Great customer service boils down to one thing: viewing each customer as an individual with specific needs, not just a number on a spreadsheet.
Delight the customer the first time, and you’ll enjoy consistent, ongoing revenue for the long term.
But how do you turn one-time visitors into repeat customers?
The answer lies in deeply understanding their preferences, habits, and expectations.
If you can learn how to excite clients before their upcoming visit and continue the great experience after their spa treatments conclude, you’ll have customers for life.
The 5 Types of Spa Customers You Should Know
Gaining repeat business doesn’t rely on a one-size-fits-all solution. Every customer is unique, and tailoring their experience to their specific desires is key to building loyalty.
Here are the five main types of spa customers and how to cater to them.
First-Time Guests
These individuals have never set foot on your premises before. A warm, welcoming introduction can set the tone for their entire experience.
Provide clear, concise information before and during their visit, such as easy-to-follow appointment details or a guide to your services. Offer introductory packages to let them explore various treatments without commitment.
After their visit, follow up with a personalized discount for their next booking and an invitation to join your loyalty program to encourage their return.
Loyal Returners
These folks already know and love your services, and they keep coming back for more. They trust your staff and enjoy the treatments. What they want is to feel special and be rewarded for their dedication.
The goal here is to keep up the momentum and give your loyal returners no reason to look elsewhere. Offer continuous loyalty rewards tailored to the treatments they enjoy and provide early or exclusive access to promotions.
Small gestures, like remembering their birthday with a special offer or scheduling them with their preferred therapist, will make them feel valued and ensure their return.
Deal Seekers
These customers love a bargain. They want discounts, seasonal specials, or package deals. They will rarely book something at full price, and they’re not afraid to shop around for the best price.
Securing loyalty is difficult with deal seekers, but you can attract them with limited-time offers like flash sales and discount coupons or “buy one-get one” type deals. You can also consider upselling during their visit with value-added services.
Wellness-Focused Clients
This group invests heavily in self-care and wellness routines. They are informed, health-conscious, and generally know what they want.
They are more inclined to spend money on holistic treatments or ongoing, regular sessions, rather than one-off indulgences.
Offer memberships, health consultations, and tailored service bundles that align with each individual’s goals to keep them coming back.
High-Spend VIPs
These clients are looking for top-end, luxury spa experiences. They have the money and they’re accustomed to booking full-day packages, private sessions, and using high-end products.
Exclusivity matters here. Your big spenders want personalized treatment plans, elite members-only access, and VIP, one-of-a-kind services like after-hours appointments or concierge-style assistance.
Personalize the Guest Experience Before They Arrive
Modern CRM tools are invaluable for creating tailored experiences.
By building detailed guest profiles, you can track visit histories, preferences, and past treatments. This allows you to prepare thoughtful touches, like assigning a favorite therapist or setting up a room to their liking.
This kind of personalization makes your guests feel valued and cared for.
Additionally, you can provide offers and service add-ons based on past visit information. Customers are more likely to splash out on extras that feel curated for them, so when a client books their initial treatment, you can present personalized suggestions that align with their preferences.
Common Reasons Spa Customers Don’t Return
Even with excellent services, some customers don’t return. Understanding the reasons behind their departure can help you address issues and improve retention.
Here are the three most common reasons why customers leave:
1. A Bad Experience
Unfortunately, in most cases, you’ll never know why a customer had a bad experience because they won’t tell you. They simply won’t come back.
Besides sub-standard treatments, bad experiences typically stem from inconsistent service levels (feeling like a VIP one minute and a nuisance the next), or feeling like you just want their money and that little else matters.
Consistent, high-quality care is essential to prevent these missteps.
2. The Booking Process Wasn’t Easy
A cumbersome booking system can frustrate customers. For example, a spa that only accepts phone bookings but rarely answers calls risks losing clients.
In contrast, a spa with a user-friendly online booking platform, available 24/7, makes scheduling effortless. These systems can even recognize returning customers and offer personalized deals.
3. No Incentive to Return
Your service is great, but so is the nearby competing spa’s service. Why would the customer come back to you specifically?
They need a clear incentive to return, such as a loyalty program, personalized offers, or timely rebooking reminders. These nudges keep your spa top of mind and give customers a reason to book with you again.
What You Can Do to Improve Client Retention
Client retention might not happen overnight, but with the right strategies, improving it will become a normal part of your business approach.
Here are some tips:
- Train your staff to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences that align with your brand values.
- Promote rebooking before the customer leaves, and make it easy for them to do so.
- Encourage post-visit feedback and take action on it, especially on areas for improvement.
- Establish a loyalty program and reward clients for their continued support. A simple points system with perks and rewards is easy to implement.
- Leverage CRM or customer experience software to automate appointment reminders, birthday offers, and personalized offers.
- Set up online bookings and payments. Make the process as seamless as possible.
- Use client profiles to deliver personalized touches. Remembering a name or a milestone goes a long way.
The Role of Spa Management Technology in Customer Retention
Delivering exceptional customer experiences is hard to do without having the right technology at hand.
Spa platforms like Book4Time are essential because they can effortlessly track customer preferences and build profiles so you can personalize their visits and offers.
On a more practical note, these platforms can facilitate booking calendars, automate follow-ups, and make rebooking a simple process. They also have the capability to set up and run loyalty programs.
By using these tools, spa staff can better anticipate needs, build stronger client relationships, and increase brand loyalty and trust.
Post-Visit Engagement: Keep the Experience Going
Momentum is key, and you shouldn’t lose it just because the customer has departed your premises.
The fact is, if you don’t perform any kind of follow-up, gaining repeat business becomes a much harder task.
So, keep the experience going. A well-timed message with a personalized offer can nudge the customer into rebooking.
For those in your loyalty program, encourage bookings by sending reminders of their points balance. Seasonal booking prompts are also helpful, especially when they remind the customer to book before it gets too busy.
Why Book4Time + Agilysys Deliver Loyalty Better Than Standalone Systems
Unlike standalone systems, Book4Time and Agilysys work together to unify loyalty across all guest touchpoints. This results in a consistent and holistic guest experience that stretches across all spa, golf, dining, and hotel operations.
This integration means guests enjoy frictionless booking, personalized offers, and high-quality attention and care no matter what activity they happen to be enjoying.
From the business operations side, the benefits are numerous. Unified reporting, automated customer communication and reward triggers, and streamlined services enable you to constantly exceed guest expectations.
When you have the data to know exactly what makes each guest feel special, you can deliver meaningful experiences that drive loyalty and repeat business.
FAQ: Understanding Spa Customers
How can I improve the retention of my spa customers?
To improve the retention of your spa customers, focus on improving the client experience before, during, and after their visit.
Tailored offers, personalized service, loyalty programs, and a frictionless booking process all encourage the customer to rebook.
What are the different types of spa customers?
There are five main types of spa customers:
- First-time guests
- Loyal returners
- Deal seekers
- Wellness-focused clients
- Luxury VIPs
Each has unique motivators that will help you tailor your service and marketing strategies to meet their needs.
How can technology help personalize the spa experience?
Technology such as CRM and guest experience software can help personalize the spa experience by tracking client preferences, visit history, interactions, and feedback.
This information allows you to customize experiences, offers, and treatments according to each individual’s preferences.
