City Cave is a health and wellness brand that pioneered the concept of open float pools in Australia. It is also leading the market in delivering massage and infrared sauna treatments.
The brand is driven by a clear vision, says Ben Miles, chief operating officer.
“Our vision is giving life back to humanity. We offer the perfect environment to help people relax, recover, and address their mental health; this is having an incredible impact.”
An hour in a float tank is reputed to be as beneficial as sleep, while infrared saunas have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing, he says.
The focus on the core three services is intentional; floatation, massage and infra-red sauna are the tightly edited selection of popular treatments chosen from the original 15 services.
“A lot of our guests try multiple services, because we’ve created our own treatment blends that we know work well together.
City Cave leads on wellness
“At City Cave, we’re unique because we address the physical and mental elements of good health,” says Ben.
“Our focus on relaxation sets us apart, we have a lounge area for guests to relax before their session, and to enjoy a tea and a quiet read afterwards.”
Guests booked in for a float will experience sensory reduction as they relax in magnesium salt water in a pitch-black room (although lighting is available). Music plays through the water, and the guest has precious, uninterrupted time for themselves.
Four key values
City Cave is a values-driven business. In addition to its vision, the wellness chain has four key values: collaboration, abundance, empathy and balance.
“These are actively spoken about by our franchise owners,” says Ben. “In franchising, you probably already have an abundant entrepreneurial mindset. As a small business owner you take risks, you invest in yourself. For us, it also means giving back to the community. We’re not selling to people, we’re helping them.”
Ben says there are multiple online reviews sharing guest stories about their City Cave experiences, and how the services provided have changed their lives.
Membership program
“One visit won’t have the impact you need. Think about it, you’re not amazing at meditation at first go. So we have a membership program and a host of regular clients.
There are a large number of guests who really identify with the service and for them it’s as essential as a fitness routine.”
City Cave expands
“We will bring in new franchise owners as we broaden geographically outside our core markets of New South Wales and Queensland,” he says.
City Cave’s particular growth focus is boosting the five-centre presence in Victoria.
“It’s the perfect environment, a bit colder, and it’s an opportunity to get in early with a brand that has a large footprint on the east coast.
City Cave also has opportunities in Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania, and is expanding in the US.
“Our mission to create nurturing environments accessible to everyone is a purposeful statement. We want to be in as many locations as possible, and at an affordable price point even though we provide a premium service.”
Investing in innovations
Technology is a critical element of a growing franchise brand, Ben says.
“Number one is data-driven decision making,” he says.
Over the last six months City Cave has rolled out a number of tools that streamline data collection and representation.
“Attention to the right metrics is critical so this is a huge win for the franchise owner. Making it simple and focused on key metrics helps growth,” Ben says.
“We are investing in a few innovations such as a new PoS and booking system to help with marketing automation, and operational efficiency.
“This is a big commitment for City Cave over the next 12 months; our focus is delivering the right tools so franchisees can maximise their potential.”