Challenges with Demand — Is the Industry Coping ? The surging demand throughout 2021 in the economy created supply challenges in a host of areas , and spa-going has been no exception . Making appointments has been a particular pain point — in the latest edition of ISPA ’ s Consumer Snapshot series , 30 percent of spa-goers said they experienced difficulty making an appointment at a spa in the past three months . Approximately a third of spa-goers told us they were unable to get their preferred time slot for a treatment ( 35 percent ), the price was too high ( 31 percent ) or they had to settle for an appointment on a different day ( 30 percent ).
The biggest impact spas face from these demand-driven challenges is the potential for lost revenue . Of those consumers who experienced difficulties booking an appointment , many reported choosing a different service or time-slot at the same spa . The bigger worry for spas is the 70 percent who say they went to a different spa , tried to do the treatment at home , or just gave up booking an appointment — a signal of revenue lost either to a competitor spa or even the industry as a whole .
For years , the spa industry has been debating how technology can be used to help loosen the demand on staff and make businesses more efficient . The latest consumer survey asked whether spa-goers are keen to see contactless interactions using technology at a variety of points in their customer journey .
NEW SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES TRIED IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS
MASSAGE
43 %
MIND / BODY EXPERIENCES
38 %
SKIN CARE REGIMES
36 %
MEDICALLY SUPERVISED
SERVICES
35 %
MANICURE OR PEDICURE
27 %
GROUP FITNESS CLASS
15 %
NONE OF THE ABOVE
14 %
18 PULSE n JULY 2022