The Aftercare Standard
Five steps for the ten minutes after a treatment, which are the ones the guest remembers. One profile note lets the next visit start where this one ended.
- Who
- Spa therapists, then spa reception
- When
- Every treatment, from the last touch until the guest leaves the spa
- You need
- Warm tea or water, aftercare card, the guest profile in the spa system
- Measured by
- Drink offered within 2 minutes of the end
- Two personal points of advice given
- Profile note written before next guest
5 steps
01
Wait outside
Leave the room so the guest can get up alone, and wait outside the door with water or herbal tea. When they come out, let them speak first; the first thing they say is the feedback that counts.
Say this
“Take your time. Here’s some warm ginger tea. How do you feel?”
Common mistake Stripping the couch while the guest is still putting on the robe. They hear their room being turned round.
02
Walk them back
Walk with the guest to the relaxation room at their pace, not yours. Seat them, put the drink within reach, and suggest waiting at least 15 minutes before a shower, the sauna or the pool.
Say this
“Stay as long as you like. I’d wait fifteen minutes before the steam room, while your body settles.”
Common mistake Pointing to the relaxation room from the treatment room door. The guest walks there alone, slowly, slightly dizzy.
03
Give two points
Give two pieces of advice from this treatment: one about what you noticed (tight shoulders, dry skin), one for the next 24 hours. Write both on the aftercare card. Never more than two.
Say this
“Your left shoulder was tight. Drink plenty of water today, and a warm shower tonight will help more than a hot bath.”
Common mistake Reciting the same list to every guest: water, rest, no sun. The guest hears a leaflet, not the person who treated them.
04
Products if asked
Mention a product only when the guest asks what you used, or how to keep the result. Name one, say why it suits their skin, and tell them where to find it. Never carry products into the relaxation room.
Say this
“It was the rosehip oil. Two drops at night keeps that softness; reception have it if you’d like a look.”
Common mistake Opening with the shop. The guest who was relaxed a minute ago now feels a sale is being closed on them.
05
Write the note
Before the next treatment, write the profile note: pressure, focus areas, products used, room warmth, music, anything to avoid. Three lines, clear enough for a therapist who has never met the guest.
Say this
“Pressure 4 of 5. Tight left shoulder. Rosehip oil. Room warmer, no music. Prefers not to talk.”
Common mistake Writing “guest happy”. The next therapist learns nothing and asks the same five questions all over again.
Two Points, Not Ten
Examples of the two points a therapist gives after each treatment. Adapt every row to your own menu and products, in words plain enough to recall tomorrow.
Each therapist writes their own two points for every treatment on the menu. Brief one treatment a day. The supervisor listens to two aftercare talks a week and checks the points were personal, not recited.
The Standards Library.
No. 102 · Spa & Wellness
The Health Questionnaire Standard
Five steps for the health form, from handing it over to filing it. The answers that should change a treatment are often the ones left blank.
No. 103 · Spa & Wellness
The Running Late Standard
Five steps for a guest who is late for a treatment. Telling them about the shorter time before they undress costs far less than telling them on the couch.