Prioritizing precise customized service and fostering a sense of community through a private club model are key elements of success. By Jane Yun Wang
Many hotel spas often grapple with unstable financial performance due to their heavy reliance on hotel guests and fluctuating occupancy rates. When targeting local clients, they frequently find themselves embroiled in price wars due to intense market competition, the ease with which guests can access information in the digital age, and the difficulty in differentiating their services from other spas. These factors make it challenging to maintain customer loyalty and secure a stable client base.
Facing these challenges, the Bliss Spa at W Hong Kong has experimented with a new business model centered around a membership-based private club approach to spa operations, achieving impressive results. The spa currently boasts around 500 loyal members and has been one of the top-performing spas in the Marriott International Greater China region and Hong Kong market in recent years. Even during the pandemic, when hotel guests were absent due to quarantine conversions, Bliss Spa relied solely on members and local clients, maintaining strong financial performance and standing out in the market. Additionally, less than 1% of spa members chose to leave due to the quarantine measures, demonstrating high customer loyalty.
In this article, I would like to share how to integrate a private club model into hotel spa operations, providing some insights on personalized services and fostering a sense of community, with the hope of offering valuable experiences for those facing similar challenges.
Private clubs are known for offering exclusive facilities and excellent services tailored specifically for members, catering to their preferences and lifestyles while creating comfortable and intimate social spaces. The core experience lies in personalized services and cultivating a sense of community belonging.
Personalization with efficiency and precision
Personalization is the key to creating a private club atmosphere in a spa. In addition to training our staff to anticipate and meet guest preferences during each visit, consistently providing excellent service, we also use the following technologies and strategies to streamline processes and personalize services accurately.
High-tech Digital Wellness Assessments And Customization. Conducting digital wellness assessments or consultations allows us to analyze guest data such as sleep quality, stress levels, DNA type, fitness habits, nutritional habits, and overall health status to customize their wellness plans. We provide guests with performance tracking and timely feedback. Additionally, we integrate technological solutions like online booking, customer relationship management software, and other digital platforms to capture guest activity preferences, frequency, and spending behavior patterns. This automation enables personalized communication, regular customized recommendations, and efficient management and updates of customer profiles.
What’s New And Next Couture Experience. Elevate exclusivity by offering couture amenities and prestigious guest experiences. This may includes personalized aromatherapy products (luxury brand creams with guests’ names), unique music styles and selections during treatments, personalized bathrobes or slippers, a pre- and post-treatment tea and food experience reflecting wellness or nutrition trends (such as vegetarian or ketogenic options). Additionally, introduce luxurious wellness facilities like himalayan salt stone detox saunas, Japanese far-infrared vital domes, sleeping pods, and more. Collaborate with state-of-the-art wellness products and technologies from around the world, along with exciting projects such as electronic music move, a group workout experience led by creative experts, exclusively launched at Bliss Spa W Hong Kong, setting new standards in trendy experiences.
Personalized The Celebrations And The Milestones. Recognize and celebrate guests’ milestones, achievements, and special occasions with personalized experiences. Acknowledge milestones such as membership anniversaries, participation in wellness programs, or achievements in wellness challenges with tailored rewards, incentives, or memorable gifts. Offer customized celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries, or life milestones such as promotions, graduations or retirements. Provide special touches to make guests feel special and valued, encouraging them to become loyal advocates of the brand.
Creating a Sense of Community and Belonging
Building a community around the spa strengthens guest loyalty, encourages repeat visits, and fosters camaraderie among members. It also provides opportunities for networking, social interactions, and shared wellness goals, enhancing the overall guest experience.
Curating Membership Programs With Exclusive Benefits. Develop membership plans tailored to different customer segments and preferences. Offer various levels of membership with different degrees of access and benefits, such as exclusive use of spa facilities, member-exclusive treatment menus, priority booking for popular treatments, spa concierge services, exclusive member events, and dedicated member spaces. Collaborate with luxury brands to add value to the membership program, creating a comprehensive 360-degree holistic wellness and exciting lifestyle experience for members.
Member Networking Opportunities. Organize member-exclusive events, workshops, and wellness retreats to create opportunities for spa members to network and connect with like-minded individuals. Host networking cocktails, wellness seminars, stress management program, beauty and cooking master classes, or lifestyle workshops where members can socialize, exchange ideas, and forge meaningful relationships while receiving insightful tips about their overall well-being and lifestyle. At the same time, private club members, being well-informed and connected individuals, can act as brand ambassadors and advocates. Their insights and feedback can guide the spa’s strategic decisions and keep it at the forefront of the industry.
Wellness Challenges And Group Activities. Organize and encourage group participation in wellness challenges and group fitness classes. Create friendly competitions, team-based challenges, or collaborative wellness programs that inspire camaraderie, motivation, and mutual support among members. Celebrate collective achievements and milestones to foster a sense of community accomplishment.
Digital Community Platforms. Create a digital community platform or online portal where spa members can connect, engage, and access exclusive content and resources. Include features such as member forums, wellness tips, event calendars, special promotions, and member profiles. Encourage members to share their wellness journeys, success stories, and wellness-related insights within the community. By encouraging guests to share their positive experiences, they help the spa build a strong reputation and brand image.
Elite Sense Of Belonging. Provide spa members with tickets or VIP access to popular events and performances in Hong Kong, such as concerts, music events, cultural performances, art exhibitions, or major sports events. Arrange transportation, reserve seats, backstage visits, or opportunities to meet celebrities, adding uniqueness to members’ experiences. For example, we secured a quota of VIP tickets for events like Art Basel VIP Preview in March this year and the International Rugby Seven match, greatly enhancing guests’ trust and sense of belonging to us.
By prioritizing efficient, precise customized services and creating a sense of community belonging through a private club model, we can cultivate guests’ value-oriented loyalty, guiding them to prioritize overall experience over price promotions. This model encourages guests to become brand ambassadors and advocates for the spa, making it distinctive while laying a sustainable foundation for long-term financial success and market leadership in the competitive spa industry.
Jane Yun Wang
Jane possesses extensive experience in pre-opening and managing large-scale Spa, Wellness, and Luxury Private Club projects for esteemed luxury hotel brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, and Aman Resorts. Her sharp business acumen, innovative approach, and strategic execution define her leadership style. Presently, as Senior Director of Spa and Wellness at W Hong Kong and a Spa advisory board member for Marriott International Great China, she offers business and operational consulting as well as pre-opening support for various luxury projects. She is also a popular speaker and author at domestic and international industry summits and forums.