Dayspa

SEP 2013

DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.

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Even pre- and post-treatment periods are therapeutic experiences. 1.800.562.5377 68 Use FreeInfo #31 DAYSPA | SEPTEMBER 2013 rituals and packages just for the boys, including the Safari Journey (2¾ – 4¼ hrs./$310-$330), featuring an aromatic hydro treatment, a "Shavel" shaving ritual and a seaweed mani-pedi. "When we expanded to our current location (in 1997), I intended for the spa to appeal to both men and women—the design focused on nature and wasn't feminine or pink in the way a lot of the European-style spas were," says Ummel. "I also purchased equipment specifically for men: extra-wide massage tables, larger chairs, multi-jetted showers positioned for taller people, as well as robes that fit. We want men to really feel welcome here, not like they're an afterthought." Similarly, Ummel was way ahead of the field when it came to anticipating the growth of couples' treatments, which have become some of Ummelina's top sellers. The entire Yakima Valley location was designed to accommodate solo or duo treatments. And both spas allow men and women to share common areas—lounges and changing rooms—which not only boosts a couple's enjoyment quotient but also maximizes space. "If 40% of our clients are men, having separate facilities means that only around half our clients can use any given space!" (Ummel notes that anyone with reservations about what goes on in those shared areas need not worry, and clients are clearly advised that couples' treatments are to be "scentual not sexual" experiences!) OPERATIONAL SHIFTS Of course, it isn't only Ummelina's clientele but also its employees who have evolved over time. Although a few of the spa's 40 staff members have celebrated a decade or more with the company, Ummel has noticed a definite change in new hires. "Massage training in Seattle was always pretty comprehensive, but for facials and nail care, the education has really improved," she shares. "We used to have to train estheticians for a month because very few of them knew how to analyze the skin or understood how it worked in conjunction with the body's systems. And, we used to spend at least three weeks training manicurists." Although management still takes time to make sure newbies are familiar with the spa's high-tech equipment and herbal emphasis, most Ummelina employees now carry multiple certifications and can perform a variety of services. One operational policy that has

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