member profile
“I’m not sure what happened to the
medical profession, but you don’t think
of good service when you think of giving
medical care and I think that is something
that the public is demanding to be
changed,” she says. “If you are running a
good spa, you’re attending to a high level
of customer service, and that is critical for
a successful medical practice in the long
term.”
To ensure its staff is capable of delivering exceptional service, The Medical
Spa at Nova administers thorough background checks and face-to-face
interviews with potential employees
during the hiring process. Once hired,
employees are provided with initial training and are required to attend quarterly
programs aimed at updating them on the
spa’s new services and products.
“We want someone who agrees with
our basic philosophy that identifies with
the concepts that we have and care
about,” she says. “I think we attract a different employee than someone working
for tips.”
MARKETING METHODS
As part of its overall marketing strategy,
The Medical Spa at Nova puts a major
focus on retaining its existing clientele.
The spa also makes it a point to market its
services to patients of Nova Medical
Group and corporations nearby. Through
patient loyalty programs and direct mailings, the spa has seen success in getting
patients to return—one direct mailing in
2010 offering a discount for returning
clients garnered $8,000-worth of revenue.
“You want clients who wouldn’t
dream of ever leaving you for anyone else
so you have to create an environment
that caters to their every whim,” she says.
Spending about $30,000 annually on
18 PULSE
■
March/April 2011
FASTFACT
One of The Medical Spa at Nova’s unique treatments is its breast
cancer massage, a non-invasive Swedish-based massage designed
specifically for patients who had pre- or post-operative breast
surgeries, mastectomies, augmentation, explanation and reduction.
The spa’s Director of Spa Operations Gail Rush is one of the few breast
cancer massage therapists certified by Cancer and Mastectomy
Massage Specialist Cheryl Chapman.
marketing, The Medical Sp a at Nova uses
approximately 30 percent of its marketing
budget for paid advertisements and 30
percent to host or attend events. The
remaining 40 percent goes towards direct
mailings, charitable donations and other
marketing strategies. Recently, the spa
has also tapped into social media outlets
like Facebook and Twitter to gain exposure.
“We attract a number of new clients
by hosting events and getting people to
experience the spa,” she says.
FUTURE TREND
Looking into the crystal ball, Dr. Keenan
sees a continued push for the integration
of spa treatments into the medical arena
in the future. As more individuals search
for alternative solutions to health problems, the combination of Western
medicine with spa techniques that has
been in use in countries like Thailand—
which she considers “the holistic capital
of the world”—is sure to continue to
grow.
“If we are really going to get a grip on
the burgeoning health care costs of this
country, it is not going to be attained by
putting more people on more drugs so we
need to address the root cause of disease
and of people losing work and productivity,” she says. “If we want to optimize
wellness, I think we are going to need the
spa medicine immersion to occur.” ■
GIANNINA SMITH is an Atlanta-based travel and
business writer whose work has appeared in Condé
Nast Traveler, Delta SKY Magazine, AirTran Airways GO
Magazine, Doggie Aficionado and Competitor
Southeast. She is currently on contract with a national
consumer publication and a regular contributor to
Atlanta Business Chronicle and Simply Buckhead magazine. Read her articles at gianninasmith.com.
ABOUT THE SPA
Spa type: Medical Spa
Spa open date: 2005
Space in square footage: 4,000 square feet
Number of treatment rooms: Eight treatment rooms; one executive lounge
Number of full-time spa staff: Six (Two
massage therapists, one master aesthetician,
one aesthetic nurse, one spa manager/certified fitness instructor, one director of spa
operations)
Method of staff compensation:
Combination of hourly, salary and commission
Staff training: Initial training and quarterly
updates on new products and services
Annual budget for marketing: $30,000
Products: SkinCeuticals, Obagi
Guest ratio (women vs. men): 80
percent/20 percent
Contact details:
The Medical Spa at Nova
21785 Filigree Ct Ste 100
Ashburn, Virginia 20147-6214
USA
novamedspa.com