therapist . You can also reduce waiting time for walk-in guests or last-minute bookings . Many spas that are not practicing MGR will move appointments around in the morning to attempt to better optimize their schedule . As guests have planned their day around the appointment , even a 30-minute shift can lead to lower guest satisfaction and loyalty or even cancellations .
3 . INCREASE REVENUE : Optimize operational efficiency : By reducing idle time and overtime for your therapists , you ensure they are working at their optimal capacity and not wasting time between appointments . This reduces stress and fatigue , avoids overbooking and reduces unnecessary additional work hours . Planned breaks also easier to schedule when booking times are optimized before and after the break .
How to Implement MGR Effectively MGR is a simple but powerful strategy that can help you optimize your spa revenue by minimizing unsold gaps in the schedule . Following best practices will help you avoid some common pitfalls : l ANALYZE your spa ’ s service mix , demand patterns and operational constraints to determine the optimal mini-
PRO TIP : By employing a minimum gap restriction strategy and combining it with dynamic availability revenue management rules ( selling only your highest margin treatments during peak times ), your spa can truly reach its optimal revenue and profitability potential while at the same time enhancing staff and guest satisfaction .
mum gap restriction for your spa . You can use historical data , forecasting tools or trial and error to find the best minimum gap for each service type , duration or time of the day . l COMMUNICATE the MGR strategy clearly and consistently to your staff , guests and booking channels . You can use signage , brochures , website , social media or verbal communication to explain the benefits and rationale of MGR to your staff and guests . You can also use your booking system , online booking platform or third-party booking agents to enforce the MGR rules and display the available time slots that fit the minimum gap requirement . l TRAIN your staff to apply the MGR strategy effectively and efficiently . You can provide them with scripts , guidelines or scenarios to help them handle different situations and guest objections . You can also empower them to use their discretion and judgment to make exceptions or adjustments to the MGR rules when necessary , such as for VIP guests , special occasions or service recovery . l CHECK with your spa software provider to see if they have features to assist with enabling minimum gap restriction — especially as more and more spas are increasing the number of reservations made via online and mobile booking channels . l MONITOR AND EVALUATE the MGR strategy regularly and adjust it as needed . You can use key performance indicators , such as occupancy rate , revenue per available hour , average ticket , guest satisfaction , staff productivity and staff retention to measure the impact and effectiveness of MGR . You can also solicit feedback from your staff and guests to identify any issues or opportunities for improvement . n
FRANK PITSIKALIS is SVP , Product Strategy for Agilysys and former founder and CEO of ResortSuite , former ISPA Foundation chairman and former ISPA Board member . He pioneered spa technology for revenue managing spas and introduced the concept of “ dynamic availability ” to the spa industry , publishing the white paper “ Yield Management for Spas ” and presenting his strategies at the ISPA Conference in 2006 . At Agilysys , he has now pioneered the concept of minimum gap restriction for further revenue optimization of spas .
40 PULSE n SEPTEMBER 2024