Increasing Speed to Productivity
Workforce Analytics Tools for a High-Growth Franchisee Business
Massage Envy Spa
Massage Envy Spa has been in the massage business since 2002 – longer than any other player in the industry – and now has over 1,000 franchised locations in 49 states. Massage Envy Spa has had the opportunity, through their 25,000 therapists and estheticians at each franchised location, to deliver more than 90 million massages and 4 million facials to more than 1.65 million members. Massage Envy Spa is the leading provider of therapeutic massage in the United States and is dedicated to providing professional and affordable therapeutic massage services to consumers with busy lifestyles at convenient times and locations. The company was named #1 best franchise by Forbes Magazine in its investment range and is a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA).
The Challenge: Balancing Speed and Effectiveness
With rapid growth, a franchise model, and a business entirely dependent on customer service, Massage Envy Spa needed to strike a balance between moving quickly to meet hiring needs and achieving a strong job fit for each of the key positions. New Chief Learning Officer, Susan Landgraf, was tasked with building a corporate training team and putting in place a method for franchisees to identify and hire the right employees for their business model, quickly.
The Solution: Behavioral Performance Targets
PI for Massage Envy Spa Corp.
Landgraf joined the Massage Envy Spa corporate team after 20 years at Marriott Corporation, where she used The Predictive Index’s assessments and training resources to ensure strong job fit, employee motivation, and retention. In her new role, Susan used the PI Behavioral Assessment to help make quick and effective hiring decisions, as well as for help coaching and motivating her new team. Susan also used the PI Job Assessment™ to build a behavioral performance Job Target, to define the ideal behavioral and cognitive recommendations for specific roles and help the franchisees build job profiles for several key franchise positions to provide a more efficient hiring process. Landgraf enlisted The Predictive Index® to conduct PI workshops at all Massage Envy Spa franchises.
“Every person hired by a franchise is either an asset or deficit to our business. The PI Behavioral Assessment gives you the ability to prescreen and select the best candidates. And it can be used for far more than hiring. It identifies individual traits, but also gives you the entire scope of people’s behavior, and a deeper understanding of how to motivate and impact their performance”
Susan Landgraf, Chief Learning Officer
PI for Franchisees
More than 100 Massage Envy Spas adopted the PI Behavioral Assessment. In addition for use during hiring, many of the franchisees use the PI Behavioral Assessment™ data for coaching and employee development. In one franchise, two colleagues were experiencing work conflict due to their communication and work styles. The franchisee used the PI Behavioral Assessment™ as a non-confrontational way for them to better understand each other’s behavioral differences. The first colleague was very intuitive, and more abrupt in her work style. The second was more patient, detailed and methodical in her approach. By identifying and discussing their PI Behavioral Assessment™ results, they gained a better understanding of how best to work together.
Another franchisee uses the PI Behavioral Assessment™ as a management tool to maximize the performance of his sales associates. Their average sales close rate was 12 to 13%, but jumped to an average rate of 27% after the implementation of the PI Behavioral Assessment. The franchisee believes that 80% of this turnaround can be directly attributed to use of the assessment. The assessment has also expedited the hiring process by eliminating the need to review more than 50% of the resumes received.
“The PI Behavioral Assessment is a valuable tool that works so effectively in hiring our sales staff. A high degree of social behavior and the ability to connect with people are the key traits we look for in a successful sales associate. The PI Behavioral Assessment identifies those strengths, and provides our management team with the insight to create bottom line results for the business.”
Donald McConnell, Regional Developer for Michigan
The Results: Sustained Growth Trajectory and Increased Sales
- For one franchisee in three regions, the average sales close rate jumped from 12-13% to 27%.
- For the same franchisee, the PI Behavioral Assessment™ has expedited the hiring process by eliminating the need to review about 50-60% of resumes received.
- Franchise owners are able to communicate more effectively, define roles more clearly and measure their team’s long-term performance.
Published in 2017.