“ We do not allow cell phone usage in guest facing areas of the spa ,” says Ingrid Middaugh , spa director at Spa Anjali at The Westin Riverfront Beaver Creek in Avon , Colorado . “ There are always tasks that need to be accomplished each day and therefore we also discourage the use of social media while at work .”

Pankey agrees by saying , “ Unless you are the dedicated social media manager , you should not be on social media unless posting a job related post .”

To help employees understand and stick to a social media policy , include a clear and concise written policy in all orientation materials . This way , your employees know from the very beginning what is expected of them .

“ Our social media and cell phone use policy has its own section in an associate handbook and is reviewed during orientation for all new hires ,” says Pankey . “ Our spa managers enforce the policy on a day to day basis through training , coaching , encouragement and counseling , if needed . Just as with any other policy ; communication , setting clear expectations , training , monitoring and coaching is the key to success .”

Employee social media ambassadors at Gadabout SalonSpas are encouraged to post work-related images on social media to promote Gadabout ' s overall brand .

Employee Representation on Social Media Because social media is so prevalent , a bigger problem spas might face is the impact their employees ’ posts can have on their brand .

JANA WESTERBEKE , owner and president of Gadabout SalonSpas in Tucson , Arizona , has created a social media ambassador program for her employees . The program includes guidelines and education that teaches employees how to market their services through social media , which in turn increases Gadabout SalonSpas ’ influence and reach .

“ Our philosophy is that social media

is so prevalent , let ’ s help our team use it in the most professional way that will not only help them build their business , it will in turn help build our brand and guest awareness ,” says Westerbeke . “ Social Media is the new word of mouth .

We wanted to help support this new tool and help our team use it to their advantage . Rather than leaving it up to them to figure out what to do , we created an education curriculum to help set them up for success .” These employee ambassadors are encouraged to post guest before and after photos ( with guest permission ), treatment photos , spa interior photos , positive inspiration and celebrations . They are also required to tag the spa in all posts and respond to comments encouraging guests to visit them at the spa .

If an employee is interested in participating , they must go through a social media education program and sign agreements as to what they are prohibited from posting .

“ We sit down one on one when an ambassador is just signing up and go over the details and our expectations ,” notes Westerbeke . “ We also connect with them when they are posting things , or if we notice something that isn ’ t posted correctly . Education is the most important part of the policy because if we don ’ t teach the expectations , we cannot hold a cohesive team accountable .”

If you ’ re interested in learning more about implementing a similar ambassador program , head to pulse . experienceispa . com to download an example of Gadabout ’ s Ambassador Agreement and Tips .

40 PULSE ■ June 2017