PULSE POINTS
PULSE POINTS
SMARTER SPACES, SEAMLESS EXPERIENCES Imagine a locker room where a voice command dims the lights and starts your favorite playlist. Or treatment room lighting that adjusts based on the guest’ s mood, detected through subtle facial cues or biometric feedback. These are not sci-fi fantasies— they’ re near-term developments already being piloted in luxury hospitality and wellness settings.
AI-assisted product personalization is also advancing. Guests could soon receive skin care recommendations not just from a consultation form, but from real-time skin scans paired with AI-powered diagnostics— tailored in seconds to individual concerns, preferences and even the climate outside.
AI AS AN EMPOWERMENT TOOL Let’ s be clear: AI is not here to replace people. In fact, the smartest applications of AI are those that free up humans to do more of what they do best— offer warmth, creativity, connection and care. Whether it’ s helping a manager identify peak staffing hours or helping a therapist track client preferences more accurately, AI empowers spa professionals to do their jobs better.
REAL ROI, RIGHT NOW Operational AI already delivers tangible benefits— from reducing scheduling friction to improving guest engagement through targeted messaging. Spas that use AI tools to make data-driven decisions are seeing better outcomes: lower turnover, higher occupancy rates and more consistent revenue.
It’ s not just about adopting technology— it’ s about aligning it with strategy.
THE FUTURE OF SPA: Humans and machines working together The most successful spa businesses will be those that embrace AI without losing the human touch. Machine intelligence can bring structure, scale and insight. But it’ s the people— your team, your culture, your care— that turn a good spa visit into a memorable experience. n
Smart HR: SHRM’ s Guidance on Using AI in the Workplace
AS AI TOOLS BECOME MORE COMMON in hiring, scheduling and team management, spa leaders need to understand both the benefits and the risks. The Society for Human Resource Management( SHRM) offers practical, up-todate guidance to help businesses navigate this evolving landscape responsibly.
The spa of the future isn’ t about replacing the personal touch; it’ s about using technology to make it more focused, efficient and meaningful.
SHRM’ s resources cover: l Ethical and unbiased use of AI in recruitment and performance evaluation l Best practices for transparency and employee communication l Compliance with emerging state and federal regulations l Guidelines for data privacy and workplace fairness
Whether you’ re using AI to screen resumes or streamline team scheduling, SHRM emphasizes that AI should support— not replace— human decision-making.
SHRM. org / ai
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