Pulse Legacy Archive January / February 2013 | Page 18

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Kohler takes pride of its water treatments.
According to Kolb, “everything the guest
comes in contact with relative to water is a
unique experience.”

Becoming a five-star facility required
hard work and dedication. During the
economic downturn, in particular, Kolb
says maintaining a first-class spa experience while being mindful of expenses
was not easy. To overcome operational
challenges, Kolb relies on her staff—a
group briefed on the business finances
each week and at the end of the month.
“My entire team knows how to read
a [profit and loss] statement, which I
don’t think is really common in a lot of
spas,” Kolb says. “We are talking about
managers all the way down to the guest
services staff working the locker room.”
This all-inclusive strategy, Kolb says,
helps employees take ownership of their
jobs and feel like part of the spa’s
success. Often, employees even make
suggestions on ways to cut costs or
operate more resourcefully.
Hiring individuals with positive attitudes is another important ingredient in
Kohler Waters Spa’s recipe for success.
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January/February 2013

When interviewing potential employees,
Kolb crafts questions based on the spa’s
customer service mantra called DESIGN
which embodies the spa’s best practices,
commitment to excellence in service and
work values. Therapists also undergo
practical tests assessing their talent.
“We sometimes go without because
we have to wait for the right person to
come along,” Kolb says. “What is nice
about the five-star status is having
resumes that come in saying ‘I only
want to work at a five-star property’ so
you automatically start getting some of
the best of the best.”

Maintaining Quality
With its five-star status still shiny and
new, Kohler Waters Spa is working to
make sure it remains a top-notch destination. In 2012, the spa introduced a
five-star training program for all new
hires and existing associates. As part of
the program, employees learn about the

history of spa, ISPA and study 154 standards unique to Kohler Waters Spa.
“It’s about day-after-day consistently
making sure you are where you need to
be,” she says. “We walk around and tell
everybody what they are doing great and
where we can improve and everybody is
holding everybody else accountable, so
it’s pretty neat.”
Kohler Waters Spa is also constantly
upgrading its facility and making investments in infrastructure to ensure
success. Expanded in 2005 with additional treatment rooms and spa-inspired
hotel guest suites, the spa also unveiled
a renovation to its signature wet treatment rooms in July 2010. In 2013, nine
of the spa’s original treatment rooms will
undergo a US$200,000 renovation in
addition to capital improvements like
purchasing new massage tables, facial
units, as well as redoing its steam and
sauna rooms. The Carriage House is also
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