Where once treatment room occupancy was a key evaluation for spa success, research carried out by  i-sopod, the global leading producer of floatation tanks, reveals that today many spa operators have turned to monitoring ‘therapist utilisation’ instead, mainly due to the availability of therapists. This has given rise to what i-sopod is coining ‘empty treatment room syndrome’. It is predicted by i-sopod that in some cases up to a quarter of spas’ treatment rooms are not in use. As a result, spas are looking for alternative non-touch facilities and intelligent investments to remedy this situation.

Tim Strudwick, the founder of i-sopod and operator of Floatworks in London, has four key steps in helping cure Empty Treatment Room Syndrome:

  1. Think outside of the box – In an ever-changing industry, customers often look for exciting ‘out there’ treatments. You can utilise your empty treatment room as a way of incorporating modern technology into your spa. The luxury Lowry spa in the UK has recently incorporated this high-tech approach!
  2. Look at the space available and identify what’s missing – consider the space and facilities you have, are you a high-street salon or a small spa with little or no water facilities? Did you know that you don’t need a huge space to provide your guests with ‘sanitas per aquam’? An empty treatment room provides opportunity to add something unique into your spa, such as flotation. This water experience can provide a different feature to your spa, as well as give your guests a rejuvenating treatment, which achieves incredible results, all whilst increasing profit and interest to your packages. A smaller room size of 4m x 3.5m is what is recommended by i-sopod, it perfectly fits the floatation tank, shower and changing space. Surprising how you can utilise a small room!
  3. Don’t see this as temporary – An empty treatment room can deliver great opportunities to your business and is an innovative way to provide wellness to your guests. Think facility rather than treatment menu, investing in your space can see a profitable return
  4. Look at the science – When planning a new facility, the new, exciting treatment can easily be enticing, even though they do not deliver benefits, so make sure to be careful when planning. Therapies, such as floatation, are established from centuries of bathing in the Dead Sea, and the benefits of minerals in the water are supported by science. Use this to your advantage, positioning it as an addition to a spa experience, to further improve your guest’s wellness journey.

For further information www.i-sopod.com. @isopod_float_tanks