Next-Gen Spa Management Training and the Certify Delight Loop
The Story
Kimberly Marie has been a CRM guru since the era of database marketing, with more than 25 years of experience as a CRM business analyst. In 2019, she presented the Certify Delight Loop as a final project to obtain her Spa Management certification from the University of California, Irvine. The project garnered enthusiastic feedback and acclaim from industry instructors, presenting a new opportunity for her. During the pandemic, Kimberly founded Fleurish 360, LLC.
A common thread among my salon and spa clients is they often either lack the necessary business skills to operate a successful salon or spa, or they're so overwhelmed they don't know how or where to start. Most started with minimal resources and did whatever was necessary to launch their business. What I call the 'learn as I go' mentality." --Kimberly Marie
Today’s spas must quickly adapt to an increasingly dynamic market while managing financial health and growing profits. ​The spa industry has been slow to adapt and provide the necessary training for the next generation of successful spa professionals. Adapting being an industry trend for some time.
(Read more on this . . .)​​
The dandeloin symbolizes adaptability and transformation. The essence of spa management with the Certify Delight Loop. Adapatability is one of the core principles taught, and transformation is necessary for spas to meet tomorrow's challenges.
The seedlings represent the foreward-thinking participants in the Certify Delight program. These "pioneers" are the standard-bearer's for the next-generation of successful spa professionals.
"My spa management training experience revealed a disconnect between the education provided and the practical application of specific skills in real-world situations for therapists participating in the program."
Spa Management with the Certify Delight Loop goes beyond management training to include a "how-to" roadmap. Learned concepts are reinforced with exercises using real-world scenarios.
​The "Pay As You Grow" model allows participants to priortize progam modules based on what they need when they need it. Training is not only affordable, but timely and relevant.​​
"Our program "Pioneers" complete the program not only equipped with the necessary skills they need, but the know how too."
"Frustrating for some is waiting 3-4 months to complete a program just to learn the one or two things they need to know now. Not to mention the hefty upfront cost.​"
A Look Back
Around the mid-1990s, consumer demand led to the need for a more customer-focused approach to service delivery while continuing to control costs and grow profit. This consumer-focused approach involved analyzing data across various system databases to derive insight into customer behaviors, needs and desires. This paradigm shift from database marketing led to the birth of Customer-Relationship Management (CRM).
Spas were still an emerging industry at the time and looked to the hospitality sector as its business model. For years after, the spa industry faced challenges in establishing standardized performance metrics, as technology advanced and spa-goers became more discerning. One could argue it suffered from an identity crisis, as well, requiring an identity independent from their hotel peer. The model was to craft a menu of services, time-box those services and charge clients a fee. While adhering to the essence of “spa”, provide clients an escape from the every-day in the allotted time sold. This model holds true today.
Today
Spas are challenged with controlling operating costs, staff retention and rising wages, and being profitable while delivering on client expectations as their needs evolve and change. Newer technological advancements like AI will continue to emerge, and the same is true for spa-goers. Societal and cultural shifts, emerging beauty trends and fads, social media and its influencers, can influence the spa goers' expectations at any given time.
Many spas and independents today are operating 10-hour days, 6-7 days a week. They aren't making any (or enough) money and are struggling to stay busy. Freedom for time off - - for themselves, or staff, is an expensive luxury, at best. The solution is a spa management system for appointment scheduling and calendar management of their online menu of services. They work social media platforms for likes, followers and post great discount offers and wait for bookings.
The unfortunate result being they’re stuck in this cycle and slowly going broke.
"A dream without a plan is just a wish."