Raoul's Blog

Innovation

2011-12-30T08:26:00.001-08:00

I am constantly amazed when people who live an uneventful life, wake up one day and decide to invent the wheel. The French philosopher “Lapalisse” was known for proclaiming truism with assurance of a messiah! The earth is round, the sky is blue, and the water is wet! Another one might be: Innovation is the key to success in the spa industry. Innovation is the key to success in any industry, the lack of it spells a sure decline and eventually death! The “Global Spa Summit” organization in collaboration with the “Aspen Institute” has identified “Innovation” as the theme of the 2012 conference, Alleluia!
It was about time. In this industry, where everyone has been happily copying each other for decades, it certainly is timely to start thinking about new ideas. Of course there are some who have not waited for a “Global Spa Summit” to decide that innovation was a worthy subject. I have been innovating constantly for the last fifty years, one of the drawbacks of being in advance with ones time is that it is not necessarily appreciated. To do things differently is disturbing to most who relish in the norm, who find solace in doing what everyone else is doing. It takes courage and fortitude to be a pioneer. Europeans are still clinging to “Thermalism” the French “Thalassotherapy” in spite of the very reason why these forms of therapies are no longer successful. People want to see results and a twenty one day minimum to see results is the compulsory factor in these types of therapies. The average hotel stay is 4.5 days and a medical approach is totally obsolete today. Surely water is attractive and fun and this is how the product should be sold, not as medically beneficial but simply as a pleasurable experience. Water Parks have demonstrated that the formula works.
To innovate does not always mean to come up with something totally new, it can simply be another way to do the same thing. An example of this would the wrap, once a pillar of spa services which are no longer appreciated by a clientele more and more afflicted with claustrophobia. Astute spa creators offer “dynamic envelopments” performed on either a “Vichy Shower” or wet table in an appropriate wet room with the application of various products through long massage strokes and without “the wrapping”! The end result is better, the experience more pleasurable. Innovating can attract gimmicks and “snake oil” salesmen so, one must be weary not to fall in those traps and there are many: stone massages for example that are based on sound therapeutic principles; in the hands of “sorcerer’s apprentices” becomes a ridiculous satire!
Start with the fundamental philosophy of your industry: to create treatments to facilitate and improve life experiences, consider the objectives and expectations of your clientele: look better and younger, feel good, relax and be pleasured. Now extrapolate on those basics. An honest, objective analysis of what spa is today will surely help you to innovate without gimmicks!

What you should know about retail sales that most retailers won’t tell you.

2011-12-15T09:08:00.001-08:00

I recently attended a spa conference where the Senior V.P. of a well known cosmetic brand was asked to give a lecture on retailing in spas. He apologetically stated multiple times in his presentation that there were many people in the audience who knew more than him on the subject, but that did not stop him in being very professorial in the delivery of his lecture. Everything that he presented had been thoroughly researched, but unfortunately not in the appropriate department. Indeed his lecture can be summarized through one of his remarks that hotel spas should copy what retail stores do in order to increase their retail revenue. And indeed to the non-professional it would sound logical; but unfortunately this is not the case.
The main difference lies in the mindset that clients have when they enter the premises of a retail shop or department store, they are there to buy stuff. This is usually not the case when a client goes to a spa, they are there to receive treatments and to live an experience; therefore the process of capturing their interest is vastly different. Displays of products are expected in a retail store and since most stores do not have a multitude of sales staff, it is the only way to show off what the store wants to sell. In a spa the sale of cosmetic products is either complementary to the service performed or suggested as another therapeutic approach to enhance the results of the treatments and service through home care. The proof is in the pudding as they say. I have designed and managed spas that do not have more than two or three products on display in an artistic manner thus reminding the subconscious that products are available and where the staff has been trained to sell properly, that yield 34 to 40% retail to treatment sales. However I have seen too many spas which use the antiquated retail shop methodology and rarely get more than 10% in retail sales.
Another important element to consider if retails sales are to be an important factor to the bottom line, is simply to make sure that what is being proposed meets what the clientele is interested in? Of course and yet most spas, particularly hotel and resort spas, have retail products or lines which are women centric cosmetic brands which can be found in department stores. My advice, do not listen to what cosmetic retailers are telling you, think for yourself and remember that the best way to sell anything is through a genuine service oriented attitude, a smile, a compassionate demeanor and the right choice of products for your targeted clientele. Spas are not the same as retail stores or pharmacies so what works for them may not necessarily work for you.

EAST WEST FUSION AND BEYOND

2011-10-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

As the planet shrinks, well not really, but technology has erased the obstacle of physical distance. Communication has so improved that knowledge flows freely from one part of the globe to the other and this miracle of the modern world is breaching the gaps in the distribution of information and knowledge. In our world of wellness and health it has materialized in the fusion of totally different approaches to health and well being. On one side there’s the Western approach, or “wait until you are sick to be cured” and on the other, the Eastern approach, “prevention (so as not to get sick)”. The two are merging slowly; a bit faster in the East but slowly and surely also in the West. From a philosophical point of view the process begins by balancing the function of the right and left side of the brains. One side deals with the emotional analysis of perceived stimuli and the other side with a rational Cartesian or scientific understanding. Asian perception of reality is filtered through the emotional, instinctive rational the other is directed by a scientific or Cartesian logic.

The integration of both of these stimuli are the basis for the fusion movement. A perfect example of the right way to take advantage of the East West fusion trend is the: “5 Elements Spa” in Marrakech, Morocco, using the 5 elements theory of traditional Chinese Medicine. Leila Zouet, the owner has designed her spa to harmonize the vibrational sympathy of the five elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water) and since she is in Morocco she has done this while respecting the traditional Moroccan artisanal signature. There are five treatment suites where an array of services can be performed, dominated by colors of the five elements: red for fire, blue for water, brown for earth, green for wood and metallic grey for metal. Clients can experience the different suites but all will eventually settle for the ones that harmonize with their physical and or psychological biorhythm. The whole experience is phenomenal and unique. A great example of what can be done with instinct and rational. The East West fusion is not only restricted to wellness and is a further proof of this universal trend of “rapprochement” of cultures. The Asian influence can be seen in fashion in the West while western lifestyles are embraced by the young generations of Asians, but fusion does not mean losing one’s identity and the 5 Elements Spa in Marrakech is a perfect example of that.

Just as in food, to use spices to give character to a dish that are not typically used does not violate the regional signature of the dish but simply gives it a broader sensitivity to it. Adding cumin and soy sauce to lamb chops flatters the palate in different ways such as using argan oil rather than grape seed oil does not impede the value of a Swedish massage, it just adds value and new experience to the treatment. Fusion will not be limited to East and West but will extend to a great number of different cultures. It will be a hybrid revolution which we will witness in years to come.

2011-08-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Global Spa Summit in Bali featured the new Wellness Tourism phenomenon! All the Spa shows are now including talks and lectures on this new trend in Tourism. I will be giving a Master Class on this very subject during the ESS 2011, this September at the Beyond Beauty Show in Paris on September 12th. I invite all of you who read my blog to try and make this event as it will be without a doubt the most informative and complete presentation on the subject, available today. I have called upon some of my associates to present as well: Leslie Glover will address the new criteria’s in designing spas and wellness centers, Ludovic Laine will talk about the strong influence of ecologically sound and sustainable element linked to this new market’s expectations, while Ngub Nding will instruct the audience on the new trends relative to treatment and products of the future.
To make sure that you can get a seat at the lecture, book as early as you can. This is a "not to be missed" class for Tourism professionals, Resort operators and anyone interested in the Wellness culture.

WELLNESS RESORT MANAGEMENT

2011-08-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

With the latest trend in Tourism: “Wellness Tourism,” comes with new challenges and to stay on top of the pile, one needs to revisit the methodologies of management. Of course the old way will continue to work but perhaps not as well as it used to! The secret of success in this as well as any new venture lies in doing an objective introspection of the status quo and rethink the formulas of sound operation. Many resort operators keep abreast of what is happening in the world of their activities and many will or have jumped on that bandwagon of Wellness destinations. In a nutshell a Wellness destination whether it is a resort, hotel or even an entire country, is a place where in addition to any other reason to go there, there will be a driving motivation factor which is simply an opportunity to combine an improvement of one’s health during their stay. Indeed the tourism professional who judiciously monitor the desires and interests of their clientele have discovered for quite some time now that most people going on vacation are no longer satisfy to tan and frolic in water but aspire at taking that free time from their professional activities to improve themselves whether it be intellectually or as in this case improve their health and well being. In other words combine the traditional reasons for traveling outside of their own environment such as sightseeing, discovery of different cultures, tasting new foods and drinks etc. with activities that will improve their lifestyle and now specifically improve their wellbeing.

To offer to this clientele room and board, the amenities of a spa, fitness center and other recreational activities will no longer be enough. It is in the packaging of these activities that will be found the difference, starting with identifying clearly the target (the specific market) that one wants to reach. With a few exceptions such as mega poles where one can find just about every type of activities under one humongous roof, it is necessary to pinpoint a niche market in order to serve it well. It is extremely difficult and extraordinarily expensive to try to serve different clienteles. In a mythical world everyone gets along well, in the real world there are certain groups that just do not fit with others! Everyone loves their children, but not necessarily other people’s children and those who do not have them will choose a childless resort to enjoy adult centered activities and just the quiet time by the pool. Golfers love to be fully immersed in golf and probably would not be ecstatic at sharing their vacation time with Yoga addicts and they, would most likely not be interested by the difficulties of hole number 5! Simply put resorts need to decide which market they want to attract and construct their mission statement to satisfy the aspirations of that segment of clientele. A resort is not a supermarket but a specialty store.

Next, one needs to understand clearly that due to technological advances, people do not think the same way today as they did in the very recent past. They want results that are visible but at the same time they want everything to be made available easily! They do not want to make an effort to find something they want that something to be presented to them on a silver platter This approach to service is not new but until now was only found in Club Med or Full all-inclusive resorts and on cruise ships. So, it is not necessary to reinvent the wheel, but simply to adapt it and improve it. How?

Start with fine tuning your marketing. As soon as you have identified your target concentrate your promotional efforts to that segment. Your advertising and marketing efforts will be more productive than if you spread yourself thin. In your promotional material concentrate on what makes your resort different from others, avoid the platitude of showing a beautiful woman on a massage table with a bunch of stones on her back, or a photo of a couple dining at sunset on the beach (which is not available anyway!) All of your competitors do this and the client is bored by these images! Think out of the box!

The overall management of the resorts of the future will use some of the techniques practiced by cruise lines: simplify, and make all services available readily. Package the activities by affinity, explain clearly how they are done, and hold the client by the hand, they want to be driven, babied, assisted. I ran a program in the French Alps in the winters for many years which was extremely successful based on these principles and I sold it with the title: Take an Alpine cruise on the “SS Meribel” which was the name of the ski resort! When they arrived at the resort they were housed in chalets that had their own operational staff with cook, chalet girls who cleaned served, gave massages, made drinks and even took them skiing. The staff took out of the vacation all nuisances such as having to queue to get a ski pass, book a table at a restaurant, and find the right ski instructor or the best place to rent skis. In other words make available a full service concierge. This principle can be applied easily to any resort environment.

THE STATE OF THE SPA INDUSTRY

2011-06-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

6.29.2011
Raoul Andrews
Senior Advisor
Aspen Spa Management, LLC

During the Global Spa Summit in Bali this past May, I was interviewed by several magazines from China, Europe and Australia. Their questions reflected the perception of the industry of their readership. However they all asked one similar question; “where is the spa industry going, and what is the current state of the industry today?” Indeed when one travels throughout the planet as I do and have done all my life, one cannot ignore the fact that the same word can mean totally different things from one culture to another. With globalization at the forefront of political and economic concerns it stands to reason to analyze any activity through an international filter and then try to identify the future trends.
In a nutshell here is my view: First and foremost the word spa by itself does not mean anything today unless it is used with an epithet qualifying it as per its mission statement, objective, style and location. Very much like the restaurant industry; the Tour d’Argent in Paris and the local McDonald’s both serve food however no one would consider them to be in the same category. The differentiation is easily made, first because most patrons of these eateries know enough about food and beverage to judge the difference and no one today will mistake a fast food restaurant from a Michelin guide rated gastronomical restaurant. The problem in the spa industry however is that the majority of spa-goers really cannot make the difference between the qualities of a service from one compared to another. There are of course exceptions to this; those that travel internationally and have had a taste of what great spa service can be. However in general the consumer market still bases their judgment on superficial elements such as decoration and the apparent luxury of the settings. Next, there is no objective competent evaluation of spa services available today as there are in the F&B industry. No Michelin guide, no Zagat, no Gault & Milau. Not only are there no objective evaluation companies but you can actually buy a rating which only adds more confusion and continues the mediocrity. And keep in mind that to have any value a rating agency needs to have inspectors who are experts in the field not just follow guidelines concerned with hygiene and decoration.
So what will the future hold? In time the consumer will learn to distinguish quality of performance and service, mostly by traveling and being exposed to better quality of services, different deliveries of treatments, better customer service, and then and only then will start requiring that same level of quality when they return home. This same process took place in the F&B industry some thirty years ago! I recall being taken out for a gourmet dinner then, and the menu was shrimp cocktail, steak and potatoes, and for desert a cream de Mint Parfait! That was the ultimate gourmet dinner and it was served with Coffee, Tea, or Milk. We have certainly come a long way since then and hopefully that same thing will happen in the spa Industry.
At the present time the area of the world where across the board there is in general service quality in spas is in the Asia Pacific area and it is easy to see that this is recognized throughout the world as Asian type spas are opening everywhere. The U.S. is at the end of the queue overall (there are exceptions of course), Europe is having great difficulties breaking away from its past and continues to want spas to be exclusively medical where the rest of the world no longer mistake wellness for medicine? What is the bottom line of these considerations? Simply that as usual the cream will rise to the surface, the good will prevail the mediocre will fail, very much like in the restaurant industry where 8 out of 10 restaurants that open each year go under within the first year of operation. This is already a reality in the U.S. spa market. What do you think is the reason for the explosion of Wellness Tourism? What is the explanation of the fact that 2.4 million Germans went on vacation in Asia last year and most identified spa services as one of their primary reasons for choosing that destination? (Incidentally for those who would suggest that the reason for the choice is sex tourism; that only accounted for half of one percent.) To come back to the state of the industry and to use the F&B analogy, it can be summarized that the spa industry is still in its infancy and can only go one way: UP!
In essence for the most part the level of services offered, Asia being an exception, is at the level of McDonald’s or similar fast food outlets. And this is particularly true for spas in hotels including the large luxury brands. One recent example is of the Sofitel in Marrakech; where a colleague of mine went to the spa for a massage and the therapist was not only sitting down during the entire massage but also on a personal call on her cell phone for almost the duration! Most of the large hotel companies still do not get spa and concentrate their efforts on branding, focus on treatment room RevPar (which unlike the hotel industry, spa revenue does not and should not only come from treatment rooms but rather work stations), marketing, benchmarking, and other commonly used management techniques in the hospitality industry but have totally ignored what is the most important element of the service, the quality of the product (and I don’t mean a cream). It is as if in the F&B domain we considered that the quality of food was secondary to everything else. The reason for this is simply that the industry leaders for the most part have no real knowledge of the services their spas offer. Many even consider it below their dignity, or pay scale to acquire the technical knowledge essential to the success of their profession. Can you imagine if a restaurateur thought that preparing food, serving food or cooking food was beneath them?
Overall there are a number of trends that are emerging globally, the most important to date is the emergence of what is referred to as, “Wellness Tourism”. People choosing their vacation destination primarily based on the availability of spas or wellness centers and in many cases based on the quality of these centers. This movement will favor third world countries who either have a history of ancestral healing techniques or simply those who uninhibited by rules and regulations have determined their intent in being players in this arena and have made it easy for those interested in developing skills and knowhow. This is already visible in the flux of Europeans going to Asia or to countries like Morocco to find what they do not have at home: service with a smile, wonderful exotic environment at an affordable price. Europeans in the business are fully aware of this phenomenon but helpless to change their ways, laden down by protectionist and antiquated regulations and labor laws that are so rigid that they do not permit any modifications or adaptation to the new demands of the consumer base. In most of the western European countries the Wellness domain is jealously guarded by the medical profession and the corporatism mentality refuses to let anyone not in the medical traditional family enter the profession even when what is being seeked by the consumers is no longer within the realm of their expertise. Holistic approaches to wellness and treatments like massages that are based on energy flow and mostly an approach to customer care which is totally opposite to their understanding of it. In true European reaction to this type of problem they look to forbid, regulate and ask the justice department to rule against what is not in line with their perception of what the profession should be like. As a result those who can will go elsewhere.
In Asia the mistake that is being made is in thinking that what is done in the West is better and some have been tempted to emulate spas from America and sometimes from Europe as well. The same thing has happened in North Africa. Tunisia for instance, prompted by the French who desperately wanted to export Thalassotherapy have seen their spa clientele melt as butter in the sun to the delight of Morocco who understood quickly that tourists from Europe were looking for exotic cultural experiences and not what was the remains of what Europe has been selling for over a century: primarily water based therapies. As Asia became recognized as the leader of the new spa culture, many of the exceptional technicians have been exported throughout the world. As a result many spa operators, mostly in hotels have gone out of country to find trainers; many of which came from Australia and Great Britain. In the process losing their advantage as those trainers lack the intrinsic knowledge of Asian healing and have introduced western idiosyncrasies in the delivery of treatments, particularly massages. I experienced this recently at one of the most luxurious properties in Bangkok. I found that the traditional Thai massage that I received was not only bad but could hardly even be considered a traditional Thai massage. Half way through my treatment I asked the young Thai therapist who was working on me, “what she was doing” and she said, “Thai massage as you requested sir”. And I replied, “I signed up for a traditional Thai massage and this is nothing like it?” The therapist answered, “I am sorry sir but this is the way I have been trained to give the massage”. (Not in Thailand for sure) “So who taught you this? “I replied. And she went on to explain that the spa had hired a company from the UK and this was the way they insisted that the massage be performed.
The use of spas as a means to better health and wellbeing is very much at the forefront of interest in the Eastern European continent, and fortunately in most cases those former USSR countries have preserved their cultural interpretation of implementation: the Banya tradition in Russia, Ukraine and some of the Baltic states while Hungary continued to entrench itself in Thermalism and Romania, Bulgaria, Austria in Medical spas with an emphasis on water based treatments.
To complete this world review of what is happening I will finish with the Americas; divided by the US influence, found in Canada and Mexico and the rest of the Americas, Central and South. The US spas still are for the most part extensions of beauty salons catering mostly to women. American spas have ridden the fitness craze and many spas in the US belong to the health club variety. The holistic spas are becoming more and more in demand with a change in the perception of wellness and a new interest in what is still referred to as alternative medicines and disciplines. The big negative comes from a cultural hang-up over nudity and a permanent obsession with sex which explains why a full body massage in these spas treat only 2/3 of the body and the most important part of the massage is draping rather than actual proper execution of massage strokes. This will prevent spas in the US from competing with the rest of the world as the spa goers in the US become more savvy and educated in the international spa culture. Canada and Mexico for the most part have emulated US spas. In Central America the Yankee influence is still there but there is a beginning of wanting to be different as they turn to Asia and in some cases to Europe for role models to copy. Brazil on the other hand is favoring the medical spa approach and mostly rides the esthetic surgery reputation it has acquired through the world reputation of the likes of Dr. Pitanguy.
This brief overview of the Industry at large tells a simple story: just like in the food and beverage industry there are and will continue to be opportunities for those interested in the spa industry, and there will be multiple ways to get involved, not just one way decided by a government or a culture. The tastes and perception of quality of the clientele will drive the future of the industry and as the world gets smaller the competition will increase and hopefully only elevate the spa industry on a global scale.

MEDICAL TOURISM

2010-12-06T11:16:00.000-08:00

I HAVE SPOKEN AT A NUMBER OF Med-Spa shows on this subject and found that that there is a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding on what it is and who can take advantage of this new trend? First let us just understand clearly that there is a difference between wellness tourism and Medical Tourism. Wellness is generally associated with destinations offering spa and a variety of programs that will enhance wellbeing. Medical Tourism is a purely medical opportunity to receive medical services of many kinds while sometimes combining it with a vacation, but often only for the purpose of having access at Medical procedures at either a lower cost from what can be found at home or /and in a more agreeable environment and with better services or to have access to procedures that are not offered in one’s country.

At most of the venues where this subject is discussed we find that many medical organizations or individual doctor’s group try to explain the phenomenon through a medical filter only. They would like us to think that their quality of care is so exceptional that what Medical Tourism is all about, is for them to set up their own medical practices in foreign lands that are tax friendly, less regulatory and as in the case of the North American continent where liability suits are not the National pastime! If indeed these facts are real, they overlook the main issue: from the customer’s point of view: the cost and, but mostly the quality of Service is the main reason for them to choose to seek medical cares outside of their own country. To export what exists at home to make more money would only be possible if everything else were equal! I will not dwell in the relative quality of medical savvy as in most cases the actual medical intervention whether it is cosmetic, surgery, orthopedic surgery or even cardiology or dentistry, most doctors involved have basically the same training and are for the most part equally competent.
So where is the difference? It is predominantly in the pre and mostly the post surgical care found. The quality of expertise and service in hospitals in the U.S. is less than mediocre; it is not so great in Europe! Quite good in small countries in the middle East, North Africa, Central and South America, quite good in Asia.

As Medical Tourism and Wellness Tourism are becoming a hot ticket in the Healthcare debate, it might be a good time to reassess the status quo and in trying to deal with new givens that will ultimately have a great impact on the future of health and wellness. First, it is advisable to be honest about the quality of services offered! It is not a sound idea to continue to pretend to be the best! When in fact the US Medical services were ranked 37th in the world on the last comparative evaluation done by the World Health Organization, this was in 2001, other comparative studies places the U.S at 82nd., nothing to brag about! After that report came out the AMA backed by the Pharmaceutical industry pressure the international body not to continue to report on the comparative value of healthcare services in the world! Surely it was embarrassing to have Cuba in the top 5 while little countries like San Marino, or Andorra were in the top three! But to be in denial has never been the answer to solving any problems, and the day of reckoning is fast approaching and Medical Tourism will be one of the catalysts that will make it happen. As medical services are becoming dehumanized, the dissatisfaction of the consumers will grow and soon they will no longer be afraid to travel to foreign lands to find what they will not have at home: Warm, Personalized care, with a smile! at 1/10th. the cost of what can be found at home!

And of course there is the whole cost issue! It has totally gone out of control! The industry has become the cash cow of Pharmaceutical companies, supported by trade unions and litigation lawyers in the U.S. How long will the consumers accept to be raped and abused by people whose sole interest in life is financial gains at the expense of anything else? The internet information highway among others has brought information to the people; no one can justify today costs of 10 to 20 times higher for the same product! When consumers begin to realize this, they will in my opinion not turn the other cheek, but simply turn to other options.

Yes Medical Tourism is going to be a very hot ticket, but not for countries like The U.S, Canada, the U.K. etc. and, what will happen with Medical Tourism is already happening in Wellness when we analyze the results of surveys done in Asia and North Africa among foreign spa goers, who cite clearly their preference for spas in these countries over what they have at home, mostly based on SERVICE quality, but also on technical deliveries (particularly: massages) which we all know represent some 80% of treatments requested at spas worldwide.

2010-08-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

Many in the Spa community have been shocked to learn of the demise of the Spa Chakra company? Probably, because they only saw the illusion of expertise that the principals portrayed! When I first witnessed what they were doing, it was during the Global Summit in New-York; I predicted then, their ultimate failure. And for the same reasons there will be many more to follow. The Spa business is first and foremost a people’s business, a human relations business, simply put it is a SERVICE industry, and all those who think that they will be successful by attending a Retail Sale workshop at ISPA, just failed to really understand what the Spa philosophy is all about and in time will have the same failure result of the Spa Chakra fate.

In the lectures that I give worldwide I very often use the Food and Beverage industry as a comparative, here again the analogy is the same: the restaurant business seems simple and many think that without a great deal of experience they can enter this activity and be successful? Nothing is more wrong! Nine out of ten restaurants that open close in failure within two years of opening! The very same thing is about to happen to the Spa would be experts. Yes, the Spa Chakra example is quite characteristic of the failures by not understanding the importance of the human element but it goes far beyond that. For a while, patrons of spas were uneducated and accepted whatever was served to them and were told that they should appreciate what they were receiving! For a time they did! But the planet is shrinking and travel is easier now than in the past, and as spa clients travelled abroad, in Asia, Europe the Middle East, they soon discovered services that were far superior to what they received at home! Little by little they went from Fast food criteria’s to Gourmet food expectancies, and in the process became more savvy and demanding. Unfortunately the service providers did not follow! And the worst of them fell and will fall through the cracks.

Americans have a cultural problem brought here by the first puritan settlers, they tend to view pleasure as a sin, they have a major problem with touch and with nudity, and these traits affect their behavior and are reflected in their attitude towards the clientele in spas. Massages represent some 82% of all treatment sought in spas worldwide! The average massage delivered in the U.S. referred to as a Full body massage does not work on feet, upper thighs, stomach, chest, buttocks and even hands and face! It is the laughing stock of the international spa community! The draping issue is another aberration! Some spas are starting to allow clients to decide how or if they want to be draped during a massage but most simply impose the Mummy wrap! This would be like imposing a bland curry to the patrons in an Indian or Thai restaurant!

Yes the time of reckoning is fast approaching. The stark and cold demeanor of spa workers will have to change to smiles and warmth, the menus in spas will have to reflect the subliminal desires of well-being and pleasure of the clientele rather than a pseudo-medical approach designed to justify the treatments. Of course this is not going to happen easily as there are too many conflicting interests: the massage schools who are more interested in impressing the students by scientific knowledge which they will never use, refusing to accept that the majority of the jobs for massage therapists today are in the Spa Industry, not in hospitals! And therefore teaching their students pseudo medical attitude rather than a service oriented one. The product manufacturers who are only interested in selling their products and offer “free training”? only designed to increase product sales at the expense of customer satisfaction. And adding insult to injury the many institutions of learning who, claiming an expertise in Management techniques pretend to teach management skills, but shunning the technical aspect of the industry which they feel is below their dignity to get involved in; producing otherwise brilliant young men and women who quite academically become an integral part of the Failure of the system.In what has become a Mutual Admiration Society the sentiments expressed above will rattle many but after objective introspection many will recognize the truth in my comments and take steps to correct the down spiral that they may be in. It is with that in mind that I offer these observations.

Branding: what you do not know will probably hurt you!

2010-08-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

What do we mean by branding? It is choosing a brand to identify a service. In the Spa World it usually means picking a well-known brand of cosmetics and associating it to the specific Spa one is operating. There are many as most of the cosmetic brands have jumped on the Spa “band wagon”, so you have Clarins Spa, Decleor Spa, Shiseido Spa, Pevonia Spa, Guerlain Spa, etc. The list is long but I think you get the point. The reasons hoteliers or Spa operators do this is quite simple: first they usually choose a well recognized consumer brand that advertises a lot in magazines, T.V. and other media, so as to garner through the label some notoriety. Ideally, they have chosen a luxury brand and thus hope that the quality of the product, or at least the image of quality that the brand spends millions to project, will be perceived as theirs.

There are markets that are more sensitive to brands than others: North Africa, the Middle East, Asia…but overall it is a planetary phenomenon! Often consumers judge the quality of a product by its brand image. This all sounds good, and one would be tempted to think that this is the way to go and in some cases it may very well be. However there is another factor that one must consider first and foremost and that is: what is the subliminal message of the brand? And they all have one! We all know that subliminal messages are a lot more powerful than straight messages. This is why subliminal insertions of images in T.V. commercials, for instance, are prohibited by law in most countries. For instance, everyone understands the underlying messages of automobile brands: Ferrari’s is speed, jet-set, exotic; Rolls-Royce’s is luxury class, expensive; Volvo’s is solid, safe, reliable, etc. When choosing a brand for a Spa, one must understand clearly the message behind the brand and make sure that that message will be compatible with the Mission Statement of the Spa (if the Spa has one. And that is another issue!).

Most cosmetic brands are associated with women’s products! Male Spa clientele in some countries are 75 to 80 % in European hotels 55% in the U.S. 42% and climbing! A large number of men would probably not patronize a product that is primarily identified as a feminine product! The choice of such a brand will appeal to the female clientele but the Spa will probably only attract but a few men and thus not be as successful as it could be otherwise.

Many Spas in resort hotels in exotic destinations such as Tahiti, Morocco, Dubai, etc., have gone the branding way and yet have also missed the point completely! Clients who choose to go to these destinations are looking for dream vacations and exotic experiences and are not at all impressed by sophisticated French, Italian or even Asian lines that in no way represent the exotic environment of the region in which they find themselves! These Spas will (not surprisingly) not do very well with their retails sales! Do you really think that someone going to the Mamounia in Marrakech is going to buy Shiseido products to bring back home, or Decleor products in Brazil, Clarins from Dubai or Phytomer from the Dead Sea? They are more likely seeking to test and bring back local products. It is an interesting and somewhat fun experience that clients seek when they go to a Spa and particularly when they go to a Resort Spa. Therefore, it stands to reason that a brand that they associate with home is not the one that will make them dream!
Cosmetic brands will tell their potential clients that not only do they bring the recognition of the brand, but they will also provide training for the staff! That sounds good to an hotelier, but in fact the training is mainly geared towards trying to sell the products and not towards client service satisfaction. The bottom line is this: the choice of a brand is more complicated than it seems and it requires a good analysis of the hidden messages as well as the appropriateness of the brand to the business. Few consultants even understand this; Aspen Spa Management has always included such research in all its feasibility studies.

Spa architecture

2010-05-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

The best architects in the world have at one point in time been asked to design a Spa. Stark, Putman, Garcia and Rochon, just to name a few, all have one thing in common: they are great architects! But they also have another thing in common: they do not know how to design a Spa! They can make them look nice, interesting, even spectacular, but in most cases NOT functional. That is why most of the Spas they have designed are not doing great! It is not their fault, but since they have no clue as to how a Spa operates, they rely upon their clients to tell them. This is where the problem resides: the clients don't know either and most of the consultants that are brought on board know how ONE type of Spa operates. Usually, they started by winging it as a Spa director or manager but do not necessarily have the know-how nor do they know if this particular type of Spa is the one that will be best for this particular project.

Architects have been told in school to obtain from the client the parameters of what they want in terms of utilization of space. With this information, the architect puts together a layout. So essentially that layout will only be as good as the person who identified it and this where the first problem resides. There are no schools to teach specific Spa design so it ends up being an exercise of plagiarism or simply put, let’s copy something that seems to work!

All the main hotel chains have compiled lists of technical parameters for Spa design. Where does this information come from? Usually a massage therapist, an aesthetician or perhaps a former Spa director! If you have any doubt about the lack of competency of these people in designing, change industry and imagine asking a busboy, a waiter or maitre’d to design a restaurant. Certainly they can have an input in the design but surely they do not have the expertise to cover all aspects of designing something which ultimately will have to be efficient in its management. So let us look at the most ridiculous examples of incompetence:

1.) None of the specs available distinguish the vast differences that there are between Spas. They would like you to think that there is only one type of Spa that fits all. The result: I have seen designs of Thermal Spas where there are no mineral or other springs! I have seen Thalassotherapy designs in the mountains hundreds of miles from the sea! I have seen fitness Spas where the clients patronizing the hotel are totally uninterested in physical exercise. I have seen medical Spas designs in Spas managed by high school drop outs that would not be able to perform a medical procedure even if their life depended on it.

2.) Most of the time the program does not identify the types of treatments that will be featured on the menu, but will tell the architect that they want 10 treatment rooms! Yet in fact, the number of treatment rooms is not really that important whereas the number of work stations really is! The result: it is like designing a restaurant indicating the number of seats in the dinning room but not what type of food will be served! No hotelier would ever do that, right? In F&B they would not and yet when it comes to Spas, they do that all the time!

3.) When it comes to the technical aspect of design, clients assume that the architects know. Yes, architects know about plumbing, A/C, ventilation, electricity, acoustics, etc., as it is applied to hotels, houses, office spaces and the like; but here again have no clue about how this applies to Spas. I have not seen a grease trap in any of their designs and in most Spas they are necessary. I have not seen one of the top architects make sure that the acoustic in treatment rooms block any sound above 35 decibels! In fact ignorance at that level is pathetic! For example, in Stark's design of the Spa at the Delano Hotel in Miami, treatment areas are separated by white curtains hanging from the ceiling. Sure, it looks great, but when one sneezes in these rooms, the entire Spa will yell “Gesundheit”!

4.) Not understanding the trends of the Spa world and more importantly not understanding how a Spa operates as a business is one of the most dramatic result of all this lack of knowledge. Most Spa designs use 50% sometimes more of the available space for locker rooms, when outside of gym-fitness type of Spas, clients prefers to changer and shower in the same room and not with other people! They have been told to separate dry and wet, the vestiges of the Thermal Spas of the past! Doing this will cost 30 to 40% more in operational cost and inconvenience guests by having them trek down corridors to go from one place to the other! And yes separating the services will save a couple thousand dollars in pipes, but will cost twice that much the first week of operation in linen washing expense! And by the way, locker rooms do not bring any income. So by increasing the size of treatment rooms by a portion of what would otherwise be allocated to locker rooms, one would have increased the revenue per square foot of the space.

5.) Many architects that are called upon to design Spas are often interior designers. Most are really good at decoration; some have their own signature on style and colors. For example, Putman's signature design is minimalist with a predominance of black and white. This might be great for a trendy restaurant, hotel or luxury shop; but not so great in a Spa as people who go to Spas react to the vibration of colors, not to the fashion design trends. Black and white do not stimulate the serenity and feelings of well-being that Spas try to create. So it may appeal to the onlooker, but it will make the Spa goer feel uncomfortable! What is more important?

6.) Controls are most important in any business and this is why the manager's office should be located where the Spa director will be able to see what is happening at the reception desk, not buried somewhere in the back!

I could go on and on; but rather than do this, I would like to invite those concerned to attend my seminar designed for architects, decorators and engineers interested in designing Spas in a logical way, which will be featured at the European Spa Summit in Paris during the Beyond Beauty show September 12 to 16 this year.

What kind of Spa is a Spa?

2010-05-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

The more I travel and the more I speak and attend Spa events around the globe, the more I am reminded that the Spa World is so different from one country to another and from one culture to another! The only thing that seems similar is that everyone thinks that their vision is the only ONE, the right one! Well some might have a bit of tolerance for a slight variation to theirs, while others, like most Germans and some Eastern European countries, go as far as reneging the very idea that spas could be anything but their version of it!

Some years ago when I was on the board of directors of ISPA I was asked by the then president of the association to attend the European chapter’s annual conference. The chapter was delinquent financially and did not seem to think that it was important to balance its books! In typical European mentality, they assumed that some other entity should pick up the tab, in this a case the US organization! My mission was to make them understand that ISPA was not a government but a business and that it was up to the membership to provide the ways and means to generate funds to operate. This concept just was not understood! It boiled down to a cultural difference in perception between a socialist mentality and a capitalistic approach. So, the bottom line was that ISPA could not continue to financially support the European chapter.
But what brought an end to the European organization as an extension of the US association was altogether another reason: The German and Austrian contingent were trying to pass a law, using ISPA’s name, to make it mandatory worldwide that a Spa Director must be a Medical Doctor! I intervened as a representative of the Board of Directors to stop the motion from going forward and that, along with the other problems we had, finally ended the European representation of ISPA.

If I mention this incident, it is to illustrate the immense gap between cultures, not only of how things should function, but in the very essence of what a Spa is. ISPA claims to be the Voice of the Industry. Well it is the voice of what some in the US perceive a Spa to be through a Kentucky “filter”, which is hardly representative of the WORLD. It is this very nature of everyone wanting to be RIGHT and to consider that anyone who does not share their point of view must be wrong is what is at the core of most problems today. As an international consultant, I try to bring to my clients an international vision of the Industry as a business first and foremost. What is pivotal is recognizing indeed the differences in understanding of what a Spa is in general and what it needs to be in a specific case in point. This is why in all the years that I have been doing this (50 years now!) I have never done the same spa twice.

During my lectures worldwide I often use a comparison of spas to the restaurant business. I find that everywhere everyone understands the analogy and that what is true in the food business is true for spas. Obviously when one goes to a restaurant, one expects to consume food! But what kind? There are probably as many different types of food as there are spa treatments! Not everyone likes fish or Italian or steaks; therefore, they will not go to the type of restaurants that serve the kind of food they do not like, right? Of course! But when it comes to spas, the operators will tell you, “this is the only correct food you should have”…? Once this analogy has been understood with all the ramifications it carries, you can start making some sense of the whole thing!

So what is the bottom line? Simply that rather than trying to impose one concept over another, it is a lot simpler and of course more rewarding to find out the type of Spa that the anticipated clientele will appreciate! How? By doing a Market study; and after identifying the objective of the project, create the type of spa that will meet the targeted clientele’s expectations. This is logical of course, but unfortunately extremely rare, as clients and consultant alike prefer to copy what has been done before, not realizing that in most cases they are copying errors. The Industry is young, at least in its 21st century version, and there are a lot of sorcerer’s apprentices out there; but it will have to ponder and rethink what it should be, if it is to survive.

Wellness!

2010-03-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

...The new buzz word in the spa industry? Not really; only for those who are discovering that wellbeing and by extension wellness could be related to what is being done in spas! History repeats itself but when it comes around again it might have a different spin. Spas originally were places where people went to improve their health: Thermal Kurs in Europe, Thalassotherapy, Onsen in Japan, etc. Today, in most cases, the reason people go to spas is to find an environment that will promote wellbeing, improve health and make people happier! Thus, today the experience is more important than the treatment; the ambiance found in a spa, the service, the attention that one gets and is looking for are the formulas for success. All of this in most cases is achieved without the participation of doctors or medical staff! Yes, because people who go to spas are not sick. They just want to feel better in their head, in their body, and for the most part do not want to be reminded of clinics or hospitals! Spas have an avocation of being the conduit to better health through prevention and improved lifestyles. Spas can respond quite adequately to the “ills” of our times: technology in communication, added to a cultural phobia of “touch”, is alienating society! The touch factor so necessary in life for human beings (preemies die if they are not touched!) is disappearing from everyday encounters. Corporations fearing lawsuits forbid their employees to touch or to interact naturally. Schools ostracize children who hug etc., creating a hostile environment that needs to be relieved. Wellness centers, as spas will be referred to in the future, will deliver those necessary ingredients to attain the balance that is the “secret” ingredient to better mental, physical, and spiritual health.

As we look at our American society today there are some evident deviances, some of which have reached epidemic proportions like obesity. As a result we are seeing the return of so called “fat farms” and the introduction of diet consultants, with a number of physical activities aimed at calorie burning. This is not new, of course, but the way it is done now is inspired from the “Made For T.V.” programs usually followed by celebrities! This fascination that the American public holds for celebrities of any kind is indicative of this fixation on fantasy: an attraction towards the “unreal” where one is so estranged from real life that they must live vicariously through what they perceive is the life of others. So as long as the messages they receive go in the direction of better wellbeing, wellness will be achieved! However, those who manipulate the puppets do not necessarily have the wellness of society in mind, but rather their own economic advancement or sometimes even political agendas! So how can you defend yourself from being manipulated in this way? Simply put: DO NOT COPY! Think for yourself, be logical and you will make a giant step towards wellness.

Without a doubt, the inclusion of yoga, Tai-chi and Chi-Kong reflects the East meets West trend, but is also reflective of people’s new perception that Health and Wellness can be obtained by indulging in far Eastern philosophies where energy dominates physiology. Another syndrome of American society seems to be the difficulty to cope with sexuality. Nothing is more natural than the urges of reproduction and sexual energy is considered paramount in most Asian cultures; but Americans have a strong Victorian heritage that forces them to struggle with sexual matters, which cause major psychological and even physical dysfunctions, much to the delight of the pharmaceutical industry! E. D in men and frigidity in women are the results of denial, stress and societal taboos.

There are numerous treatments in Ayurveda, some based on Traditional Chinese Medicine that can take care of these problems. Eventually those treatments will be available in Holistic spas and by all means that is definitely part of wellness and wellbeing.

Wellness also involves being in balance within oneself. Here we encounter the most quacks and charlatans who exploit the naiveté and weaknesses of character of their clients under the pretext of building self esteem! This translates into just lying to them, to make them feel better! One example is telling a morbidly obese young woman that “fat is beautiful”, that her mind is what is important, etc. All the while, she finds that her social life continues to be a disaster and that her health is compromised! The bottom line of this approach is that “lying” is a quick fix to many of today’s societal problems, and it is done at all levels: political, medical, educational, etc.; but in all cases, like a boomerang, lies will come back and bang you upside the head. The lies one is subject to can cause depression and often addiction to drugs or alcohol as a necessary means to escape reality! Wellness is the opposite: wellness needs to be anchored in truth, no mater how painful it might seem to be a first.

Check out Susie Ellis's Spa Blog

2010-02-22T08:04:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,

For more information on the Spa industry at large, I invite you to take a look at the following blog set up by Spa Finder Inc.'s president, Susie Ellis.
http://blog.spafinder.com/

Political Correctness: A Cancer?

2010-02-22T08:02:00.001-08:00

So, many have been calling and emailing me to express their satisfaction at hearing the truth and to encourage me to continue to be frank and honest and NOT politically correct. This brings me to address that issue. Political correctness is a “cancer” that is slowly destroying America philosophically and literally! The fact that so many people have sent me emails and have telephoned to manifest their approval to my last entry is reassuring; but at the same time, it is disturbing as they chose not to reply on the blog itself. Is it really because the “P.C.” virus has already contaminated them?

The American spirit exemplified by the pioneers who founded our great country based themselves on truth and frankness; and yet “Honest Abe” would probably not make it in today’s America! How did this deviance occur? It probably started with Dr. Spock, who preached against discipline in child rearing, something he acknowledged was a huge mistake at the end of his life (but not after messing up 2 generations of children!). Then there are those pseudo-intellectuals and psychologists who advocated the importance of developing self-esteem at the expense of truthfulness! Of course, there is no doubt that litigation lawyers hold a great deal of responsibility in the deterioration of honesty, forcing people, companies, associations, etc to lie so as not to be sued!!

Let me give you one example of this gangrenous political correctness. Telling a morbidly obese person that “fat is beautiful” is not only a lie; it falsely comforts those people into thinking that it is OK to be disgustingly obese while not telling them that it will shorten their life by some 20 years, prevent them from having a well balanced life, and have healthy relationships. It also hides the fact that it will even prevent them from getting good jobs, in spite of the anti-discrimination laws that have been put in place but which can easily be circumvented. We are told that about three fourths of Americans are overweight and one third of the population is obese (!); in fact it is probably an even greater number since the A.M.A. has just recently increased what defines overweight and obesity by 10% so as to perpetuate the lie and not make people feel bad! All the while, they are saying that obesity is an epidemic in the US. Go figure!
America is the land of free speech; it is part of the constitution. Yet, all of the sudden, it is no longer acceptable to tell the truth for fear of being sued or being “politically incorrect”?! In our industry, this “malaise” is rampant and to a great extent responsible for the lack of success, not to say failure, of many. I will, in future blog entries, go in depth in pointing out a number of aberrations; but for now, I will welcome the feedback from you, the readers.

Check out the Beyond Beauty Blog

2010-02-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I invite you to take a look at the Beyond Beauty Blog(http://www.blogbeyondbeauty.com/en/index.php) for up-to-date news, trends, reports, and editorials on the Beauty and Wellness industries, including articles written by yours truly.

Why are Spas in top hotel chains NOT better?

2010-02-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

I am constantly asked why the Spas at prestigious hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, the Four Seasons, Sofitel, etc…are very average (if not entirely mediocre) and why it is that their financial results range from poor to horrible. Very simply put, these companies know their hotel business and do an excellent job at managing and operating the hotel services, including the Food and Beverage part of their business; but when it comes to Spas they do not have a clue as to where to start!

As these large hotel chains are corporate-minded, they proceed to seek out experts in the field, which sounds good; but in order to identify who is knowledgeable and who is blowing smoke, you have to have a minimum of knowledge yourself…which they do not have. So they end up hiring B.S. artists who know how to play the corporate game and make them believe that they are experts! We have had in our training seminars some of the so-called top Spa directors from these companies. As a rule, since these seminars are custom designed to help these people do a better job in their position, we have them take a general knowledge test of about 50 questions. To this day not one got more than 23% on this test! Hardly what you would call an expert level!

In general, a lot of these people come from F&B, sometimes from the front office staff, and sometimes from the fitness industry; yet none of these fields have anything to do with what a Spa in a hotel should be! Their technical knowledge is at best textbook knowledge. In some cases, the candidate invests in schooling at an esthetics or a massage school in order to feature a professional license on their resume. However, many times they have never really practiced and therefore bring to the table only a vague idea of what these services are all about. As a result, they often carry into their jobs mostly erroneous notions of treatments and managerial skills which can be best described as Mom and Pop level, needless to say totally inadequate. Most of the time they will join an association such as ISPA thinking that the association will give them the clout of expertise that it pretends to have; and, there again, it is the blind leading the blind. These types of associations are mostly self-admiration societies who are happy to refer to the same ill-informed people to set the example and to provide guidance. ISPA claims to be the Voice of the Industry? There are some 300,000 workers in the Spa Industry in the U.S. and there are only 3000 members of the association? Not so impressive; only 1%!

The leitmotiv of my lectures worldwide is: DO NOT COPY OTHERS AND PARTICULARLY THE LARGE HOTEL CHAINS, SINCE ALL YOU WILL BE DOING IS COPYING MISTAKES.

Welcome to my blog...

2009-11-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

Not really my idea, but many around me have insisted that I should have one? It seems that in a world where everyone is Politically correct and basically are proponents of lying to be viewed in a positive light, there might be a need for someone to tell it like it is?
So whatever will be on this blog will reflect my perception of truth and quite probably will not be appreciated by those who for whatever reasons refuse to look at reality and prefer to adhere to what is generally acceptable. This blog will be written in a light hearted fashion. I do not take myself seriously, I have a problem with those who do. I refuse to be a Guru and what I preach is the way I live my life. My preaching is only my advice based on my life long experience in different sectors of activities as I am not intent in converting anyone to my philosophy of life.