Client calls the shots

[Jim B]

can anyone help

Yesterday i went to visit a new client for the first time. I was put in touch with her by a friend who also deals with this lady in business and i already know that my new client is a high flying business woman who likes to call the shots.

Well, i don't do mobile treatments as my equipment isn't portable and i like to have foot baths, music and candles and a lot of heat so I'm not especially portable. But the new client insisted that i go to her as she's too busy to visit me....so i agreed

she's a bit scatty and was 15 minutes late'; again citing busy life/kids/calling to get bread etc. then she made herself a cup of coffee and a jam sandwhich and then finally came through for her treatment.

then we did the treatment and she wanted to talk throughout/her phones were constantly ringing and people kept coming to the door who had to be dealt with....it's a large farm and a lot of work and building work going on outside...

well, if she relaxed it is a miracle as i didn't but she claimed to enjoy it and she's booked again for two weeks time.

HELP

how do i tell her - someone used to calling the shots - that unless she lets me call some of them....phone off/in darkness/less chatter etc - that this treamtment won't do her any good and that's she's wasting her money and time...she's the sort of woman who wants to control this session rather than submit to it and i think she's sees it as something to be crossed off her list ie; she's dealing with stress by having reflexlology - without actually being prepared to HAVE reflexlogy.

how do i tell her without seeing ungrateful for her patronage?

any advice?

 

[Otminiseny]

personally, I dont do home visits, so I wouldnt have made an exception. When I used to do home visits, I had one or two clients that were as you described, however, I made it quite clear that they were paying for my time (incidentally I always charged travelling time), and if they werent ready, then it came off their treatment time.

It is exactly the same in the clinic, if a client is late, their treatment time is reduced.

I think you should just explain the situation, as you mention, tell her how YOU work, and if she cant work the same way, then dont work with her.

It does take courage sometimes to tell a client that you cant work with them, but this has obviously stressed you out, so then it becomes a problem.

Good luck.

 

[MJ forever <3]

Sooo agree with sportstherapy - take any delays on her part off the treatment time. If she wants to chat, let her, just switch off! It may be her way of relaxing.

I've had a couple of people like this over the years. 2 years ago I took the mobile phone off the client (which she had answered 3 times in 10 minutes) and switched it off, telling her that I had a full day of treatments and didn't want to be late to the next client!!! She didn't object, and in fact, I still see her once a month. The phone is nowhere in sight, and she is always ready for me. Sometimes she chats, and sometimes she just lies back and snoozes. I think because I showed her I meant business, she stopped playing the "busy business woman".

One person previous to this was late to meet me at her own home twice (shopping/kids - excuses!). When she hadn't arrived within 15 minutes of our third booking I left. She phoned full of apologies, and wanted to rebook for later in the week - suddenly my diary was full..... for weeks! I didn't hear from her again and gather that she did the same to other colleagues, who also stopped visiting. Remember, you are trying to run a business.

 

[Beefcake Pantyhose]

Hi Goddess,
I only do mobile massage and have come across all kinds of situations!
You need to get a contract with her and include in it what she wants and expects and also what you want and expect and there may be acompromise somewhere in the middle. Tell her how you have noticed how busy she is and how it is important that she switches off from these other things, therefore using your observation to both yours and her advantage with objective observational feedback.
Hope this helps and let me know how you go on.
Beowolf

 

[Tenshi]

Your time is valuable, and this lady was 15 minutes late for her treatment. On top of that, you kept being interrupted which as you know is not conducive to the treatment.

Personally I would tell her that it is a huge inconvenience to you to do mobile treatments and that you would rather she came to you, it would be better for her to relax and unwind without the interruptions etc

You have to be firm otherwise you will have clients doing their own thing in 'your' time.

There are plenty more clients in the world, you don't have to rely on just this lady.

 

[Amanda Xrawrx]

thanks all

think i will write to her - i've going to send her some aroma oil to use for a footbath - and just suggest she comes to me to really switch off. if she cannot, i'll go one more time and try to get things organised so that the phones are at least off....i don't think i'll curb the chatter though

spoke to the original friend who knows this lady and she said this lady really enjoyed the treatment

i am mystified as to how....honestly, i am a good therapist but i cannot see how she got any enjoyment out of having her feet stuck up in the air while half a dozen phones went off and a old fellla who'd come to sort out her mole problem kept banging on the window.

i guess her perception of relaxing is sooo different from mine; but i'd love her to come to me just to see how things could be done...

 

[FOB]

I usually let my clients chat during the 'warm up' massage of the feet, but once I start the actual treatment while lightly massaging the solar plexus points I send them off into a meditation.

I ask them to take themselves in their imagination to a place that is restful for them, be it a memory of a peaceful/happy place from childhood or holiday or somewhere just in their imagination where they are in a place of nature or natural beauty, getting them to really be in that place, seeing/ hearing/feeling whats around them that makes this place so peaceful and so on.........

I very rarely have people speaking to me with chitchat once they've attained this deeply relaxed state.

This is just my experience

Love and Light
pinkpearl

 

[Solo Style]

Home visits can be frustrating and I've had a few clients like this.. Bottom line is this, her treatment and how she handles it is testament of her committment to herself and her wellbeing.

Equally, you have made a committment to a client to give a specific treatment at a specific time. You are offering a service, you are not a commodity. I don't take footspas and things to a client, think of the safety side - if you or the client got a shock how do you know it's not their electrics or your equipment? You need extra time and money for travel, so dropping the niceties is not unexpected. How about a portable mp3 player? Some charge more for home visits or offer treatments only to those who are less able to travel, could be an option for future clients.

You do need a talk with this client, it can be as simple as reminding her at the start of her treatment that it is her time and that in this time, it is ok to switch things off and shut off from the outside world.

I have found sometimes that the most challenging clients are the most astute business minded folk. They aren't bad people, just busy and sometimes forget how things are for others. A gentle but firm prod may be just what is needed to address the balance. If she continues to be very difficult, she may not be the right client to work with.

Hopw that things smoothe out and that she gets the true benefit of the treatments you give.

 

[Bradleigh Chapman]

Hi all,

I have client's like this and i personally i don't see it's my right to tell a client how i think she ought to experience a treatment.

Yes of course it would be "nicer" if she switched off ... enjoyed the peace and relaxation .... but that might well come with time.

She obviously enjoyed what you did ... and gained something from the experience ... else she wouldn't have booked again .... but why not try to build up a relationship with her as a therapist ... and maybe in time you'll be able to gently suggest she turns off the phone ?

You sometimes fiind you need to ease folk in to relaxation ... but let her realise in her own time ... else you might just upset/annoy/offend her ... (especially if she likes to be in control). Guide her don't tell her !!!

Meridianmoon xxxx

 

[Krystin Noyes]

As a therapist you are aware of what is conducive to relaxation and what isn't.

As a healer I wouldn't dream of having a client chat through my healing session.

I set the scene, ask them to imagine a place that is positive for them, to close their eyes as they will get more from the treatment and they all comply. I tell them that this is their time to relax and re-charge their batteries and their time to be still and quiet.

Chatting all the way through a treatment is not conducive to healing or reducing stress levels and as therapists I believe we should lead the way and put our clients in the 'right' frame of mind for healing.

 

[Iphigenia]

I agree with Meridianmoon, If you start directing someone who likes to be in control what to do then you are probably going to get no where fast.

I am a mobile therapist and when I make appointments with a new client I always explain to them they they will only benefit from the treatment if we do it at a time where they are not going to be disturbed. This does normally mean the appointments are in the evening but this is the best time for them as they can head on off to bed once they have had a glass of water.

Some people can not just switch off and i very rarely find a client compeltey relaxes during the first treatment, I normally find they want to know what I am doing or don't want to appear rude by just switching off even though I try to encourage them to relax and close their eyes. Normally by the second or third treatment they are more familar with the process and what to expect and are more relaxed with me so they snuggle up under my lovely blanket and doze off.

Maybe you could phone her a few days before hand just to confirm the appointment and just try to encourage her to make the most of the treatment. Sometimes you need to humour these people and just guide them gently into the place you want them to be so they can make the most of the treatment.

Why is she having reflexology??? I am guessing her hectic lifestlye is not helping her health but then some people like living like that. They like to live on stress and drama and do not want things to change. Sounds like she could be going through the motions of trying to deal with her hectic lifestyle but not really looking at herself and how she can change things.

If after a few treatments she is still not able to relax and switch off completely then you will need to readress the situation again and once you have built up a realtionship with her she may pay more attention to your advice and listen to you when you tell her they she is missing out on so much more of the treatment.

 

[selena luvz you x]

Great advice and i acted upon bits of all of it

I did not see the client again until two weeks later and I contacted her by letter to say that I would like to see her at my house so that she could experience a bit more a relaxing experience - i didn't blame phones or mole men...just said that I have candles, relaxing CD, proper couch etc....

anyway, i was really shocked when she agreed and she turned up, was much much more relaxed and I was pleased to say in a lot less pain - she has bunions - and had taken my advice and gone to see her GP/chiropodist....she looked calmer, sounded calmer and we had a lovely time.

then she suprised me even more by tellign a mutual friend that i must not make any more home visits as i should be more professional about my time - she's a business woman adn said it wasn't cost effective for me to spend two and half hours at someone's home in order to earn £30. She's kind of adpoted me as a bit of a 'naive' business person and is giving me lots of free and good advice

what a turn around
thanks all x

 

[evanescence 667]

Glad she turned up and was able to benefit from the treatment.



I agree with this, but giving a treatment to someone that is answering the phone, people walking in and out should be an exception to the above.

No therapist in their right mind would continue to treat a client if this was the scenario. Personally I would rather lose the client than put up with that behaviour.

 

[pinkwafer]

I have a few clients that talk constantly but still feel relaxed and come back every 4 weeks. I've tried them with the 'close your eyes, relax, listen to the quiet music' approach and it totally didn' work for them.

My first instinct on reading your question was to go with what the client wanted.

but hey, thats my opionion.

 

[yheayuxximdixxeeb]

i think the last two posters are BOTH right...

if a client does not put any value at all on the treatment and allows it to be constantly inetrrupted, then i would have walked away

however, on the second appointment she compromised and I had to accept she is a vibrant/chatty person; as she has so much on her plate, her mind is all over the place. always...when she is not busy working she's browsing on e-bay or trying to fix her single pals up with dates; and i think some people's version of relaxing - just sitting still abnd talking less - isn't everyone's ideal; but it is hers

we'll see how it goes but am warming to her....