When management consulting firm McKinsey & Company released the results of its survey on the future of wellness earlier this year , any spa leader who happened to come across the report would likely not have been surprised at its findings . The report ’ s claim that “ consumers care deeply about wellness — and … their interest is growing ” may seem like quite an understatement to those in the spa in- smile on the faces of spa professionals everywhere , and many in the industry have begun to make adjustments — sometimes subtle , sometimes more pronounced — to their marketing , communications and menus to share with newly wellness-conscious guests turning to spas to help them achieve their health and well-being goals . But another aspect of many spas ’ operations that must not be overlooked in the conversation about how to meet these guests ’ needs is the retail sales component of the business and the opportunity it provides to stay conthe first strategies starts with the vernacular we are using . We are moving away from the word ‘ retail ’ as we speak internally and with our guests ,” says Lynn .“ We will be using ‘ self-care ’ as the alternative — self-care boutique , selfcare products and self-care sales .” This adjustment is rooted in more than just the desire to latch onto trendy language floating around the industry , as it better reflects the spirit of what spas hope to offer and reframes guests ’ investment as more than a simple purchase . As Lynn puts it ,“ Retail is the transaction ; self-care is the behavior .”
RETAIL STRATEGY
Shakeups
BY JOSH CORMAN dustry , many of whom have seen evidence of that growing interest in the form of high demand for all manner of spa services . Still , the level of detail that the report provides sheds light on just how elevated consumers ’ concerns about their well-being have become . Nearly four in five respondents ( 79 percent ) said that wellness is important to them , and 42 percent said that they consider it a top priority . In each of the six countries researched , consumers reported a “ substantial increase in the prioritization of wellness ” over the past two to three years .
Figures like those are sure to put a nected to the spa by bringing a piece of it into their homes .
SHIFTING APPROACHES Part of taking advantage of that opportunity is adapting to the demands of a world changed not only by the COVID- 19 pandemic but also by guests ’ changing priorities . With those shifts in mind , Jennifer Lynn , director of spa at AWANA Spa & Wellness , a newly opened spa at Resorts World Las Vegas , says her current approach to retail involved a “ complete reset ,” part of which included changing the traditional terminology around retail sales .“ One of
Meanwhile , at The Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior , Missouri , Spa Director Marissa Krems eyed a different sort of refresh to her team ’ s approach to retail sales . Though the terminology has remained the same , the spa ’ s retail sales process changed not long after the spa reopened in 2020 following a pandemic-related shutdown . Because service providers were spending most of their time between treatments attending to the spa ’ s heightened cleaning and sanitization protocols , the opportunities to educate and consult with guests about products following services were sharply reduced .
14 PULSE � OCTOBER 2021