“ It all starts with the reservation : Building that rapport with them is crucial in being able to get that type of information in advance .”
and we tend to make it pretty obvious that we are an open and inclusive environment .”
Training staff to handle nontransgender guests who aren ’ t comfortable “ It starts with the call when booking the treatment ,” said Eber .“ Most clients are vocal about it as they want to feel comfortable in spaces , so get as much information as you can .”
Warren echoed that sentiment . “ It all starts with the reservation : Building that rapport with them is crucial in being able to get that type of information in advance .”
“ We are taking a strong look at our entire training module at all of our locations to generalize it more to reduce the pressure for our staff ,” stated Brennan Evans .“ It ’ s a piece of the discrimination and harassment policy and we ’ re working to clearly define that area .”
Guest gender preference and nonbinary or transgender associates “ There are so many different cultures and different points of view when it comes to gender ,” said Warren .“ It ’ s important , still , to personally get as much information as you can . Being respectful to everyone is a challenge , but the more information you can get , the better off you ’ ll be upon arrival .”
“ We honor the gender identity of that employee ,” stated Evans .“ If they identify as a female and they used to be a male , we identity them as a female and we share their chosen identity with the guest .”
Eber commented , “ All of our spaces are ungendered . We have a changing room , three non-gender restrooms and a common locker area where people are robed .” She shared , “ I decided to remove it from the equation from the beginning , and we have not had an issue with a client .”
Marketing and how we represent inclusivity “ All marketing has to be at the appropriate place at the right time ,” said Warren . “ I think a more subtle and respectful way is the best approach , for example hormonal skin . A client could be in the middle of transitioning , or you could have a client who has a hormone imbalance due to menopause : Market those products in a way that includes everyone .”
Eber shared , “ We try to be inclusive of everything , from our social media pages to signage . … I try to have fair and equal representation of all humans and it ’ s important to me that the brands I carry also represent that .”
Chain of command if an issue arises “ We have a spa leader on duty at all hours ,” said Heidi Smith-Mullen . “ If an issue arises , employees will report to the spa leader , then to resort manager and general manager , and — if need be — we ’ ll bring in our more senior leaders and legal .”
“ Our front desk manager is the first point of contact if an issue arises and then it defaults to me ,” said Eber . “ We have our values , and we haven ’ t had anyone push back yet . We get more clients because of our values .”
“ Overall , everyone is empowered and trained on our guest recovery policy ,” said Warren . “ If something escalates , they report to their direct supervisor . We document the issue after it is resolved so we can learn from those cases and we share it with our other properties and make amendments because , from every incident we run into , it ’ s always a learning opportunity .” n
Members may view the Town Hall in the On-Demand Learning Library under the Resources tab on the ISPA website .
A SPECIAL THANK YOU to our Town Hall sponsor , Book4Time , for enabling this thoughtful and timely discussion and for sharing their 21 Marketing Tips & Strategies for Your Spa Guide to all attendees .
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023 n PULSE 45