“ We are moving away from the word ‘ retail ’ as we speak internally and with our guests . We will be using ‘ self-care ’ as the alternative — self-care boutique , self-care products and self-care sales .”
– JENNIFER LYNN more adaptable retail sales process . If a guest is comfortable with conversation during a treatment , the esthetician can share product details and explain their value to guests in the treatment room . If a guest prefers to relax quietly during a treatment , the front desk staff and sales associate can take the lead using the service providers recommendations on the guest product card .
As the increase in retail revenue at her spa attests , the approach Krems and her team have taken is working , but as she notes , a big part of that success has been a continued emphasis on training .“ We do quarterly trainings with the entire team . I think that ’ s huge . I think that if we had just said ,‘ Okay , we ’ re back up and running , we might do education when we feel like it ’ s really needed ,’ I don ’ t think we would be as successful as we ’ ve been ,” Krems says .
IT ’ S TRAINING , IT ’ S POURING Because training has been so crucial to her team ’ s retail success , Krems advises spa leaders to work closely with resource partners — many of whom have adopted a hybrid approach to education that includes virtual and inperson opportunities — to devise a proactive training regimen that keeps things fresh for the team .“ I know that there are several brands out there that will now come to you in person or will provide you a Zoom training . We do kind of a mix of both at the moment ,” she says .
For Jennifer Lynn and the team at AWANA Spa & Wellness , training has been similarly important to their goal of getting off to a strong start following their late August opening . According to Lynn , coordinating a training plan with the spa ’ s resource partners prior to opening was vital , though it was also a complex undertaking .“ Project management for a spa opening is a completely different skillset than operations management ,” Lynn explains .“ Despite all of the planning , objectives will change , and timelines will shift . The largest learning curve came from the training plan . We had to ensure each product and accessory had arrived in time for training . The vendor representatives were coordinated in detail with each of the different learning tracks , receptionists , reservationists and treatment providers in order to maximize the learning opportunities .”
Carrying out such a complex plan required not only a considerable amount of forethought , but also a high degree of trust in resource partners with whom the spa had to work so closely in the lead up to its opening . That kind of trust , explains Lynn , is a key part of her decision to bring a line into the spa : “ The relationship with spa operators and vendors is extremely important . I want to genuinely believe in the product , the company , its values and the people that represent the brand . I am making decisions on people that I will work with for years to come , so I never underestimate the relationship and connection I have with the representatives .”
Despite the relatively different situations facing their spas , both Jennifer Lynn and Marissa Krems are proof that , by paying close attention to the shifting expectations of guests , emphasizing education and investing time in training , spas can craft successful retail strategies no matter the circumstances . �
TALKING TRENDS
PAYING CAREFUL ATTENTION TO GUEST HABITS IS A CRITICAL part of a successful retail operation , and both Jennifer Lynn and Marissa Krems have adjusted some of their offerings as a way of meeting guests where they are at the moment . At AWANA Spa & Wellness , guests can purchase the daily Fountain of Youth Facility Passport . “ With the passport ,” says Lynn , “ upon arrival to spa reception , we share the various products that they can purchase to use on themselves during their visit .” The collection includes an array of masks , soaps and skin and body care options for guests to enjoy during their visit .
Meanwhile , The Spa at the Elms is also stocking more items — such as journals , eye pillows and essential oil rollers — focused on the self-care solutions many guests have gravitated toward during the pandemic ( and which the spa did not carry at all prior to the pandemic ). “ Those have been some of our top sellers . I think it goes back to that sense of selfcare that people turn to ,” Krems says .
OCTOBER 2021 � PULSE 17