Talking to… Nerys Chell

In the ever-competitive day spa market it can be tough to make your mark, especially with discount sites such as Groupon and Wowcher offering cheap deals that make it hard to compete. Add to this increasing supplier costs and the uncertainty of a looming Brexit, and the spa landscape can be a real challenge to navigate.

That’s why it’s so impressive that Eden Hall Day Spa in Newark, Nottinghamshire, has stood the test of time, thriving for 17 years, despite these threats, and proving that you don’t need to discount heavily or jump on every trend bandwagon to get return custom.

The spa’s reputation and dedication to outstanding service is also why managing director Nerys Chell and her 170-strong team (including 41 therapists) took home the prestigious title of Day Spa of the Year at the 2019 Professional Beauty Awards.

But, how has the business managed to become one of the oldest and most successful UK day spas? “The key to our success is listening,” says Chell. “We listen to feedback from our staff and customers because they’re the ones using the facilities day in, day out. We also reinvest in the business, looking at areas we can improve. We want clients to see that we are at the top of our game.”

The spa has just come to the end of an extensive five-year refurbishment, with the new reception fitted out in December 2018, the Spa Shop completed in January 2019 and modern C@fé 1875 having opened in March. The spa’s grounds have also been updated with the addition of outdoor treatments and yoga classes for the summer months and a new shepherd’s hut which will act as a servery for food and drinks.

Believe in your brand

“So many day spas fail because they don’t listen to the criticism they’re given. You have to take it on board because your customers are telling you exactly what they want,” explains Chell. The other big mistake operators make is cheapening their brand, which Chell advises never pays off in the long run.

“Everything is offer-led these days and I just feel there’s got to be a point where you can’t go any lower because you have to make a profit and cover your overheads. It’s also about believing in your brand and knowing that you’re good value for money. If you don’t believe that, then how will your customer?,” she says.

Eden Hall does what Chell calls “fair” offers, with a limit to what the business will give away. Sometimes the spa will reduce its day rate from £99 to £79 for a limited time only or do early-bird offers where customers receive a treatment discount on select times and days.

However, setting targets to improve pre-sales and guest conversions has negated the temptation to discount too much. “70% of customers who book in for spa days want treatments, with body rituals being the most popular, but they just need some encouragement. We do follow-up calls after every booking to encourage guests to have a treatment or to add on extra touches such as flowers or champagne to make their stay more memorable,” explains Chell. “We also focus on upselling to groups by offering exclusive events such as mojito-making classes or make-up workshops. It’s about trying to get that conversion before people arrive; being proactive like this fills our quiet times.”

“So many day spas fail because they don’t listen to the criticism they’re given. You have to take it on board because your customers are telling you exactly what they want”

Invest in your people

With 26 treatment rooms and the ability to host 160 guests a day, managing such a large operation doesn’t come without its challenges. “We’re not a small spa where you can take 20 to 30 guests and give them an almost one-to-one feel throughout the entire experience. However, we still want to give a first-class service with a certain level of personal touch, even in a property of this size,” says Chell.

Eden Hall manages to achieve this via a range of thorough processes that motivate staff. Firstly, therapists are allocated a room for the day, so they know what the stock levels are and where everything is. “They don’t have to worry about the set-up as the space is theirs. They plan for the day and make it their own,” she explains.

Chell has also worked hard to make Eden Hall a long-lasting career choice for staff, having launched the company’s RISE (rewarding improvement, sustaining excellence) programme in 2018, which recognises beauty therapists to either bronze, silver or gold therapy level. “It’s a system for rewarding therapists with bonuses and other gifts for achieving their goals, and since implementing it our staff retention levels are much better,” says Chell.

“It’s made for a happier team and it’s because they can see clear progression, working towards either becoming a team leader, supervisor or senior. It’s also about looking after our people, which is why therapists are limited to only performing four hours of massage a day.”

Chell and her team also know that Brexit is a concern for customers, with some cautiously watching their spend, which is why packages have been created to suit all pockets. “We segment our database, analysing our customers so we can present them with the right offer. This is what you need to do to drive your business forward.”

Future security

Despite concerns over the uncertainty of supplier costs post-Brexit, the spa is doing everything it can not to raise its prices. “We’ve found that costs are going up already and that can quickly eat into profits. We’re watching costs on food and brand supplies but what we don’t want to do is reduce the quality,” explains Chell.

“So, our chef is being more creative and clever with his dishes and now we’re trying to bulk-buy supplies as a group with our sister property Hoar Cross Hall in Staffordshire. We’re in a fortunate position where we can do that,” she says.