I’m sure you’ve experienced in one way or the other, that moment when changes are in need. Whether it's during a spa opening, a transitional operation or at a well-established spa location, the reasons can be different and usually also require a change of the spa menu. These changes call for a refresh of your spa standards and procedures. The reasons may vary based on demographics, economy or cultural reorganization. But ultimately, these changes need to occur in order to achieve better customer service experiences as well as a positive revenue outcome.
During this transitional process, I've continued to hear the buzzwords customization and personalization. They have been repeated over and over during my career in the spa industry. What do they mean? I could not help but ask myself: Are we using these words correctly? Are we applying the concept properly? Let’s talk about the words’ meaning first. I found several definitions, and one, in particular, coming from a marketing point-of-view, that helped me to clear my thoughts and ignited a conversation about enhanced spa experiences:
Customization and personalization are two different words and have separate meanings.
Customization: According to Merriam-Webster, is “a method of changing something to fit the needs or requirements of a person, business, etc.”
Customization can come in many forms, from fast food restaurants that encourage customers to design their own foodstuff, to online stores that allow visitors to design their own clothing.
Personalization: This term “is a far more complex practice and is achieved when a system tailors an experience based on a consumer’s previous behaviors. For example, Amazon personalizes its homepage for each user based on that user’s previous searches, views, and purchases.”
A natural questioning and curious attitude is a quality we should look for, and hire.
Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa
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