Anyone who has ever been to a spa or worked in one will likely be familiar with the trouble of finding a staff member or guest or therapist.
Depending on the spa size and the level of busy, staff members may fall behind on checking up on guests and guests may have a hard time tracking someone down when they need assistance. Such experiences go against a spa’s entire purpose.
Enter the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa.
Located on Hawaii’s Kauai island, the Grand Hyatt Kauai’s Anara Spa decided to install Kallpod in 2016 in order to create a more seamless experience for guests and to make for better coordination among managers and therapists.
It immediately became clear that Kallpod, a technology device that allows guests to call for help with just the push of a button, would be a game changer in the spa’s everyday operations.
“We didn’t want to increase our staff number, so we were adding more responsibilities for each staff member and starting to see a problem where our staff would be trying to get hold of a manager or a guest and didn’t have a good way to communicate,” Anara Spa Director Adam Estrella said. “We started looking throughout the industry to see what types of communication people were using and came across Kallpod in a hotel spa in Las Vegas where they were seeing great results. We wanted a way for an associate to get a hold of a spa manager or an employee needing to reach out to attendants.”
At 45,000 square feet, the Anara Spa is equipped with a fitness center, steam showers, a dry sauna and relaxation rooms, in addition to the rooms used for services such as facials and massages and yoga classes. It’s a beautiful, serene space, but it’s also a huge one, and the overall good feel of it was hindered by a communication disconnect between guests and staff members. Kallpod was installed all over the spa area, including the front desk.
“At our front desk, we use three different one-button Kallpod devices,” Estrella said. “One calls a manager and the other two call a male or female attendant. This makes the attendant aware of when a guest is headed to the locker room area. That way, an attendant will be waiting for them. In the men’s and women’s locker rooms, there is a single-button Kallpod at the desk and the guest can push that to reach an attendant for anything they need. In the spa break room, there are three Kallpod devices for a therapist to push for a manager, and for a male or female attendant.”
The Kallpod feature also helps therapists find a manager or a guest.
“For example, if a therapist was having trouble finding their guest because the spa spans across so much square footage, they could push the button and each button is zoned so it’s easy to find where the call is answered from,” he said.
Kallpod CEO Gabriel Weisz is thrilled with the spa’s success.
“This is exactly the type of partnership that we aim for,” Weisz said. “The Grand Hyatt’s spa experience is a perfect example of how our product is meant to enhance human interaction, not eliminate it. Whether guests are in a restaurant environment or a conference room or a spa, they should be treated to a seamless experience. And, technology should never disrupt or get in the way of this quality customer service, only improve the experience.”
Anara Spa employees are thrilled with the Kallpod service. One of the most significant improvements is that each employee is able to maximize their day. A front desk employee can step away and help a client with a fitness machine or spa amenity, instead of having to have a therapist dedicated to that area. The technology also improves timing - which in the spa setting, where appointments are timed down to the minute, is extremely important.
“The therapists love Kallpod because they used to have such a short time period where they were able to communicate with managers – they don’t have to waste time finding the manager anymore,” Estrella said. “Everything operates more efficiently. In terms of customer service and relationships, everything is more timely. Therapists are able to pass off their guest to another therapist with perfect timing, there is no lag or walking around the spa to find the other therapist.”
Another huge benefit of having Kallpod in the spa is its design. Estrella noted how the Kallpod button is a silent one and that employee watches can be set to vibrate. This helps maintain a peaceful environment. The Kallpod platform provides customizable 1-, 3- and 6-button Kallpod options.
“Kallpod aesthetically fits the spa space because it doesn’t involve wires in peoples’ ears or guests trying to figure out if an attendant is on a call,” Estrella said. “In spas, things should be person-to-person. You shouldn’t have to follow signs and there shouldn’t be clunky technology.”
Weisz is thrilled that Kallpod has been able to help such a high-profile client.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to help companies give their customers a seamless experience and help their employees perform as best as possible,” Weisz said. “By doing so, the focus can remain right where it should be: providing the customer with a hassle-free and delightful experience.”
Photo courtesy of Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa Facebook page.