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Managing Guest Expectations

On Their Best Behavior

BY JOSH CORMAN

MANY SPA LEADERS WAITED well more than a year to open their doors to guests with no pandemic-related limitations on occupancy in place. Many spas have been able to do just that in recent months, but some have found it challenging to manage guest expectations at a time when demand for services is exceptionally high and staffing shortages continue to be an issue across the industry. This trend is not limited to the spa industry, with reports from across the hospitality sector of rude—and in some cases, even abusive—behavior toward customer-facing staff. To better understand the impact of this phenomenon on spas, Pulse spoke with three leaders who have sought to support their employees while maintaining a high level of guest service.

“The message that we’ve put out to all the staff is that we have your back. Abuse is never tolerated…and you can walk away from the situation.”  – SHANE BIRD

Shifting Expectations
Despite the widespread reductions in pandemic-related restrictions earlier this year, the guest experience at most spas is not quite back to fully normal. Even in spas where mask mandates and physical distancing have been set aside, there may still be some amenities or services that are unavailable, whether due to COVID-19 precautions, high demand, a simple shortage of employees, or a combination of all three.

Though the overwhelming majority of guests handle these and other minor inconveniences such as check-in delays with courtesy and patience, notes Shane Bird, spa director of Skana Spa at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York, a small percentage have responded in a very different manner. “I’ve tried to put my finger on it,” says Bird. “I think there are certain individuals who think, ‘Hey, you’re open, so this should be the perfect, pre-COVID-19 world that we remember. There should be nothing different from what I’ve experienced in the past.’” He adds that the intensity of these guests’ dissatisfaction seems greater than before and that minor frustrations often escalate quickly, putting line-level staff in challenging positions.

In response, Bird says his front desk team has been instructed to make use of a wireless buzzer system that allows them to summon him or another supervisor to intercede with guests as needed. The system was once used sparingly—when a check-in line got too long or a guest had a specific question that required a manager, for example. Now, it’s used more liberally. “You don’t have to wait for them to ask you to get a manager. Grab us the minute you see something going wrong. The message that we’ve put out to all the staff is that we have your back. Abuse is never tolerated—we’re never okay with that—and you can walk away from the situation. Do it as politely as you can, but you can walk away from the situation and come get us,” Bird says. He believes that this approach makes his team feel supported and sends a clear message that staff well-being won’t be sacrificed to appease guests who cross a line. “The last thing we want to happen is for the very dedicated souls that we have now to just throw up their arms and say, ‘This is enough!’”

The spa has also taken proactive steps to communicate with resort and spa guests to clearly outline the spa’s expectations, notify them of high demand and explain that a spa visit may look slightly different than prior to the pandemic, which Bird believes has helped reduce the frequency of the kinds of guest interactions that require staff to reach for a supervisor-summoning button in recent weeks. Bird hopes that trend continues, but even if not, he is asking his team to focus on their attention away from the vocal minority. “I get just as many emails, if not more that are like, ‘Wow, what an amazing experience. I haven’t felt this good in 18 months.’

My message to the staff is to wrap your arms around those people. Thank them, praise them, offer them a discount on their next visit!”

Watching Your Step

At Kabuki Springs & Spa in San Francisco, Spa Director Kathy Nelsen says incidences of hostile guests have been few and far between. She credits the spa’s long-standing presence in the community and its deep pool of loyal, repeat guests for the largely positive interactions her team has had with guests since the spa reopened earlier this year.

“We’re kind of a beloved institution,” says Nelsen. “So people were really glad to come back.” On the occasions when guests are less forgiving, however, Nelsen notes that it’s hard to stick to the traditional guest service playbook given the reduced revenues her spa is bringing in while occupancy remains restricted. In the past, Nelsen says she would likely respond to guests’ complaints by offering a gift certificate or product to make up for any issues they had experienced at the spa. Now, those decisions are more fraught. “When you’re at 25 percent capacity… if someone complains, it’s not so easy to say, ‘Let me give you back your money and send you a gift certificate on top of it,” Nelsen explains. “I can’t really afford that right now. That’s the fine line I’m walking. How do you make [a guest] feel heard and not give away your profits?”

Knowing that any potential misstep could have additional financial stakes for the spa is a difficult situation for Nelsen and her team to be in, she admits. “I understand that everyone does have an off day, but I feel like we can’t afford any off days or off-hours or any missteps right now.” Like Shane Bird, however, Nelsen says that she is quick to intervene on behalf of her staff when confrontation arises. “If a guest comes in and says, ‘I’m not going to wear a mask,’ [front desk staff ] shouldn’t have to deal with that,” she says. “I’m not asking them to be the vaccine police because that’s really hard. I think spa directors always have that let’s-take-care-of-everybody attitude, but in this time, it is really important that these people are not having to face irate guests because their job is already stressful.”

Nelsen says that up-front communication with guests can help establish expectations that make managing guest expectations easier, but she acknowledges that, for many spas, staffing challenges will continue to make the task difficult. Nelsen says her staff is currently about half as large as it was pre-pandemic. “On weekends, we always had an extra person who wasn’t scheduled until day-of, in case someone called out—that’s a thing of the past,” she says, adding that even having more than one person available to work the front desk is a luxury she doesn’t often have. Still, Nelsen is eager to move to 100 percent occupancy later this month (the spa is currently operating at 50 percent occupancy) and restart the unmitigated flow of guests back to Kabuki Springs.

A Team Effort
On the other side of the country at Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton, South Carolina, Director of Spa Livia Reddington says that the demand for services is nearly unprecedented. She adds that the vast majority of guests and members have treated the staff warmly and gratefully over the summer, noting that the property’s experience planning team and the spa concierge have played a key role in that area. “We’re trying to get ahead of it, so that team reaches out and really plants the seed that, if there are spa services [the guest] is interested in, we highly encourage booking now. It helps manage that expectation from the beginning,” she says.

Still, the call and email volume has been so high that even the spa concierge’s automated email response notes that guests should anticipate a 48-hour response time. The spa also encourages guests and members to book online, which Reddington describes as a “pressure release valve” for her team. Not every spa has these resources available, but as Reddington notes, even simple adjustments to a spa’s confirmation email can help mitigate potential conflicts before they occur. “Even if you’re a smaller spa, the email can help to communicate the anticipation of a delay,” which can remove the potential for the guest to be unpleasantly surprised to find their preferred treatment isn’t available for a same-day booking.

If a guest does make it through those safeguards and an issue arises, Reddington echoes the importance of balancing the exceptional service for which her spa is known with her team’s well-being. In lieu of a buzzer system, the spa relies on communication platforms such Microsoft Teams to allow desk staff to notify a member of the leadership team about any guest service issues so they can intervene if need be. “Regardless of the size of your operation, appreciation for the team is super important,” she says. “It’s really critical that we keep the wellness—physical and mental—of our teams front of mind. They have to be in a good space for them to be able to deliver all that we’re asking.” Though the particulars of their experiences may vary, the challenge facing each of these spas is ultimately the same: Find ways to continue providing excellent service to eager guests, all while navigating staffing shortages and nearly unprecedented levels of demand. It won’t always be easy, but after 18 months of problem-solving, spa leaders managing the unprecedented is simply par for the course. W

F E AT U R E D  S O U R C E S

SHANE BIRD
Spa Director
SKANA SPA AT TURNING STONE RESORT

KATHY NELSEN
Spa Director
KABUKI SPRINGS & SPA

LIVIA REDDINGTON
Director of Spa
MONTAGE PALMETTO BLUFF

Link to pulse article:  https://pulse.experienceispa.com/mag/0870810001629992716/p36