Into the
FUTURE
Continuing the “Past,
Present and Future” theme
of this issue, Pulse takes a
peek into the future. While
no one holds a crystal ball
to predict how spas and
consumer preferences
would exactly evolve in
the next few years, it’s
safe to say that there
are current key
indicators that may
help foretell future
demands.
BY MAE
MAÑACAPJOHNSON
LIDYA WATI
President • Spa Réveil • Austin, Texas
Key Indicators
“I believe that the recent trends of timesensitivity, convenience, and costeffectiveness will continue to drive the
industry toward adopting efficiency-driven
models to develop and market beauty
products to their customers. I would not
be surprised if, in the next five years, we
would see consumers choosing ‘one-stopshop’ spa service centers, which
conveniently provide everything—from a
pedicure to a hair restoration consultation,
all while serving up smoothies and a live
workshop on stress management and
work-life balance,” Caviar of Switzerland
President Irina Mark says.
Lidya Wati, President of Austin-based
Spa Réveil, believes that the spa of the
future may be changed by consumers’
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January/February 2016
ongoing demand for value. “One of the
key indicators today is that spa-goers are
much more value-conscious, demanding
not only great service, immediate results
and convenience but also expecting to
enjoy these at discounted pricing. With
increased competition in the industry,
providing treatments, amenities and
service level that will be acceptable to
the value-conscious spa-goers without
diminishing the spa’s bottom line is one
of the most critical and challenging tasks
for spas today,” Wati says.
She cautions that while discounting
is a great way to stimulate sales and
improve the bottom line with the right
implementation strategy, excessive
discounting could potentially dilute the
brand and the true value of spa
services. “To achieve the right balance,
we make an effort to engage with our
clients and obtain their feedback so we
understand what they truly value,” Wati
says.
To do this, the spa encourages
guests to share their spa experiences
through an app tailored specifically to
gain guest feedback. Social media has
also driven a higher demand to engage
guests in a more personal way. Wati
relies on digital newsletter, social media
and events to engage and inform clients
of the latest spa treatments, news and
promotions. “We also have a VIP Club
that offers exclusive benefits to our
VIPs. This strategy has helped us
connect with our clients on a deeper
level,” she says.