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BISA International Spa Accreditation - www.bisawaves.com           BISA (British International Spa Association) seeks to establish consumer confidence through quality standards in the Spas and Health Resorts industries. A Spa or Resort that displays the Accreditation insignia is one of many establishments or individual therapists world wide where BISA have identified customer confidence standards that comply with the Waves of Excellence criteria. About BISA Spa Accreditation:- First established in 1998, the Waves of Excellence is an accreditation system developed to indicate that a spa is offering products and services that the consumer can enjoy with confidence. In our 10 years of experience, other schemes based on inspections and monitoring have failed – it is impractical to be a world wide expert on everything from pool quality to building regulations. Also there are already legislation and other systems in place to police such issues. Furthermore the moment the inspector leaves anything can happen. Instead we have developed a unique methodology based on consumer satisfaction. The award is based on a confidential quantitative and qualitative research questionnaire directed at customers using the specific spa. The research ascertains the customer reaction to a number of key issues such as quality of service, ambiance, satisfaction with therapies and treatments, value for money, professionalism of staff, range of services available, etc. Responses are scored and where the overall results exceed that of the bench mark, the spa is eligible for the award. The research also identifies particular therapists of high merit who are eligible to be accredited. Details of the research are then available to the spa for it's own use and guidance. In this way BISA monitors consumer satisfaction with the spa services offered. With all BISA Accredited Spas there is therefore an underlying quality assurance based on real life experience. To discover some spas that have already qualified for the BISA Waves of Excellence click the BISA Accredited insignia below. Advantages of BISA Accreditation for Spas and their customers. The Accredited Spa and Accredited Therapists are part of a mutually supportive network of elite that are internationally recognised as delivering an exemplary service that the consumer can rely on with confidence. BISA Accreditation also reflects the spas ability to deliver a dependable service over an extended time period. Based on a seven year cycle, spas can promote their duration of membership in conjunction with displaying the BISA Accreditation emblem. Spas promote BISA Accreditation in their publicity material to endorse their own quality standards, thereby raising awareness and respect for themselves and the scheme. Spas with BISA Accreditation automatically get their accreditation featured on their entry on Spagazers.com - The Spas Directory and other BISA publicity and promotional media. The BISA Accredited spas generate enhanced value for their services as a result of accreditation. Spas benefit from the findings of their confidential customer satisfaction research, enabling them to improve their service delivery. To see a real example of an Accreditation Report click on the image right. International tourism recognises the BISA Accreditation as a worldwide endorsement that influences spa tourists in their choice of destination. Therapists who have performed to a high standard are recognised through the Accreditation Scheme and can wear the Internationally Accredited insignia. BISA, with its decades of experience, is available to offer guidance and advice to BISA Accredited spas. (click the certificate right to see Accredited Spas) Securing BISA Accreditation When secured, Accreditation applies for a period of up to seven years, subject to compliance with the scheme’s requirements. STAGE ONE – survey and site inspection An independent Quality Standards Evaluator visits the spa for an inspection and to implement the customer satisfaction survey. This research exercise, which will be orchestrated confidentially by the Spas Research Fellowship, will act as a valuable assessment of the spa by it's customers. As such it is invaluable for the future management of the venue. Details of the spa are collated for use in BISA publicity and Spagazers.com Initial Cost - £600.00 in advance plus travel expenses for one Quality Standards Evaluator to the spa. STAGE TWO – results of survey and site inspection A confidential written report on the customer satisfaction survey and site inspection results is presented. BISA International Accreditation is awarded if appropriate. (£300 rebate if rejected) The marketing and publicity pack is made available for the qualifying spa including the Accreditation Plaque for display at the spa. The spa will then be able to display the Accreditation logo on it's publicity and advertising. Confirmation of details for BISA publicity and Spagazers.com are sought at this stage also. (Optional costs thereafter – BISA membership £200 p.a.; Spagazers.com world spa directory enhanced entry rate £160 p.a.; additional marketing items if required.) STAGE THREE – interim inspection after 3 years Interim inspection by Quality Standards Evaluator. Single Cost - £300 + travel expenses for one Quality Standards Evaluator. STAGE FOUR – renewal of Accreditation after 7 years Repeat of process starting with STAGE ONE. Total cost of BISA Accreditation averages about £200 for each year (depending on accessibility of the location) and requires renewing on a seven year cycle. To apply for Accreditation click the man from BISA panel right or for more information about securing accreditation email bisa@thespas.co.uk or for general enquiries about BISA contact the British International Spa Association. Spa House, Winchet Hill, Goudhurst, Kent. TN17 1JY United Kingdom Or see the BISA entry on The Spas Directory or visit the BISA website. CLICK HERE for BISA BISA Accreditation update - from the office of the Chairman. January 2008. Last year BISA launched the new system of Accreditation, based on a consumer satisfaction qualitative and quantitative research survey. As a result BISA now leads the world in formulating and implementing accreditation for spas and this new generation scheme builds on a decade of experience. The formal launch was at World Travel Market, the international exhibition at Excel in November, when Dr Bruce Osborne presented a paper on BISA Accreditation and BISA had a stand. At a strategic level BISA are now establishing regional Accreditation Franchisees world wide. The franchise agreement is being honed to specific local needs. Supporting the franchise agreement is a new Accreditation Manual. This sets out the methodology and practices to be adopted for BISA Accreditation and will necessarily be constantly updated. At a tactical level, as well as basic administration, we have a flood of enquiries from World Travel Market and elsewhere and these have to be followed up. In addition BISA are steadily implementing a massive mailing to all the spas on spagazers.com the international web based spas directory. BISA have planned for an Accreditation Manager to join the team and so the training and appointment of such a person is now a priority. The third area where we are active is in the actual implentation of accreditations. The customer research is necessarily carried out by an impartial body, the Spas Research Fellowship and there is now a fully trained Quality Standards Evaluator carrying out accreditations. Underlying the scheme is BISA’s belief of promoting quality standards throughout the industry. The new generation scheme is now in business and spas should sign up for accreditation soonest in order to take advantage of the introductory World Travel Market rates that still apply for the moment, as well as to enjoy the benefits once BISA Accreditation is secured. In the picture - Cora Weaver is the Quality Standards Evaluator with the SRF, now carrying out the customer satisfaction surveys for BISA Accreditation, click the picture for more information on Cora. Dr Bruce Osborne – Chairman Accreditation Who is who at BISA? left to right, standing: Hiro Nakamizo (BISA Japan), Dr. Bruce Osborne (Formerly Chairperson Accreditation, now Advisor/Consultant to BISA), Jo Wackett (Council Member), Alan Jenner (Membership Secretary), Robert Czik (Treasurer), Howard Gosling (Hon. Secretary), Delvis Bona (Chairperson Education), Setsuko Briot-Suemasu (BISA Japan), Marian Green (Council Member) - seated: Mr. M. Matsumoto (BISA Japan), Marion Schneider (Chairperson), Lord Thurso (Hon. President). Other members of the BISA Council are: Mrs. Joan Thornycroft (Founding President), Mr. Iain Wallace (Council Member), Mr. Mark Maloney (Council Member), Sandra Bain (Council Member), Eirik Mhyre (Council Member), Vicky Harper (Council Member), Kate Tataryn (Council Member), and Berni Hawkins (Council Member). © 2007 2008 - The Accreditation scheme is the intellectual property and copyright of Dr B E Osborne, Advisor/Consultant to BISA and may not be copied or reproduced without permission. All rights reserved.