How your spa management software will help you and your business in the new world of spa and wellness.
The spa and wellness industry is going through changes. People are learning how to stay physically distant in a traditionally high touch industry. And it’s hard. How does that work, and what can spa managers, directors, and service providers do to maintain a deep connection with guests? Many of the answers are in your spa business management software.
How spa management software can help
Here are three ways your spa management software should be a huge help when it comes to building and maintaining close customer relationships while keeping your distance in what will come to be known as the contactless experience:
Remote check in, check out, intake forms, and payment options
Unnecessary human interaction has become something to avoid. Software is going to play a big role in reducing contact and eliminating communal touchpoints that are handled by many people.
Rather than stop at the front desk, the contactless spa will allow guests to check in remotely and from their own devices, like an airport. They are also now able to fill out their intake forms digitally, from anywhere and at their own convenience, rather than stop at the reception. This means a guest can walk straight to their changeroom or treatment room, interacting with no one along the way. And then, when the treatment or service is over, the guest can pay through an app, and leave the way they came – seeing no one.
Communication
With less face-to-face interaction, other forms of communication are going to be more important. Previously, we had many opportunities to personally connect with guests and do our best to make them feel good, comfortable and relaxed. The guest experience is all about how you make your guests feel, and it’s pretty easy to make someone feel good with a smile, a warm in-person greeting, a handshake, the offering of a beverage, and conversation. It’s more difficult to create those warm feelings from a distance, but easier with the right software. Software allows you to communicate with your guests and maintain connections, no matter where they are.
Customer satisfaction surveys will also become more important. As spas are having to change ways of doing things, customer feedback will provide insight into what is working and what might not be. The only way to know what people are thinking is to ask. Research suggests that a dissatisfied customer won’t complain; they just won’t come back. And you will never know why you lost that guest. Also, with physical distancing in place, you have fewer opportunities to gauge whether a guest is happy from their in-person comments, facial expression, or body language. Surveys sent immediately after a treatment or service allow you to gather much required feedback, so you can make the adjustments needed to keep guests happy.
Extreme personalization
The little touches are going to become increasingly relevant to guests, and making those touches meaningful will turn a good experience into a great one. Now that many spas will no longer be offering things like communal beverage pitchers, food trays, and reading materials, spas have the opportunity to offer guests personalized versions of these offerings – an article they might like, for example, on an ipad that has been sanitized, the snack or beverage of their specific choice, the scented lotion they enjoyed last time…
All of your guest’s information should be stored in your software’s note taking function, so you can really blow them away with an extremely personalized experience.
Also, returning to the topic of communication, your messaging should be personalized to every customer. There is no excuse for sending out generic communications anymore. Software allows you to take note of customer’s birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and other special occasions, so you can make them feel special by sending communications on these days. Know their likes and dislikes, and curate your messaging accordingly. If a guest hates spicy-citrus scents, you might not want to include them in a mass email about your new bergamot face serum. Be smart and be specific.
A carefully targeted message and curated gift will go a long way towards helping build strong relationships.
Your spa management software should be able to do all these things for you. If it’s not doing what you need it to do, you should probably look for a new software.
Spa Executive is published by Book4Time, the leader in guest management, revenue and mobile solutions for the most exclusive spas, hotels, and resorts around the globe. Learn more at book4time.com