Browsing Catalogs for Success.
4 unexpected benefits for easy improvements in your Spa!
Just by reading the headline of this Blog Post, you probably think “What has she now in mind?”. And I will get you maybe a little more confused: I always had catalogs from several F&B suppliers in my office and even joined meetings when they came in to meet the F&B team. A MUST!
You would see me sneak into the F&B office and chat with the chefs or stewarding manager, asking for some of their best vendors’ catalogs. They always wondered how I could have time for this. Well, for me this was never a loss of time as some thought, but the opposite: I gained time!! What I was looking for, or better sourcing? To be honest, I never knew before. But that was not the question. Only what I found mattered!
Some of you may think I was close to F&B catalogs as my husband was an F&B Director… but NO! I did the same with Housekeeping, Engineering and Purchasing. Whenever I walked around the hotel to keep in touch with other departments and I saw a catalog in another office, I had my hands and eyes on it IMMEDIATELY.
Here’s what I found when doing imaginary shopping and what’s in there for YOU:
Browsing catalogs was NEVER a loss of time! For me this is time well spent on sourcing ideas, creating a vision, thinking outside the box, getting my creativity going. This time of going page over page helped me and my teams to enhance and to elevate our Spas’ product and offering.
Which type of catalogs does it make sense to browse? Honestly, any catalog! Housekeeping, F&B, utility catalogs, ... Check out what is available around the hotel! Again you may not be looking for something. BUT you may find some items that help you to improve your Spa’s guest and employee experience, i.e. a cupboard for your staff room, a more suitable fruit display for the lounge, a replacement for a broken bin, …
In catalogs from other departments you can learn A LOT. Browsing through them gets conversations starting with other department heads like Housekeeping Manager and Stewarding Manager, which can be such an unexpected learning curve for oneself! This may lead to your Spa getting on top of set ups and procedures for all Housekeeping aspects in your locker rooms and for all F&B related areas and service components.
Don’t miss out on catalogs from Spa suppliers of course! Go through them intentionally page by page - at least twice a year. Leave little note pads with notes. Get inspired.
Dream of what could be possible if there were no budgets… You will see, this process will help you to grow your vision on what is imaginable and to question what your Spa has currently in place for a stronger future! And ultimately you will find creative ways to work with and around budgets.
With browsing catalogs, you have a tangible example for Thinking Outside The Box. Read this article from Forbes.com about how to actually Think Outside The Box and its benefits.
I would love to hear about your findings. Share with us below in the comments in what type of magazine or catalogs you find the best inspiration!