Pulse Legacy Archive September 2012 | Page 37

“ If the technicians don’ t buy into the service opportunity and the retail opportunity, the partnership will never be successful.”

Surveying the Scene“ We look for a partner that supports our brand and provides continued training and support for our technicians,” says Holly Wydra, spa operations manager for The Spa At The Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania. For many spas, this initial search for a resource partner begins with research.“ I generally prefer to research lines on my own, starting with their packaging, brand history, product development and how available their products are online,” says Jessica Timberlake, spa director of The Spa at Laguna Cliffs in Dana Point, California.“ I like to ensure lines would be a strong match before reaching out.”
Spas also rely on trade shows to scope out potential new partnerships.“ Our management team attends conferences and trade shows, such as ISPA, to stay informed and discover new developments in the industry,” says Wydra.“ These are valuable tools for building new partnerships.”
Checking Compatibility Once there is an initial attraction, a dating period, so to speak, begins, with both companies discovering their compatibility with each other. It’ s not only management who must get along, however— in order for a strong partnership to exist, all members of the spa staff must be on board.“ We engage with our technicians, educators and department heads to be sure they buy into the product before we even begin discussions of a contract,” says Jana Westerbeke, president of Gadabout Salon Spas in Tucson, Arizona.“ Once we have our staff excited and their support of the new line, we will begin discussions with the vendor to create an exclusive relationship in the Tucson market.”
Exclusivity is a major step toward forming a long-lasting relationship with a resource partner, according to Timberlake.“ I don’ t want what everyone can have,” she says.“ I like a line that tends to be more exclusive.”
Innovation is another appealing factor to spas.“ We really enjoy engaging with
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