How a Massage Therapist and The Grinch Stole Christmas

Maybe they should have called me Pollyanna, or Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, or maybe Cinderella–I like to believe that we will live happily ever after in a perfect spa world.

Hey wakeup…reality check! 

We started a “Spa Dollars” program in July for those that did great on their numbers with pre-booking, client retention, and retail to service.   We also gave out spa dollars for great teamwork, pitching in to help re-stock, and extraordinary service to clients.  It was a huge morale booster, especially for the shy therapists, who might not be the best performers, but they are always there for the team.

You could use your spa dollars for services or retail.  There was no expiration and everyone was excited about receiving services.  It was like having monopoly money.  No, it was like having monopoly “funny” money.

It’s all fun and games, until the Grinch steals.  You see, we had a massage therapist who was just a little dishonest (is there such a thing as a little dishonest?).  She was taking the spa dollars to Kinko’s and copying them.  She was then passing them off to the controller as the real thing.

How did she get caught?  You’ll love this.  She brought her mother in for a day of services at the spa.  She paid for the whole thing with bogus spa dollars.  We started to calculate how many spa dollars she had received (she was a $12,000 a month massage therapist), versus how many she had redeemed.  Bingo, Grinch is stealing Christmas.

It was such an eye opener.  How can a great employee steal?  What makes a person a thief?  Very sadly, we had to pull the program and re-vamp.  Now we give out gift cards, a little boring, not too spontaneous, but they are numbered and not easily copied.

I Want to Take the Sheets Home

You know you are on to something when the client wants to take the sheets home.  Now, you ask, how did that happen? 

In 2004, I was attending ISPA, and met this great couple at a booth.  They had these incredible sheets…very soft…very stain resistant and really beautiful.  Up until then, the industry used twin sheets.  The couple were Robert (from the robe industry) and Mia (a massage therapist who designed her own sheets).  The best part was the fabric…at this conference, they were pouring wine on the sheets to show that they would not stain.  I placed an order in of course blue Jacquard and tan fabric, with blankets, table covers, and the sheets.

I waited and waited and waited.  I would talk with Mia from time to time and they were perfecting the fabric, checking the dye lots, re-sewing the pockets, shortening the table covers, putting in new elastic.  Mia and Robert were getting it right–and today they continue to get it right.

Today, you can order directly from The Comphy Company for your spa.  You can mix and match your fabric and your colors, or of course, you can special order.  You will not find better sheets in the industry–even from copycats. 

Additionally, now we have sheets to sell to our clients.  They kept asking, “Can I purchase those sheets?”  “I want to take the Sheets Home”.  You can also purchase Twin, Queen, & King size sheets.  Of course they come Mia style with a jacquard tie.   Great massage retail!