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