Alina Hernandez, Gharieni Group advisory board member, explains how Metawell – its portfolio of tech-forward mind/body technologies – is right on time for the next era of wellness

For more than three decades, spas have focused on relaxation and treatments delivered by therapists. Now, however, we’re in the age of evidence-based wellness, where technology is blending with all things digital and this will have an inevitable impact on the traditional spa environment. This is more than just a trend. It’s a major shift and our industry is ripe for disruption.

Gharieni is leading the charge in this arena with Metawell – a collection of mind/body wellness technology beds, loungers and equipment. The products incorporate innovations such as haptic and augmented technologies, far infrared light, binaural vibro-acoustics, intermittent vacuum therapy and more. As a ‘gold standard’ brand, Gharieni is also delivering real value and quality. But how can spas tap into all of this to differentiate themselves?

Bottom-line impact
The mix of advanced technology and mind/body experiences is so new that understanding intended uses and benefits – and how it fits within traditional spas – is a challenge that both operators and consumers face.

For one thing, Metawell products can be used to provide evidence-based solutions as well as to amplify hands-on services in exciting new ways.

They can also be useful tools in navigating operational issues such as staff shortages, absenteeism and presenteeism.

Think about the accelerated benefits of red light or vibro-acoustics and the fact that they can be delivered in protocols lasting 30 minutes or less with minimal staff intervention. Or think about stacking therapist-led services with technologies in the same time slot and charging a premium. We can then see the vast impact this can have on the bottom-line.

Sammy Gharieni, founder and CEO of Gharieni Group, says: “Thanks to Metawell, guests get exponential value for their wellness spend, business owners get higher yields for equipment spend and the industry gets supercharged with continued innovation and evolution.”

New hybrid guest journeys
All of this means adopting a new way of thinking in how we design spa services, using mind/body technologies to seamlessly create a journey that is meaningful, engaging and provides high-value spend.

In imagining these new experiences, consider:

✔ What’s the total effect I want to achieve with the journey?

✔ What pain points or problems am I helping the consumer alleviate?

✔ What’s the USP/concept and how will it integrate with my selection of technologies?

✔ How can I be efficient while combining the best of what service providers offer (human touch) with technologies?

✔ Can I cross-pollinate from other industries to get ideas for unique features or innovative approaches?

Operators will be able to “re-imagine the spa experience while creating more relevance, inspiration and delight,” adds Gharieni, “while simultaneously offering megawatt benefits and creating lasting memories for consumers that will have them coming back for more”.

As the spa industry takes a huge leap forward, how we execute mind/body wellness technology experiences will make all the difference to business models and points of differentiation. It will propel businesses into the next iteration of spa and wellness and Gharieni will be there every step of the way.

More: www.metawell.io and gharienigroup.com