Quick wins for spa leaders l Break booking into simple steps. l Offer small personalization choices. l Send anticipation-building reminders. l Use relevant media in waiting areas. l Create signature sensory cues on arrival.
Quick wins for spa leaders l Break booking into simple steps. l Offer small personalization choices. l Send anticipation-building reminders. l Use relevant media in waiting areas. l Create signature sensory cues on arrival.
l Instant refunds can increase likelihood to rebook by up to 12.2 percent. Even when a guest cancels, a fast, positive refund experience can preserve trust and future intent. l Relevant media can reduce felt wait time by up to 27.5 percent. Spa-related content in waiting spaces can make time feel shorter and more purposeful. l Signature scents can strengthen next-day memory by up to 63.6 percent. Ambient scent is not just atmospheric; it can help guests remember the experience more vividly. l Warmer physical temperatures can increase perceived value by up to 43.9 percent. Environmental cues can influence how guests evaluate the worth of an experience.
From research to real-world operations The playbook is organized around the actual guest journey, with chapters on booking, waiting and arrival. It also includes checklists, ready-to-use examples and exclusive researcher insights, making it less a research summary than an operational toolkit. Many recommendations involve practical levers— messaging, sequencing, sensory cues, booking design and staff awareness— that can be tested quickly without major capital investment.
For ISPA Research Foundation Chair Kelleye Martin, that practicality is the point. The playbook reflects a broader Foundation priority: helping spa leaders see research not as abstract data, but as a business asset they can use. By connecting peer-reviewed science to everyday spa operations, the Foundation is reinforcing the value of research as a tool for improving guest experience, operational performance and long-term strategy.
KELLEYE MARTIN ISPA RESEARCH FOUNDATION CHAIR
TOP TAKES
FOR THE ISPA RESEARCH FOUNDATION’ S CHAIR, one of the most encouraging takeaways from the new anticipation playbook is how many recommendations are within reach for spa businesses of all sizes.
“ Almost all of the key findings spa leaders can act on now can be done— or modified for your business— without requiring a lot more money spent,” Kelleye Martin says.“ So the return would be huge.”
Her advice: Start small. Choose the top two ideas your team can implement quickly, at low or no cost, then develop a clear rollout plan.
Personalization, she notes, is one of the easiest places to begin. Simple booking questions about room or table temperature or other preferences can make a guest feel seen before they arrive. The key is follow-through.
“ You have to make sure you are delivering on that,” Martin says.“ If you ask those things and then the guest arrives and their preference was not carried out, that is worse than not asking, because it gives the appearance you did not care enough to follow through.”
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