In this #10things, I interview spa magician, a.k.a. spa consultant Megan Linney, asking her “What are #10things we need to know about rebuilding or rebranding a spa?” Below are her answers.If you are going to hire a consultant or rebrand your spa, here are Linney’s suggested #10things.
1. Take time to gather information.
Conduct a thorough facility evaluation, detailed inventory of supplies and observe staff and guests to determine why the spa is not succeeding.
2. Ask the staff.
Listen to each of the staff members. The team will be a mix of currently apathetic and disgruntled people who were once champions of the business. This process helps you to understand who and what can be salvaged from existing operations.
3. Evaluate numbers.
What type of sales has the business been able to achieve? Numbers tell a story that will provide an improvement plan for the spa.
4. Be transparent.
Remind employees that you’ll be reviewing all aspects of the business before making a recommendation.
5. Be diplomatic and compassionate.
You’ll gather more bees with honey than vinegar. Many of those who are left standing in a failing spa or salon are to be commended for doing the work that others neglected.
6. Review the competition.
Read online reviews, social media campaigns, service offerings and pricing within a ten mile radius for suburban (and approximately ten blocks for urban) locations.
7. Keep what works.
It’s great to bring innovation to attract new or more guests, but don’t alienate the guests who have been frequenting the business during its less successful period.
8. Remember the people.
People are your most important asset. It’s unnecessary to scrap everything to get major results. More often, a deep clean, critical investment in repairs/minor upgrades and refreshing the service menu/retail offerings will go a long way.
9. Deliver clarity.
If you are a consultant or manager, deliver your findings and recommendations to the owners in a clear and concise manner that includes action, time frames, cost, ROI and the investment necessary.
10. Cross-promote.
Make sure you have the holy trinity of cross promotion: services that deliver client’s needs, result-driven retail products and a team committed to customer service.