On the value of training..

More and more individual practitioners, managers and owners are recognizing that in order to survive in a market that is slowly being saturated, training is the most important ingredient in creating and maintaining a successful business.

When it comes to the subject of training and education in the spa and wellness industries, everyone has their opinion, and the choices include a broad spectrum of options.

Everything from international getaways to local colleges, virtual schools, seminars and a plethora, yes a plethora, of CEU courses are available.

We can search the Internet for hours on this subject, delving deeper into the digital pages, looking for the right curriculum that inspires, a location that is convenient, or a price range that is feasible for us.

Whatever course you choose, the value of training cannot be underestimated. More and more individual practitioners, managers and owners are recognizing that in order to survive in this market training is the most important ingredient. It will undoubtedly be the subject of many seminars, articles, and staff meetings in spas across the globe. What makes it so important? Everything. This is a foundational piece of spa business success.

Ever tried to get a job that you weren't qualified for, or thought that not having the right training, license, degree, title or other qualifying trait kept you from reaching your goals?

Before I start sounding like a bad commercial, let me make my point. Real training and education cannot be substituted for dabbling in a subject, or a test run, just so we can say we did it. This may leave us with a sense of the subject matter, but not the confidence and authority that come with thorough training.

Inspirational anecdotes and underdog stories about people who magically have successful careers without the hard work and training, work well for motivational speakers, but little for serving up real certifications. That leaves us with the responsibility of implementing a training strategy that fits us and works for us, individually.

Consistency is quality, and consistency in treatment practice across a score of revolving providers is a prerequisite to keeping clients coming back. This key to client and employee loyalty is only possible by training practitioners to apply the same spirit, standards, procedures and protocols with every treatment that is offered.

If I were to offer a simple recipe, I would describe it as: one part pathos, and logos and two parts ethos. Training strategies need to be a balanced mix of credibility, emotional appeal, and logic reasoning, as described in the three appeals above from Aristotle. Some of the main themes that seem to be repeated in terms of training needs include retail sales, client re-booking and management.

Retail sales, a necessary and profitable source of revenue should reach 30% of service sales but can only do so if there are clear procedures in place to make these sales possible and all staff is trained in sales techniques, a subject that is barely brushed or not taught at all in school. One that can have repercussions down the line if not addressed.

Along those same lines, retaining and re-booking clients, the bread and butter of every spa or therapy practice is not a natural occurrence. Everyone involved with the client plays a role in making this happen, and besides having the tools and procedures in place, they need to learn how to do so. Whether this includes  "powering up" your front desk or addressing back-of-the-house staff, increasing the seamlessness of your operation is why we put an emphasis on training.

Spa owners, often come from provider backgrounds, or cross over from a completely different industry. One thing both have in common is that they often struggle with their management skills from accounting to managing staff to marketing, with our industry specific nuances.

Individual practitioners find themselves in a position of having to run a mini business, hustle for clients and bargain hard to stay afloat- not what they imagined and not what they were trained for when they studied. How you manage your business however small or large it is will decide whether you are successful or not. Each area requires specific training, a budget and a plan.

Find out more on how to set up an effective training strategy for yourself or your spa: Training Strategies

You must begin by analyzing your current policies, procedures, staff credentials and market needs. Sometimes bringing in an outside point of view to help with this can bring attention to gaps or long held internal procedures that are less than optimal but that you don't want to do away with. Really setting the stage for your training strategies sometimes means letting go of a long held "traditions" or outdated procedures that are doing more harm than good. Let's review a few things to consider when looking into what you need for training.

• Could you use more pre bookings?
• Could your staff do with more morale and work-life balance? Could you be more efficient in your use of treatments, time and products?
• Could your spa menu use a face-lift?
• Do you deliver what your marketing and menu's promise?   
• Have you tried procedures repeatedly that haven't worked? Do you value your employees and clients?
• Does it show?
• Does your staff have a purpose in selling and educating the clients?
• Is your staff as confident and competent as they could be?
• Is there a trend driving your market?
• Have you addressed all the senses?

Set your training strategy with answers to these questions. If you don't have the answers, do a little research on what pertains to your operation. I would suggest developing a training matrix, that will allow cross-training and operational distinction, along with a road map to the time, people hours, cost per person (and future treatments) as well as the overall return.

This return is not only about cost, but can include more experienced therapists, higher morale, more clients referrals, better marketing opportunities and a more efficient operation.

Bottom line: gaining a balance in the ethos, pathos, logos sphere. To find out more on training strategies and project layouts in decision making you can contact the Spa College administrators.

You can reach Spa College at www.spa-college.com and/or contact them directly at: admin@spa-college.com