“ Our front desk staff gets free facials and free massages so that they know what they ’ re selling . If [ a guest ] asks at the front desk and they try to sell from the shelf , it ’ s hard , but if they have experienced themselves , it ’ s so much easier .”
Spa Director Benjamin Donat shows off a treatment space at Remède Spa at St . Regis Deer Valley , where he has focused on improving retail sales performance .
GET FAMILIAR When it comes to adding dollars to the retail bottom line , no resource is more valuable than the spa ’ s employees , including front desk staff and attendants . And because personalization is more important than ever to spa guests seeking treatments that address their needs and experiences , it ’ s critical that employees are able to speak in specific terms about product to their guests . Being able to personally vouch for the results a given cream or serum might deliver carries a lot more weight than a generic recommendation .
When Donat is exploring new product offerings , his team is a huge part of the decision-making process .“ They take the product home , but they have to send me three things that they like about it and anything they don ’ t like and why ,” he says .“ I have feedback because I have 25 testers in my spa .
SEPTEMBER 2021 ■ PULSE 25