FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN
2018
ISPA BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
I LOVE RESEARCH AND DATA…I’M A NUMBERS GUY!
I found it quite interesting the new ISPA Spa Workforce Study found that
over half our service providers don’t think it is their job to sell retail,
but 90 percent of our managers do think it is the service
provider’s job to sell retail. That’s a significant gap! It seems we
have a bit of an expectations problem when it comes to selling
retail in our spas.
ELECTED OFFICERS
CHAIRMAN
Garrett Mersberger
Kohler Co.
VICE CHAIRMAN
Todd Hewitt
Shangri-La International
ACTING SECRETARY/TREASURER
Todd Shaw
Technogym
I’m confident most of us see and feel this gap every day. We
can all think of a few of our employees who are reluctant to sell
retail. Whether it’s because they are on commission, so they
don’t think they are being paid to spend their time selling, or
because they don’t feel comfortable putting themselves out
there to clients, we have to encourage and empower our staff
“It seems we have
a bit of an
expectations
problem when it
comes to selling
retail in our spas.”
to jump on the retail train.
One of the most effective ways we’ve found to accom-
plish this is through peer encouragement. At Kohler, we’ve
asked our retail rockstars—those who have killed it selling
retail—to step up at staff meetings and explain how they’ve
DIRECTORS
Sharilyn Abbajay
ISPA Foundation Vice Chairman
Noel Asmar
Noel Asmar Group, Inc.
Damien Craft
Four Seasons Westlake Village
Scott Duncan
Spa Gregorie’s
Brennan Evans
Trilogy Spa Holdings
Blake Feeney
Living Earth Crafts
Kelleye Heydan
The Edgewater Resort & Spa
been able to increase their paychecks from selling retail and Patrick Huey
Montage Hotels & Resorts
even share what has worked for them. The message seems Kristine Huffman
Hutchinson Consulting
to resonate a bit more coming from a peer rather than a
manager.
We also try to get staff out of the breakroom and into the
retail boutique. Guests look at our therapists and estheticians as the experts. It’s like when a
doctor gives you a prescription, you believe and trust his advice because he’s the one who went
to medical school and lives and breathes medicine. Our clients feel the same way about their
service providers—they live and breathe spa, which makes them more equipped than anyone to
Laura Parsons
ESPA International (US) Ltd. (Spa Division)
Frank Pitsikalis
ISPA Foundation Chairman
Eric Stephenson
Elements Massage
Michael Tompkins
Immediate Past Chair
Robert Vance
Sensei Retreats Lana'i
Lynne McNees
International SPA Association
sell retail products to a client.
That confidence to sell comes from knowledge and education. Our employees crave the
information they need to be successful, we just need to give it to them. We try to bring at least
MEDICAL ADVISOR
Brent A. Bauer, MD
Mayo Clinic
one resource partner into our spas a month for education. If there’s one thing we’ve learned
about retail in the spa world, it’s that if the team isn’t behind the product you’re selling, they
won’t sell it. If they don’t believe in the product, there’s no way the customer will. Taking
advantage of the assistance your resource partners provide—like education and incentives for
CHAIRMEN’S COUNCIL
Past ISPA Chairmen who are
current members:
Gayle Brady • Brady Spa Consulting
your staff—are the perfect place to start.
Ella Kent • The Spa at Sea Island
This issue of Pulse is full of advice for making retail sales a natural part of your employees’
routines, so feel free to pass around this issue or share the digital version. Remember, knowledge
Jeff Kohl • Spa & Club Ideations
Jean Kolb • Well By Choice
John Korpi • Korpi & Korpi
is confidence and confidence makes sales.
Kate Mearns • LIVunLtd
Jim Root • Mii amo
—GARRETT MERSBERGER, CHAIRMAN
2
PULSE
■
May 2018
Jane Segerberg • Segerberg
Spa Consulting, LLC
Deborah Waldvogel • ResortSuite