“ I don ’ t like someone to analyze my property and think that they know how they ’ re going to fit right in . Sometimes , it feels a little insulting . Come to us with a sense of humility , and say , ‘ Here ’ s what we ’ ve seen work , and here ’ s why this has been successful .’ I think that approach is really important .”
— ELLA KENT , director of rooms at Sea Island
ISPA ' s Resource Partner Town Hall panelists were all smiles as they discussed spa and resource partner relationships .
really seeing what the difference is — but it might not be something we can do right now .”
Extensive preparation should not , however , lead resource partners to make presumptions about where their product or service fits within the spas they approach , however . As Ella Kent , director of rooms at Sea Island , points out , there is a fine line between knowing your audience and coming on too strong : “ I don ’ t like someone to analyze my property and think that they know how they ’ re going to fit right in ,” she said , “ Sometimes , it feels a little insulting . Come to us with a sense of humility , and say , ‘ Here ’ s what we ’ ve seen work , and here ’ s why this has been successful .’ I think that approach is really important .”
Two Paths to Training
Though every spa leader on the panel agreed that effective training is an essential part of a strong spa-resource partner relationship , they had slightly different preferences for how it takes place . Deirdre Strunk , for one , cannot wait to get back to consistent in-person product training .“ We ’ ve done the best we can this year with … video , but I really feel like that in-person training is so important ,” she said .“ Even though some passion can come through video , having the vendors there , and having the trainers there and the passion they have for their line is really important in person .”
While Ella Kent agreed that some forms of virtual training — such as prerecorded videos or those where the presenter is simply reading prepared language — miss the mark , she noted that well-executed interactive virtual training offers a couple of clear benefits .“ If you can have an interactive class in a Zoom format , following what ’ s going on in the classroom , and you ’ re having a conversation , I think that ’ s going to be our reality for a while yet ,” she explained .“ I know our vendor partners aren ’ t going to have a lot of money to travel , certainly not to Sea Island .” Kent also noted that being able to record an interactive training makes future education that much simpler .“ I love having an archive that we can then hold when we have a new esthetician come in , instead of having to come in and train them again . I think that ’ s asking too much , but when they can see their team interacting with your team and learn from what we did together , that can be very impactful .”
For Robert Vance , general manager at Burke Williams in San Jose , California , the training method is less important than the effect it has on his team . “ I ’ m looking at [ training ] in two ways :
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