The Sense of Balance, 1999

In July of 1999, Skin Inc. published this comprehensive and visionary article written by Raoul Andrews Sudre, Aspen Spa Management’s Senior Advisor. This article spoke of spa themes utilizing the six senses, Feng Shui philosophies and creating ambiance at a time when many salons were adding a room in the back for massage or facials and calling their salon a “spa”. This article gives great insight into achieving a higher level of sophistication in design while incorporating not just the physical attributes of the spa experience but all the sensory ones as well. What is impressive about this article written in ‘99 is it speaks of a holistic approach of personalization and customizing the spa experience; a very necessary trend that the industry appears to have overlooked as a whole. With “chain” experiences moving into the spa environment creating a cookie cutter approach, this article may be more relevant now more than ever.

http://aspenspamanagement.com/SkinInc_The_Sense_of_Balance.pdf

While undergoing our annual
“Spring Cleaning” and making room for new projects we stumbled on a
treasure chest of archived articles written by Raoul
Andrews Sudre and published through his
lengthy career. We noticed countless articles that have shaped many award
winning spas, forecasted trends we have watched occur and visions yet to
manifest. What is awe inspiring is the articles are still highly relevant to
new comers and more so to those who discounted these trends. There are articles
on design, holistic approaches (before anyone really knew what the word meant),
Wellness not Spa, Spa cuisine, Spas for
Children and many more edgy subjects that executives still shy away from but
definitely STILL need to hear. These articles provide countless tips that have
been implemented and in most cases proven to be financially beneficial in the
long term.

We are doing our best to
pick only ten articles (which is difficult
given the many articles published). We have selected articles that display the visionary
innovations, Raoul Andrews Sudre has brought
to our industry for over 50 years and is still bringing. His articles are in
your face, poignant and they do not sugar coat
what we need to hear as industry professionals. He speaks of service standards,
common mistakes that bridge into the areas of the hotelier as well as small
business owners.

Innovation

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.

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

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.

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

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.