The Guest Experience Audit: How to Secret-Shop Your Own Spa

First Impressions—Before They Ever Walk In

Before a guest steps foot inside, they’re already forming opinions. Start by reviewing your digital and logistical first impression.

Website & Socials

• Does your website load quickly on mobile?
• Is it easy to find your menu, pricing, and hours?
• Are your photos current and aligned with your spa’s vibe?

Booking Experience

• Is your online booking process smooth?
• Do confirmation emails/texts make sense and feel welcoming?
• Would someone completely new to your business feel confident booking?

Location & Access

• Is your signage visible from the road?
• How easy is parking?
• Are the front door and entrance intuitive?

Pro tip: Ask a friend or family member who’s never been to your spa to try booking and finding your location. Watch what confuses or surprises them.

The Phone + Front Desk Test

Even if most guests book online, a single bad phone or front desk experience can turn someone away.

Try this:
Call your spa during normal hours—no heads-up to the team. Use a different number or ask someone else to call. Then walk in as if you’re a guest and watch what happens.

Listen and observe for:

• How quickly someone answers
• Their tone—friendly, robotic, distracted?
• Whether they sound like they want to help
• Greeting consistency (phone or in-person)

Go deeper:

• Does your front desk have a guide or script that ensures consistency without sounding robotic?
• Are they trained to "romance" the experience, not just book appointments?
• Have they personally experienced the treatments and products they talk about?
• Can they describe not just what something is, but what it feels like? (“This wrap is deeply cocooning and helps soothe seasonal fatigue.”)

Pro insight: A well-trained front desk doesn’t just handle logistics—they spark curiosity, warmth, and loyalty.

Check your training:

Even with standards in place, it’s important to audit your training process as thoughtfully as the guest experience itself.

• Are all team members receiving consistent education?
• Have they experienced the services firsthand?
• Do they shadow experienced staff or revisit training materials quarterly?

The Moment They Arrive

What happens in the first five minutes inside your spa sets the tone for everything else.

Try this:
Arrive early, sit quietly, and take it all in.

• What do you hear, smell, and see?
• Is the greeting warm and timely?

Waiting Area Checkpoints:

• Are the chairs clean and comfortable?
• Is there water, tea, or something to do while waiting?
• Are you surrounded by clutter or calm?

Support consistency with tools:

• A checklist for ambiance: lighting, scent, towel folds, music, retail
• Greeting phrases that are warm, not robotic (“We can’t wait to pamper you”)
• Clear visual standards or open/close checklists

Tip: Don’t just observe your space—look at the handoffs. Are transitions from front desk to provider smooth and thoughtful?

Inside the Treatment Room

This is where your brand promise is fulfilled or broken.

You can approach this a few ways:

• Book under a friend’s name
• Send a trusted guest and ask for detailed feedback
• Trade services with a provider and stay in “guest mode”

What to notice:

• Were instructions (robe, belongings, where to sit) clear?
• Did the provider introduce themselves and check in on comfort?
• Was the lighting, temperature, and sound thoughtfully set?

This isn’t about critiquing technique—it’s about emotional experience.
Did you feel welcomed? At ease? Valued?

A treatment isn’t just hands-on work. It’s a layered sensory journey where lighting, temperature, and voice tone wrap the guest in care.

Small upgrades—like a white noise machine or dimmable lighting—can make a big impact.

Extra Ways to See Through Your Guest’s Eyes

Want to catch the little things that slip through the cracks? Try these:

• Book under an alias and go through intake
• DM your spa as a new guest and track tone + response time
• Ask: What would make a first-timer nervous?

These experiments often reveal tiny service gaps—like a missed check-in question—that quietly chip away at guest satisfaction.

The Exit Moment

Guests remember how the experience ends. That’s when rebooking happens or doesn’t.

What to check:

• Was checkout clear and calm?
• Did someone offer to rebook?
• Was the goodbye warm and personal, or just “you’re all set”?

Easy ways to upgrade:

• A simple, natural goodbye script
• A small take-home item (sample, tip card, quote)
• Team training on eye contact, using names, and warm farewells
• A smooth path from treatment room to checkout

The checkout moment is like the final stroke in a massage—rushed and abrupt breaks the spell; warm and personal leaves them glowing.

Post-Visit Follow-Up

This is one of the most overlooked parts of guest care but also one of the most powerful.

Audit your follow-up:

• Is there a thank-you message?
• Are aftercare tips included if needed?
• Does it sound like a human or a bot?

Even automated follow-ups can feel personal when they’re thoughtfully written. Extend the care beyond the treatment room, and you plant the seeds of loyalty.

Now What? Making the Most of Your Audit

Once you’ve walked through the guest experience, gather your notes and look for patterns.

Start here:

• Share what’s working with your team first
• Choose just 2–3 areas to improve
• Make one quick, visible update right away to show momentum

How to frame it for your team:
“We’re doing this because we care about the guest experience and want to keep our standards strong. I’m walking through everything the way a guest would, and I’d love your input too.”

Pro tip: Invite team members to do their own mini audits. It builds awareness, ownership, and pride.

Audit rhythm:

• Twice a year: Full walkthrough
• Quarterly: Spot-check a section
• As needed: If rebooking drops or reviews change, do a quick tune-up

You don’t need a clipboard or a disguise. You just need curiosity, care, and a willingness to look with fresh eyes.

Universal Companies is proud to have a team of experienced spa advisors on staff and welcomes you to consult with our professionals about spa products and supplies, including ingredients, equipment, and retail. Dedicated to the success of spa professionals everywhere, we're grateful to be recognized with multiple industry awards (thank you!) and proud to support the spa industry through mentorship and sponsorship.