Pulse Legacy Archive November 2012 | Page 20

member profile (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16) staff with regular training needed to help them be successful in their job and meet their goals. Investing heavily in recruits at the beginning of their career with G spa and ensuring that work conditions and benefits are the best in the region have led to a more than 90 percent staff retention rate for th e spa. Rewarding the Loyal Ghanem recognizes the importance of a full marketing campaign as G spa’s media and publicity mix includes presence in various media, including television, radio, billboard advertising, and print campaigns. “Word-of-mouth is the best way to bring new clients. As Beirut is a very small city, a satisfied client is our best messenger,” she says. This highlights the importance of good customer service. This year, the spa launched a targeted mail campaign with a brochure distributed to 2,200 VIP clients. They also launched a new interactive website, regularly utilize an email database and actively interact with customers on social media, such as offering lastminute specials or communicating spa news on Facebook. Through their email database, the spa is able to communicate on a more personal level with loyal customers by announcing special offers, receiving feedback through guest satisfaction questionnaires and providing a comprehensive newsletter. This multi-tiered marketing plan, says Ghanem, takes years to fine-tune. For their most loyal customers, the spa offers personalized vouchers for 18 PULSE n November 2012 “As Beirut is a very small city, a satisfied client is our best messenger.” special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other occasions. Ghanem has even gone as far as setting up a chocolate fondue fountain in their relaxation room for guests who come in to celebrate a special occasion. It’s this little, yet sincere gesture that matters. Looking to the Future Ghanem, who advises first-time spa owners to keep looking forward, continues to look for ways to “stay [as] the leader in the local [spa] market [in Lebanon]. “We are currently considering opportunities in Lebanon and hope to open at least two new spas in the future,” she shares her future plans. She also has her eye on global expansion and looking at opening [a] few branches of G spa in the Middle East. “Concerning the rest of the region, we have already received several franchising offers from neighboring countries and we are carefully studying the most suitable option to ensure [a] sustainable success,” Ghanem ends. n ABOUT THE SPA Spa type: Day spa Spa open: 2002 Spa renovation: 2008 Space in square footage: 26,909 Number of full-time and part-time staff: 75 full-time and 3 part-time Method of staff compensation: Fixed salaries + bonuses Number of rooms: 17 Guest ratio (women vs. men): 87:13 Product lines used: Cinq Mondes and Phytobiodermie Contact Info: Aqua Sante SAL G SPA ParkTower Building, Independence Avenue P.O. Box Achrafieh, Sassine Square, 16/6433 Beirut Lebanon Website: gspa.me