According to the International Medical Spa Association there are over 1,000 open medical spas in the U.S. Jeff Russell, CEO of MedSpa Financing says, “Competition is definitely setting in, and it’s not only direct competition from other medical spas, but indirect competition from businesses that offer the same services. You have salons that offer hair removal, day spas that offer dermal filler injections, and mall outlets that offer microdermabrasion.

If you are going to not only succeed, but thrive in this new environment, you are going to have to be better than your competition. Following these 5 tips will help you get that extra edge you’ll need to stay ahead of the pack.

1:  Are you marketing to the right customer?
First and foremost, you need to look at your current customers and ensure your medspa is operating at capacity.

2:  Get to know your neighbors
Do you know all the businesses surrounding yours? You may need to take another walk around the neighborhood, and see what new business building opportunities are available. As you are walking around, ask yourself these questions: Do they compliment my services? Can we help each other increase business by referring customers between us?

3:  Network within your community
Many people associate networking with schmoozing. As a MedSpa owner, you need to always be networking. Where to network? There are many places from the local chamber of commerce, community groups, industry associations, or you can join a board or peer group.

4:  Develop your communication skills
As a MedSpa owner, you interact with people everyday: staff, clients, suppliers, and the media. If there is one thing you need to master, it’s your communication skills. You need to be able to clearly articulate your key message consistently.

5:  Recharge regularly
Quite often you are so focused on your customers, you forget about yourself. As a Medical Spa owner, you are going to find yourself absolutely drained. How are you going to grow the business? Should I advertise with this magazine? I just don’t have enough time. You need to achieve a balance between the MedSpa and your personal life.

“As you develop and grow your Medical Spa you are going to experience the same growing pains common to any new business, the key is identifying them and responding to them” says Russell. By following these 5 tips, you will see your revenues increase.

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While this Article is about Hotel reviews found on line by guests, the same philosophy and tactics apply to the Spa Industry.

Traveler reviews have become part of the daily dialogue of web travel shoppers.   Millions of travelers log on daily and may experience a property through hotel generated photos and written text, but they find reviews and candid photography much more believable.

Many in the industry feel review sites are not objective and may be manipulated. They feel the content is not controllable or actionable and reject the opportunity to manage these sites by saying the comments might be inaccurate. However, what matters in the issue of web 2.0 sites is whether guests perceive them to be accurate. So far, customer research indicates they do. Furthermore, the research shows increasing numbers of possible clients are researching on third party sites, even if they are booking on brand sites.

The combination of increasing numbers of web-savvy consumers, the web 2.0 frenzy focusing on social media, and increased travel site volume, have created a ‘wild-west’ environment where hotels’ traditional comment card programs and advertising dollars are being trumped at the point of decision by dialogue in the public square.

The trend of traveler reviews is not going away. Given the juggernaut, it is important to know what to do internally when customer comments become the issue.

10 Things You Can Do In Response to Traveler Reviews:

10. READ THEM!  It is recommended sites be visited at least weekly for new reviews and photos.

9. AUDIT THEM! A friend at a major brand hotel recently told me he found 6 unflattering photos posted by a guest on a site. Fortunately, they were not of his hotel. It seems there was an error in posting the photos. He was able to work it out with the website involved.

8. STUDY THEM! Any hotel might have a poor review, but patterns of poor reviews are of particular concern. If you see the same issues arise on a site, or across several sites, one might identify operational deficiencies. These comments should be treated the same as customer comment cards or letters. They may be more anonymous, but an hotelier recently told me that internal public discussion of web commentary usually yields someone that knows the situation and the guest. This enables the hotel to take action by contacting that customer for follow up.

7. CELEBRATE THEM! As with any feedback system, the positives must also be rewarded. Posting these comments, offering employee incentives for improvements, and reading positive comments in meetings allows one to focus and enhance strengths, not just see vulnerabilities.

6. CORRELATE THEM! Public comments should be married to existing internal comment card scores and not taken as isolated

5. DISTRIBUTE THEM! Website comments should be shared at all levels, from housekeeper to regional manager.

4. COMPARE THEM! A smart hotel analyzes their scores and those of their competitors. Likewise, sales teams should use public forum commentary as competitor intelligence.

3. ANALYZE THEM! It is critical to know that rate is just one factor in a buying decision.

2. TRACK THEM! Trends are more valuable when viewed over longer periods of time. As such, traveler review scores, rankings, and rate strategies should be viewed retrospectively for patterns. Comparing these critical factors will allow an hotelier to see tactical changes by competitors and gauge the effectiveness of hotel specific changes.

1. RESPOND TO THEM! TripAdvisor.com allows posted responses from hotels and studies show those who respond are viewed favorably. Other sites will soon follow, but internal discussion of problems will yield the names of disgruntled guests, which, in turn, will allow a hotel to respond

The big picture of a hotel’s reputation includes traveler reviews because there is no insulation from the trend. While brand may yield recognition for an individual property, it may not be enough to overcome negative reviews or photos of a run down room. Consumers understand individual property experiences vary and are eager to learn if reputation is reality.

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Whether it’s the colors chosen for the walls, the arrangement of the salon or thoughtfully placed water features, a more enlightened approach to business is no longer seen as weird – indeed some of the most successful salons in the country have looked to their spiritual side for inspiration. 

Feng Shui Tips | True Colors 

“We were both very skeptical at the beginning but as her advice started to work and we started to see significant differences to our business, we realized what she said made sense.  

 “Our healer has helped with many aspects of the business from advising on color schemes, logo designs and furniture positioning. She has a wealth of knowledge on everything from personal to business advice and has been very helpful to our salon.” 

Tommy Van der Veken of Tommy’s Hair Company, Denbighshire, is a great believer in the relaxing properties of flowing water. The backwash area of the salon is surrounded by a water feature that he believes, “adds to the harmony and serenity of the salon”.  

 Water is important to a salon environment, with running water helping to produce healthy negative ions and a peaceful atmosphere,” he says.  

Top Tips for Feng Shui:   There are many principles to the ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui – here are some that may prove beneficial to your business. 

The south-east section of your salon is the ideal place to site your till as it’s the wealth sector of a building.

 A water feature could be just the trick to keep staff and clients in an upbeat mood.

According to the laws of feng shui, it activates chi, or positive energy. Try placing a tabletop fountain in the wealth sector for the ultimate effect

Don’t have spiky cacti in your salon; the pointed edges have a negative effect on the flow of chi.

True Colors Color can have a profound emotional and spiritual effect, so be careful what hues you opt for when designing your salon.

Within Eastern philosophy it is believed that colors relate to the different chakra (energy centers) in the body.  For example: PURPLE relates to the crown chakra and the brain. It has a calming effect and is beneficial for those suffering depression or stress BLUE relates to the throat chakra and is the color of communication GREEN, relating to the heart, is a balancing color that should bring harmony YELLOW relates to the stomach and has a stimulating effect, helpful when study or concentration is required.  

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A groundbreaking initiative that aims to make English the international language for the spa industry will be launched at World Travel Market as part of this year’s Spa, Health and Wellness focus.

Working with the British International Spa Association (BISA) and the Spa Research Fellowship, the focus will span all four days of the leading business to business event at ExCeL London (Monday 12 –Thursday 15 November).  

This will include the Israeli Government Tourist Office (IGTO), who is once again linking with AHAVA Essential Dead Sea Treatments to bring delegates the benefits of the worlds oldest natural spa, the Dead Sea. As the lowest place on earth and renowned for its rejuvenating properties, the Dead Sea has the highest concentration of minerals on the planet and produces mineral-rich mud, proven to aid the healing of many skin conditions.

Robert Czik, Managing Director of spa product manufacturer SpaFind Skincare, is unveiling details of the new spa training college being set up in Kent, UK. “The plan is to get international spa operators to send their therapists to the UK, both to improve their technique and learn specialist spa English,” explained Czik.

“We hope it will appeal to large hotel groups, such as Hyatt, but also national spa associations overseas,” explained Czik.

He said that the position of English already as an international business language made it the obvious choice for spa students.

The initiative has already won over spa industry bosses in China, who are keen to build the treatment sector to aid their tourism development.

At the end of November the school is expecting to welcome its first batch of overseas students – 35 would-be therapists from Japan – who will brush up their language skills.

Health Boom

World Travel Market’s Health and Wellness focus is a reflection of the phenomenal growth of spa holidays, according to Fiona Jeffery, the event’s chairman.

“Research shows that the industry has grown 40% in the past three years alone”, said Jeffery.

“The sheer size of the market is mind-boggling. There are now more spas in the US alone (15,699) than there are Starbucks coffee shops in the world (13,728).”

“There are two definite trends,” explained Dr Osborne. “The first is for spas to align themselves with big brands such as ESPA. They can buy the products in bulk and get a whole regime of support, including staff training.

“There is also a trend towards the exotic. Creating new products sets you apart. Spas often look to the local culture, say using coconut milk in the Caribbean, to add an element of ethnicity to their offering.

Seminar Program

The three Spa, Health and Wellness seminars are:

 Sustaining credibility – avoiding customer disillusionment.Dr. Bruce Osborne – Spas Research Fellowship, Monday 12 November

 The UK Market for Health Tourism, Tuesday 13 November, 11.00 hrsSpeaker: Keith Pollard, Managing Director, Treatment Abroad, UK leading web portal for medical tourism. 

 English – The First Language of Spas, Tuesday 13 November 14.00 hrs Speaker: Robert Czik – BISPA 

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Newbury Street, Boston MA spa owner is still owed some $18,000 

Joyce Hampers is still owed some $18,000 from a former receptionist who swindled $25,000 from her Emerge Spa & Salon last year by issuing store credits to her personal credit cards and then tossing out the receipts.

A spa manager “caught her because the same credit card numbers were showing up over and over again,” said Hampers.

The woman was placed on probation and court-ordered to pay restitution at a rate of $1,000 a month, but last month she went back before a judge to get her monthly payments cut in half, court records show.

Hampers said she changed her credit card processing procedures and installed a password-protected System for issuing credits.

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LaserBodySculpting(SM) has created a whole new dimension to the Canadianbeauty industry. The revolutionary new procedure has given clinic owners and operators an exciting and unique new treatment to offer their clients.

 Smartlipo(TM) works by delivering a proprietary pulsing format of laser energy thatliquefies localized deposits of fat and then is removed through a canola.  The procedure generally causes less bleeding, swelling and bruising than traditional liposuction.

Cosmetic procedures continue to increase in Canada, with a preferencetoward procedures that allow clients to resume their normal lifestyle withlittle down time.  

Smartlipo quickly and safely removes stubborn pockets of unwanted fat while tightening skin on the face, neck, arms, back, abdomen, hips, thighs and even the knees. Recently approved by Health Canada, the Smartlipo procedure is a physician-performed treatment that is performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting and requires minimal recovery time. 

Smartlipo(TM) is now available in select clinics across Canada.Interested consumers can visit www.cynosure.com to find the nearest clinic currently offering Smartlipo treatments.

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As more hotels and resorts install Wi-Fi throughout their buildings, the workplace is increasingly invading the spa.

“Occasionally, I’ll see people with laptops or their BlackBerries working right up until the moment before their treatment,” said Heather Dominguez, spa director at the Renaissance ClubSport in Walnut Creek, Calif., which offers hotelwide wireless Internet access. “It’s not something we really advertise. It’s just kind of an underground thing.” 

The Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort in Florida, for example, plans to offer Wi-Fi in its spa starting in October. So is the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach, Fla., when its spa reopens later this year after renovations.

The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg made a conscious decision to offer wireless Internet access when it opened this past spring with the rationale that for some of their customers, staying wired was actually less stressful than doing away with their gadgets.

The outside world also is creeping into the sanctuary of the spa through television. Some spas are installing flat-screen televisions for patrons who want to tune in to the news or sports before or after treatments. So as not to distract other guests from relaxing, the Asha Salon Spa at the James Hotel in Chicago provides headsets for the television watchers in relaxation rooms.

The two televisions in the Men’s Only Zone at Qua Baths and Spa at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas often show sporting events so spa-goers can keep up with bets at the Sports Book. The electronic invasion has not extended to cellphone calls, which generally remain forbidden in all spa areas. Internet usage is also different, some spas say, because guests can check e-mail or surf the Web without disturbing the serenity “In the past, you couldn’t leave your office without work shutting down.

Today you can sit and get a pedicure and be working on your BlackBerry.” About two months ago, Michelle Howard, spa and wellness director at Zermatt Resort and Spa in Midway, Utah, said she came across a guest sitting in the relaxation room and finishing a report on his laptop.

Chris Farley, director of the Gainey Village Health Club and Spa, has been offering free Wi-Fi since April 2005, witnessed “head-in-the-face-cradle surfing” once or twice — spa-goers checking their BlackBerries while lying face down on the massage table.

Spa purists balk at the thought. “I would not send a client to a spa with Wi-Fi,” said Jenni Lipa, president of Spa Trek Travel in New York, which specializes in spa vacations.

Skana, the spa at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y., was given the option of adding wireless Internet access in the treatment and relaxation rooms. They declined “At the Ranch, we want our guests to disconnect and don’t offer Wi-Fi service in the rooms or in any of the relaxation centers,” said Roma Maxwell, a spokeswoman for Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa in Tecate, Mexico. As an alternative, the spa offers a designated Wi-Fi area and an Internet room with computers and printers.

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I am very new to the spa industry but would like to open my own day spa within the next 6 months. I would like to go with an Asian theme preferably japanese. Can you point me in the direction of Asian treatments and products and asian inspired designs for spas maybe in pictures. Also i would appreciate a foundation plan. Right now i’m really confused as to which direction to turn. What type of office space would make more sense to lease (a beauty salon, doctors/dental office or just an open floor plan office space) as there is no existing spa in my area. I would like to start out small, how many rooms would i need besides the reception area if i plan on having 2 massage treatment rooms and i also want to do facials and foot massages. what type of rooms are generally found in a day spa. thanks

Dear Jade,

Before you start, I would advise that you do a Business Plan and Market Analysis to determine the feasibility of what you plan to do.  If you are not sure of how to write one or how to perform a Market Analysis, then you should consider either hiring a Spa Consultant or if you do not have the funding to do that, then I would advise that you contact the small business association in your area or  SCORE which is comprised of retired business executives http://www.score.org.

In regard to Japanese Therapies, here are a few.  However, these are very technical services and really require proper additional training and certification to perform.  Seeing how there are no spas in your area currently, You may not find specialists in your area who can perform these services.  So, hiring staff may be a challenge.

Shiatsu

Ashiatsu

Thai Massage

Anma Massage

Reiki

Accussage

Accupunture

Acu Facials

Anma Facial

Facials & Body treatments incorporating Japanese Herbs or Green Tea

Japanese Enzyme/Herbal Baths

Location is going to be key, and starting out small is a good idea.  Do consider how long your lease is for, because if you need to expand you do not want to be locked in.  You will probably need to be in a high traffic area.  Going into a strip center with a good anchor or a location where they are already generating the type of traffic /cliental that you determine is your market audience is also important.  Locations near a salon, Fitness club, yoga/palates studio is beneficial.  Developing a network with dermatologists, chiropractors, and plastic surgeons is advisable.

Make sure you get all of the legalities clarified so you know what is required in your area to operate an establishment with massage, aesthetics and nail services.  Verify the need for water and equipment in the treatment rooms as required by local ordinances. 

To view locations for ideas, just Google Japanese Day Spas and you can get a few ideas.  Or visit Japanese restaurants to get inspired on colors and features.  Spa Trade has a buyers guide that can assist you with locating Equipment companies. 

Good Luck if you need assistance as you move forward please feel free to contact me.

Marie Bernat

COO Spavelous

The Largest Spa Directory 

 What is it really? A $200 pedicure.  It takes place at La Prairie Spa at the Beverly Hills Hotel. You slip into a terry robe and slippers and sip a cup of Introspection tea, then an attendant leads you into a candle-lighted massage room. Once you’ve disrobed (for a foot treatment?), you stretch out on the table and await your “reflexology.” La Prairie lotion is lavished on your feet, which are then given a vigorous shake.

But the reflexology never comes — just some light petting. The robe goes back on, you’re led into a pedicure room — a really nice pedicure room, with a reclining chair that makes you feel like you’re floating, and a view of a gorgeous garden. The pedicure looks and feels great — this time there’s real massage — and then you relax in the garden while the polish dries.  The “After Shopping Paradise” is just one of a growing number of crazy-expensive spa treatments at luxury hotels. Not so long ago, hourlong massages for $60 were easy to find, even at upscale day spas.

Now a regular old 60-minute Swedish massage will set you back $220 at Montage Resort & Spa’s ocean-view facility in Laguna Beach.  In the spa at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, a two-hour massage costs $385 — but the massage oil is “infused” with rubies and emeralds.  Spa directors explain that there are reasons for the astronomical prices. As hotels and even some day spas build multimillion-dollar facilities, their owners say they’re pressured to make a profit. “In the ’90s, spas were thought of as an amenity that would drive room rates,” says Anne McCall, general manager of spas for Fairmont Raffles Hotels International.  

The spa industry doesn’t have a formal rating system, explains Maureen Schumacher, director of Le Spa at Sofitel in Los Angeles. “In the eyes of the public, we are judged by the rates we charge,” she says. “The more we charge, the more exclusive we seem.” (Le Spa’s basic massages range from $125 for a 50-minute “So Relaxing” treatment to $145 for a deep-tissue massage.) “The massage is often the first introduction to a spa experience,” says Lynne McNees, president of the International Spa Assn. “And once you have it, you’re hooked at top resort hotels across the nation and particularly on the coasts, treatment prices have shot up in sync with room rates and ever-increasing expectations.

Hotels are especially adept at creating the most lavish environments, complete with prestige beauty products, marble showers, heated massage tables with silk blankets and daylong treatments. They spin the treatments as “indulgences,” and charge accordingly.  . Day spas also are reaching deeper into wallets as they upgrade the treatments and the trappings. The basic 50-minute massage at the 6-week-old Voda Spa in West Hollywood is already pricey at $125, and guests must also pay a $50 admission fee that allows access to a pool, saunas, steam rooms, a cafe and even a bar outfitted with Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Sparing no expense, the spa at Santa Barbara’s Four Seasons Resort, the Biltmore, hired star architect Peter Marino for its recent redesign, which includes two-level, loft-like treatment rooms that overlook the ocean and a rose garden. 

Someone’s getting a raise IF the rising salaries of top spa personnel are any indication, there’s lots of money being made inside those gilded treatment rooms. This year, spa directors are expected to see their average salaries jump at least by $10,000 to $85,000 a year, according to the International Spa Assn. and WageWatch.  

Spa trade groups such as the International Spa Assn. say they are trying to address the issue of perception and value by instituting standardized business practices that will help unify the industry.

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Woodstock practice part of growing trend of spa, or concierge, dentistry  A waterfall adorns the entrance and heated sidewalks lie underfoot. Leather couches, hardwood floors and free Wi-Fi await visitors.

Tischler Dental, a three-dentist practice, moved from an aging building two miles down the road and opened the $3 million, 10,000-square-foot office on Route 375 in January. Here, patients gaze through large windows toward a wooded landscape and watch movies on TV screens mounted to their chair.

Capitalizing on the new office, quaint town, and proximity of a 4-star resort, the dentists hope to attract cases of tooth decay and stained smiles from New York City and beyond.

Most of its clients are Ulster County adults and children seeking general dentistry, but Tischler Dental wants to be a national destination.

Concierge dentistry, or spa dentistry, is on the rise. A national survey conducted in 2003 found that half of dentists offer some type of amenity, such as headphones, neck rests, warm towels and free beverages. About 5 percent take it further with massages, facials and pedicures.

A hot oil and herb poultice massage certainly takes the edge off the pain and discomfort.

Guests also can choose from a long menu of spa treatments — from a Bindi herbal body treatment to a maple syrup bath. And of course, the chef will prepare meals that accommodate the guest’s dental situation.

Sharon Johnson’s hands gripped the armrests of the dental chair, and she watched CNN on the TV through tinted glasses. The Clifton Park resident was in the final stages of a full-mouth rehabilitation under Tischler’s care.

“I’m very funny about my teeth,” Johnson said. “I like them white and even.”

Johnson has stayed at the Emerson during several of her visits to the Woodstock dental office. The resort’s high price tag doesn’t ruffle her.

Anything that relaxes patients is good, said Matthew Messina, a Cleveland dentist and consumer adviser for the American Dental Association.

“There are dentists that have spas right in their office.

Tischler said his spa package isn’t for everybody, but he hopes it appeals to 20 or so patients a year.

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