Innovative Spa Management

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The men’s market continues to offer opportunities for growth

May 5, 2018 | no comments | ISM News | by: Christina Stratton

Savvy day spa management finding ways to capitalize on that growth

According to recent research, the number of men going to spas continues to increase – and the industry continues to adapt to this trend.

According to an article on Complex.com, Mashable reported that the number of men who are undergoing spa treatments has greatly increased within the past few years. Much of that can be attributed to the male grooming boom.

From 2007 to 2012, beauty and skincare products geared towards men increased about 70 percent, the article noted. The spike is yet another indication of how men are becoming more concerned with their personal appearance, and they’re consequently adopting grooming habits that were once solely associated with women. This is also reflected in the recent menswear surge, which actually surpassed the growth of the women’s market just a couple of years ago.

“I think that guys are becoming a little more comfortable with taking care of themselves and realizing that beauty and taking care of things such as aging in the future isn’t such a feminine thing,” Jose Girona, manager of Living Fresh Spa in New York, told Mashable.

On top of that, the skincare industry has begun to offer products formulated specifically for men.  Instead of using their girlfriend’s moisturizer, they can now find products formulated for their skin (Did you know that a man’s skin is 20% oilier than a woman’s?) and marketed to their masculinity.

There are those who see this trend as a real opportunity.  Because the skincare needs of men are different than those of women. OM4Men has introduced the first skin-type and condition-specific line that addresses the biological differences in male and female skin.

“At OM4, men are our core business – not an add-on to a shave line, not a repackaged set of SKUs from a women’s line. Made for men by men,” the company says.

Mike Bruggeman, founder and CEO of OM4, grew up on an organic dairy farm in Wisconsin and enjoyed a career in hospital administration before following his passion. In creating Organic Male OM4, he has made it his mission to help men understand the importance of skin health and nutrition and help them make the connection between looking good, feeling confident and achieving results at work and in life.

Mike doesn’t just talk the talk.  He walks the walk, making sure the standards at Organic Male OM4 are rigorous – from green chemistry formulas using only the purest, ethically sourced ingredients to the socially responsible and eco-coconscious corporate culture.

For some men, adopting good grooming habits in the privacy of their own homes is just the first step. The next step is to explore what spas have to offer.

Day spa management across the country has taken note of this trend and has begun to accommodate the guys with an assortment of treatments, like massages, hair removal, laser treatments for acne scars, and less extreme chemical peels. Some businesses have even revamped their interior to resemble a sleek man-cave, complete with low lighting, dark wooden accents, TVs that play sports games, and in-door plants in lieu of flowers, Complexreports. (The spa consultants and spa architects working on those projects must have had fun breaking new ground!)

According to the International Spa Association, the number of males who have visited spas over the past few years has gone from 31 percent to 47 percent. “There’s something about being attended to,” Topper Schroeder, owner of Gendarme Fragrances and the Gendarmerie Spa in Los Angeles, told Mashable. “I think men’s spas relate more to their mental health.”

Men still make up a small portion of salon customers in the United States, but their numbers are growing, especially in the 18-34 age group, a global market research group said.

In a report aimed at the salon industry, Mintel said that 52 percent of the men it surveyed had gone to salons, which it broadly defined as anything from a luxury spa to a corner barber shop. Fifty-eight percent said they’d gone for a mere haircut. But among males aged 18-34, 25 percent said they had gone for a manicure or pedicure, and 20 percent had treated themselves to a facial.  The report of this study appeared in the New York Daily News.

Developing products and services aimed at this younger male demographic
represents a real opportunity.

Has your hotel spa management taken steps to assure male guests wanting a mani/pedi will feel comfortable? Have you spoken with spa consultants about introducing a line of products geared just to the guys?

If you’d like to talk to the internationally recognized spa consultants at ISM SPA Management Company about ways that your spa can take advantage of this opportunity for growth or have questions about other industry trends call ISM SPA Founding Partners Christina Stratton & Ilana Alberico at 828-242-4415.

Spa Industry Sees Increases – Our spa consultants can help you take advantage of industry growth

April 30, 2018 | no comments | ISM News | by: Christina Stratton

For the first time in the history of the International SPA Association’s (ISPA) U.S. Spa Industry Study, the total number of visits to spas rose above 180 million. ISPA’s annual findings of spa industry financial indicators reported that the number of spa visits is estimated to have increased to 184 million in 2016, up from 179 million in 2015 (2.5 percent increase). According to an ISPA news release, the industry also continues to experience steady growth in overall revenue, locations and revenue per visit. Additionally, as the industry grows, so do the number of available employment opportunities.

The ISPA Foundation commissioned PwC to conduct the study, which presents what is known as the “Big Five”: total revenue, spa visits, spa locations, revenue per visit and number of employees for the United States spa industry.

“We are thrilled to see our industry’s hard work and dedication truly pay off with more and more consumers enjoying spas,” said ISPA President Lynne McNees. “An increase in visits means higher demand of spa services, which demonstrates a very positive outlook. As jobs are created to meet this demand, we will continue to promote the benefits of a career in the spa industry.”

The rise in visits drove the total revenue to surpass its previously record-setting mark in 2016, increasing from $16.3 billion in 2015 to $16.8 billion (3.1 percent increase). Additionally, there was growth in the total number of locations throughout the country, increasing from 21,020 in 2015 to 21,260 in 2016 (1.1 percent increase).

“The ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study reflects a pleasing picture of steady growth in the industry. The key metrics are all continuing their upward trend and the numbers in employment highlight the importance of the spa industry to the US economy,” said Colin McIlheney, Global Research Director for PwC.

With a modest increase in the overall number of employees at 1.6% (365,200 in May 2017 up from 359,300 in 2016), there are currently 32,930 vacant positions for service providers in the spa industry.

If some of those vacancies are hampering the success of your property, contact ISM SPA management company.  ISM SPA has made operating profitable spas that deliver five-star service a specialty. ISM’s acclaimed spa consultants understand that the success of a spa is based on the quality of the people operating the facility and interacting with spa guests. The company’s approach to day spa management includes a strong focus on talent management and acquisition. In fact, ISM SPA puts such an emphasis on people, they developed nationally-certified training courses to provide continuing education for spa employees. They also offer an extensive job coaching program that identifies promising employees and then offers the professional training needed to develop their potential.

Experts in the spa management industry point out that spa jobs can offer many benefits, such as schedule flexibility, opportunities to work in a variety of international environments, exceptional training, and career growth. Working in a spa offers many perks that freelance work does not, including a steady supply of new clientele, working in a health-minded environment, and opportunities for continuing education, as well as administration benefits like advertising, accounting, and booking. With a decrease in contract work between 2016 and 2017, the spa industry presents many opportunities for employment in a business that offers job security and career growth as it continues to flourish.

“According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are still seven million people unemployed throughout the country. Promotion of careers in the spa industry will be an important initiative for ISPA moving forward,” McNees said.

ISM SPA consulting says the findings are in line with what they have seen in the field. If you would like to position your property to take advantage of the upward trends in the industry, ISM SPA consultants can show you how.  As leaders in hotel spa management and day spa management, they have the expertise needed to track and understand shifts in the industry – often long before others.  And it is their clients who benefit!

Case in Point: The Biltmore Estate

April 20, 2018 | no comments | ISM News | by: Christina Stratton

ISM SPA provides spa management services worthy of a Vanderbilt

When the management of the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, wanted to develop a spa for one if its hotel properties, they knew that it had to be very special.  Developed as part of a new property – the Inn on Biltmore Estate – the spa had to reflect the impeccable surroundings of the original Biltmore House while adding all of the modern amenities that its exclusive clientele would expect.

George Vanderbilt, a grandson of famed industrialist and philanthropist Cornelius Vanderbilt, built the original Biltmore House over a six-year period from 1889 to 1895.  Vanderbilt’s 250-room French Renaissance chateau is a true marvel, the largest undertaking in residential architecture. Over the six years it was under construction, an entire community of craftsmen came together to create America’s premier home and the environmental wonderland that surrounds it.

Opened to friends and family on Christmas Eve 1895, the finished home contains more than four acres of floor space, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.  The Biltmore House was opened to the public in 1930.

Vanderbilt long wanted to build an inn on his property, but the plans never materialized.  The idea finally became a reality in 2001 with The Inn on Biltmore Estate, offering guests a personal taste of Vanderbilt hospitality. The Inn promises gracious hospitality, attention to detail, and the level of service the Vanderbilts themselves offered their guests.

One of the signature features of the Inn on Biltmore Estate is The Spa – a project for which the Biltmore Estate management turned to ISM SPA consulting, known throughout the hospitality industry as a leader in hotel spa management. As spa consultants, the firm was integrally involved with The Spa since well before its opening.

The spa management company began with an extensive feasibility study looking at the potential for a spa at the Biltmore Estate.  Once the decision to move forward was made, ISM SPA consultants were integrally involved in creating concepts and design elements for The Spa.  The goal was to create a modern spa with outstanding amenities in a setting that evoked the traditions of the Biltmore House.

As the opening of The Spa drew close, ISM SPA management was responsible for integrating spa operations with the hotel, including training and IT functions.  Its role then continued into pre-opening preparations – the process of hiring and training the staff, establishing policies and procedures, and generally planning every aspect of The Spa’s operations before it opened its doors.

Ultimately, the pre-opening success of the ISM SPA consultants was rewarded when the spa management company was giving responsibility for the ongoing spa management of The Spa at the Inn on the Biltmore Estate.

As the focus shifted from the pre-opening process to a level of day-to-day operations that would deliver profits along with five-star service, ISM SPA consultants drew on their experience and understanding of the spa industry.

Knowing that a successful spa relies upon the quality of its staff, ISM SPA’s management system includes an extensive focus on talent management and acquisition. One of the reasons the spa management company has become such an acclaimed leader in the field of hotel spa management is its certified training courses, which provide ongoing continuing professional education for spa employees. ISM SPA consulting also has an extensive Job Coaching program to identify, train and develop promising employees.

Knowing that ISM SPA management company has been with them every step of the way, allows the management of the Inn on the Biltmore Estate to rest assured that its in-house spa will meet every expectation of its customers.

Success Starts Behind the Scenes – Raising the curtain on the pre-opening aspects of spa management

April 15, 2018 | no comments | ISM News | by: Christina Stratton

On opening night at the theater, you can sense the excitement. Sure, the audience is buzzing with anticipation, but the scene backstage is even more highly charged.  Each actor is dealing the opening night jitters in his or her own way.  Some pace, lips moving as they softly run through their lines again – and again.  Others seek a quiet corner – or create one with the use of headphones – and concentrate on breathing deeply and evenly. The stage hands are checking to make sure every prop is in its proper place as sound and lighting technicians work through checklists and final preparations.

The energy is hard to describe – the pressure is intense as dreams are on the verge of coming true. But the minute the lights come up on stage, it all comes together and the audience will be swept up in the story.  That’s the magic of theater.

There’s no magic involved in successful day spa management. And there are no dress rehearsals.  But, just like the world of the theater, the hard work begins long before the first customer walks through the spa door.

As one of the nation’s leading spa management companies, ISM SPA has the expertise and the vision needed to ‘direct’ the critical pre-opening process, from drafting job descriptions and hiring to writing policies and developing reporting procedures. 

Without a script to follow, the actors on a stage would walk into each other and onto each other’s lines.  And, when it comes to hotel spa management, a good plan will function like a script – directing the timing of each component of the process and ensuring all the pieces come together seamlessly.

Drawing on their years of experience, ISM SPA consultants have developed a ‘script’ that provides the structure needed to ensure the pre-opening process runs smoothly.  With our Strategic Timeline in place, your opening will be sure to get rave reviews.

Our experience with writing job descriptions and delineating duties ensures that there is no confusion about roles when the spa opens.  We’ll work with you to develop a staffing plan that makes sense and then we will recruit, hire and train an outstanding staff.  And we can write the policies, procedures and protocols that your staff members will need to follow in order to successfully bring your vision to life.

Our mission is to provide operational excellence and optimal experiences. That applies to every aspect of spa management – from the day-to-day operations of some of the country’s top spas to the lesser-known elements of the pre-opening process. 

Before a director is given the opportunity to bring a script to life on the stage, he or she will most likely have spent years working in and around the theater. Some develop experience and insight as actors, others will earn their strips by working as assistants to more knowledgeable theater professionals.

There aren’t a lot of ways to gain the knowledge and expertise needed to successfully manage the opening of a spa. That means, you won’t find many people with the skills needed to guide your project to the fabulous conclusion you are dreaming of.

Fortunately, ISM SPA management company has the depth of experience needed to transform your project from a great idea to a beautifully run and truly successful spa. Our knowledge encompasses all areas of the pre-opening process – and all facets of day spa management! Whether you need help training new employees, establishing standard operating procedures for sanitation or developing a marketing and advertising campaign to launch your new enterprise, we can help.

And, once your spa is open for business, ISM SPA can provide a full array spa consulting services to ensure your ongoing success.

The Times – They Are a Changin’ – Key trends in spa management for 2018

April 10, 2018 | no comments | ISM News | by: Christina Stratton

“A visit to some of today’s leading resort, destination and day spas demonstrates that the cookie-cutter, marble-laden pleasure palaces of the past are all but obsolete, as varying themes connected to mind-body health, cultural and environmental consciousness, and a more socially oriented public take center stage.”  So begins an article in Day Spa Magazine that predicts some of the trends and changes on tap for 2018.

As a leader in day spa management and hotel spa management, ISM SPA management company keeps a finger on the pulse of the industry. We don’t just monitor trends – we set them.

Today’s spa treatments are regarded as just one portion of the overall wellness experience; nowhere is that more evident than in ingeniously built, health-oriented resorts.  “The closer it is to its natural state—the more beautiful and healing it becomes,” spa architect Veronica Schreibeis Smith, CEO and founding principal of Vera Iconica Architecture in Jackson, Wyoming told the magazine. “This includes our built environment, and destination spas and resorts are beginning to catch on.”

While others are “catching on,” ISM SPA consultants already have experience in developing unique programming that embodies a spa’s brand attributes while maintaining a connection to the indigenous characteristics of the property’s location. And ISM SPA management company’s service execution is unmatched in the industry.

The ISM SPA approach to programming goes beyond the traditional definition of spa. Working with talented spa architects, the renowned spa management company designs a holistic environment that enhances the wellness experience is unexpected ways. By manipulating the physical and the energetic experience to achieve a desired result, ISM SPA consulting takes programming – and spa management – to a new level.  Guests who visit spas managed by ISM SPA often say they had “the best treatment of their life” or that they have been “forever transformed.”

The experts at Day Spa Magazine point out that spa technology has come a long way, and designers are taking full advantage of the opportunity to harness innovation and inject healing experiences into every aspect of a guest’s spa journey. From sound therapy chairs to sleep pods, there are a multitude of ways to outfit a space for optimal wellness.

When it comes to day spa management, the industry trendsetters at ISM SPA consulting see spa as simply one aspect of wellness. The spa management company adds to the value of its clients’ properties by operating a spa that maximizes revenues and profits while helping build a positive reputation as a service-centered destination leading to repeat visits, increased occupancy and an overall positive brand image.

Now more than ever, a facility must reflect not only societal trends, but its actual place in the world, i.e., its location, the article continues. And when it comes to a wellness destination, that starts with the building itself, Schreibeis Smith said. “Architecture built of local, natural materials mixed with the architect’s ingenuity and respect for the surrounding culture and traditions has the power to heal us, as well as envelop us in new and delightful experiences,” she explains. “The buildings seem to grow out of the landscape and become an inherent part of what allows us to enjoy the natural environment. The experience is complete when combined with local healing traditions, foods and practices that immerse us and ground us in the present moment.”

At ISM SPA management company, it’s our job and our responsibility to keep up with trends such as these.  ISM SPA provides comprehensive spa design services, from expert architectural design by leading spa architects to color selection, lighting design and custom cabinetry design. Our spa consulting expertise also extends to the design of retail space, merchandising and storage.  As your spa consultants, we have spa architect expertise and more that ensures our clients will be on the cutting-edge of trends in the industry.

Schedule a consultation with our spa consulting team today to see how you can take advantage of the latest trends as you seek to satisfy your customers and clients.

The Importance of Branding for Spa Management

April 5, 2018 | no comments | ISM News | by: Christina Stratton

As an internationally respected spa management company, ISM SPA has vast expertise in branding.

Each unique property undergoes intense evaluation to assess current branding techniques and future branding potential. As part of each hotel spa management or day spa management project, we create a unique brand concept that provides a competitive edge. Then we ardently incorporate the spa brand into every facet of the guest experience. From product and service creation to subliminal design enhancements, ISM SPA supports the brand promotion and development for our clients.

Just why is branding so important?

In a recent article, the experts at Strategy Marketing and Technology Solutions offered 10 compelling reasons:

  1. Branding promotes recognition – If your brand is consistent and easy to recognize, it can help people feel more at ease in purchasing your services or products.
  2. Standing apart from your competition – You must stand apart from your competition in the global economy.
  3. Your brand tells people your story – Your full brand experience, from visual elements to how you answer your phones, tells people who you are.
  4. Your brand motivates your staff – It tells them how to act, how to meet your goals, and how to win.
  5. Your brand generates referrals – When people like your brand, they’ll become walking advocates for your business and tell people what they like about you.
  6. Your brand helps customers know what to expect – They will be at ease knowing what to expect whenever they interact with you.
  7. Your brand represents your promise to your customer – You are your brand. Your staff is your brand.  Your marketing materials are your brand.
  8. Your brand helps you create clarity – a strong brand helps you stay focused on what is most important – your mission
  9. Your brand forms an emotional connection with your customers – Purchasing is an emotional experience and having a strong brand helps people feel good at an emotional level when they engage with the company.
  10. Your brand provides business value – A strong brand provides value to your organization far beyond your physical value.

“Your brand needs to permeate your entire organization,” the article states. “When your organization is clear on the brand and can deliver on the promise of the brand, you will see tremendous fruit while building brand loyalty among your customer base.”

When you utilize ISM SPA as your spa consultants, you will gain access to our extensive knowledge of branding and its importance. Our comprehensive approach to spa management covers:

  • Philosophy, Identity, Mission Statement, Vision, Theme, Concept, Positioning Statement – We will go back to square one to ensure that you are clearly focused on what you want your brand to be.
  • Spa Name, Logo, Signage, Uniform, Brand Identity – We will work with you to develop the ways in which you show up to your potential customers.
  • Menu of Services – We’ll help you develop the right mix of services that best represent your spa.
  • Treatment Protocols – We’ll help you ensure that your treatments meet the highest standards and are consistent in their delivery.
  • Products, Equipment – We will work with you to guarantee that only the finest products and equipment are used in your spa.
  • Custom Spa Treatments – We will help you to develop services that are unique to your location and your brand.

In short, ISM SPA Management Company offers the most comprehensive spa consulting services in the industry.  We encourage you to contact us to learn how we can help you with your branding an all other aspects of your business with our spa consulting services.

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