MEMBER PERSPECTIVES
SPA LEADERSHIP SETS THE TONE “ I ’ ve always believed in motivating the team to understand how working in a luxury service environment and applying high standards can benefit them and their personal growth ,” says Penny Kriel , corporate director of spa and wellness at Virginia-based Salamander Hotels and Resorts . “ You have to invest in your team to make sure they understand the service standards they are required to deliver .” KarriLynn Keith , spa manager at The Spa at Kilaga Springs in Lincoln , California , agrees .“ From the very beginning during the new hire orientation ,” she says ,“ it is imperative to set forth the spa standards and educate each staff member on what the guest journey should be .”
Abbi Porter finds “ clear communication with your team on expectations is key ” to setting the tone of customer service . The spa director for Stonedrift Spa at Galena , Illinois ’ Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa notes ,“ When providers are comfortable and confident in protocols and products , they deliver a better guest experience .” She finds ,“ If you have the team ’ s buy-in on what you are trying to achieve , not only are you creating a great work environment , but it carries over into the guests ’ experience .”
Another director of spa , Kerry Werner at Stillwater Spa at the Park Hyatt in Toronto , Canada , emphasizes the customer focus that is a part of the spa industry ’ s reputation for providing a luxurious experience .“ We train our team to ensure all guests feel like they are the only ones at the spa ,” she says .“ Each experience is personalized to their needs that visit .”
Continuing review of team members ’ service acumen — and reinforcement or correction as needed — is a commonly cited practice for spa leaders to gauge and improve the client experience . Penny shares that “ ongoing training and repetition is key ” at Salamander Hotels and Resorts .“ We have a checklist of standards we use during weekly audits and then follow up with each service professional to review . When your leadership team is on the floor and they witness interactions that are not up to standard , they need to address it that day to assist with behavior change .”
KarriLynn watches for specific indicators of customer satisfaction .“ Our team ’ s interaction with each guest speaks volumes . We monitor their request rates and feedback for treatments provided by our guests after services ,” she notes .
SPAS MONITOR “ CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ” SERVICE LEVELS Kerry sees value in evaluating service levels at her spa . “ We regularly invite people from the hospitality industry to come and experience the spa and let us know how it was ,” she says . “ We send them an evaluation form based on Forbes service standards to fill out for us ; this is shared with the team so they can see how the experience was , what was done with excellence and ways to take it to the next level .”
“ You have to invest in your team to make sure they understand the service standards they are required to deliver .”
— PENNY KRIEL , Salamander Hotels and Resorts
30 PULSE n APRIL 2023