Healthy Meetings

By Jaclyn C. Stevenson

There’s a new movement afoot in resorts across the country. Meditation techniques are offered alongside manicures. Lessons in stretching appropriate for the workplace precede a soak in the hot tub, and sessions of tai chi join cups of chai tea in the spa’s quietest corners.

Indeed, luxury resorts are offering a greater number of health and wellness opportunities to guests of all types, but there’s a particular focus of late on corporate groups. According to the “Global Spa & Wellness Trends Forecast” published by Spafinder Wellness Inc., for the 13th time, workplace wellness is one of the top 10 trends in the spa industry for 2016.

The study suggests that this is a direct response to a growing number of businesses across the country taking the well-being of their employees more seriously, for the health of both their teams and their companies’ bottom lines.

Go HERE for a list of area Day Spas

For instance, it found that, if businesses want their employees to engage in, and stick to, new behaviors, they are well-served to introduce a broad range of wellness activities that go beyond a traditional gym membership. That’s a niche resorts that offer wellness services can fill, and gradually businesses are identifying ways to combine stress reduction, fitness, healthy eating habits, and more into their company meetings and retreats.

There’s the Rub

That’s not to say it’s always an easy sell. Christine Mariconti, spa director at Cranwell Spa and Golf Resort, said she and her team have made a concerted effort in recent years to highlight relaxation and wellness offerings to corporate groups, and she’s seeing an overall uptick in spa services during meetings. But all-inclusive packages are still scantily booked, and it falls to Cranwell’s team to identify each group’s specific needs and desires, as well as what their schedules and budgets will allow.

“We truly believe these types of services are important to offer to employees, but the biggest problem is they just don’t have enough time,” said Mariconti. “Typically, corporate groups are booked right through dinner, and I see very few businesses that can devote part of their budget to an entire day of downtime for their employees.”

To help address that issue, Mariconti said Cranwell has developed a suite of services for guests pressed for time, including 22-minute facials and massages or express manicures and pedicures. She said corporate groups have begun working these breaks into their agendas more often — after lunch and before the afternoon session, for example — to offer a unique incentive as well as a moment of respite in a jam-packed schedule.

“It offers an opportunity to break away for a moment, to clear the mind, and exhale,” she said. “Guests don’t need to feel like they’re holding their breath all day. Plus, they return to their meetings refreshed and ready to go.”

Canyon Ranch in Lenox welcomes executives to its facilities for corporate retreats, then works with them to create individualized plans for each guest to implement at home and work.

Conversely, Mariconti noted that Cranwell also offers spa allowances that give employees the opportunity to spend a full day using its facilities, often as a goal-setting reward.

“It’s such a positive thing,” said Mariconti. “We work with companies to book those services and sometimes, a group of coworkers will even come together. That is such off-the-map activity for most people, and also very important for the health of their team.”

Dawn Ramsey-Jacobsson, director of sales with Canyon Ranch in Lenox, which specializes in wellness-based services, agreed that the trend toward holistic services and programs for members of corporate groups is picking up slowly, growing little by little as the definition of ‘healthy meetings’ continues to widen.

“The demand is not as high as we’d like, but ‘health and wellness’ has definitely become a buzz term, and more and more we’re seeing companies taking a closer look at how they run their meetings and really trying to make them healthier,” she said, noting that the resort typically welcomes C-suite executives to its facilities for extended board meetings and corporate retreats, and works with these groups to create individualized plans for each guest that can be implemented upon return home — and to work.

“This is the perfect environment to focus on wellness objectives and personal goals in the health realm. We can present all we have to offer to guests to try hands-on, and they can work a plan through before they leave.”

All Canyon Ranch visitors complete a confidential health and lifestyle questionnaire prior to arriving and reside in an alcohol-free environment for the length of their stay. Nurse educators and ‘lifestyle concierges’ are always on hand, and chefs and dietitians work in tandem to develop all of the resort’s meals, which are typically low-sodium and locally sourced.

Its most inclusive — and, in another way of speaking, exclusive — option is the Executive Health Program, an integrated plan that includes a full physical and diagnostic testing; nutrition consultations; an exercise physiology consultation with a personalized exercise prescription; private training in yoga, tai chi, qi gong, or meditation; and more.

“There is definitely a strong instructional piece incorporated into the customized agendas we create for all of our groups, and more companies in general are looking for these types of classes,” said Ramsey-Jacobsson. “In fact, nearly all of our groups take some sort of class now.”

Give Me Your Tired…

In terms of corporate guests, this often translates to solving some of the key stressors members of the American workforce suffer. For instance, 55% employees who responded to the SpaFinder Wellness study reported that the top obstacle to work productivity was overall fatigue. Job stress was a close second at 52%, followed by lack of time to accomplish tasks (47%) and poor sleep (45%).

The survey also found that roughly nine in 10 employees who tried a new fitness or wellness activity felt inspired to continue it on a consistent basis, and 38% said they were more productive and happier at work.

Those new activities could be as simple as replacing donuts and coffee with fruit and bottled water, or going a few steps further and taking a class in chair yoga, or attending private lectures covering stress management or the importance of sleep.

“The objective has become teaching people to live longer, healthier lives,” said Ramsey-Jacobsson, “and corporate meetings are just one place we can start. Business gets done, healthier decisions are made, and companies are giving their employees a real gift by investing in their health.”

Fancy Footwork

Karen Tesini says customers are willing to pay for quality in a product they’ll have to live with for a long time.

Flooring products aren’t cheap, for the most part, which is why Best Tile recently opened an outlet store that caters to customers on a budget.

“We have a closeout outlet to stay in tune with people who don’t have the financial means to buy higher-end materials,” said Karen Tesini, manager of the Springfield-based store. But she found she doesn’t do nearly as much business there as she does in the main showroom. “Our customers are serious buyers; they know tile has longevity, it’s not something they’ll change frequently, and they’re willing to pay for high quality. That’s our typical client.”

Jorge Morgado agreed.

“The average person coming in, if they’re not looking to move often, if they’ll be staying in their home for a while, they’re really looking for better-quality materials, better-quality flooring,” said the vice president of Baystate Rug and Flooring in Chicopee and East Longmeadow. “People are still value-driven, but with the trend toward an improving economy — at least, there’s definite movement in that direction — they want something of quality.”

Steve Omartian knows something about quality. As the third-generation owner of Toros Omartian & Son, his family has been dealing in hand-woven, high-quality Oriental rugs — buying, selling, cleaning, repairing, and appraising them — for 96 years, and only in recent decades has he begun stocking rugs at price tags less than $5,000, to capture a segment of the market that prefers to stay around $3,000 or less.

“Professionals in the area were telling me, ‘I can’t afford your rug; it’s like $20,000, isn’t it? We could never afford a rug from you guys,’” he recalled, suggesting he had a perception problem more than a price problem. “The Omartian name had suggested very expensive rugs, but we were priced just like any other rug store. We do moderate to high-end rugs, we do collectibles — all the different designs and colors available in the oriental-rug industry now.”

What Tesini, Morgado, and Omartian have in common — besides businesses focused on floor coverings — is the need to strike a balance between quality, since customers will live with their products for a long time, and shoppers who focus on the bottom line. It’s not always an easy tradeoff.

“Obviously the economy — even though people say it’s thriving — is still soft in this area,” Morgado told BusinessWest, noting that his customer base has tended to skew older (typically professional people in their 40s and up) and it’s always a challenge to attract young people who are just as likely to grab a machine-manufactured rug on sale at Home Depot.

But if there’s one thing high-end and budget-conscious shoppers have in common, its that their tastes change — often quickly.

Broad Opinions

Indeed, Morgado said, “just like clothing trends, the style of hardwood flooring has changed over the years. In the past, he explained, hardwood options existed on a single continuum, dark finish to light finish, and three-inch planks were standard across the industry.

“Today’s look is completely different,” he went on. “People are looking for the wide boards, wide planks, with some character, whether it’s hand-scraped, darker-stained, whatever it takes to create that unique, different finish. These are considered higher-end products.”

Jorge Morgado says tastes in wood flooring have shifted in the past couple of years to wider planks and shades of gray.

He noted that proponents of wider planks feel they make a room feel more open and can create the appearance of a cleaner-looking space. Another rising trend is setting planks at a diagonal, rather than vertically or horizontally.

Morgado also noted that reclaimed wood is growing in popularity because it appeals to customers on two levels: eco-friendliness, and a vintage, one-of-a-kind look. This wood is being reused from sources such as barns, beams, wooden barrels, and salvaged logs, and the planks typically have characteristics that are different from board to board.

Finally, shades of gray are all the rage in hardwood flooring, rather than the natural finishes that have dominated for so long. One reason is that it tends to be a more neutral backdrop for paint, upholstery, and accessories. “People are attracted to that,” he said.

Tesini agreed, saying the gray craze has crossed over into tile as well. “A year and a half, maybe two years ago, the most popular color was beige. And, just overnight, a lightswitch was hit, and now everything is white and gray tile.”

Another consumer trend, Morgado said, is tile that looks like wood. At a time when designers are getting away from wood-colored cabinetry in favor of black and white, wood-colored flooring, if not hardwood itself, can be an attractive complement, since the rest of the space isn’t overwhelmed with wood. “More people are doing these uniquely finished things that are not considered traditional.”

Tesini said customers are responding to the sheer quality of tile that mimics wood. “Now, it’s digitally imaged, where before, it was screen printed. Digital imaging has come so far, and it’s difficult to tell it’s not real wood. Almost every manufacturer has changed their process to provide the highest-quality image on tile. It’s really an amazing time to be in the tile business.”

The other big trend in tile has to do with size, she told BusinessWest, with the long-popular 12-by-12 tiles being overshadowed today by 12-by-24 pieces. And that’s just the residential side. “Commercially, the bigger, the better: 16-by-32, 24-by-24.”

Changing Tastes

The biggest shift in the Oriental rug industry, Omartian recalled, was a change, in the early to mid-1980s, in how designs were created.

“In the interior-design field, American [wholesale] buyers would go to the countries of origin and buy what they made. But in the ’80s, they started telling them what to make, what designs and colors they wanted. And the market drastically changed — it became more appealing to the American consumer. It’s progressed that way ever since.”

That shift means Oriental rugs aren’t just an afterthought to a design, but are often included in a complete room strategy, just as fabrics, paint, wallpaper, and draperies are. “As far as the decision goes, it’s incorporated in the process, where, prior to the ’80s, it wasn’t.”

Steven Omartian says his company has stayed nimble in order to sell high-end rugs in an economy that has not fully recovered from the recession.

That was an overall positive to dealers like his family, but Omartian says the industry still faces plenty of challenges, including an economy that remains a bit soft. One change to compensate for fluctuating economy is an increased business presence; where his business was once 85% residential and 15% commercial, now it’s closer to 60-40. “We sell a lot for professional offices — an accent piece in the office or a large Oriental rug in the conference room, as well as occasionally hanging carpets on the wall as artwork.”

Morgado said manufacturers of wood flooring — and other materials, for that matter — produce lower-quality versions of their products to bring in value hunters and people who can’t afford high-end materials, but those who can afford top-line products demand them, if only because of how permanent those choices tend to be.

That said, while hardwood remains a popular choice, it typically trades places back and forth with carpeting in the race for most-popular floor covering.

“Designers know it’ll be a hardwood trend, then a carpet trend, then back to hardwood. The trend now is that carpet is starting to come back around. Designers are saying, ‘if you want a room to be comfortable, it’s a lot easier to bring comfort with a carpet,’” he explained, noting that today’s top-line rugs are built for both softness and better cleanability than before. He cited one brand in particular, Karastan, as the “Mercedes brand,” and noted that many people gravitate toward that as an alternative to wood.

While tile brands jostle for market dominance as well, Tesini said, she has seen a huge demand for Carrera tile — particularly in white and gray, of course — for kitchen floors, backsplashes, and bathrooms. But, she added, there will always be a place for natural stone.

“There’s an exotic quality to stone — it will always cost a bit more money than porcelain based on the rarity of certain types of stone, like marble,” she said, adding, however, that higher-end tiles are closing the price gap. “Natural stone is still very, very popular. Tile has come so far, but stone is stone; it’s what God created, and he’s not making it any better or worse. It’s never gone away in popularity.”

Which means it’s one more option for home and business owners looking to spend a little money — or a lot, as the case may be — for perhaps their most-used possession.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Rolling Along

Chris Adams says the reasons behind a resurgence in recreational-vehicle sales are obvious.

“The economy is getting better, and gas prices are going down quite a bit. The industry is way up,” said Adams, a member of the Pioneer Valley 8 chapter of the North American Family Campers Assoc., and co-chairman with his wife, Trudi, of the upcoming 2016 Camping & Outdoor Show at the Eastern States Exposition.

The statistics back up that assessment. According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Assoc. (RVIA), RV shipments in 2015 are expected to top 365,000 units, which would be the highest total since 2006, and the sixth consecutive year of growth since sales bottomed out in 2009, the low point of the Great Recession.

But RV popularity isn’t only a recent phenomenon driven by economic winds. According to the RVIA, motorhome ownership has reached record levels, with more than 9 million households in the U.S. now owning an RV, the highest level ever recorded. That figure marks a 16% increase since 2001 and a 64% jump since 1980.

Marc LaBrecque has experienced the entire spectrum of that growth. He started servicing, then selling, towable RVs in 1973, at Minuteman RV in Chicopee. Today, he’s the owner of Diamond RV Center in West Hatfield, the region’s largest motorhome dealer, and a business reaping the benefits of not only a surge in sales, but growing demographic diversity among buyers.

“In 2004 or 2005, you could pinpoint the fifth-wheel buyer by age — 62 to 72,” he said, referring to a towable RV that connects to the rear axle of a pickup truck. “That’s really changed. That demographic starts now at 30 and goes to 70.”

Meanwhile, big-dollar motorhomes, the kind that don’t need towing, have become more popular with the 45- to 60-year-old demographic, when they were once dominated by older buyers.

“It’s getting much younger — probably because 20-year payments are available,” LaBrecque noted. “It’s almost like getting a mortgage on your home. You can get into a nice, new motorhome for $125,000, and that payment could be $600 or $650 a month.”

Still, he went on, “our bread and butter is still our travel trailers. You can get a nice travel trailer in the $25,000 to $35,000 range and have a payment about $250 a month — that’s affordable for many people.”

Smart Investment

That affordability has drawn growing numbers of Americans looking for a more outdoor-oriented style of vacation, and perhaps new friendships, as regular campers tend to form bonds and meet up on weekends.

“It’s a nice way to just get away from the hustle and bustle of the work week and kind of kick back and relax,” said Adams, who has owned RVs for more than 20 years.

In a Harris Interactive survey on the benefits of RV ownership, experiencing nature and outdoor activities and enjoying quality family time topped the list. Owners also said they’ve built stronger bonds with loved ones, eat healthier food on the road, and enjoy sleeping their own beds and using their own bathroom facilities.

There may be financial benefits as well. A vacation cost comparison prepared last year by PKF Consulting USA showed that a family of four can save 27% to 62% on vacation costs by traveling in an RV, even when factoring in ownership costs and fuel. For a two-person traveling party, savings are 11% to 48%.

In addition to vacation travel, RV owners use them for tailgating, travel with pets, business, and to participate in outdoor sports and other leisure activities. As for vacation time, the survey indicates that owners lean toward shorter trips closer to home — enjoying campgrounds rather using up fuel and time on the road. More than 90% of RVers take three or more mini-vacations per year, choosing from more than 16,000 campgrounds nationwide.

Chris Adams says RV enthusiasts may prefer different types of vehicles, but they bond through their mutual love of camping.

For this style of vacation, fuel prices would have to nearly triple over current levels to make RV trips more expensive for a family of four than other forms of travel. “While fuel costs are a component of the overall vacation cost, fluctuations in fuel prices aren’t significant enough to affect a family’s decision of whether or not to take RV trips over other types of vacations,” said Kannan Sankaran, PKF’s lead researcher for the study.

It helps, Adams, that motorhome enthusiasts have many price points to choose from.

“It’s a large spectrum,” he told BusinessWest. “A family that’s just starting out, or that may not have a lot of money, may want to start with a pop-up camper or just get out there with a tent. It goes all the way up to people who are retiring and buying the big-dollar motorhomes with all the luxuries. There’s a huge variety all depending on where you are in life.”

LaBrecque said he started selling Newmar motorhomes — a high-end line, costing $250,000 and up — about two years ago. “We’re doing a pretty good job with the $400,000 Dutch Stars — 40- to 43-foot, diesel motorhomes with ceramic tile floors, cherry cabinets, high-end stuff. That market has come alive. It makes Diamond more of a destination point.”

According to the RVIA, manufacturers, recognizing the growing diversity of RV owners, are focused on offering products with an optimal mix of size, amenities, and price, including budget-friendly options like lightweight trailers and smaller, fuel-efficient motorhomes. Technologies such as solar panels and energy-efficient components are showing up on more models as well, to appeal to users with a bent toward going green.

LaBrecque said he’s selling more high-end models than ever to people who aren’t yet retired but are looking down the road to a luxurious mode of recreation.

“A lot of these guys have done OK in business, but were pushed into a corner” by the Great Recession, he explained. “They worked hard for the last 10 years to get through this stuff, not spending money. But now, things are OK, and they’re thinking, ‘I can afford to do this. My family suffered through the recession; let’s do it.’”

Whatever the level of luxury an RV owner prefers (or can afford), “once you get out camping with other people, you all have that in common,” Adams said, citing his own experiences with members of Pioneer Valley 8. “In our group, we treat it like a family; we all know each other. Everyone is friendly. If someone is having trouble with their motorhome, people stop and help them. We all relate to each other.”

Showtime

These days, Adams and his wife are focused on chairing the annual Camping & Outdoor Show, a year-round task that heats up as the event approaches; the couple have been spending at least 10 to 12 hours a week on coordinating all the moving parts that will draw hundreds of vehicles and thousands of enthusiasts to the Big E on Feb. 12-15.

“Everything is put on by volunteers,” he said. “It’s a lot of work. It definitely would be a lot easier if it was a job with a salary, and you could focus on if eight or hours a day. But we’re all volunteers. It’s a pretty large undertaking.”

The show’s popularity seems secure, as analysts at research firm TechNavio estimate that North American RV sales will continue to grow at more than 8% per year, on average, through 2019. With buyers in the 35-to-54 age group now the largest segment of owners, according to a University of Michigan study, industry prospects seem secure. And no one is counting out the Baby Boomers, retiring with, in many cases, large nest eggs.

“This has made our advertising so hard to do,” LaBrecque said. “In the old days, we would hit country-western stations, the NASCAR people. Now, there’s such diversity. And with fuel prices down, so many people are buying SUVs again, and they have that tow trailer.”

In short, RV sales keep rolling along.

“The good economy is just getting started,” LaBrecque told BusinessWest. “I’m hoping we’ll be on a roll for awhile.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]