Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/762312
52 january/february 2017 SCHEDULING CONVENIENCE Today's clients can—and prefer to—schedule appointments from their smartphone or laptop, where the frustration of waiting on hold or playing phone tag with a busy salon receptionist is no longer required. Instead, clients quickly and easily log in and book their own appointments at their convenience. The International SPA Association Foundation's 2016 booklet Consumer Snapshot Volume VII: Millennial Perceptions + Preferences confirms this growing trend, especially for millennials. According to the research, when it comes to appointment scheduling, while 40 percent of millennials still prefer to use the phone, 39 percent are now scheduling electronically. Only 17 percent make appointments in person. Tip: Make sure your clients can schedule appointments with you even when no one is there to answer the phone. Use your ASCP discounts to find an online scheduling program that works for you! NEW MARKETING Getting technology to help tell your story is another way to reach out to millennials. The ISPA survey states the top two things that attract millennials to spas are stress reduction and indulgence. The top two things that discourage them from visiting a spa are finding the time and the money. Nearly 20 percent of millennials surveyed cited that there were not spas available in their area, while 21 percent were not familiar with the spa environment and/or spa etiquette. Millennials love technology, so why not use it to educate them in a fun, interactive way about what it's like in the spa? Spas that offer responsive websites (sites that are readable and usable on any device) that are also loaded with engaging content and efficient scheduling software will win over young clients. Even when you are closed, clients can shop, schedule an appointment, or learn more about your facility or services in an entertaining and easy way. Imagine: It's after hours. A group of friends who have been out to dinner head back to their car and walk past your spa. They like the look of your place, and, because your web address is on the door, they pull it up on their phone. Someone says, "Let's have a spa day!" and right there they pick services, a date, and a time. You have appointments scheduled while you are enjoying family time at home. A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE Every few decades, attitudes and viewpoints shift. Today's client, for example, doesn't want just a service salon—they want a memorable experience. They aren't a customer; they are an individually valued guest. They aren't looking for a service provider; they want a fulfiller of dreams. Even at the front desk, it won't be an appointment scheduler or check-out staff member sitting there. It will be a retail consulting specialist. The focus of tomorrow's spas will be on providing personalized guest experiences, which can create a stronger emotional bond. Emotion, not logic, brings guests in and keeps them coming back. New products will also address these viewpoint shifts. The magic potion in a jar that solves all ills is out. The new direction is beauty through wellness—from inside out. Wellness techniques that look at overall health to enhance how people feel and look will be part of the experience. The trendy topic of mindfulness will continue to grow in the spa as an aid to wellness and stress reduction. The most popular treatments won't shift much. Massage is still the number-one request, with manicures and pedicures close behind. Facials come in third. What is changing, at least with millennials, is the stereotype that spa treatments are only for women. The ISPA report found that of the males who had been to a spa in the past year, 52 percent had a manicure or pedicure. Facials have also shifted. Well over half of the male respondents stated they had received a facial at a spa. As this generation gains more free time and disposable income, we can expect spas to see increases in this market group. Tip: Take a look at the services you offer and figure out how you can personalize your top five sellers. What can you add to the service to help it feel individually special for each guest?