Pulse June/July 2026 | Loyalty, by Design

CUSTOMER JOURNEY DESIGN is no longer a luxury idea. It is a business discipline. That was the central message of ISPA's April Town Hall, Customer Journey by Design: Creating High-Value Spa Experiences That Drive Loyalty, moderated by ISPA Chair Kenneth Ryan and featuring panelists Katie Mulligan of Canyon Ranch, Margaret Lora of Wonders of Wellbeing Consulting and Christian Davies of Mii amo.

From digital booking behavior to anticipatory gifts, AI-supported personalization and post-stay community building, the panel returned to one theme: Loyalty is created when every touchpoint feels intentional.

MEET GUESTS WHERE THEY ARE

For Canyon Ranch, the post-Covid guest journey required a reset. Mulligan shared that the brand audited more than 50 reservation calls and found a shift from consultative conversations to "order-taking behaviors." Guests wanted speed, control and clarity.

The response was not to abandon human connection, but to supplement it. Canyon Ranch moved from "essentially zero bookings happening virtually" to "over 50 percent of our total spa bookings" happening through the website or app. Mulligan said digital bookers also showed higher service take rates.

Her takeaway: "We don't want to lose the art of human touch," while also "really acknowledging the consumer changes that have happened, meeting the guests where they're at, and how they want to be engaged with."

"If we can make each and every one of our guests feel like they are one of a few rather than one of many, then I think we're on to something successful in making each experience very special."
— CHRISTIAN DAVIES

FOUR WAYS TO MAKE BIG SPAS FEEL SMALL

Margaret Lora offered practical personalization ideas that can scale:

1. Rethink intake forms with preferences for music, table temperature and post-treatment beverages.
2. Create treatment openings and closings by outcome, such as Calm, Energize, Recover or Strengthen.
3. Use AI to surface guest history, product preferences and past services.
4. Bring AI into the treatment room through tools such as skin scans.

turmeric tea, rosemary aromatherapy and a breathwork card tied to her recovery massage.

Davies described Mii amo's highly curated model, led by journey guides. "For us, it's all about the guest and their intention," he said. "That's the very first question our team's asking: What's your intention for coming to us?"

Remove friction, then protect revenue

Davies shared that Mii amo redesigned the arrival and departure flow to reduce congestion and make guests feel "one of a few rather than one of many." One shift was having guests pre-sign tickets on arrival so they do not need to return to the desk after treatment.

Personalization starts before arrival

Lora urged spa leaders to learn from smaller operators who excel at personal detail. "I think we need to all do a better job at getting them excited." She described a pre-appointment email from a solopreneur with a lockbox code and the promise of a gift waiting on arrival.

"We need to make these bigger experiences in these larger resorts and larger spas feel smaller, because small businesses and solopreneurs have mastered that personalization—and it all starts with pre-treatment."
— MARGARET LORA

TOWN HALL

The tradeoff: The spa team has fewer natural retail close moments with guests. Davies acknowledged the challenge and explained that Mii amo tested electronic recommendations before returning to a tangible paper handoff, which improved results.

The lesson: Guest ease and revenue strategy must be designed together.

Providers are loyalty builders

When Ryan asked how service providers build loyalty, Mulligan pointed to education. Canyon Ranch found guests who engage across five pillars—medical, fitness, spa, nutrition and spirituality—are "30 percent more likely to become a repeat guest" within 12 to 24 months. To support that, providers need enough cross-training to make credible referrals.

Lora framed provider-driven loyalty in three words: consultation, education and sales. Too often, guests fill out intake forms only to be asked the same questions again. A better opening is: Based on what I read, here is how we can support you today.

Her reminder was direct: Selling belongs in the service experience when it is rooted in care. "When you're serving someone, you're automatically going to sell them something," she said. "You're selling from a place of service."

Keep the relationship alive

Post-visit engagement remains an opportunity. Davies described Mii amo's two-week post-stay journey guide follow-up and "Me Time" library of meditations and remote offerings. Lora recommended ongoing communication that educates, not just promotes: recipes, breathwork tips, stretches and ideas that keep guests connected.

Mulligan added that community may be one of the next great loyalty drivers. When guests form connections through programming or events, they often associate those relationships with the spa itself.

Metrics Worth Watching

TRACK THE BASICS: new versus returning guests, return rate within 12 to 24 months, NPS, likelihood to recommend, additional spend and provider-level rebooking behavior.

For destination spas, Katie Mulligan suggested a 20–30 percent return rate within two years may be healthy, depending on price point. Margaret Lora said local-market spas should aim higher, "over that 50 percent mark."

What comes next

GUESTS EXPECT EASE: "Guests are ordering groceries in seconds, checking into flights on their phone," Lora said. "This does not change when they're booking massage and they're booking facials." Davies sees continued growth in communal wellness and mindful experiences. Mulligan cautioned leaders against chasing every trend: "More isn't always better." Instead, she urged spas to focus on "science-backed, data-driven things that work" and the experiences their teams can deliver exceptionally well.