A Tale of Two Spas
Every spa makes mistakes, it’s what they do about them that makes the difference!
Julie Register
SpaQuality LLC
SPA 1
I carefully researched which spa I wanted to visit. In this area of many spas, I had many choices. I wanted to spend the entire afternoon at the spa after a long plane trip. I wanted a spa with generous water features for women only – a pool, whirlpool, sauna, and steam with a quiet, beautiful area where I could stretch out on a chaise lounge. I wanted a spa that served a healthy lunch. I wanted a spa that could provide a long, relaxing massage. I didn’t want to feel rushed or crowded. After talking to a number of spas, I made my selection. I was very clear about my requirements and was assured the spa was a perfect fit. When the day finally arrived, things started off fine. I checked in at 12:30 and asked that my lunch be delivered at 1:30. My 90-minute aromatherapy massage was scheduled to start at 3:00. The receptionist asked where I would like to dine – in the lounge, garden or by the pool. I selected the pool area. The attendant gave me a tour of the beautiful garden, pool area, changing room and lounge. The changing area was large with a number of private dressing rooms. The full-length locker held a soft and generous robe. Towels were plentiful. I decided to start with a soak in the whirlpool. Here’s when things started to miss the mark. The whirlpool, although filled, was roped off with a sign saying it was not available for use during construction (construction?!). A little disappointed, I swam a few laps in the pool before using the sauna and steam room. I relaxed and dozed on a chaise lounge by the pool.
It was 2:00 and lunch had not arrived. I walked back through the spa to the reception desk to inquire about the missing meal. The receptionist (not the one that checked me in) looked around and saw a tray on a table behind her. She said she wondered what it was for and handed it to me. I trudged back to the pool carrying the tray - now annoyed. However, the food was delicious, and I returned to my former state of relaxation by the time the massage therapist came for me.
I settled in for the massage, which was terrific – for about 15 minutes. Then “rat-a-tat-a-tat, rat-a-tat-a-tat, rat-a-tat-a-tat!” A jackhammer played a duet with Enya for the next 75 minutes. The jackhammer probably put in as many kinks in my neck and shoulders as the skilled therapist worked out. When the massage was over, the therapist apologized and said they were renovating the men’s spa. She led me back to the pool area where I returned to “my” chaise lounge. A few minutes later, two men with hard hats appeared in this “women’s only” area. They were having a heated discussion and pointed to a wall behind me. That was it. I was done. I dressed and went to the reception desk to check out.
The receptionist (not the one that checked me in or gave me my lunch tray) asked how I liked my spa experience. I hesitated, looked directly in her eyes and searched for the right words. Before I found them, the receptionist slowly blinked, took a deep breath, asked me to have a seat in the reception area and disappeared through a doorway behind the reception desk. Before I reached a chair, a woman came out of the door the receptionist had gone in. She walked over to me, shook my hand and introduced herself as the spa director. She said she understood my visit wasn’t as good as it could have been. She already knew about the lunch and apologized. She said it was the first day for that receptionist. Usually there is at least one experienced person at the desk, but they were having an emergency meeting. The construction that had begun during my visit had started two days early without warning. Her staff was scrambling to make plans and inform guests that would be coming in that evening and the next day. I was the only person in the spa that afternoon. She opened a notebook, took out a pen and asked me to tell her about all of the things that didn’t meet my expectations. She wrote them all down. It didn’t change the fact that they had happened, but I was pleased that she seemed sincerely interested in listening. She apologized and asked me how they could make amends. I accepted her apology and explained I didn’t really want anything. I had just hoped for a more relaxing experience. She invited me to use the spa’s facilities any time I was in town. When I got home from the trip, there was a hand written letter from the spa director with a certificate for using the spa facility. I got another handwritten note six months later stating the construction was completed and inviting me to use the certificate. I haven’t been back to that town since that visit, but when I do, I will most likely stop by that spa again. The spa director’s interest and concern earned them a second chance.
SPA 2
I reclined in the treatment chair expecting to have a basic facial. You can imagine my surprise when the esthetician applied a substance on my face with fumes so thick and strong they literally filled my nose and mouth displacing breathable air. Clearly distressed, I struggled to sit up while fanning my hands in front of my face. Sitting up helped but, as I gulped fresh air, the thick paste started to sting fiercely. Through tears, I pleaded with the esthetician remove the goop. Her attention was not on me. She was looking at a card. “Oh,” she said, “This peel was for my next client,” sounding more disappointed in wasting the product than concerned about my discomfort. By the time she removed the substance, a number of minutes had passed. She finished the facial and told me my skin would be red for a few days and not to go in the sun under any circumstances for a least a week. Well, that was just dandy! I was leaving for a week at the beach the next day. The unwanted peel put a major crimp in my vacation. Sadly, that wasn’t the worst part. As I checked out, not only did the owner of this medical spa not apologize (neither did the esthetician), but had the nerve to say she wouldn’t charge me for the expensive peel - just the facial!
Before the treatment, the owner proudly told me that she sent every employee to a well-known destination spa in Arizona so they would be able to recreate the same kind of atmosphere in her spa. Her money would have been better spent in developing and enforcing procedures to ensure each client received the correct and appropriate treatment and a better corrective action system to deal with mistakes when they happen. Providing clients with services they don’t want or appreciate doesn’t build loyalty or a good reputation. Not charging me for the spa’s mistake didn’t appease me. I’m not sure the owner could have saved this situation, but she should have tried. She should have asked me. I would have told her that there should have been no charge for the facial at all. It was not what I asked for, and I was definitely not satisfied with it. Knowing I was going to the beach the next day, she should have offered me a very high SPF sunscreen to counterbalance the damage they had done (and that’s how I viewed it – damage). She could have admitted they made a mistake, ensured me that mistakes rarely happen, and invited me back to try another treatment. But most of all, she should have apologized! It also would have been nice if she had followed up when I returned from the beach to make sure my skin returned to normal. Sadly, I must not have been the only client to have a bad experience at this spa. It went out of business a little over a year after my visit.
All spas should have a formal improvement process that includes how they take timely action to identify and eliminate the root cause of problems in order to prevent recurrence.
The spa needs to define how it:
- identifies problems (including Guest complaints),
- reviews problems,
- determines the root causes of problems,
- evaluates the need for action to ensure that problems do not recur,
- determines and implements action needed, and
- reviews the effectiveness of corrective action taken.
I have confidence that Spa 1 had a process for correcting their problems. I am certain Spa 2 did not. I left Spa 1 disappointed, but I think my next visit there will be better because they listened to me, knew what went wrong and will prevent it happening again. I left Spa 2 angry and frustrated. There was no way I would ever return even if they were still in business.
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Julie Register is co-owner of SpaQuality LLC, an organization that created and maintains The International Standards of SpaExcellenceSM, educates spas on these industry-specific quality management standards, assesses spas to the standards and certifies those that meet the standards’ requirements. SpaQuality also provides Anonymous Guest Assessor services; conducts Quality Management Courses, Seminars, and Workshops for Spas; provides public speakers for expos, conventions, meetings and events; and operates SpaCompliments.com and SpaComplaints.com. For more information, please visit http://www.SpaQuality.com. Julie also owns DiscoverSpas.com, a web site providing comprehensive resources for both spa consumers and spa professionals.
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