A little peeve of mine (ok, so it’s a huge issue to me) is the lack of professional respect accorded to massage therapists. It’s not only myself who’s experienced it, many other therapists I’ve spoken to over the many years I’ve been in practice also deal with it over and over again. Here’s three of the worst offenders.
1. The “was sort of massage do you do, luv?” caller.
I slogged through a Cert III and three (yes, three!) diplomas over four years in college, while running a household and juggling four children and a part-time job. These callers often ring from a blocked number, and either start with the aforementioned comment or or make references to whether they should wear underwear or not. I’ve even had the married pastor of a local church on my table, asking me for a “happy ending”. Seriously! I dug the elbow I was using in a bit harder, looked him in the eye and said, “I didn’t do four long years in college to do THAT for you.”
needless to say, I refused to book him in ever again. As a professional massage therapist, I am registered with the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society, pay yearly fees, bound by a code of professional conduct, am required to commit to ongoing education plus keeping up insurance and my Senior First Aid certification. In return, my certification means my clients can claim their treatments through many health funds.
2. The Last-Minute Booking.
There is nothing quite so frustrating as the “last minute” caller. The one that rings middle of the afternoon expecting to get a booking on the spot and is invariably shocked that you’re either busy or unavailable. Again, a little professional courtesy would go a long way – I really don’t sit around all day hoping that someone will book in, I have a garden and a life outside my work. Yes, i really do 🙂
3. The “Freebie”.
I can’t count the times where I’ve been is social or family situations and have been cornered by someone who wants my help or advice on their health. When I was first starting out I’d give my time and aromatherapy remedies freely, hoping to educate people and build my business. Sadly, those people mostly never did book in and I would be out time, effort and expensive essential oils. It’s frustrating, annoying, and at times just a plain pain in the rear.
I have to say though, that the last 13 years has been a very rewarding journey where I’ve met a lot of interesting and wonderful people. I’m looking forward to building another network of amazing clients over here, in SA.
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