Spa Executive | Issue 3 | February 2019

ISSUE #03 FEBRUARY 2019
SPA EXECUTIVE
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS
FEATURE
What’s on the
food menu
at five top spas?
Page 6
MANAGEMENT
6 Common
Mistakes Spa
Managers Make
Page 13
INSIGHTS
Incredible
Customer
Experience
Page 15
AccorHotels’
TECHNOLOGY
Naked Labs'
affordable 3D
body scanner
Page 17
Daniel
Poulin
What makes a successful
spa director

PUBLISHER
Roger Sholanki
EDITOR
Elizabeth Bromstein
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Yeniffer Padrino
COPY EDITOR
Stephanie Meszaros
CONTRIBUTORS
Snehaa Karthik
DESIGNER
Shajee Aijazi
Note from the Publisher
Looking over the content in this month’s issue of Spa Executive, I’m reminded of the importance
of attention to detail.
The details make all the difference between a good spa and a great spa. And don’t we all want
to be at the top of this wildly competitive industry, recognized as leaders, and praised for our
sublime service?
We achieve this by paying attention to even the smallest details through every moment of the
guest experience; from the time of booking to the time they leave the spa, and beyond. It’s not
just about the treatment; it’s in the way they experience filling out their intake forms and being
greeted by staff, it’s in the food we serve, and the connections we make.
I noticed this thread throughout this month’s content; even when we don’t mention the word
“detail,” we’re talking about detail – the attention to which is a key element of every
award-winning spa.
When AccorHotels’ Daniel Poulin talks about what he looks for in a spa director, and what
makes Fairmont spas unique, you can tell he has spent a lot of time focusing on details.
We see this attention to detail in at the culinary offerings painstakingly prepared at some of the
top spas around the world. And in the design of Finland’s new Tullin Sauna, created by Studio
Puisto.
We also share insights from past interviews we’ve done with industry leaders on the mistakes
spa managers make, and offer tips on how to create an incredible customer experience that is
both effortless and human. Again, it’s all in the… well, you know.
That’s the business insight I’ll take away with me today, courtesy of all the people that
demonstrate this incredible attention in everything they do. I hope you find the examples they set
as valuable as I do.
The online magazine for Spa
Executives, featuring news
and exclusive interviews.
Roger Sholanki,
CEO
Book4Time

Contents
February 2019 Volume 3
3
NEWS
Tilman Fertitta opens The Spa
at The Post Oak Hotel
3
5
6
BUSINESS
L'Occitane acquires Elemis for
$900 million
FEATURE
What's on the food menu at 5
top spas around the world?
9
SPOTLIGHT
Daniel Poulin: What makes a
successful spa director?
6
13
15
MANAGEMENT
6 common miskates spa
managers make
INSIGHTS
5 ways to make your customer
experience effortless
17
TECHNOLOGY
Naked Labs’ affordable 3D
body scanner
15 18
18
GROWTH
Beautiful community sauna
opens in former railway station
warehouse

Texas billionaire Tilman
at The Post Oak
The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston has
announced the opening of The Spa. The Post
Oak, Houston's only AAA Five-Diamond
hotel, is owned by Texas billionaire Tilman
Fertitta, owner of the NBA's Houston
Rockets.
According to a media release, The Spa is a
20,000-square-foot urban oasis on the
hotel's 5th floor that offers unique treatment
rooms, including a couples suite with an
en-suite bathtub and shower; tranquility pools
with body-contouring hot stone daybeds;
aromatherapy-infused steam rooms; high
temperature, low humidity saunas;
multi-sensory thermal showers; and a
state-of-the-art Technogym fitness center.
“I have travelled the world seeing the most
beautiful spas with the finest amenities,” said
Fertitta in a statement. “Houston deserves a
unique, first-class spa and I was inspired to
bring one to my Post Oak hotel. We offer only
top-of-the-line products and services that you
won’t find anywhere else in the country.
Whether you are a Houstonian or a hotel
guest, you will want to visit our spa.”
The release states that The Spa promises to
indulge guests with an unparalleled wellness
menu that features exclusive products,
aromatic oils, body and facial treatments,
massages, rituals, and the latest innovations
in skin care techniques.
For this, The Post Oak Hotel has partnered
with Cinq Mondes, a leading Paris spa brand
creating rituals and treatments cultivated from
Brazil, Japan, Polynesia, Bali, Switzerland,
Morocco, India, and Thailand.
Among the exclusive treatments designed for
The Spa is the “Rituals of Five Worlds.” The
Ritual features a warmed, steam poultice
massage and gentle body stretching with a
Javanese fusion of lemongrass, ginger and
bergamot to ease muscular tension. The
treatment includes dual-therapist cranial
acupressure and foot reflexology with fragrant
Moroccan eucalyptus and cinnamon to
“awaken the senses."
03 | Spa Executive News

Fertitta opens The Spa
Hotel in Houston
“Nowhere else in the world can someone
receive our Rituals of Five Worlds treatment,”
said Daisy Tepper, Spa Director at The Post
Oak Hotel. “With more than 145 different
languages spoken in Houston, we were
inspired to develop a diverse and cultured
experience that pays homage to ancient
traditions from masters around the world.”
Another unique treatment is the“Ko Bi Do
Lift.” Inspired by a Japanese wellness ritual,
this is said to be "a highly effective and
non-invasive face lift that begins with an
in-depth purification of the skin. An intense
massage lifting technique is performed,
exercising the facial muscles and contouring
the face for a toned, plump effect."
Yet another exclusive to The Post Oak Hotel
is the German-engineered and
Italian-manufactured In-Skin facial system; a
two-hour treatment featuring
microdermabrasion, oxygen, LED lighting,
radio frequency, electroporation, and air
massage.
Tepper said, “This In-Skin technology was
only offered in Los Angeles until now. We
know the importance of technology in today’s
world; and this In-Skin treatment is truly a
one-of-kind experience. Guests see
immediate results.”
Other partners include Jacqueline Piotaz,
known for revolutionary and
environmentally-friendly skincare products
made in Switzerland; and Aromatherapy
Associates of London.
With the latter, The Spa takes personalization
to another level with a “Bespoke
Aromatherapy Journey.” This journey begins
with a one-on-one consultation with the
guest to develop a specialized formula of
aromatherapy oils and practices specifically
for that individual.
Signature massages and treatments for men
can also be found at The Spa at The Post
Oak, including “The Modern Man’s Facial.”
This treatment first softens the skin, heals
bumps and revitalizes complexion using a
potent multi-layer peel and anti-stress
massage.
News
Spa Executive | 04

L'Occitane Group is buying
Elemis for $900 million
L'OCCITANE International S.A., a leading
manufacturer and retailer of natural
cosmetics with a portfolio of premium beauty
brands, recently announced that it has
entered into an agreement to acquire
ELEMIS, the luxury British skincare brand, for
$900 million in cash from Steiner Leisure
Limited.
Founded in 1990, ELEMIS is a world leader in
prestige skincare and the number one
independent British skincare brand. ELEMIS'
prides itself on a strong cross-generational
consumer appeal, “with a proven ability to
attract Millennials while maintaining loyal Gen
X and Baby Boomer consumers.”
L'Occitane International S.A is a global leader
in the premium beauty market that uses high
quality products that respect nature and the
environment. The group has more than 3,000
retail outlets in 90 countries. ELEMIS will
become part of a portfolio that includes
L'OCCITANE en Provence, Melvita, Erborian,
L'OCCITANE au Brésil, and LimeLife by
Alcone.
"We are pleased to welcome the ELEMIS
business, brand and people to the
L'OCCITANE family. It is a major step
forward for L'OCCITANE in building a
leading portfolio of premium beauty
brands. ELEMIS is well positioned for
continued global growth due to the
brand's broad appeal, award-winning
product portfolio, robust new product
development pipeline and effective
consumer-focused digital and
brick-and-mortar distribution strategy.
We have long admired ELEMIS for their
commitment to natural ingredients and
scientific innovation, and we look
forward to utilizing our expertise in the
category to expand the brand's footprint
around the world."
Reinold Geiger,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
L'occitane
"We are thrilled to announce this
agreement with L'OCCITANE, which will
strengthen the continued growth and
momentum behind our timeless brand
and remarkably transformative products.
Reinold Geiger has a strong history of
developing and supporting brands like
ours that are creating products sourced
from nature and developed through
cutting edge science and technology.
With his inspiring and entrepreneurial
leadership, I am confident that through
this transaction, we can continue to
realize our mission of delivering
extraordinary products and experiences
and grow ELEMIS into one of the leading
skincare brands in the world."
Sean Harrington,
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Elemis
The purchase is expected to close in the first
quarter of 2019.
L'OCCITANE has more than 90 spas in 30
countries, including the UK, Japan, Brasil,
and France. Spa L’OCCITANE comes in three
different formats. These include “Flagship
Spas,” offering the ultimate brand experience
in a luxurious setting; “Spas By,” located in 5
star hotels around the world; and “Petit Spa,”
smaller spaces that are connected to
L'OCCITANE stores.
ELEMIS has three flagship spas: The House
of ELEMIS London, ELEMIS Day Spa Miami,
and ELEMIS Day Spa Bangkok. You will also
find ELEMIS in the world’s 5 star resort spas
and in more than 1600 independent spas
around the world.
05 | Spa Executive News

Langoustine tartare with caviar and cucumbers. La Grand’Vigne, Les Sources de Caudalie
What’s on the
food menu
at 5 top spas around the world?
You are what you eat, as we’ve been saying
for as long as we can remember. So, when it
comes to food, spas and wellness
destinations should be putting a lot of
thought into their culinary experiences.
Food is a fundamental element of health and
wellness and a key ingredient for getting the
most out of life. It’s a simple pleasure and a
daily requirement. The best spas turn
sustenance into an exquisite experience for
the senses that nourishes the bodies and
minds of discerning guests. They also provide
a culinary experience that aligns with their
overall philosophy and guest experience.
We reached out to five top, award-winning
destination spas and asked: “What’s on the
food menu?”
Feature
Spa Executive | 06

Les Sources de Caudalie – the
wonders of the French paradox
Bordeaux, France
Restaurants: La Grand’Vigne, La Table du Lavoir,
Rouge
Located amidst the Grand Cru vineyards of
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Les Sources de
Caudalie is a 5-star hotel and Vinothérapie
Spa. Inspired by the “French Paradox,” a
reference to a study finding that the French
diet and lifestyle (high fat, rich sauces, and
wine!) is conductive to good health, “Les
Sources de Caudalie is a genuine source of
wellbeing.”
La Grand’Vigne chef Nicolas Masse has
earned two Michelin Stars for making the
most of carefully chosen ingredients to
produce creative yet traditional dishes. La
Grand’Vigne prides itself for serving honest,
tasty, and healthy food. Amidst the Graves
vineyards is an “ecosystem for the joy of
living.” Chef Masse likes to feel close to this
region and those who farm it.
The menu at La Grand’Vigne features fish,
cheeses, and meats, including a veal chop
with black truffle and verjuice; and pigeon
with corn and agen prune. Starters include
“The Angry farm egg” with white asparagus,
chlorophyll and jus de volaille. Dessert is
lemon tart or ice cream with cognac.
Chiva-Som – foundations of health
and a source of pleasure
Hua Hin, Thailand
Restaurants: The Emerald Room, Taste of Siam
A wellness retreat in the Thai seaside town of
Hua Hin, Chiva-Som blends the art of ancient
health practices with the vitality of innovative
holistic therapies. Chiva-Som designs
bespoke personal wellness programs based
on six wellness modalities: spa,
physiotherapy, holistic health, aesthetic
beauty, fitness and, of course, nutrition.
Cuisine at Chiva-Som is based on 10 pillars.
Among these are using only organic,
GMO-free and whole foods ingredients of
superior nutritional quality, and reverence for
the planet.
Egg white congee with chicken, spring onion, ginger, and mushroom.
The Chiva-Som food philosophy is also
based on empowering the individual to
restore and sustain wellness. Food at
Chiva-Som is regarded as a foundation of
health, as well as a source of pleasure.
The menu includes Beef Broth, made with
juniper, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme; and
Egg White Congee with chicken, spring
onion, ginger, and mushroom.
Canyon Ranch – simple pleasures
that satisfy and nurture
Tucson, AZ; Lenox MA, Las Vegas, NV – United
States
Congee is an easily digestible porridge said to promote
good health and tonify Qi and blood. – Chiva-Som
Restaurant: Canyon Ranch Grill
Canyon Ranch is one of the top wellness
destinations in America, offering luxury spa
resort experiences on land and at sea. With
locations in three states Canyon Ranch
provides an immersive exploration of
mind-body wellness in a relaxed, casually
elegant setting.
The food philosophy at Canyon Ranch is
simple and consistent: “when you eat better,
you feel better.” Canyon Ranch serves
balanced, nutritious, soulful and honest
“The Angry farm egg” with white asparagus, chlorophyll and jus de volaille. – Les Sources de Caudalie
cooking.
07 | Spa Executive Feature

“Ours is a contemporary, generous and
satisfying cuisine that nourishes body, mind
and soul. We are guided by the rhythm of the
seasons and the simple pleasures of working
with impeccable products. The end result is
food you’ll love that will love you back.”
The breakfast menu at the Canyon Ranch
Grill in Las Vegas includes Organic Tofu
Scramble, Strawberries and Cream Whole
Grain Crepes with marscapone and toasted
walnuts, and Avocado Toast with petite
cilantro and piquillo peppers on artisan wheat
Yum Sum-O Pomelo salad with minced chicken, shallot, red chilis, kaffir lime leaf, and mint. “Pomelo is packed with
immunity-boosting vitamin C as well as body-balancing potassium, whilst the zing of chili helps fire up your metabolism
and reduces inflammation.” – Kamalaya
bread.
The lodge focuses on sustainable living, and
the culinary experience features locally grown
produce and meats, including produce and
herbs from one of the three on-property
gardens.
Kamalaya – Healing and quiet
reflection
Koh Samui, Thailand
Restaurants: Soma Restaurant, Amrita Café,
Alchemy Tea Lounge
Avocado toast with petite cilantro, piquillo peppers, and Alaskan
smoked salmon on artisan wheat bread – Canyon Ranch
The Lodge at Woodloch –
sustainable and creative
Hawley, Pennsylvania – United States
Restaurant: TREE restaurant and bar
The Lodge at Woodloch, a luxury woodland
retreat in the Pocono mountains of
Pennsylvania, embraces a philosophy of
“personal awakening.” A respite from the
pressures of daily life, the Lodge at Woodloch
provides the opportunity to reconnect to
creative and stress-relieving outlets. These
might include creative discovery workshops,
fitness and wellness classes, outdoor
adventures, cooking demonstrations and
wine tastings, or speaker events.
Located high in the tree tops with a view of a
private lake, TREE Restaurant and Bar offers
a diverse menu, and the chefs take pride in
creating delectable dishes that are healthfully
prepared with seasonal and locally-sourced
ingredients.
The menu at TREE includes steak frites and
edamame dumplings for lunch. Dinner may
include Filet Mignon au Poivre with broccolini
and Hudson Whiskey peppercorn sauce,
Maine Lobster Pappardelle Pasta with fresh
tarragon and truffle pecorino, or Southwest
BBQ Grilled Cauliflower Steak with black
bean puree, pico de gallo, chimichurri sauce,
and dark chocolate mole.
Kamalaya Koh Samui is a Wellness
Sanctuary and Holistic Spa resort on the
southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand.
Kamalaya is centered around a cave that
once served Buddhist monks as a place of
meditation and spiritual retreat. The resort
offers a holistic wellness experience that
integrates healing therapies from East and
West, a breathtakingly beautiful natural
environment, customized wellness programs
and retreats, and inspired healthy cuisine.
At Kamalaya food is a key to living a healthier,
more vibrant life. Chef Kai Mueller’s Kamalaya
Cuisine is based on principles of Asian
healing traditions as well as the latest
nutritional research. Principles for Kamalaya
Cuisine include placing emphasis on high
quality, fresh ingredients, and serving foods
close to their natural state, without additives,
preservatives, and artificial flavourings.
The menu at Kamalaya includes Yum Sum-O
Polemo Salad with minced chicken, shallot,
red chilis, kaffir lime leaf, and mint.
Feature
Southwest BBQ Grilled Cauliflower Steak with black
bean puree, pico de gallo, chimichurri sauce and dark
chocolate mole. – The Lodge at Woodloch
Spa Executive | 08

AccorHotels’
Dan
What make
Daniel Poulin is the Director
Spa & Fitness, North &
Central America,
AccorHotels.
He oversees 18 spas, which include the
world-renowned Fairmont properties, 60
fitness facilities, and hundreds of recreation
programs. Fairmont spas have won many
accolades, including a Forbes 5-Star rating
for the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San Diego.
Three Fairmont properties also recently
earned spots on Spas of America’s list of Top
Spas of 2018.
Mr. Poulin’s career in the fitness and spa
industry spans over 30 years, and he holds a
Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology
and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition
with a specialization on exercise and breast
cancer.
09 | Spa Executive Spotlight

iel Poulin
s a successful spa director?
We spoke with Mr. Poulin about the
personality traits that make a successful spa
director, and what he’s doing to deal with the
staffing shortage in the industry.
What is the secret to being a
successful Director of Spa and
Fitness?
important as well. Nerve is, for me, the ability
to think outside the box, to not be afraid of
challenge or to speak up. And, obviously,
talent is something that you bring with you,
and we expect you to bring that when you
are coming to our property, but it is also
something that I work very hard in developing
in my team.
The Hospitality Quotient, the HQ, is extremely
important in our field. First and foremost, we
are in the people business, and we use our
spas, fitness and recreation programs, and
facilities as our tools to connect with our
guests. So, our spa directors need to be at a
very high HQ in order to deliver on the
experience.
On a popular reality show they always say
that you have to bring your charisma,
uniqueness, nerve, and talent. This, I think, is
what I'm bringing, and what I expect my team
of 18 fantastic spa directors to bring.
We are in the people business, so we have to
be charismatic and engaging. Charisma also
relates to relationship building. I'm a big
believer in relationships. Uniqueness is being
able to bring your personality -- what makes
you yourself -- to the job. I think that's
You’ve also mentioned the
“Hospitality Quotient.” Talk to me
about that.
Danny Meyer, who owns the Gramercy
Tavern in New York City, talks about
“hospitality” versus “service.” In his words
"Service is what you do to someone,” the
procedures you have in place. “Hospitality,”
on the other hand, is what we are doing to
make people feel the experience.
How do Fairmont spas stand out?
What makes them unique or
special?
Fairmont is all about turning moments into
memories. This is based on four pillars:
Authentic Experiences: You don’t go
to a luxury spa to receive a massage. You go
to a luxury spa to have an experience.
Spotlight
Spa Executive | 10

We are in the people
business, and we use our
spas, fitness and
recreation programs, and
anticipation is that in a few years we may not
be able to run our spas due to lack of
therapists. So, we’ve been working with Zeel,
which is the Uber of massage. And if things
continue in this direction, and we aren’t able
to find therapists in North and Central
America, we're going to have to start hiring
from abroad. In other parts of the world being
a spa or massage therapist is still a
profession that is very highly regarded.
facilities as our tools to
connect with our guests.
Can you talk about any new
developments or plans with any of
your spas?
There are far too many to fit in here! Accor
Nurturing Environment: We create a
sanctuary for our guests that is also social.
That means a fun and social place that is
safe, comfortable, welcoming, caring, clean,
and uncluttered.
Guided Journey: We guide each guest
through a spa experience customized to their
needs. The Guest Journey is authentically
linked and seamlessly touches our five
senses in each stage -- sight, touch, taste,
sound, smell.
Energized People: We measure our
success by the level of positive energy in the
spa. We look for the positive effects of people
with good energy coming together. We call it
the “synergy of energy.” That's what makes
us so unique.
How have your degrees in Nutrition
Sciences and Exercise Sciences
helped you succeed in this
industry?
I think it gives a certain weight to the
programs that we launch because I make
sure they are not just fads. Spa and fitness it
one of the trendiest industries in the world.
For example, something that is a meaningful
industry development, rather than a trend or
fad, is cancer awareness. The 2017 Global
Wellness Summit identified cancer as
something that should be addressed in spa
and fitness, and that is what we are going to
do. My Master of Science degree was on
breast cancer and exercise. That means that
I have extensive research on this, which
allows me to get involved in a way that is
coming from a place of education and
understanding.
Let’s talk about the ever-present
issue of staffing and turnover
This is such a well documented issue for the
spa industry. The new generation in North
America doesn't seem to want to go into spa
therapy, or if they do, they want to open their
own business. I approach massage schools
and try to engage with them and inform them
about the great opportunities we have. I think
it’s important in terms of educating people
about the benefits of working for a large hotel
chain.
We need to be prepared. Last year, ISPA
conducted a lot of research on this and the
has recently made some exciting purchases,
including Mövenpick and 21C Museum. 21C
is a very cool concept - the hotels are
actually art museums. I’m very excited about
that because it’s an aspect of wellness that
we don’t see often: mindfulness is the idea of
stopping and taking the time, in this case, to
look at some art. They also have spa and
fitness.
We also have some great openings in 2019,
like the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los
Angeles. That is an iconic building that’s
being completely gutted and rebuilt and will
be opening in 2019 with an unbelievable spa,
very cutting edge. It's going to be a flagship
for Fairmont. We also have our first SO/
opening in Havana, in Cuba. SO/ is the cooler
sister of Sofitel. It will have obviously a spa
and fitness so that's very exciting.
Those are just a few of the many things I’m
really excited about.
11 | Spa Executive Spotlight

6common
mistakes
spa managers
make
Being a spa manager is a lot of work and
requires constant learning.
This isn’t specific to spa, of course. The best
leaders never stop learning, and they also
make a lot of mistakes. Behind every leader is
a road littered with errors. Making them is
normal and a part of the process. Correcting
them and learning from them, however, is the
key to success.
We looked over some interviews we’ve done
with experts in the industry, and found a lot of
valuable insight in their comments, which
outline common errors spa managers make.
And we’re listing them here, so that you can,
ideally, avoid doing the same yourself.
These are some of the common mistakes
spa managers make.
1
Jumping on bandwagons
Spa and fitness are among the trendiest
industries there are. Wellness is a heavily
trafficked road of bandwagons, and if you
miss one, there will be another along any
minute. Trent Munday, Senior Vice President
at Mandara Spa, recently told us he has “a bit
of an issue with the Spa Trends lists that get
trotted out each year.” He explained, “My
concern is that often times these are really
fads, not trends. These fads are fueled by an
overwhelming desire to find something new
to talk about. Fads in and of themselves are
no problem. Where they do become
troublesome is when a business makes
investments in products and equipment
based on tends that turn out to be fads.
Once the fad fades away, that business is left
holding the bag in terms of its investment.”
“
Once the fad
fades away,
that business
is left holding
the bag in
terms of its
investment.
Trent Munday,
Senior Vice President
Mandara Spa
13 | Spa Executive Management

2
Being all business
Carlos Calvo Rodriguez, Corporate Director
of Spa Training at Shangri-La Hotels and
Resorts, once said in an interview with Spa
Executive for a special report on staffing that
most spa managers are good at either
business or treatment, but almost never both.
“People either climb up the ladder through
one direction or the other, but they very rarely
have both skills,” he said. “The people who
are strong in the business side tend to burn
out therapists and staff by pushing too hard.”
This leads to high staff turnover because
people can’t keep up with the workload, and
it’s hard to maintain a business when you
need to keep replacing your staff. Spa staff
have jobs that are more physically and
psychologically taxing than many. The best
managers keep this in mind and are sensitive
to it.
3
Not focusing enough on
business
A spa manager does, however, have to know
something about the other side of things.
Calvo Rodriguez told us, “When you are only
good at the treatment or skills side, there’s no
profitability because there’s no business
acumen. The treatments might be really good
but people don’t know about them. So, the
spa just is not profitable.” No matter how
great those therapists are, if a manager can’t
run operations, it’s just not going to work.
4
Not promoting from within
One study on this subject showed that,
across all industries, more than 80% of
workers had to move on to move up due to
companies’ refusal to promote from within.
And the tendency to look outside for
managerial staff can hurt spas in more ways
than one. It leads to high turnover, and to
leaders who don’t understand both sides of
the business. As Deirdre Strunk, Vice
President of Spa, Fitness and Beauty at
Canyon Ranch, recently told us, “Promotion
from within is ideal because those leaders
understand your business and have
established relationships with team
members.” That new leader may be missing
some key skills, but if they have been working
with you for some time, they will be starting
with a valuable foundation that is hard to find
elsewhere.
“
When you
are only
good at the
treatment or
skills side,
there’s no
profitability
because
there’s no
business
acumen.
Carlos Calvo Rodriguez,
Corporate Director of Spa Training
Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
5
Not properly training spa
managers
Carlos Calvo Rodriguez also told us he
thought it unfortunate that the industry puts
all its focus on training therapists or spa
attendants, and neglects to train managers.
Kathryn Moore, Founder and Managing
Director at Spa Connectors, who also spoke
to us for the special report on staffing,
agreed. She said, “In some cases they’re
running these huge assets, multi million dollar
spas, and they’re not making any money. It’s
dead, because they don’t know how to do
the sales and marketing; they don’t know
how to manage the team; to performance
manage, to run a training schedule; they
don’t know how to make sure the inventory is
looked after. So, there’s stock on the shelves
that’s been there forever, or is expired, or
stolen. We’re expecting these kids to run
businesses without teaching them how.”
Unless managers are properly trained, spas
will continue to struggle.
6
Keeping your distance
Shane Bird, Director of Spa at Turning Stone
Resort and Casino, told us recently that the
key to managing a successful team is “being
willing as a manager or director to do
everything, and to really get in the trenches.
To be able to get in there and work with
someone, whether it’s at the front desk or
collecting towels, and to do whatever they are
doing.” He added, “You cannot stay in an
office. Your team has to see you engaging the
guests in the way you want the guests
engaged. It’s being a part of the everyday
operations as much as you possibly can.” In
order to manage a team, one has to
understand that team. To understand people,
you must know them, and you can’t do that
with a door between you.
Management
Spa Executive | 14

5 ways to make your customer
experience effortless yet human
Spa time isn’t just about taking a break; it’s an escape!
Written by Snehaa Karthik
Customers are looking for an escape from
the stresses of daily life, and to slip into a
cocoon of happiness. They want to be
pampered and made to feel special. Even the
smallest of interruptions will be remembered
-- and not with fondness.
Sound tough? Customer experience is as
difficult to manage as it is important. Don’t
worry. We’ve got some simple yet effective
things you can do to improve the customer
experience at your spa by personalizing it
with a human touch.
Here are five tips for delivering an incredible
customer experience:
1
Make the experience a
seamless one
Imagine your customer walks into the spa,
gives their name and information, almost
immediately walks into a treatment room, and
walks out with a smile on their face Wouldn’t
that be perfect?
What if your customers didn’t have to spend
the first part of every visit filling out forms?
After all, no one likes to wait. Especially, when
they had to make time in a busy schedule to
fit in a spa appointment. Wouldn’t it be great
if they could fill out the forms at their own
convenience before arriving at the spa?
Technology makes it possible for you to send
out an online form with your confirmation
emails or texts. Guest Intake, for example, a
HIPAA compliant solution that integrates with
most spa management softwares,allows you
o have your forms and waivers filled in
beforehand, and to maintain your records for
compliance audits. It also syncs the
information with the customer profile, so they
only have to provide this information once,
even if they come back to your spa.
15 | Spa Executive Insights

2 Enhance the waiting experience 3 Watch your language
Let’s dive into this with a comparison, shall
we?
Situation 1:
You are sitting in a well-lit room with chairs
and a couch, with a few magazines to look at
while you wait for your service to begin. You
get to choose from water, green tea, or juice
to drink.
Situation 2:
The seating is so comfortable you could sink
into it, and the atmosphere so relaxing you
could just close your eyes and listen to the
calm surrounding you (but there are
magazines to flip through if you want them).
The lighting is soft, but not so low that you
can’t see. A soothing aroma engulfs you.
Someone walks in to ask if you’ll have your
preferred chamomile tea as usual or if you felt
like something else today.
Which of these two
situations would you
prefer?
This is what we mean when we say that there
is good customer experience and great
customer experience. The latter is what one
might call “great.” And yes, you can deliver
these standards even if you aren’t a luxury
space with high ticket prices. All you need is
the right spa software that will let you keep
track of your customer preferences in
addition to a space designed to feel
welcoming and relaxing (even if it is not huge
or luxurious). Taking care of the little things
makes a huge difference.
A “so glad to have you with us today” instead
of a “welcome” can completely change the
way your customer feels about their visit.
You can make your customers feel like they
are valued and special by choosing the right
words. Sometimes this takes a little tweaking.
Script it, try it, and pay attention to how your
customers respond. Keep refining your script
until you find what works best, and make
sure your staff is trained to speak to guests in
the way you decide they should be spoken
to.
If you’re looking for inspiration, visit five star
spas and pay attention to the language they
use and how they speak to their customers.
Communication is an art, and perfecting
one’s art takes practice.
4
Orient the guest in your space
Imagine walking out of a sauna and not being
able to find your way to the changing room. It
doesn’t feel very relaxing, does it?
Nobody likes to feel lost. That’s exactly how a
new customer feels when they visit a spa for
the first time. It is human nature to want to
avoid being in uncomfortable and/or
embarrassing situations. Always give your
new customers a tour of the facility and help
them adjust to the environment. Show them
where the washrooms and change rooms
are. Ask your repeat customers if they
remember their way around and let them
know they can reach out to any of the staff
members if they need anything.
You want your guests to feel at home, and
everyone knows their way around their own
home.
5
Personalize your product
recommendations
Retail sales are one of a spa’s biggest
challenges. With e-commerce offering huge
discounts and same-day deliveries,
competition is fierce. But you have an
advantage over the giants: you know your
guests. One thing you can offer your
customers that an e-commerce giant can’t is
personalized recommendations based on
your direct relationships with your guests.
Take advantage of that. Familiarize all of your
employees with the features and benefits of
all the products you stock. Your therapists
might be making the recommendations and
initiating the sale but it’s the front desk that
closes it. So, your front desk should also
know your products well. And if a
recommended product is out of stock, make
sure everyone knows what to recommend
instead, so you don’t lose revenue in retail
sales.
Keeping notes is an important part of this
process. Your spa software should allow you
to keep detailed customer profiles and
automatically sync any product purchases to
their profile.
This allows you to ask questions like, “Would
you like to replace the shampoo and
conditioner you got from us four months
ago?” Or “Since you love our aromatherapy
massages so much, would you like to buy the
chamomile oil from our professional series?”
These are all simple changes to implement. It
just means taking the time to train your staff
to engage with customers on a personal level
with professionalism. You and your team can
create lasting memories for your customers.
That’s the first step towards improving your
customer experience.
Insights
Spa Executive | 16

Naked Labs’ affordable 3D body scanner
Introducing a new, affordable 3D body
scanner by Naked Labs Inc.
The Naked 3D Fitness Tracker, or simply
“Naked,” is the world’s first 3D body scanner
designed for home use, and it retails for
significantly less than other 3D scanners.
Naked includes a full-length 3D scanning
smart mirror with a connected rotating scale
-- or “turntable” -- and companion mobile
app. The technology consists of a scale that
rotates the user 360 degrees in 15 seconds
in front of a WiFi/Bluetooth-enabled mirror
that uses cameras to construct a 3D body
model. After scanning, users can view their
scan in the mobile app to see a full suite of
metrics including body fat percentage, lean
mass and fat mass, circumferences,
side-by-side comparisons, and historical
data. The technology allows users to track
how their bodies change over time.
Naked Labs co-founder and CEO Farhad
Farahbakhshian came up with the idea for
Naked while working as a spin instructor in
the San Francisco Bay Area. Farahbakhshian
repeatedly witnessed discouraged gym goers
abandoning their fitness goals because they
weren’t seeing visible results, even though
they were actually making progress. The idea
was to design something that would allow
people to see those changes that weren’t
visible to the naked eye, or through unreliable
methods like scales and selfies, and keep
them motivated to continue.
From the media release:
“Naked Labs believes that every body has a
story. Giving people the opportunity to see
themselves in an objective, visual way reveals
the impact that diet, exercise, and other daily
decisions has on the body. Additionally, 3D
scans show progress faster than anything
else, keeping users motivated and
accountable. Democratizing this information
— previously available only in gyms and
medical facilities — empowers the individual
to take control of his or her own body story.”
“We have been looking forward to this day for
a long time,” said Farahbakhshian. “Today,
people are searching for evidence-based
methods to track health and fitness that
aren’t solely focused on weight. We are
excited to get Naked into people’s homes to
give them better insight into exactly what’s
going on in their body and help them work
towards their goals.”
Most other available body scanners are
designed for business use, and retail for
between 10,000 USD and upwards of
$100,000 USD. The Naked 3D Fitness
Tracker is available in the U.S. for $1,395 at
www.nakedlabs.com. The companion Naked
app is free to download.
17 | Spa Executive Technology

Beautiful community
sauna opens in former
railway station warehouse
Take a look at this communal sauna, which
opened recently in Tampere, Finland, the
international “sauna capital of the world.”
The sauna is designed by Studio Puisto and
is called the Tullin Sauna, which translates to
“customs sauna.” Constructed in what was
formerly a warehouse for the nearby railway
station, Tullin Sauna is a public sauna that
functions as a related extension to Dream
Hotel, also designed by Studio Puisto
Architects, and located across the street.
Designed to be a reprieve from the bustle of
urban life, the Tullin is tucked in the heart of a
former industrial red-brick neighborhood. The
project’s name takes root in local customs,
and the purpose is to create a gathering
place for residents and visitors.
Tullin is designed to serve as a korttelisauna,
or “neighborhood sauna.” The 19th century
was a time when space in Finnish cities was
limited and many homes were too small to
have their own washrooms. So,
korttelisaunas were built to serve as
communal bathing areas. These ultimately
took on the role of gathering places where
people came together to bathe and socialize.
Growth
Spa Executive | 18

19 | Spa Executive Growth

The building also houses a co-working space
and a bistro, and serves as a communal space
for locals, as well as the guests of the Dream Hotel.
One of the most prominent materials is
natural, warm Finnish pine to contrast with
the cooler, rougher concrete textures of the
warehouse. The building features traditional
wood-burning Finnish saunas constructed by
local craftsmen.
To keep the feel of the space, including the
bistro and co-working space, true to the
ritualistic calm that it represents, one of the
log saunas physically cuts into the reception
and bistro with a small but tinted window
offering a peek inside. Adding to this effect,
the exterior windows are given a soft and
milky appearance to make it seem like they
are fogged up from by the sauna’s steam.
Growth
Spa Executive | 20