin for error – while speeding up processes.

Dynamic pricing, synchronising hotel package and spa bookings, activity capacity management and reservations based on gender are just some of the functions we offer that make the biggest difference to how spas run on a daily basis.

The automated processing of forms and appointment confirmations and reminders are our most popular features. These make the check-in process effortless, reduce clutter at the reception desk and limit the number of no-shows.

Charity Hudnall / photo: Vagaro

Our inventory feature helps keep spas organised and well-stocked, without tedious administrative oversight.

Users can set a low quantity warning for products and a maximum quantity level which will automatically reorder products as they get low. They can also create and send smart purchase orders with automatic detection of low quantity products. What’s more, when orders come in and are marked as received, products are automatically imported into the inventory.

Our most popular automated function, however, is our forms feature. This automatically prompts clients to fill out customised or templated forms before receiving certain services, which are then auto-saved to their profile.

Using this feature, spas can also record client preferences and purchase details, as well as automate surveys after appointments to gather insights on the customer experience. All of which can help operators deliver appropriate aftercare and follow-up reminders.

Daniel Griswold / photo: Agilysys

One of our most popular functions is a retail module which automatically maintains inventory counts when staff sell items. Purchase orders and receiving of merchandise are also automated.

Our eForms, however, make the biggest difference on a daily basis. Having in-take forms and health waivers easily accessible online allows clients to fill them out at a time that is convenient for them before arrival. This makes the check-in process more seamless for guests, enhancing their overall experience.

Having eForms available in the Agilysys Spa application relieves staff of the time it takes to check-in clients while providing the information necessary for the therapist to provide a treatment specific to the client’s needs.

Ilana Alberico / photo: spaspace

Spa operators use us because our automations ultimately help them to be more efficient and create more revenue.

We cover three main operational areas: professional applicant and onboarding; facility inventory and payroll; and guest booking and service selection.

The sooner a new candidate starts, the faster a spa can start realising revenue from their presence. SpaSpace automatically checks an applicant’s license credentials and gets them approved in less then a week, getting them on the schedule and working five times faster than the traditional processes.

Our integrations mean managers don’t have to submit payroll every month so professionals receive their pay in hours/days rather than weeks/months.

Finally, our AI recommends services to guests, saving calls to the front desk.

Sal Capizzi / photo: Book4Time

We offer many automated functions via our scheduled task feature – from appointment confirmation emails to prompting clients to confirm their attendance or fill out digital intake forms before arriving.

Prompts for guests to self-guarantee their appointments have really taken off over the past couple of years due to GDPR and privacy laws. Most spas require a credit card hold or deposit for bookings, yet clients may not feel comfortable leaving their credit card number with a receptionist.

Book4Time directs guests to a secure website to enter their financial details so they can self-guarantee their treatment in their own time.

Oliver Cahill / photo: premier

For spas which want to keep their finger on the pulse of their business, automated reporting is essential. With Core by Premier Software, staff can select from over 400 reports to be emailed on a date and time of their choosing.

This includes the Staff Snapshot report which is ideal for appraisals and performance monitoring and just one way our automated functions help with staff retention – something that’s imperative given our industry’s workforce crisis.

Another key feature is rolling staff rotas which can be created for up to 12 weeks so operators can boost team morale by helping their employees plan ahead.

Features such as Core’s Repetitive Strain Injury Indicators are even more powerful as they prioritise employee wellbeing. By setting an RSI limit on an individual’s working week, operators can protect staff from overexertion.