First, some quick international statistics from 2012:

Number of 5-star spas: 30
Number of 5-star hotels: 59
Number of 5-star restaurants: 25

This year was the first year 5-star spas surpassed the number of 5-star restaurants!

Number of 4-star spas: 120
Number of 4-star hotels: 210
Number of 4-star restaurants: 150

Amanda shared key service insights and best practices from the five-star standard as follows:

Departments Inspected
Reservations: 26 standards
Reception services: 27 standards
Public areas and locker rooms: 29 standards
Treatment one (spa): 36 standards
Treatment two (spa or salon): 36 standards

These classifications must work together as one. They consider items such as condition, luxury, execution, manners, thoughtfulness, cleanliness, courtesy, ambiance and convenience among many others. Amanda says it’s not the structure of the spa itself but the personality of the people because consistent, personalized service is crucial to receiving a high rating. The amount of time one spends in the spa doesn’t matter; these standards can be identified in seconds. It’s all about the harmonious quality of service.

Forbes Five-Star Rating Basics

1. Staff appears to be extremely well informed about requirements within their department.

2. The guest’s name is used effectively as a signal of recognition, but discreetly.

3. Staff proactively approaches the guest whenever possible; guests in queue are acknowledged.

4. Staff is extremely well-spoken/eloquent, avoids slang and phrase-fragments.

5. Staff is polite and maintains a gracious tone and appropriate pace throughout the interaction. Should match the ambiance.

6. Staff readily smiles and maintains an enagaging expression.

7. Staff is thoughtful and intuitive demonstrating anticipatory service when appropriate and helpful.

What do you think about these standards? How do these ideas manifest inside your spa?

The post Live from ISPA: Insight from Forbes Five-Star Spa Standards appeared first on Esthetique Spa International.

It’s true that you have to be known for one thing that puts you on the map. David shared three important factors to create and maintain a competitive advantage by keeping ahead of changes in the marketplace.

1. Be unexpected. Just like Seth Godin talks about being a Purple Cow in your marketplace, find a way to be remarkable. Create your own category and way of doing things that sets you apart. He used the example of Clinique’s staff members who wear white lab coats. This is an accessory that leads to credibility. So, what can your spa rightfully claim?

Suggested Company Exercise
Write 10 persuasive things about your business that you can be true conversationally. This answers the question to your potential client “why should I care?”

Notes to promote:

- Sole claim “we are the only…”
- Action verb “we created, developed, pioneered…”
- Supremacy “we are the [first, fastest, largest, oldest, softest...]“
- Honors “we were honored as spa of the year…”
- Media appearances “we have a full page article in…”
- Key clients “when apple was looking for a supplier…”

 2. Connect with your audience. In order to really connect with your audience, you have to know what it is that they want and give it to them. That starts with educating them. Using the 80/20 rule, 20% of your clients represent 80% of your business. Determine those top 20% that have an impact on your business, make a schedule one year out to connect with each of them personally and answer these questions: What do you want them to know? What do you want them to do? Tell them! Are we telling them enough or are we relying on headlines?

Suggested Company Exercise
Schedule a staff meeting and ask your staff why they think your spa is great. Come up with 10-20 statements and pare it down to five. Laminate these five and tape it to every phone in your office, and make sure your staff says at least 3/5 statements on the phone.

3. Be visible.  Your spa’s biggest competitor is anonymity. Your spa must be top of mind! At this point in the session, David used the example of what he does. During the holidays, he sends his clients a large glass M&M jar with his name on it with a personal note. Then, once a month he sends them a bag of M&Ms to refill the jar with another personal note. This is how he stays top of mind…and who doesn’t want to come into the office that has a jar of M&Ms! Obvious sales tactic? Yes, David admits, but it works.

Other important points from David:

- Marketing is not a department, it is a function of every person in the organization
- Train your people and hold them accountable
- Use clever and inexpensive resources like Fiverr.com
- In social media don’t sell – share. And it’s not just about being there, it’s all about being active
- To make it viral, ask yourself: is this good enough that someone would pass it on? Be engaging, funny and interactive
- People do business with people they like. Share personal stories. People care.
- Linked in is a phenomenal search tool. Connect in a city with someone advance search.
- Leave a tangible trail of wisdom and share: What do you know? What have you learned?

Did you watch this educational session? What were your take-aways? 

The post Live from ISPA: It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who Knows You appeared first on Esthetique Spa International.

Carol Phillips, CEO of Beautee Smarts, sees trouble brewing: In our industry, we give until our batteries are worn out. We need to light to fire underneath us and strike a balance with everything we do. Carol’s newest course, Unlimited Potential: How to get more from your job than varicose veins, addresses the issue of burnout in the spa industry.

Here are some of Carol’s words of wisdom to help you recharge your batteries and remember why you got into the spa business in the first place:

• Create a personal image package. We all judge a book by its cover. If your client can’t get beyond your looks and style they won’t care how well you do your job.
• Invest in yourself. Beauty people wear their net worth. Develop a signature look. Dress for the type of clients you want to attract. Like attracts like and can fast track rapport.
• Develop a written dress code for your facility. You may need to teach some of your people how to dress. Provide gifts and rewards for dressing well.
• Millennials need special attention. They have a hard time engaging and looking people in the eye. Your young team members needs help developing the right way to approach clients.
• Develop your Unique Selling Proposition. What is unique about practice or service? Create a specialty. Some examples: We have an in-house training program.
• Follow the 1/1000 rule. It’s impossible to do one thing 1,000% better, but you can do 1,000 things 1% better. Write down a dozen things that you can do a little better than the competition.
• Trouble brews with boredom. Try something new. Go get a treatment somewhere else. Network with other professionals. Get a mentor, or, better yet, be one.
• Live the spa lifestyle at home. Focus on healthy habits. Get enough sleep, eat the right foods, exercise, drink enough water. Guard your time, ask yourself, am I doing the most productive thing at this time?

Want more of Carol? Come see her classes at ESI Las Vegas April 15-16 at The Venetian/Sands Expo! Click here to register.

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