As unique as some treatment menus can be, nearly all spas offer treatment staples the vast majority of guests choose to enjoy. These standards can be found from the high-rise hotels of New York City, to the desert resorts of the Southwest. They are the spa industry’s bread and butter, but they don’t have to be boring.
Present guests with an “enhancement menu” at check-in so they can upgrade their booked treatment for an additional charge. Menu items may include an upgrade to a superior product, or the focus on a particular technique. It should be clear the menu options do not extend the timing of the treatment, but simply replace a part of the standard treatment, for a more customized experience.
Take the Swedish massage. It is one of the most common treatments offered in the spa industry. Enhancement menu offerings could include the use of an organic shea butter with the standard massage oil to promote hydration, or a relaxing warm-oil scalp massage to provide nutrients that strengthen the hair. By offering these “enhancements” the guest enjoys a treatment specific to their needs, rather than the same old massage.
A spa’s retail operation can also profit from a well-designed enhancement menu. When guests select an offering from the menu, they are introduced to skincare and body products that offer the benefits they are looking for. The customized experience becomes something they help to design; that creates a stronger connection to the products used in the treatment and perhaps the desire to bring some of the experience home.
The goal is to provide a tailored experience for the guest while increasing the most popular, and usually the least expensive, treatments by $10, $20, or $30. Not every guest will opt for an enhancement menu offering, but every bit helps to create a more profitable and memorable spa operation.