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Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction
Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction | Chapter 1.5 | Interpretation of Spa
Interpretation of Spa
While spa professionals can research those using spas, people will continue to approach the spa world with their own interpretations. Individuals will come to spas with different needs and receive different benefits. Spas will offer a variety of services and build their mission around those needs they can best meet.
Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction | Chapter 1.6 | Business and Philosophy of Spa Working in Harmony
Business and Philosophy of Spa Working in Harmony
While spas are about healing people, they are also businesses that can survive to do good work only if financially stable and operating on a sound business model. Spa professionals have the challenge of ensuring that they operate as a business while staying true to the mission of spa.
Just as spas teach balance to their guests, they themselves must practice balance by keeping the business and philosophy working in harmony. Spas exist to put other people first and care for them. It is a service to humanity that goes beyond profit and spa professionals must enjoy doing it to be successful.
How does a spa go about keeping its “spa-ness” without becoming simply a retail provider of services? It begins with spa professionals. Spa professionals have to believe in and be connected to the spa concept and the spa experience. Business development begins with personal development. They also have to have sincere conversations with their guests and find out what their guests need and desire.
Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction | Chapter 1.7 | Expression and Emotional Responses
Expression and Emotional Responses
One spa professional described the spa experience as a chance to “go in good and come out better.” Guests who go to spas want to do work and accomplish something, but someone else has to do it for them. They go to a spa and connect with the therapist or the technician to receive the service.
Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction | Chapter 1.8 | Value of Spa
Value of Spa
Spas have survived and thrived throughout history because of the value they offer to individuals and society. They have blazed the trail of whole body wellness by caring for the body, mind, and spirit. They have explored methods of healing and relaxation that appeal to the whole person.
Retail Management for Spas
Retail Management for Spas | Chapter 1 | The Art and Science of Retail
During the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries numerous European spas flourished and were supported with full medical staffs and professional personnel. Typically spa visitors were sent to a resort spa by their home doctors in order to “take the waters” and “make a cure.”
Retail Management for Spas | Chapter 1.1 | Importance of Retail
Spas have long centered around responding to the needs of people to find relief from stress, improve their health, and enhance their overall wellness. Spas design their treatment menus around meeting these guest needs. The retail environment of a spa is a part of that entire package, one that complements and supports the spa’s philosophy.
Bob Hope was known to mention the benefits of his daily massage for feeling so well in his later life. Unfortunately, it is the rarefied few who will enjoy the benefits of a daily treatment. This is one of the reasons that retail fits in with the overall purpose of spa.
Retail Management for Spas | Chapter 1.2 | What is Retail?
The word “retail” covers a broad expanse of businesses. It can cover anyone who sells anything in small quantities to the person who will consume those items. Retail stores take on a lot of different appearances. They can be huge department stores, small souvenir shops, arts and craft booths, or gift shops.
Even in the spa environment there is no single picture that illustrates retail. Rather there is a collage of portraits ranging from shelves in a hallway to large boutiques to cozy lounges to shiny displays.
Retail Management for Spas: Chapter 1.3 Retail Partnerships
When it comes to retail, there are a lot of players who contribute to making it a success. There are partners, such as the media, financial institutions, local businesses, and charitable organizations, all of which can also help a spa business grow and succeed.
Uniform System of Financial Reporting for Spas
A uniform system of financial reporting establishes standardized formats and account classifications to guide individuals in the preparation and presentation of financial statements. The recommendations set forth in this uniform system are based on a consensus of spa industry financial executives, public accounting authorities, consulting specialists, and a leading academy expert, and are consistent with generally accepted accounting principles.
Financial Management for Spas
This text is intended to provide spa beginners and veterans alike with a better understanding of financial management. Our hope is that you will learn to embrace the accounting process and to understand that, while accounting is in many ways a science, there is also an art to financial management. In the end, you will be able to appreciate the beauty in numbers.
Spa Operations Manual
The customizable manual includes comprehensive materials for spa job descriptions, new hire checklists, standard departmental information, specific departmental procedures, staff training, common spa treatments, reference guide templates and more.