You know that along your journey in life you meet some people that are just destined to pop into your fork of the road.  Well, Elz is one of those people.  I met her at a spa conference and immediately fell into an answer and question period that lasted for 4 hours.    We discussed quality, spa services, retail, nail departments, payroll structures—if there was a hot spa topic, we touched on it.  I was amazed at her knowledge, her passion, and her total honesty. 

Well, my ears started to perk up when she started talking about the Mobil Ranking of Spas.  You see this is the “gold” standard of spas and not very many spas get this award-especially if you are a free standing day spa.  But Elz was going for it…she went through all of the details of being a Mobil Ranked spa.  Then, Elz asked, what sound do use in your massage to begin and end the massage?  I must have looked very dumb or very blank, because she said again…you know, what sound do you use?  Elz said, We use a bong.  A Bong?  You bong for Mobil?  Yes, we bong for Mobil. 

I went back to my spa and met with the department managers and reviewed the conference information and some of the Mobil standards.  You know it is great to put the guest robe over the table and the slippers by the table, but when I mentioned the sound therapy before and after the massage, there were some rather blank stares…snickers…laughter.  Ha, ha..the last laugh is on you.  We now have been researching the type of sound therapy that we wish to have in the treatment room, crystal bells, Tibetan singing bowls, chimes, wood chimes, conch shells, the sound and noise list is endless, the possibilities infinite.  One thing I do know, is that you better get bonging soon, because you never know when Mobil will show up. BONG!