We may not all get the infection but all of us are being impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. While working from home, our spa consultants are collaborating with experts in a variety of fields on innovative ideas that will help the day spas we manage as well as the hotel spas under our management. 

For years, the ISPA Foundation has been asking PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct consumer surveys that will help inform the ongoing growth of the spa industry. These surveys, known as the Consumer Snapshot Initiative, not only produce lots of good data for those of us in the spa industry, they also help us get a good read on what people are thinking. Like everything else these days, this year’s edition of the Consumer Snapshot Initiative – the 10th – is all about COVID-19. The survey is giving us an idea of how our clientele and their attitudes toward returning to their favorite spa and enjoying treatments. 

The main takeaway from the report can be summed up this way:

• Across all age groups, spa-goers will be nervous about returning to the spa – even when they are allowed to do so. It’s not just spas, though. The survey’s findings indicate that people will be anxious about their safety in public spaces, with the highest level of anxiety associated with places and situations where they don’t have a lot of control over their interactions with others. 

• Spa-goers say they will return, but spas will need to take steps to make them feel safe. Not surprisingly, our efforts as spa managers to increase our sanitation and hygiene protocols will play a big part in assuring our clientele. “Spas will need to adjust their practices to satisfy consumer concerns and clarify for guests how the spa-going experience will be different (i.e. what measures are being taken to protect guests, what a ‘socially-distanced’ spa will be like, etc.),” the Executive Summary from this year’s Consumer Snapshot Initiative says.

• While they have been isolating at home, our clients have been learning to fend for themselves. As the survey summary puts it, “DIY wellness has become a larger part of spa-goers’ lives.” We may have to remind folks of the benefits they get from visiting our spas. “Given the nervousness many consumers may have about entering public places following the pandemic, spas will likely need to reemphasize the value of professional treatments and build the spa experience back into guests’ lives while navigating a general climate of worry.”

If you have questions about re-opening or providing assurance to your clientele, please contact the spa consultants at ISM Spa, a boutique spa management company based in Asheville.