work culture , values and level of customer service at all times .
“ Everything we do [ and ] all the standards that we aspire to — from a facility standpoint to our level of customer service — can fall under one or more of these values ,” said Kolb . They practice DESIGN by selecting one of the values each time they do their twice-a-day “ line ups ” or pre-shift meetings and elaborating on specific ways they can display these values at work .
Kolb said it is imperative to devote and invest time with your team every day . In this industry , it is easy to become drained physically and emotionally , largely because your team is constantly “ giving ” away their time and energy to your guests . Thus , having a regular pre-shift meeting is key to ensuring that you allow your team to recharge on a daily basis , share vital business information , review lessons learned and celebrate successes .
REFLECT : What specific procedures do you have in place in order to help your staff recharge after a draining day at work ?
BEST PRACTICE : Create a Memorable Brand . Jessica Timberlake , spa director at The Spa at Laguna Cliffs , talked about creating brand promises . A brand is your spa ’ s identity . It is important to note that your brand positively impacts both your guests and employees . The brand messaging should be relatable and resonate on an emotional level . Timberlake used a Target ad of a hot air balloon landing in a town devoid of color as an example . In the ad , employees from Target , dressed in colorful outfits , jumped out of the balloon and immediately set about decorating and adding color to the neighborhood . The brand message was clear : Target is fun , lively ,
and colorful . Timberlake ’ s challenge was to create a compelling brand identity that inspires the team at work and attracts guests who want to be served in a memorable way .
REFLECT : In what creative ways are you telling your brand story ?
BEST PRACTICE : Empower Your Employees . Travis Anderson , director of spa at JW Marriott San Antonio – Lantana Spa , talked about the importance of empowering employees . Empowerment is having the autonomy to make decisions without direct involvement from management . Customers judge the quality of your spa by the responsiveness of the first person they come in contact with to address their issue . Empowered employees are happy because they feel respected and valued by the organization . In turn , respected and valued employees are much more likely to make their guests feel respected and valued . According to Anderson , this is one of the reasons why Lantana Spa has some of the highest guest satisfaction scores at Marriott .
REFLECT : How do you show trust to your staff and allow them to make the best possible decisions ?
BEST PRACTICE : Turn Your Team Into Believers . Karen Watson , spa director at The Essex Resort and Spa , stressed the importance of turning your spa team into believers in the products used and carried in your spa ’ s retail area . This , she said , is a prerequisite to any type of sustainable retail sales strategy . Watson believes that “ whatever you focus on will improve ”— a powerful concept in Total Quality Management , an integrative philosophy in management . She invested time in involving her team in developing the retail strategy and layout , educated them on the benefits of the products , and celebrated the incremental improvements that were made in sales . Now , her spa has sales figures to use as a benchmark to help them evaluate their retail performance .
REFLECT : What types of training do you offer to ensure that you involve your team in the spa ’ s long-term retail strategy ?
BEST PRACTICE : Stay Cutting-Edge . Anna Lempereur-Moine , founder of Reservoir , discussed new technologies in the medical spa world . During the Wednesday General Session at the 2012 ISPA Conference & Expo , keynote speaker Peter Sheahan discussed the increasing likelihood of the medical and spa worlds becoming more connected . That point was reinforced by Lempereur- Moine at the Innovate Session . She discussed various cutting-edge technologies and services that infuse the rigor of medical science into the art of spa . The “ Vampire Facial ”— which involves blood
January / February 2013 ■ PULSE 35