Premier Software Solutions

	PREMIER SPA+ PRODUCT REVIEW BY MIKE PRESTON, PRISMEA CONSULTING

THE SPA MARKET

		One of the fastest growing markets in the hospitality and leisure sector today is in the spa sector. Most major hotels now have, or are planning to add, spa facilities as part of their guest services. As a result there has been significant growth in the provision of IT services to support this development. However, these software applications vary considerably from basic health club booking systems to full spa management systems at the top end. The spa industry is based on the fundamental principle of delivering service. Not just ordinary service, but with the aim of the highest quality service delivering the ultimate experience for guests in relaxation, stress-free breaks and body therapy. Spas are totally guest-focused with care and attention that starts

with the initial call to make a booking and goes through to mail order delivery of spa products following a visit. The technology to support these unique operations must therefore be highly efficient, unobtrusive and practical in supporting the staff. This involves being totally integrated, having great flexibility to adapt to operational changes and being rich in functionality to support the therapist’s, and therefore the guest’s, every need.

THE AUTHORS
Premier Spa+ is definitely at the top end of the market with a track record, reputation and prestigious user base as evidence. The product has been developed by UK-based software house Premier Software Solutions over the past 12 years – which means the team at Premier has extensive knowledge of the spa industry. Premier Spa+ is integrated with Premier Golf. Other applications in the Premier suite include Fitness and Style. This review focuses on Premier Spa+.

PREMIER SPA+
What the spa operator does not need is an IT system, where technology dictates their modus operandi. They need something that will be an integral part of their service – like putting on a clean white coat at the start of the day! The first noticeable point about Premier Spa+ is the way it meets this need. This has evolved from deep knowledge of the industry and years of feedback from many of the world’s top spa consultants. Premier Software has listened, learned and developed the features and functionality that spas require. Just about every user of the software comments about how easy it is to use. It is easy to learn, intuitive and supports the therapist’s operation. The screens are very clear, well laid out and can be used in touch-screen style – again for speed and efficiency. The other significant feature is that Premier Spa+ is a fully integrated system comprising Spa Management, Membership, Stock Control, Point of Sale, Access Control and Marketing – one central database managing the total operation. This has to be borne in mind when comparing with other systems where the extra modules are usually chargeable. Premier Spa+ comprises three main modules serving different aspects of the spa operation – Manager, Configurator and Reception.

MANAGER
The Manager module is the back-of-house module used to set up the system security and auditing facilities, managing the stock with automated ordering and deliveries, marketing and the total membership administration. In addition, this module is used for the extensive management information system – flexible reporting and analysis by client, staff, stock, course and package. Within the Marketing section of Manager there is a comprehensive selection criteria tool. Users can select within members, stock, appointments, reservations, courses, etc., any combination of data, eg select all ex-members, male, over the age of 50, with a spend over £1,000, for a new marketing campaign.


CONFIGURATION

Configurator is the engine-room of the system. This is where the flexibility comes to the fore. The system is highly parameterised so that users can adapt and tailor the system to their exact requirements. Courses, Packages, Staff, Rooms and Groups are just some of the files that can be customised by a wide range of options and parameters. Appointment Codes are just one example of this power. The operator can set up: Basic details such as length of treatment, pricing (multiple rates), gratuity, gender for treatment, equipment needed and loyalty points earned are some of the options. Staff allocations – those qualified to carry out each treatment and costs associated Contra Indications – warning if a guest tries to make incompatible appointments, eg sun-bed treatment immediately after manicure Medical conditions can be checked by setting up a table of treatments and validating against another table of medical conditions such as high blood pressure or pregnancy. Stock can be allocated against each treatment so that the real cost can be calculated and consumable stock managed as well as retail stock Multiple staff can be allocated to suites and for 4-hand treatments These are just some of the parameters to enable total control, a system to match the operation and management information to ensure efficiency. Clearly this is essentially a one-off task when the system is being installed although it does provide the option to adapt and enhance the operation as required.

SPA+
The reception module is the day-to-day system for reception staff, reservations and therapists to use. It manages the Reservations, Diary, Schedules, Arrivals, Departures, Billing amongst a range of practical functions. Important features here include the clear Diary View to see what resources are available at any time and the ability to ‘Drag and Drop’ appointments from one slot to another – critically still retaining all the verification checks such as therapist qualification and contra indications for the new entry. Premier Spa+ includes extensive functionality including full client history, gratuity calculations, mail order management, stock re-ordering, gift voucher tracking, package and course management, group reservations, POS, membership access control, tracking stock variances and repeat bookings as just some examples. The system is also multi-lingual. Already translated into Japanese and French, the system can be converted to a new language in a matter of a few weeks. The system can also be adapted to variations in English language terminology, eg Zip Code for Post Code in the USA. Additional functionality that shows the degree of functionality required by leading spas includes 4-hands treatment (2 therapists to one room/guest), double room (2 guests in one room) and the combination of these. The ‘Wait List’ feature enable spas to automatically call guests of a wait list when appointments are cancelled thereby generating considerable revenue potentially lost. SMS texting to confirm next day appointments can again pay for the system in a short time by rebooking ‘No Show’ appointments. Another real differentiator is the ability to link appointments so that if a guest has 3 treatments in a day, the system enables a single check-in and a single-bill – but separate analysis. The expansion into international markets over recent years has further extended functionality to meet the variety of tax calculations (double tax, tax-on-tax, etc) as well as the unique requirements of Greece, Japan and other countries. Furthermore with the associated Premier Golf the system will also check appointment times against tee-times on the golf system to avoid double booking. The Premier Spa+ system is probably the most functionally rich spa software product on the market anywhere in the world.

INTEGRATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Premier Spa+ is integrated with a wide range of devices including PMS systems (most leading products already have an interface), digital cameras, BACS banking service, access control systems and SMS standards. The multi-lingual technology includes ‘double-byte’ handling for languages such as Japanese and Chinese. On the technology front Premier Spa+ has been developed using FoxPro technology providing a fast and open solution for the largest of Spa’s. The market demand for current standards of SQL and .NET architecture has now been addressed with the release of an “enterprise version” of Premier Spa+ at the start of 2007, which will enhance the existing range of products. In addition to the existing features the “Enterprise Manager” will manage the multi-site requirements from a central location. This will enable fully centralised operation and the ability to control and operate remote sites over the Internet.

USERS
One of the greatest signs of a quality product is a prestigious client list. Premier certainly has that with top spa brands such as Champneys in the UK, Le Meridien (European Spa of the Year) in Cyprus and Six Senses in Maldives as examples. Conversations with several spas in the UK validated the general impression of market leadership. Feedback highlighted the financial returns from using Premier Spa+ which included improved quality of services to guests (the ultimate goal and a priceless asset), increased sales through upselling products and marketing facilities, cost saving by efficient stock utilisation, increased revenue by using Wait Lists and SMS texts. One top London spa commented the greatest benefit was the therapist’s total satisfaction with the system. He said “these girls are like gold-dust in London and they love the product as it helps them provide the best service and therefore help retain key staff.” In summary the product has all the attributes of a brand leader. It has been developed specifically for the spa industry and it has the functionality, ease of use and flexibility to meet spas’ needs in hotels, destinations, resorts, health farms or day spas. It is highly acclaimed by consultants and users. It has international recognition, the technology requirements are all met by the new release and it contributes to delivering the ultimate spa experience for many users around the world.