THIS MONTH WE ASKED : “ The customer is always right .” True or false ?
ISPA HEADQUARTERS TEAM
THIS MONTH WE ASKED : “ The customer is always right .” True or false ?
Lynne McNees • President lynne . mcnees @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.226.4260 “ False ! The world would be a better place for employees and customers if we abide by the Golden Rule .”
Crystal Ducker • Vice President crystal . ducker @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.226.4427 “ Listening to the customer is key . While you may not always agree with them , sometimes you just need to be flexible and ‘ give ’ em the pickle .’”
Elly Boling • Membership Coordinator elly . boling @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.226.4292 “ In any kind of conflict , it ’ s important that each side is heard . Every customer has their own beliefs and knowledge to back it up , but they don ’ t know everything . If both sides can come to a mutual understanding , then both sides can be right .”
Chelsea Compton • Director of Membership chelsea . compton @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.226.4334 “ If a customer is wrong , the situation is usually an opportunity to educate or improve communication between customer and service provider . Customer satisfaction is a high priority , so service providers should actively listen to guest concerns , offer empathy and suggest a solution without making the customer feel like they were in the wrong .”
Sydney Doctor • Director of Sales sydney . doctor @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.279.0801 “ False . Empathy and understanding of different perspectives is important . but boundaries and business policies are essential to preserving quality .”
Amy Finder • Graphic Designer amy . finder @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.963.1877 “ False . It is important to show kindness , exceptional service and empathy while still enforcing policies as well as boundaries . With a sincere customer , a little of these goes a long way , even when they don ’ t get their way .”
Nelson Lane • Senior Marketing Manager nelson . lane @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.551.3906 “ Being empathetic in understanding that the bulk of a guest ’ s negative feedback comes from unrelated personal trauma should help service providers rise above and relate to a guest ’ s negative outpourings while not taking anything personally .”
Jessica Roberts • Marketing Specialist jessica . roberts @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.425.5072 “ Perspective plays a big role here . From the customer ’ s point of view , they are right . My advice is simple : Always practice empathy . We ’ re all human , with different emotions and reactions . It never hurts to take a second to understand the ‘ why ’ behind someone ’ s actions .”
Samantha Smith • Project Manager samantha . smith @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.219.3619 “ False ; frankly , there is no situation in life where someone should always be considered right . Especially in today ’ s consumer market . If you develop a strong team and create a great guest experience within your organization , positive results will follow .”
Marja Walker • Graphic Designer marja . walker @ ispastaff . com • 1.520.891.3439 “ The customer may not be right ( there is always that one bad apple ). Assuming best intentions , aproaching them with kindness and trying to find a solution to continue a relationship will benefit everyone . You never know what someone is dealing with .”
ISPA @ ISPASTAFF . COM EXPERIENCEISPA . COM
Scot T . Gillies • Executive Editor scot . gillies @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.226.4372 “ False ! Be polite , be kind — but don ’ t let one customer ’ s bad attitude spoil the experience for other guests or staff . An apology and a refund as you show them to the door can be a great investment in harmony for everyone else .”
VISION
To be the leader in promoting and enhancing the well-being of the spa industry and the people it serves .
Alexandra Harper-Sharapov • Director of Education alexandra . harper-sharapov @ ispastaff . com • 1.859.359.8010 “ False . Someone cannot be right all the time , as you never stop learning . Be kind and create a positive culture with solid policies .”
MISSION
ISPA advances the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities , promoting the value of the spa experience and speaking as the authoritative voice to foster professionalism and growth .
62 PULSE n SEPTEMBER 2024