The beginner’s guide to opening a spa

Today, an increasing number of people are seeking an escape from the stress of urban living, and your spa can be an accessible sanctuary where they can unwind. To make sure your customers are provided with the ideal rejuvenating experience in your spa, it’s important to look at every aspect; from opening a spa to marketing it in the right way. When you are considering opening a spa and wellness centre, you should take into account factors such as the location, treatments, staff, and much more. The following is a checklist that gives you a better understanding of the essentials for setting-up an oasis that allows your customers to leave their worries behind and relish their spa experience.

1. Location

When selecting the place, make sure there is easy access via transport, good location, and most importantly there is not any other spa in the same vicinity. Considering that many of your customers will be individuals from the nearby cities, try finding a place which offers elements of calm ie in a residential area, with less pollution, noise, etc.

2. Staff

Investing time and resources in the professional development of your staff is one of the most productive investments your business can make. This is because your employees are the ones that are going to spend most of the time with your customers. Hence, you need to select the best ones and provide them with suitable training; which can eventually improve the customer experience. To simplify your hiring and training process, you can even take the help offered by spa consulting companies.

3. Facilities

Once you have decided the location & recruited suitable employees, it is time to finalise your spa menu. Make sure you study the latest global wellness trends & then finalise your treatments. Along with the most common treatments like Swedish massage, body wraps, etc, you could consider setting-up a spa for specific needs i.e. mental health, affordable wellness, and others; just  a few of the trends for wellness trends for 2017 (Hill L, Well To Do, 8 FUTURE WELLNESS TRENDS ACCORDING TO THE GLOBAL WELLNESS INSTITUTE, 2017).

4. Interiors

A good wellness centre is primarily judged by its unique design, theme & cleanliness. Your spa is going to be an escape for your customers from their hectic lives. Hence, make sure you set-up a spa that is quiet, well-furnished, tastefully designed, visually calming; which can eventually help create a lasting impression on your clients.

To simplify your spa opening process, consult a company that offers spa pre opening services and training, which includes development of your spa brand, selection of facilities and equipment, staffing and organisation and others.

These are just a few of the essentials for setting-up a spa.

“The above opinions are purely a reflection of the author’s point of view. They do not reflect the position of Raison d’Etre.”