Facility: It's Cold Inside

Ancient Roman bathhouses first touted the benefits of exposing bodies to a rapid drop in temperature. After soaking in steamy hot plunge baths, spa-goers cool off in frigidarium pools. They used the pools to refresh and cleanse, and to reduce their pore sizes after exposure to hot water treatments. Qua Baths & Spa (www.harrahs.com/qua-caesars-palace) at Caesar's Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino has modernized the practice with its Arctic Ice Room, which completes the spa's Roman theme. More »

Management: Handling Employee Layoffs

Cutting overhead costs may not be enough to recession-proof your business. If the time has come for you to consider employee layoffs, certain precautions can ensure fair treatment and help you avoid costly litigation. Spa owners should retain documentation that supports economic hardship as the reason for an employee layoff. "Typically, employers will make the decision to cut bad performers first, which can pose problems if you suggest that the reasons for the layoff are economic," says Joel Greenwald, a partner at the New York-based law firm, Greenwald Doherty, LLP (www.workplaceattorneys.com). More »

Marketing: Get e-Personal

You've heard many of your clients rave about MySpace, Facebook and various other social networks, but have you taken the initiative to establish a connection to their online worlds? Think about it: Is your website a static place holder for a spa menu, or is it a dynamic forum that engages current and prospective clients? More »

Finance: Hidden Charges

Most day spas accept credit cards, even though they pay a portion of the transaction fee to offer this convenience. To be able to process credit cards, businesses obtain a merchant account with an Independent Sales Organization (ISO). ISOs match businesses with companies that run transaction processing equipment. While some ISOs and payment processors are fair, others charge exorbitant fees or other hidden costs. More »

Legal: Need Deductions, Will Travel

Scrounging for this year's receipts for travel-related business expenses? Before you hunt through every file, knowing which expenses are deductible can save you a lot of time. From airfare and miles to tradeshows and cruises, Michael L. Antoline explains the basic rules for deducting expenses in his Legal Pad column appearing in the November issue of DAYSPA. More »