The cloud software vs. on premise debate remains a big one. Which should you choose for your spa? Here’s why cloud is the clear winner.

When choosing a software solution for your spa or wellness business, you want one that is within your budget with the functionality to successfully run your company. To find those things, you’re going to have to decide between a cloud solution and an on-premise one. Which should you go for?

The answer is actually simple: the cloud is a better solution for almost every business.

Cloud software vs. on premise: what are we talking about?

Before we get into comparisons, let’s answer the question of what we’re talking about when we say “cloud” software vs “on premise.” “Cloud computing” means storing, managing and processing your data and programs on a network of remote servers, rather than on a local server or personal computer. Examples include iCloud, Gmail, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Salesforce. Conversely, “on premise” means storing and accessing data and programs on your computer’s hard drive or a central server somewhere on your premises. Examples include, purchasing a Microsoft office license and installing it on your computer.

 Why is the cloud a superior option for almost every business these days?  Here are five reasons:

1. Accessibility

When it comes to accessibility, there is no competition. The cloud is accessible from anywhere in the world where there is internet access, meaning spa employees can view their schedules, client information, and more, in real time from wherever they are. Even better, if your business has multiple locations, cloud software makes it easy to share information across all of them. This is a guest experience game changer, since a guest can go to any of your spas without having to share their personal and credit card information more than once.

On-premise software can’t offer this functionality, as its use is limited to the computers and servers on which it has been installed.

2. Cost

Cost is one of the biggest advantages of cloud software solutions. On-premise software requires that you pay the full price of the software upfront, and then for any additional licenses, should you wish to add more users later. 

Cloud software is purchased by subscription, meaning more manageable payments, and typically uses a utility pay structure by user and access level, meaning you only pay for what you use, and services can be added or removed as needs change. Cloud software also saves the cost of the IT staff that would be required to maintain an on-premise solution, as well as the cost of the IT infrastructure you would have to put in place if you haven’t got one already.

3. Ease of implementation and maintenance

Cloud software is fully accessible online and requires no hardware or installation on your part. The software company takes care of these things for you, and complimentary training documents and videos are typically offered by the company to help get you up and running. On-premise software, on the other hand, must be installed on your computer and/or servers and requires in-house IT infrastructure and a team to maintain it and make regular updates. With cloud software, the vendor is responsible for maintaining the data warehouses and any hardware on their end. Updates are made regularly and are shared with the customer as the product continues to improve.

4. Security

Security is a top priority for any company that stores data – a breach can be devastating. You might think your company data is safer in your own hands, but is it? A 2019 survey of nearly 300 C-level security professionals found that a majority now believe the risk of a security breach is the same or lower in cloud environments compared to on premise.

One reason may be that cloud software companies are required to do their due diligence to ensure that they’re compliant with privacy laws, like HIPAA, and that their data is secure. Although on-premise software platforms are also required to be compliant, there may be a need for further monitoring and management in house. This often requires more work on your part – elevating your level of exposure and risk.

A good cloud software company is constantly updating security measures, because security is their top priority too. A breach would ruin them, so someone is always paying attention. It’s their business to notice suspicious activity and to alert you immediately. Can you, with confidence, say the same of anyone running your in-house IT service? Moreover, the ability to control access levels lets you limit who has high-level access to data, which can ease concerns about an inside breach (some estimates are that half of breaches are inside jobs). 

That being said, not all cloud companies are created equal. It’s important to ask pointed questions regarding security before purchasing a software, and choose a company that has the right measures in place. 

 5. Customer support

On-premise software often has the advantage with customer support, because users can turn directly to their in-house IT team. Getting customer support from a cloud software company can be a whole other story, and it can sometimes take days to get a response to a request, meaning stretches of downtime interrupting business operations. However, there are companies out there, like Book4Time, that take customer support very seriously, won’t leave you waiting, and will work with you until your issue is resolved. Because keeping your business up and running is our business. Always ask about a company’s customer support and turnaround time on support requests before making a purchase decision. If they can’t give you a satisfactory answer, run.

There is obviously a lot to consider when purchasing software for your spa or wellness business. Do your research and ask all the important questions. If you want to keep costs down with an easily accessible solution, you’ll probably find that a cloud software solution is the right choice.

Check out our spa and wellness trends to watch for 2020. Sign up for Spa Executive’s newsletter and download the free report! CLICK HERE >>

Spa Executive magazine is published by Book4Time, the world’s most innovative spa, salon, wellness, and activity management software. Learn more at Book4Time.com.

The post Cloud software vs. on premise: 5 reasons why cloud is the clear winner appeared first on Spa Executive.

The Vessel is a “Deep Brain Massage” created in partnership with Sensync.

Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina has partnered with immersive wellness company, Sensync, to offer “a revolutionary, immersive sensory experience” called The Vessel.

Luxury virtual experience

The Vessel is a luxury virtual experience that combines mixed reality with advanced therapeutic technology to create what Sensync’s founders, Dr. Adam Gazzaley and Dr. Alex Theory, have dubbed a “Deep Brain Massage.” 

Gazzaley is The David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry at the UC San Francisco, and the Founder and Executive Director of Neuroscape, a translational neuroscience centre engaged in technology development and scientific research of novel brain assessments and optimization tools. And Theory is a CEO and Futurist specialising in large scale immersive experiences, interactive content, augmented reality, virtual reality, and transmedia storytelling. 

The Vessel is an experiential treatment designed to address a demand for solutions and new technology that can facilitate wellness in the face of increases in stress, fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health issues. This is according to a media release, which also states that The Vessel’s purpose is to relax and restore fatigued minds and pull users away from “goal-directed thoughts,” with an aim to ease cognitive fatigue.

The treatment involves a series of customized journeys in which guests see, hear, smell, feel, and touch sensations of nature, presented in unison, leveraging the power of what Sensync calls “sensory synchronization” to create immersive experiences. Recordings of the guest’s physiological data — respiration, heart rate, electrodermal activity and electroencephalography — allow the generation of a dynamic, closed-loop experience that is personalized in real time.

Among the immersive journeys being offered are Deep Space, Kairos, Ocean Cove, Zen Garden, Quantum Oneness, Crystal Cave, Lost Jungle, and Floating Clouds. These range from 20 to 80 minutes in duration, integrating:

• Visual virtual reality treatments
• Aromatherapy
• Sound and music therapy
• Vibroacoustic stimulation
• Relaxation and nature therapy, meditation/mindfulness practices, biofeedback, and neurofeedback

Research shows brain health benefits of nature exposure

Sensync and Four Seasons point to the many research findings connecting brain health benefits with nature exposure. These benefits are said to include stress reduction, improved attention, and mood enhancement.

 The Vessel, says the release, creates “the next level of virtual reality,” and takes travellers “on a journey with a greater sense of presence and immersion than has ever been achieved.”

Check out the spa & wellness trends we’re keeping our eye on in 2020. Sign up for Spa Executive’s newsletter and download the free report! CLICK HERE >>

Spa Executive magazine is published by Book4Time, the world’s most innovative spa, salon, wellness, and activity management software. Learn more at Book4Time.com.

The post The Vessel: Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina’s “Deep Brain Massage” appeared first on Spa Executive.

Probiotic clothing may be a revolution in body odor and skin health.

A new fabric made with probiotic technology is said to reduce body odor, encourage cell renewal, and improve the skin’s immune system.

SKIN II was created by Rosie Broadhead, an apparel designer specializing in biomaterials, in collaboration with Microbiologist Chris Callewaert. The fabric, which has been made into body suits, has embedded probiotic bacteria into its fibres which, according to media materials, are activated when they come into contact with the moisture on skin, allowing them to dominate other, less beneficial bacteria.

“Skin conditions depend on the probiotic microbes that live on our bodies. Our skin’s biome is shaped by our natural environment, and what we put on and next to our skin has a direct impact on our bodies. Cosmetic products and fabric finishes on clothing can contain toxic chemicals which disrupt the diversity of bacteria living on our skin…”

“The encapsulated bacteria are associated with reduced body odour, encouraging cell renewal, and improving the skin’s immune system. SKIN II aims to use what is natural on our bodies to advance the functionality of clothing.”

Researchers and developers continue to explore the smart clothing market. Smart clothing acts as activity trackers and sleep trackers, while new fabrics are being created that also claim to speed recovery and increase wellbeing.

Probiotic clothing is a natural extension of the current widespread interest in probiotics and the microbiome.

SKIN II Rosie_Broadhead from Rosie Broadhead on Vimeo.

The post Probiotic clothing may reduce body odor & improve skin health appeared first on Spa Executive.

We already have evidence that social media and internet addiction may have a detrimental effects on mental health. Now, if you’re in need of more backing to show merit to the spa and wellness industry’s push for digital detox, you’re in luck.

A recent study out of the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin has found that just being in the same room as your smart phone significantly reduces cognitive capacity. In other words, smart phones make you dumb – and you don’t even have to be using one for that to happen. (Just as you suspected, right?)

According to a media release, McCombs Assistant Professor Adrian Ward and co-authors conducted two experiments with nearly 800 smartphone users.

In one, participants were told to turn their phones to silent and randomly assigned to place the phones either on the desk face down, in their pocket or personal bag, or in another room, They then took a series of tests designed to measure available cognitive capacity — which is our ability to retain and process information.

The results? Researchers found that participants with their phones on the desk performed significantly worse that those with their phones in another room, and slightly worse than those with their phones in a pocket or bag.

In another experiment, participants took the same tests as the first group, but were first asked to gauge their own smartphone dependence. This group was randomly assigned to keep their phones either in sight on the desk face up, in a pocket or bag, or in another room. Some were also instructed to turn off their phones.

This time, the most smart-phone dependent participants performed worse than less-dependent ones, but only when they kept their smartphones on the desk or in their pocket or bag.

All this, they say, suggests that having a smartphone within sight or within easy reach reduces a person’s ability to focus and perform tasks.

“It’s not that participants were distracted because they were getting notifications on their phones,” said Ward. “The mere presence of their smartphone was enough to reduce their cognitive capacity.”

Read more here.

It’s not the first study to suggest smart phones and misuse of technology area making us dumber.

• A Kent State study found that cell phone use/texting was negatively related to GPA and positively related to anxiety.
• A 2011 study published in the journal Science, suggested that reliance on Google is inhibiting our capacity to store and access information.
• A study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that simply receiving a cell phone notification significantly disrupted performance on an attention-demanding task, even when participants did not directly interact with a mobile device during the task.

Regarding other effects on the brain and mental health:

According to a study at Leeds University, internet addicts are significantly more likely to suffer from depression than non addicts.

Research has found heavy social media use to be correlated with depression and low self esteem.

A University of Derby study found higher scores of narcissism and levels of neuroticism were linked to smartphone addiction.

Spa Executive magazine is published by Book4Time, the world’s most innovative spa, salon, wellness, and activity management software. Learn more at Book4Time.com

(Image: Copyright: stockbroker / 123RF Stock Photo)

The post Study: the mere presence of a smartphone makes you dumber appeared first on Spa Executive.