How many minutes are in an hour?

[Abdul Hafiz]

Besides staying cool when I work, my other struggle is to finish in a timely manner. My massages are on average 70min. I don't tell clients this, I just can't seem to keep it under that. I really do not like going over. I get upset with myself for giving this extra time away. But then I also look at my appointment book, and I can keep pretty busy. So, you take the good and the bad i guess.

 

[MagicianTrent]

I also don't charge them to go potty.

You should reconsider this. Someone (you) has to buy toilet paper, soap, paper towels, clean the toilet, the sink, the mirror. You have to buy lightbulbs- even more often if the light gets left on.

This all comes out of your bottom line. t037

 

[blahh 90210 is on]

Where I work, the minimum time between appointments is 15 minutes (more sometimes depending on when the clients are available). I greet the client 5 min before the appointment and do my intake, then let them change. Depending on the particular client and the extent of their intake, I'm usually starting no later than 5 minutes into their hour. I end each session at the 60 min mark, on the dot.

On occasion I will go a *little* over, but that depends on the circumstances of the client and treatment, and whether or not I KNOW that someone hasn't been booked for the next slot while I was working (a fair portion of my clients are walk in club members). Each of those 15 min in between appointments is critical.

When I first started, I made a promise to myself that if I was to expect clients to respect my time as their therapist, I was going to respect their time as the client, and never make them wait. If they show up late for an appointment, then they've lost that time and the work will be adjusted as necessary so I can still do quality work with the time I have, instead of doing a rush job.

 

[Iliana G]

This all comes out of your bottom line. t037

That's funny, right there! I don't care who you are, that's funny.

Who was it that said "I start all my sessions on time, whether the client is there or not" Pete? BigDog? Someone clever. I can't seem to manage that, but I hold it to an hour.

I gave a treat to a new emp of the store where I work...she'd never had a massage, so I gave her one. Didn't keep track of time at all, still don't know how long it was. At least 90 min. She's the type to refer people to me, so......we'll see if it was a good investment.

 

[Jennifer Rush]

I'm with the majority, here. I never, ever give less than a full 60 minutes hands-on. With my home clinic practice, I schedule clients 2 hours apart -- still allowing me to get in 4 to 5 clients a day. This allows a brief chat before and afterwards, time for the client to enjoy the "after massage" moments and not have to hop right off the table, and plenty of time for soap notes, changing linens and previewing the next client's folder before his/her arrival.

I think one of the reasons my clients are so regular (not talking about bathroom habits here -- meaning most come once a week! : ) and give me so many referrals is because of the relaxed pace and the environment. Kind of my "signature." The time is devoted to them and they rarely, if ever, run into another client.

It works for me -- just the way I prefer doing business.

(BTW, I am perfectly aware that in a spa environment or busy clinic that would be difficult (impossible?) to do. And I admire all of you who are providing wonderful massages for so many more clients per day in those environments!)

Anyway, I'm happy with what I am doing -- and so are my clients!

My :2cents:!

Sherry