Adam Broderick: Adam Broderick Salon & Spa, Ridgefield, CT
His Story
To that end, he examined the way his staff was interacting with clients. “Real luxury is less formal now,” he says. “People want to be treated well and have a great experience, so we’ve revamped the way we talk to our guests. For example, our vocabulary is very scripted, so when someone walks in, we say, ‘Good morning’ or “Good afternoon.’ It’s never ‘Hi.’ We don’t use the word 'appointments'. It’s 'reservations.'” Broderick also paid a lot of attention to what he calls touch points—the amenities, the environment, even the lighting. “We hired a lighting designer to make sure that we eliminated all shadows,” says Broderick, who also made sure that the salon and spa provided a feeling of privacy. “We tried to create nooks and crannies so people don’t feel so exposed.” His hospitality team has also learned how to read body language. They’re trained to question a client if something seems off. “We call it an orange interception,” he says. “Giving people permission to give you feedback in the moment is so important. I’ve been to a thousand restaurants and tipped well but left thinking, 'I’ll never go back there again.'” Now his front desk staff takes the time to ask each client if everything was to their liking, and that one small change is already making a big difference.