Pulse November/December 2021 | Page 19

how Tereza Zanchi — a spa with ten locations in southern Brazil — provides customized treatment packages . A client can book either a 30- , 45- , 60- , 90- or 120-minute session and combine services a la carte . “ A customer could do thirty minutes of relaxing shiatsu plus thirty minutes of reflexology , for example ,” says Co-Founder and Director Katja Guimaraes . “ Charging for the time makes it easy to operate . For a small difference in price , the confusion [ of charging by the service ] isn ’ t worth it .”
Building a Business Case
The business benefits of offering customized services are , for the most part , self-evident . Customized experiences lead to happier spa-goers who
are more likely to return to the spa time and again . At the same time , the higher price point attached to more customized and personalized experiences also means greater revenues and bigger profit margins . However , there are benefits that are less intuitive . For example , Hercik notes that customized treatments don ’ t only lead to happier clients : they lead to happier staff , too . Allowing service providers to use their full range of skills to customize services on-the-fly reignites their passion .“ The excitement you see on the providers — they went to school with that inspiration , you know ? That ’ s why they became a service provider : they had a gift and a passion . Sometimes we clip their

“ Many years ago , we did not allow our providers to use their whole toolbox . Now , I think many spa directors have realized that service providers can create very unique , personalized services .”

— CECILIA HERCIK
wings a little bit too much .” On the other hand , there are challenges to offering customized services . Staffing is a major obstacle for many spas . In order to coordinate customized packages that bridge fitness , massage , esthetics and more ,“ you need a qualified individual that understands different areas of the spa ,” says Hercik . While that person can be the spa director or spa manager , taking the lead on customizing treatments can be too time-consuming to be practical . Timing can also be a sticking point , according to Martinez .“ Looking at the provider ’ s perspective , timing is hard ,” she says .“ How much time do they need to listen to the guest ? Some guests open up really quickly . Others , not so much .” Training staff on human psychology and how to ask effective questions can help overcome the timing challenge , but costs both time and money on the front end . Behind the
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