DAYSPA, April 2006

Ensuring Success

There are no guarantees in life— but forward thinking can help you stack the odds.

By Liz Barrett

When building a spa it’s nearly impossible to predict whether it will succeed or fail. But what if there was a way to help ensure the success of a spa before the contractor picked up his first nail? Laura and Rena Polley, sisters and owners of women-only body blitz day spa (www.bodyblitzspa.com) in Toronto, found just the insurance they needed when they discovered SpaQuality LLC (www.spaquality.com) and became the first spa in Canada to achieve certification in the International Standards of SpaExcellence. Here, Laura Polley explains the process.

DS: When did you first have the idea for body blitz spa, and how did you hear about SpaQuality?

LP: I had the idea for about six years, right after attending the public baths in Baden Baden, Germany and Italy. I started seriously planning the spa two years ago hoping that the timing for opening an authentic water spa was right for Toronto.

SpaQuality was suggested by our spa consulting company, Vivienne O’Keefe and Associates. Vivienne persisted with the idea that we build the spa and train our staff following the SpaQuality guidelines.

DS: How is building a spa with the goal of becoming certified different from building a spa the traditional way?

LP: From day one body blitz has been focused and committed to providing outstanding treatments and treating our staff well. SpaQuality (and Vivienne) ensured that from the day we opened, our staff would be ready to provide the highest quality service to our clients and follow stringent policies and procedures for the spa.

DS: Did SpaQuality help design the spa or its menu? LP: No. The design involved Vivienne, Rena, me, our architects Elroy Van Groll and Bill Hicks of Hicks•Pettes Architects, and our designer Jo Redman. Rena and I planned the service menu, keeping it small and simple to be certain every treatment was a benefit to our clients’ health.

DS: Why did you decide to make the spa for women only?

LP: This was based on my own experiences and talking with friends and family. We wanted our clients to feel relaxed. The concept has been well-received.

DS: How has the spa benefited from being certified?

LP: As the only spa in Canada that’s certified, I believe we’re already so far ahead of other spas in the region. Unfortunately, the public isn’t really aware of what it takes to receive this award, so I hope to educate our clients on the importance of the certification.

DS: What do you feel is the most significant impact certification had on your business?

LP: The operations, policies and procedures that the certification program helped us put in place are invaluable. These are the keys to running a successful business, and thanks to Vivienne and SpaQuality we were able to open our doors without anyone noticing that we were a new business.