Chapter 7

1. Chapter 7 Trends and the Future of Service Innovation in Various Industries 

2. Trends of Service Innovation • Customer focus • Innovation process • Continuous improvement

3. Customer Focus • To understand and measure customer acceptance of innovation • To survey techniques that are designed to assess customer preferences through the internet • To encourage using technology that allows operators to know more about what customers need

4. Innovation Process • The process should concern both the design and management of the service process • To design a technological innovation will be accepted by customers and employees • To establish an employee reward and motivation systems to encourage innovation

5. Continuous Improvement • To innovate, one must constantly search for and implement improvements and new features to the current service offering. • Measurement is essential for continuous improvement. • Many participants emphasized the importance of continuously testing, analyzing, and improving processes. • Particularly challenging is finding ways to directly measure the financial result of an innovation or determining and quantifying customers’ perception of an innovation.

6. Innovation in Tourism Services Innovation in tourism services Process innovation *Development of IT *Restructuring of the company *staff training *new control system

7. Innovations in the Tourism Industry • There are three main groups: • 1. Innovation of the information and communication technologies such as online hotel booking • 2. Innovation of tourism products such as medical tourism, ecotourism and cultural tourism • 3. Innovative solutions and recommendations to the challenges such as the challenges of climate change

8. Innovations in the Spa Industry • There are three aspects of the service innovation factors (Fungsaichon, 2014): • 1. The employee’s knowledge of their professional manner in order to be able to monitor the customer’s needs efficiently • 2. Technological involvement by being a pioneer to enhance the customer’s experience. • 3. Welfare system as an inspiration on employee commitment on service proficiency and creativity.

9. Innovations in the Health-Spa Services (Hadzik & Tuck, 2016) • Functional (as one action to another) • Useful (as a carrier-the utility for the patient, spa patient) • Technical (as the procedure in the process of diagnosis and therapy) • Relational (as a kind of dialogue-the meeting of the recipient with the service provider)

10. Innovations in the Health-Spa Services (Hadzik & Tuck, 2016) • Medical tourism (healing) based on rehabilitation and balneological treatment in connection with the guest arrivals to improve their health. • Wellness tourism is related to preventive measures where the aim is mainly to maintain health at the proper level.

11. Innovation and Technology Trends • It is a challenge to create a high-touch experience in a high-tech world. • High-tech changes have helped spas become more effective in their operations. • Technology and innovation have changed the way people receive information and make purchases. (Wisnom & Capozio, 2012)

12. Service and Technological Innovations at the Spa • Spas attempt to provide opportunities for improving the mind and body by offering a wide variety of techniques and services to meet the diverse needs of their customers as follows: • massage • facial • aromatherapy • reflexology • nutrition • meditation • yoga • Tai Chi • Fitness centres

13. Spa businesses in the future • Braiker (2004) reports that customers have switched from visiting the gyms to the spa for relaxation and exercise purposes • The spa business has been integrated with other services including sports, yoga, tai chi, herbal treatments, as well as the facilities available with spa services such as hotels and resorts. (Noornina Dahlan, year? )

14. High-Tech Expectations • Technology and specialized furniture and equipment are being added to treatment rooms to create authentically unique spa services in a variety of spa locations. • Beds and equipment has developed a number of exceptionally beautiful, innovative and wellness-focused spa beds to provide guests with a deep and transformative multi-sensory experience.

15. New Additive Used in Spa Treatments • Healing from Salt (Deborah Waldvogel) • The use of Himalayan Salt in spa treatments have emerged as a popular trend. •  A variety of Himalayan salt stone treatments and products for spa environments of all types, Himalayan salt blocks are used in salt caves, salt treatment rooms, and saunas which benefit the health of spa guests and enhances the overall environment of the spa.

16. Himalayan Salt • Saltability has created a beautiful and energy-efficient LED heating system to gently warm the Himalayan salt stones as a replacement for basalt river stones used in traditional stone massage therapies to detoxify, restore energy levels, improve skin conditions, purify and re-mineralize, provide relaxation, and increase alkalinity in the body. 

17. New Treatment Used in Spas •  Cryotherapy  • Cryotherapy users often report a feeling of rejuvenation following a session. • Some even say they feel more energized and relaxed post-treatment. It is a fantastic recovery tool that competitive athletes have used for years, but it also has anti-aging benefits that make it increasingly popular in wellness-orientated facilities.

18. MLX Quartz Bed • For the ultimate textural experience, they have developed the MLX Quartz Bed which gives the guest the opportunity to experience the healing benefits of "sand bathing". • The guest is invited to lay on a bed of warm small quartz grains which provides a deep state of physical and mental relaxation while stimulating metabolism. • The small-sized grains of sand mold around the body, and combined with color and sound, a guest can be transported to their favorite tropical location enhanced with the sensation of lying on the beach.

19. Innovation is Key • Sammy Gharieni, CEO and founder of Gharieni Group, describes the need for continuous innovation is being driven by guest expectations for deeper experiences, translating into spa owners and operators' needs to meet the demands of their sophisticated and experienced spa guest. • "My perception of the spa industry is that client's expectation is higher than ever before. If you keep offering only what they know, that's no longer enough. This is why, in the last years, Gharieni has focused on developing new spa experiences and concepts, like the Quartz bed with its unique benefits and the Quartz/Salt experience that simulates the sea environment within the treatment room. These bring the clients to a new dimension of relaxation and can be integrated into all spa services," he says.

20. Others New Menu in Spa • choreographic horizontal shower, • chromotherapy, • sound, • vibration and steam

21. "At Spa Development International, we are seeing that technology is such a great tool for a spa. It's so integrated into our lifestyles that it is a natural transition to see tech features added to treatments as well. Being at the spa is such a personal experience and technology has the ability to enhance this, even influencing retail purchases.“ • Therefore, spa furniture and equipment manufacturers are also constantly improving product lines and adding new equipment which helps address multi-treatment services.

22. Demand for Unique Experiences • TouchAmerica, a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of spa/salon furniture, equipment and retail displays, envisions creative solutions for spas and lodging properties even if they don't have a dedicated spa facility or their space is minimal. • According to Trends in the Hotel Spa Industry by PKF Consulting USA, hotel and resort guests are looking for spa and wellness experiences outside the four walls of the spa. • Hotels in the future will take advantage of this desire and drive revenue elsewhere in the hotel by creating unique spaces and services centered on wellness.

23. LED Light Therapy • LED Light therapy is one of the most powerful anti-aging tools in the arsenal against the ravages of time. • This is a non-invasive procedure, unlike laser and Intense Pulse Light, which can have an adverse effect on the skin and be painful. • There are many benefits and results that can come from light therapy: increased collagen and elastin production, regeneration of the connective tissue, erasure of sunspots, improved lymphatic system and circulation. • It improves or erases fine lines and wrinkles, it lifts and tones and improves the overall complexion of the client. • In addition, the clients suffer no thermal damage, discomfort, down time, scarring or discoloration and most importantly no negative side effects. • Technological advances in the field have fine-tuned the results to offer a real alternative to “traditional” techniques (Joanna Vargus, year?)

24. Conclusion • An innovative idea that can help the spa business to succeed. • When some innovation is incorporated with the services and technology, it may help the spa business to become more profitable and highly competitive in the future.