THE TIME FOR MEN: Understanding Spa Habits!
The Indian spa and wellness industry has high stakes in its male patrons. We try to find out what makes Indian men wellness-conscious. — Kanishka Ramchandani
Over the past two years, we have carried out extensive research in the field of wellness. Each time we conceptualised a men’s special issue, we trained our eagle eyes on how popular wellness is amongst Indian men. The responses we received have corroborated our observation that Indian men like indulging in spa treatments more than women. This year, we go a step ahead to find out what the spas are doing to cater to the male tribe.
Male matters
Urban men are waking up to hair trends and are increasingly seen opting for unisex salons for their hair cuts as opposed to traditional barber shops. However, this number is still not on par with the women consumers. This could be one reason why men prefer going to spas. At a salon, the women are pampered with head massages, shoulder and back press and foot massages while they take on regular services such as hair spa, facials, pedicures, etc. Men, on the other hand, are bereft of the added bonus at salons. Ergo, a spa treatment is a fairly attractive option for them to unwind themselves.
Moreover, urban men are well-travelled. They have experienced spas abroad and have come to understand the effects of the right massage and right oils on the human mind.
Ritesh Mastipuram, Founder and Managing Director, O2 Spa, adds another reason to the list of why men prefer spas: “Tiredness often seeps deep into the bones and men prefer wellness and revitalisation through massages.”
Considering the rising demand for spa treatments amongst men, spas are concerned about their needs. Be it the offerings on their menu or the design of the spa interiors, everything is planned to make the male consumer at ease with the concept of wellness.
Minute details are given precedent, i.e. the use of woody fragrances in the oils and lessening the use of flowers or floral scents. The lounge areas are equipped with reading material for men, while the music provided is either by choice or has universal appeal. Spas also provides the option of masseur and masseuse to accommodate the demands of the discerning male patrons.
But what pleases the men most is the male-exclusive menu that spas offer. From full body treatments to facials, a menu that succintly explains how the ingredients and techniques work best for men is the best way to engage male customers.
Christina Rozario, Manager – Spa, Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel, brings to fore the nuances of catering to the male clientele. “The Spa at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel has a luxuriously soothing environment. Its warm atmosphere and welcoming therapists will help you recharge and relax. Our spa consists of five treatment rooms, dedicated wholly to uplifting your senses. Our expert massage therapists and estheticians work with specially-designed oils, as well as the Forest Essentials line of herbal and natural products for the skin and hair, for an elevated experience.”
The spas also need to have loyalty programmes and follow-up routines to retain the customers. Customising the treatments to suit individual requirement is a great way to keep the customers interested in the spa’s offerings over a long period of time.
Spa special
Some time ago I was at The Spa by JW at the JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. Since it is the city’s only 24×7 spa, I was curious about the kind of footfalls it received during the night. To my surprise, I was informed that the spa was at its busiest between 10 pm to 2 am. Being close to the international airport, it attracted travellers and in-transit passengers. Here again the percentage of male patrons was more. When asked about the treatments they preferred, I was told that the Romance Salt Scrub, which contained coffee and natural grains and was a recent addition to the spa menu, was quite a favourite.
The response got me really interested in what special treatments spas have to offer for their male clientele and which ones were preferred. Mahesh Lal, Spa Manager, Shine Spa at Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway, said, “Men’s facial, deep tissue massage and Thai massage from our menu are suitable for men. Of these, the men’s facial and deep tissue massages are most preferred treatments.”
At Suara Spa, Hotel Sea Princess, Mumbai, Jiby Abraham, Spa Manager, says, “male guests are mostly looking for a combination of massage such as deep tissue and Swedish or Thai and deep tissue.”
Rozario reiterates the importance of deep tissue massage for men: “For men, we offer deep tissue treatment. Deep tissue massage uses focused, intense pressure to penetrate to deeper layers of muscle to untangle the knots and ease out chronic muscle tension.”
She points out that the male clients are often seen selecting the Sheraton Signature Customised treatment of either head and back, or back and legs treatment that can be customised as per the requirement and need. The treatment is done with hot stone and bundles, which is a combination of Indian and international. Owing to the special attention paid to the male guests, the spa at Sheraton Hyderabad Hotel sees 60% male clientele coming in for treatments.
Biz sense
Looking at the increasing number of male footfalls at the spas, it makes good business sense to have a menu, staff and ambience that caters to the said clientele. We dug a bit further to find out about the average spends of the male patron at the spas. At Suara Spa, the general ticket size of the male client is ` 2,700-3,000, while at O2 Spa it is `3,500. At Shine Spa at Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel, it is `3,800.
We conceived male client has always been a big ticket prospect, however, the spas have to be on their feet in detecting gender specific issues, ready to provide services at off work flexible times and make travel wary man a special focus.
We offer various spa and salon services that will promote wellness in every aspect of our daily lives. Our services range from head massages and skincare to manicure and pedicure. Being specific to wellness, we offer massage services for men, whose work pressure and hardened muscles require absolute care.
– Ritesh Mastipuram, Founder and Managing Director, O2 Spa