Have you ever learned about a current client receiving bodywork from another massage therapist and felt like they were cheating on you? We’ve all been there. First, the feelings of irritation and annoyance for the client who would even think to replace you kick in, followed by an overwhelming sense of insecurity and self-doubt questioning your skill, or lack thereof. But there’s no need to be embarrassed. It happens to all of us.
Oftentimes, there is little rhyme or reason as to why a regular patron goes to another therapist, even for just one or two sessions. Whether it was because you were unavailable for a time they needed you most or simply wanted to experience a little change, it is important to look at each occurrence as an opportunity to learn a little more about your client—as well as yourself.
When we look a bit closer at some of the more frequent justifications for clients at large, it’s important to be open to understanding the whys. Keeping an open mind and providing a future solution on your part can be what separates your business from the rest and, in the end, might be your saving grace. Here are some examples of why clients seek out other therapists, along with some ideas on how to provide a solution.
Availability
Being unavailable sometimes is just unavoidable. You may have had bookings during the exact date and time someone was hoping to see you, or you may have been away from the phone or out of the office during the scheduling of your client’s appointment, causing you to lose potential business from even the most loyal customer. Nevertheless, offering regular clientele scheduling priority can go a long way toward getting repeat business. Online appointment scheduling is a foolproof way to ensure that even if someone isn’t there to answer the phone, clients can still make appointments. Offering this, in addition to phone or text responses, always ensures you’re available 24-7.
Stuck in a Rut
As massage therapists, sometimes we can’t help but get a little too regimented in our routines. Getting stale in what we do can sometimes lead clients to think of exploring other hands and techniques to see if the grass really might be greener. While we certainly don’t need to reinvent the wheel in our practice, sometimes changing something as simple as the order in which we massage can freshen up our sessions. For example, if you usually start at a client’s posterior, change it up to the anterior; or, if you usually work from head to foot, try foot to head. These simple changes in routine can feel like a completely different experience for someone. And don’t forget about continuing education. Picking up a new technique or modality can expand your toolbox and make leaving you more difficult for clients to do.
Still, those subtle changes will not always be enough to keep clients from wandering away. Consider freshening the appearance of your office space, brands or scents of oils and lotions, and music to make clients feel like they’re entering a new space. Think of those changes and potential expenses as an investment in client retention, as well as client expansion.
Money Talks
Nearly everyone likes a good deal. Even the worst massage can be rated high enough above unsatisfactory to cause someone to return if the price is right. Sometimes a competitor offering a coupon or discount that seems too good to pass up can lead a faithful client to stray. A great way to offset a competing coupon or discount offer is to give regular clients a special reward card. After so many sessions, a reward or punch card earning them the option to upgrade a service or extend session time can be used as a gift of gratitude, ensuring steady income for you while patrons work toward earning extra points for their card.
Bad Blood
Some clients love to talk. Sometimes, they talk too much or rouse controversial topics that can be really unsettling if you share different views. It’s often hard to navigate what issues might be divisive enough to send someone away, especially when you’ve built a history together. Yet, in some situations you cannot avoid the inevitable demise of having different enough views, beliefs, or life practices to say you might be better off apart.
While most therapists minimize conversations that might provoke anxiety in their clients, such as politics and religion, some expand on the practice of minimal conversation even further. For example, during an initial visit explaining the policy of peace and tranquility, where you, as the provider, would like to provide such an atmosphere to your clients, also encourage recipients to enter your space with limited talking and focus on meditation or their intention that day. If there is a particular client that has a history of sparking conversation, sharing with them a new “peace of body and mind” technique you’re adapting to your practice by keeping centered and focused together in a time of quiet might invite them to silence their inner voice during your sessions.
Still, there are times when we are left in an uneasy situation or ended a conversation on a less than positive note. In those cases, it is best to always make the first attempt to talk with your client within a day or two after their session. Making sure there are no hard feelings or misunderstandings, or even offering apologies when necessary, can show your humility and integrity.
Just Because
Who knows why some of your most reliable clients choose to work with another massage therapist—whether it is for just a session, or two, or permanently. Sometimes, you can give a particular client everything they have requested and it still isn’t enough to sustain their business. In those situations, “just because” is enough to suffice. Worrying about something or someone you simply cannot change or understand can do little to benefit either of you in the long run. It’s usually best to accept and move on rather than dwell on unchangeable circumstances.
Clients in the service industries and massage profession can be fickle. If you ask 20 different providers the key to client retention, you could get 20 different responses. Each of us has a unique, valuable approach in our practice that attracts our regulars. Whether it is in our technique, general demeanor, or selection of services or products, we stand out enough to draw repeat business, allowing our profession to flourish.
Clients who weave in and out of our office—some forever faithful, others not so much—are bound to cross our thresholds. What is most important to learn from these clients is, did you give them your best? Could you have done all that was possible to prevent losing their business now or in the future? If the answers to both of these questions are yes, take a deep breath of acceptance and move on. If not, take an inventory of self-evaluation. Often, those who upset us most are subtle reflections of ourselves in some way. While the saying “cheaters never prosper” may apply in some cases, consider taking such a quote with a more positive spin, as in this Chinese proverb: “He who has never been cheated, cannot be a good businessman.”
Tera Johnson-Swartz has been a licensed therapist for nearly 10 years and is based out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Studying under some of the top health-care practitioners in the country, she has developed techniques specifically beneficial for pain relief, discomfort, and overall well-being. Beyond massage, Johnson-Swartz is a freelance writer, independent childbirth and lactation educator, health educator, and fitness instructor.