THE PULSE GUIDE TO REOPENING
exceeded what they initially anticipated. In many cases,
employees are just as concerned—if not more—about returning
to the spa, particularly after the disruption and
mental trauma of COVID-19. Spending an extensive
amount of time preparing and supporting your team is
essential. Communication or over-communication alone is
not enough. Evans suggests beginning with comprehensive
training plans, scripting for guest interactions and
“COVID-19 safety information for [your] employees.” Once
that is in place, Evans recommends “pre-opening training”
that includes practice sessions and dry runs. “Have staff
work on each other,” says Evans, “and get used to working
in a ‘new normal’ environment.” You only have one chance
to nail your spa’s reopening, so it pays to make sure your
staff is comfortable performing treatments before they
perform one on a guest. “Give your staff time in the facility
prior to opening to do some ‘dry runs,” Evans continues.
“Practice with all the new rules and SOPs: wearing masks,
cleaning time, verbiage practices, etc.”
Think Small
Take a wide-eyed look at the spa experience; put yourself
in the mind of a spa-goer to make sure no detail goes unexplained
and no question goes unanswered. Evans suggests
walking through your spa to determine everywhere
that you’ll need to put signage that explains new protocols,
outlines social distancing guidelines or restricts access
to certain areas and facilities.
Being detail-oriented is also the key to navigating the
tangled web of federal, state and local regulations surrounding
COVID-19. Trilogy, who manages spas across the
United States, has “been actively engaged with each
state’s governmental messaging” to ensure they stay on
top of changing regulations. Reach out to local associations—or
even the local or state government itself—to get
their input on navigating your return to normal operation.
And be prepared to be flexible, says Evans: “We also know
Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa reopened recently with abundant sanitation stations, signage and masks.
“Give your staff time in the facility prior to
opening to do some ‘dry runs.’ Practice with
all the new rules and SOPs: wearing masks,
cleaning time, verbiage practices, etc.”
20 PULSE ■ JULY 2020