Hotel & Resort Spas… So much more than just an amenity
Hotel & Resort Spas… So much more than just an amenity
An “Amenity” can often be described as a “nicety”, a “comfort”, an “extra”; something to be enjoyed only on occasion, as a supplementary outside-of-the ordinary perk. Spas have commonly become lost under this definition; frequently forgotten, and often viewed and operated as nothing more than a mere after-thought. Under this guise, what often results is a disorganized product lacking structure and direction that very quickly becomes a massive drain on resources.
The global wellness industry has grown exponentially in the past decade. Wellness, now a $3.4 Trillion dollar global market*, details Spa as one of the fastest growing segments, with the industry alone representing a $94 billion dollar global market.
Despite the surge in the industry and a depth of new research in the field producing scientific evidence that statistically demonstrates the health benefits of many wellness services, it remains very difficult to erase this dated mentality that spa is nothing more than just an amenity.
It sounds quite simple, yet is most often much more difficult to demonstrate – the most effective way to shift this perception is to demonstrate the value of Spa as a business. When this is done, your operation will never be categorized and confused as an after-thought again.
Core Essentials - Development:
- Begin operating under the same fundamental principles to which you would operate and other business. More money must come in than goes out.
- “First, get the right people on the bus”**, as Jim Collins shared in his bestselling book “Good to Great”. It is critical that the person at the helm, making day-to-day operational decisions, is an exemplary leader and possesses a strong business acumen.
- It is all about the guest. Every day. All day. What does your end consumer want? What are they willing to pay for it? If you don’t know this answer, you best figure it out…yesterday!
- Be clear, with your team, and with your guests – just because you are in the business of helping others does not mean things are free.
- Demonstrate value. Deliver high quality services and innovative experiences at appropriate rates. Communicate the benefits. Understand your costs and what it takes for you to turn a fair profit. Price accordingly, and not a penny more.
- Identify your greatest areas of opportunity and greatest areas of loss. Develop your game plan around this.
- Pinpoint unnecessary spending. Keep your eyes open. There are always holes. Find them, plug them. Many small savings equal great opportunity.
- Surround yourself with people of character, that have a strong work ethic, and that choose solutions over problems. Every team member will become an ambassador of your business. Understand what motivates them and then build creative incentive programs and rewards around this.
- When you don’t know….speak up. Ask for help. Don’t keep the blinders on. One of the greatest signs of intelligence is awareness and acknowledgement of when you need to enlist support.
The last week of every month, Core Essence will share a development feature to dive further into the business of wellness. We will explore some of our current development projects underway, share our most sought-after spa and wellness resort destinations, expand on the innovation that is driving this industry forward, and offer guidance as to how you can better bring the world of wellness into your own life.
*Findings and Research credited to “Global Wellness Institute, Global Spa & Wellness Economy Monitor”, September 2014 and the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) International. www.globalwellnesssummit.com. **This is an excerpt from “Good to Great” that I would like to share with this post.
Disciplined people: “Who” before “what”
You are a bus driver. The bus, your company, is at a standstill, and it’s your job to get it going. You have to decide where you're going, how you're going to get there, and who's going with you.
Most people assume that great bus drivers (read: business leaders) immediately start the journey by announcing to the people on the bus where they're going—by setting a new direction or by articulating a fresh corporate vision.
In fact, leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. And they stick with that discipline—first the people, then the direction—no matter how dire the circumstances.