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Stay calm and prepare for the storm.

Posted on by Philippa Abbott
26
Oct

Calmness is the cradle of power – Josiah Gilbert Holland

So it’s that time of the year again – can you believe it? I can’t – nor can I believe that I have to be calm to get through it – It has been one hell of a year! All I personally feel like doing is throwing my hands in the air, running and screaming all the way to a desert island without another soul, Internet or a single telephone (this includes mobile devices of any description). But maybe a spa…. Isn’t that ironic?

REALITY CHECK; it’s been a crazy year and everyone and their aunty wants to distress and unwind; so they want to SPA and we still have 2 FULL , hectic months to go.

So moral of the story; this is not the time to panic; it’s our time to SHINE. How blessed are we that when everyone is winding down, they are looking to us to “make them better” and usher them into the New Year with ease.

It does, however, spell; B U S Y though and we have got to be calm and be prepared.

Benjamin Franklin’s wise words ring in my ears: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
It’s better to not have an opportunity and be prepared than to have an opportunity and not be prepared. Success loves preparation….are you prepared?

I say it over and over again. Keep calm plan and then, TAKE ACTION.

Sit down and get a to-do list done. I would by all mean suggest an end of year strategic action plan including LOTS of delegation to ensure that no one is inundated and EVERYTHING gets done. If you need a how-to guide on Strategic Action Plans check out Strategic Planning. This is for the beginning of the year but can be adjusted accordingly.

Always remember to focus on the most important KPIs at all time when doing this exercise, how you are going to boost each area and how you are going to measure everything you do:

Key focus points:

  1. Spa Occupancy
  2. Services Revenue
  3. Retail Revenue
  4. Average spend per hour
  5. Repeat guests ratio
  6. New guest ratio

On top of these here are a couple of things not to forget:

  1. Are you getting client feedback – when our spas are busy we tend to be hustling about the spa/salon and we do not have as much time for individual contact with new / existing clients. Make sure you have a feedback system in place so that you can measure how you are doing and ensuring you are still giving outstanding service even when you are really busy.
  2. Induct temps into your company culture and way of doing things; to help you cope with your busy days and corporate events. If you do not have temps call Spa Sense (0116160833) we can assist. Alternatively get in touch with the colleges in your area. They will be able to assist you with 3rd-year student who need to complete their hours.
  3. Schedule a deep clean of the spa / salon as soon as possible. You will not get a chance to do so in the midst of the rush and no-one want to come to a filthy place to unwind.
  4. Stock Up for when your suppliers are closed – consumables and retail. Don’t forget.
  5. Get your promos sorted as well as your design work done;  before your design houses and website companies go away.
  6. Get Xmas decorations – you need to make sure you have an element of Xmas cheer in the air. We can’t pipe Christmas carols through the air but a couple of baubles and a tasteful tree will go a long way – Please can I stress the word Don’t go tacky; it’s a fine line!
  7. Draw your client loyalty / spend reports, allocate budget for gifts, source the gifts for your top clients and get your orders in and paid for before it is too late. The lead time for this is crazy and if you are not sorted ASAP it will be too late and you’ll be gifting for valentines day instead
  8. Staff function – determine a budget, set the date, book and pay and mark the time out in the schedule – otherwise this too will not get done. Staff appreciation is key.
  9. Start allocating and preparing cash flow for quiet weeks and staff bonuses.
  10. Drive Gift voucher revenue with Gift with purchase specials – speak to you suppliers about deals they can help you with.
  11. Schedule leave for staff in accordance with cover needed, quiet times and leave owed to girls that have been with you for long.
  12. Above all ENJOY the ride XXXX

As always this is just a guideline to help point you in the right direction. But seriously this is our time to capitalize, make up for loss of revenue during the winter months and really set up a nice springboard into the New Year. But stay calm and ensure your preparation is done. This will help you to execute all tasks set out for each day effectively and efficiently.

Let’s go out with a BANG and make every single hour of every day count.

As always we are around to assist with anything we can. Please do not hesitate to call / email or whats app. Although I say I want to run away – I am not going anywhere!

Office 0116160833/25

Philippa Cell 0781453336

Jessica Cell 0823571635

 

 

 

Philippa Abbott

I qualified as a Somatologist in JHB in 2001. I began my career in the spa industry working on cruise ships for Steiner Transocean. I furthered my studies on my return to SA qualifying in advanced make up and special effects. I then moved to London where I worked in 2 of the most prestigious spas. I acquired knowledge in all aspects if the spa business and moved quickly from hands on therapy to part of the management team. When I finally came back to South Africa to settle for good I joined the management team of the Spas of Distinction where I grew my skill set even further and established a professional network throughout the South African Spa Industry. It is here where my roots are now deep seated and where I will remain for good. I started Spa Sense in 2010 and we have grown from strength to strength every year since then; forming key relationships with all the industry specialists. I head up the consultancy division of Spa Sense and run many of our training courses including Front Office, SOPs and Spa Sales and Retail. I also oversee our recruitment division making sure that all my clients and candidates expectations are always exceeded by the level service they receive from my team. I am incredibly passionate about what I do and hope I remain blessed enough to be in this exciting industry forever. This blog is a place I can share my views and experience so I hope you enjoy the articles and find them useful enough to use in your business.