Hello beautiful Aligned & Authentic Spa Retail Community,
The SPAcialist is coming at you today with experiences totally unrelated to the Spa environment, but significant in terms of customer service. I keep finding Spa retail inspiration everywhere I go, I guess that's what living in alignment means :)
Alright, so let's head to Paris, my birth-town where I live during the summer (because who can handle the Miami heat and humidity after May?!)
Starting with the first short novel, during my annual checkup at the dentist.
During the consultation, I mentioned that I had tight TMJ and jaw pain, that I could feel it was very tight and tense, especially when I was stressed and had a little bit of anxiety. So she examined it a bit, putting her hands on the TMJ and she said that she would refer me to a specialist for that area. This, I would expect from my dentist! But what I was very surprised and honestly did not expect, was that she actually asked me "Alright, so when does that happen the most? That's when you're stressed, right?" And she actually carried on a short consultation about stress management. She asked me what I did to handle stress, if I practiced meditation. Does it happen more in the morning, during the day or at night? Do I clench my jaw during the night? She was very thorough, involved and active in an area that's actually not her expertise. Specifically, I was so surprised to be talked about stress management at my dentist. She sent me a selection of applications to practice meditation - I do have plenty already, but it's always lovely to receive personalized recommendations.
I was just blown away to get that recommendation and that consultation from my dentist. This is a perfect example of good practice you can take back with you: when someone goes to a Spa, to get a massage, or a facial treatment, of course they want to relax and unwind at the moment. They want to feel the hands of the therapist working on their tensions, on their muscles, but we can give so much more than that. Our scope of practice doesn't stop when the service finishes. We can actually give tools, takeaways, health and lifestyle advice, as simple as that.
Do you have a favorite app, to unwind and meditate? Hopefully you can practice what you preach and you meditate/stretch/practice yoga/mindfulness at least a couple times a week (only way to pour into others cup is to fill yours first ;) ).
So if you have a favorite app, or mindfulness practice, why don't you share that tip with your guests? We all know the 20/80 rule, and that applies to your guests' wellness results. They don't need to just relax for the one hour monthly or weekly that they come to see you. They need stress management every day in their life. So think about those tips, and how easy it is. It does not make you salesy, it does not make you pushy, on the contrary, you're helping your guests taking wellness into their own hands and bringing those great habits at home.
Alright, let's head now to an apartment in the Rive Gauche of Paris.
I have been trying a new way of traveling, which is through home exchange. It's an amazing and wonderful system, where you trust people coming to your home and the dress to coming to theirs.
I stayed in two different apartments. The first one was absolutely fantastic. I just felt immediately at home, the materials that were used - linen, woods, stones, plants - just made me feel very, very grounded. The second apartment I stayed was lovely itself, but additionally made a long-lasting impact and went above and beyond my expectations, as soon as I walked through the door.
It's very well received when you check out of an apartment to leave a little gift for your hosts. My surprise came when checking into the second apartment, I discovered a beautiful gift bag with a "for Alice" note on it, and the host actually left a little welcome gift for me, which was tea - not supermarket tea, we're talking Dammann Frères, which is one of the best teas from Paris - as well as a bottle of cider. It's a very small and lovely attention that did not cost much, but it means so much to receive, and it was so on point because I'm a huge tea addict, which I did not specify in my profile. I just found it amazing and it made me feel immediately so welcome. So at home and I appreciated the vibe and the energy so much. I will always remember staying here is because of that little welcome gift - I'm also glad to share that experience so you can see that the urban legend about Parisians being rude is not true!!
These are 2 examples of how people can go above and beyond in their job, but also in their personal life, and that is the heart, the art of hospitality, caring about people. And that's what you want to bring with you at the Spa with your guests. Going to the Spa with that mentality of "Alright, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna give whatever same massage/facial to all of my clients and call it a day" , is probably why they don't come back, or why they won't purchase retail from you.
People want to feel unique and loved and remember the experience.
These little touches that make you feel a connection between the humankind is what we all crave, need and appreciate so much.
So think, next time you go to the Spa, especially with your regulars, is there anything that you can do, any little touch that you can implement that is going to make them feel at home? Is there a specific flavor of tea that they like? An essential oil that they are crazy about? A type of relaxing music they particularly vibe with?
That's what we call embracing & embodying your calling and your job when you go beyond the simple expectation of giving a service, and you're able to spread your love and care beyond the doors of the Spa, and impact your guests long-term.
Always keep in mind the human connection as the focus. I always recommend in my retail sales training to think of your guests as your best friend, and tune into the energy of wanting what is best for them, and that is the recipe for success. Only seeing guests as a mean for profit is why they wouldn't purchase products from you. They might still come back for services, if you are extremely talented, but connection is what is required to achieve successful retail sales.
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