Therapists typically all dressed the
same, they were trained to interact
with the guests in a standardized way,
and they were all trained to do the
same treatment protocols. As we
moved towards more personalized
service, therapists were allowed to
break out of the treatment protocols
to respond to a guest preference, but
the individuality of the therapist was
still kept hidden behind their uniform
and their protocols. If you look at
most spa magazines, the emphasis
has been on the facilities, the treat-
ments and the products. The thera-
pists themselves have become an
anonymous commodity.
Under a personal approach, the
value of the experience comes not
from the standardization of the brand,
but from the uniqueness of the thera-
pist. The therapist cannot hide behind
a uniform and a training protocol.
They must let their own style and per-
sonality shine through. This is a con-
cept that is hard for spas to adopt
although it has already been preva-
lent in Food and Beverage for some
time. The best dining experience
doesn’t come from the cook who
follows the recipe, it comes from the
chef who writes his or her own recipe.
The challenge for spas is to recruit,
develop and promote more “chefs” in
our treatment teams. In our Time
Rituals treatment, for example, we
now not only tailor the experience to
our guests’ preferences, we encourage
the unique expression of each
therapist according to their own
experience, style, personality, etc.
This approach is not always easy.
From a human resources standpoint,
it is easier to treat everyone the same.
Getting to know your colleagues on a
more personal level takes time. And
matching up the right therapist with
the right guest is more art than
science. But when we get it right, this
more personal spa interaction is what
creates experiences that ‘wow’
beyond expectations.
To achieve this, we have to look at
our therapists as individuals. We want
to know what makes each one
unique, from their personalities and
previous experiences to their cultural
backgrounds and their own prefer-
ences. The emphasis is no longer on
consistency, it is on diversity, and
creating an environment where po-
tential is maximized.
Allowing their individuality to
shine through helps us cultivate true
wellness experts out of our therapists.
Examples from Mandarin Oriental
include Albin Brion, our podiatrist-
trained pedicurist in Hong Kong, Tony
Reed, our Synergistic Healing expert
at Mandarin Oriental, Boston, Yavuz
Simsek, our Hammam Master at
Mandarin Oriental.
There is a risk with this approach.
You can spend a lot of time developing
and promoting a master therapist only
to have them leave you (and take their
clients with them.) But I usually
respond to this concern by quoting Mel
Kleinman, a regular speaker at the ISPA
Conference & Expo: “What is the bigger
risk? That you develop your talent and
they leave, or that you don’t and they
stay?” When you develop great talent,
it strengthens your reputation as an
employer and attracts new great talent
to your spa. Some will leave, but others
will be lining up to take their place.
It is my belief that developing our
people is the key to the future of
luxury. This is how spas will evolve
from being standardized to being
personalized to being personal. Being
personal means allowing the
individuality of our colleagues to
shine through, sharing the best of
who we are and what we have to
offer in an authentic way to deliver
unique experiences that go beyond
preferences. n
JEREMY MCCARTHY is Group Director of Spa & Wellness for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. A spa industry
veteran, McCarthy has previously served on the ISPA Board of Directors and received last year's ISPA
Visionary Award for his pioneering advocacy in the realms of mindfulness and digital wellbeing.
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