Thanit, left, and Kessanee plan to upgrade Thai massage and spa services to compete in the international arena.

A traditional Thai dessert - sticky rice with ripe mangoes - and new banknotes are among the off-beat marketing gimmicks that Let's Relax, the Thai-owned spa chain, uses to ensure customer loyalty and business expansion.

"The many foreign travel and leisure magazines that come to try our special services as customers always recommend the dessert," said Kessanee Wiwattanakrai, managing director of Blooming Spa, an off-shoot of Let's Relax.

Let's Relax calls itself a high-end Thai massage and spa service. It operates six branches in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

Kessanee said customers enjoy indulging in a serving of sticky rice with mango after their massages. And the crisp new banknotes impress customers when they receive their change.

"Customers are satisfied and impressed with the company's attention to little things. The dessert is like one of our souvenirs to customers," she said, adding that it is sometimes made with other ingredients, such as mangosteens or cookies, depending on shop location and the seasons.

A rising trend in health consciousness has prompted the company to make plans for the RarinJinda Wealthness Centre, which it says will be the biggest integrated Thai massage service and school, spa and boutique resort in Chiang Mai.

More than Bt100-million is being invested in the centre, which will feature acupuncture, aromatherapy, ayurvedic medicine, body work, hydrotherapy, massage therapy and reflexology, together with alternative medicine and close attention to nutrition and diet.

The centre is under construction and scheduled to operate this October.

Kessanee says the centre will be based on a combination of high technology and natural treatment.

Located on the banks of the Ping River, the company leased around three rai of land, which came with a 140-year-old building, one of the two oldest buildings in the province, now being renovated for the centre.

The boutique resort will have 34 service rooms for customers on treatment packages of up to 10 days.

The company's first massage academy will also be opened in the centre. The aim is to produce more expert massagers to serve not only its own expansion but also to supply other companies.

Kessanee says the academy will start operating in May to train 30 students. They will learn human anatomy through to advanced massaging. The course will take three months and cost Bt50,000.

The company has recruited experts from universities and well-known massage institutes as instructors. The students will have to learn etiquette and a serviceable command of English.

Let's Relax was established as a small massage and health shop in Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar in 1998. It was inspired by one of Kessanee's friends, who had a stomach ache and could not be cured, despite seeing several doctors. Finally, she found that her pain derived from strain due to work and it disappeared after having a series of Thai massages.

Six partners who work in different careers - including export and import firms, a printing house, premium gift manufacture and architecture - who share the same ideas on health and customer satisfaction formed the company.

Another partner, company director, Thanit Amorntirasan, said the boutique resort is designed to maintain traditional northern Thai-Chinese culture.

The centre will include a library to allow guests to study Chiang Mai's history, as well as other activities related to the spa business such as the qualities of herbs.

Due to a rising number of customers, the company has set up a three-step business plan to ensure successful operation in the long run. Its short-term plan is to focus on brand building, both in Thailand and in the international market.

The medium-term plan has been drawn up to export the brand abroad, with Asia as the first target market. Finally, the aim is to export the Let's Relax brand worldwide.

The company has been approached by several foreign investors but has turned them all down, believing this is not the right time.

"Those investors offered us many possibilities, such as joint ventures, franchising, know-how export and management. However, the spa business is a delicate one and difficult to operate successfully," said Kessanee, adding that they have to select "the best partner" as the business requires high investment to ensure high quality. The company's six branches handle an average of 10,000 customers per month.

Kessanee said the company has a total of 200 therapists but that is not enough to serve customer demand. 

The academy will support the company's business expansion because one branch needs at least 50 therapists.

So far Hong Kong tourists account for 50 per cent of total customers.

Let's Relax packages range from Bt600 up to Bt4,000, while the RarinJinda's packages will be marked up by an additional 20-30 per cent.

Achara Pongvutitham

 The Nation