Pulse June/July 2026 | Page 54

TOWN HALL

LOYALTY, BY DESIGN

How spa leaders can turn every touchpoint— from booking to post-visit follow-up— into a high-value guest experience that keeps clients coming back

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.
TOWN HALL RECAP
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 reservations 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
CHRISTIAN DAVIES
MII AMO
MARGARET LORA
WONDERS OF WELLBEING CONSULTING
KATIE MULLIGAN
CANYON RANCH
KENNETH RYAN
THE ESTATE
MODERATOR
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