Have you ever been just about to close a massage with a client and somehow they just know its ending and boom, you get that dreaded question “Can I have Just A Couple More Minutes On…..?” This is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. If you did your job, they are loving it and want more. Or if you didn’t pay attention to their needs before the massage began, they might be worried that you’re not going to spend much time on the area of concern before the massage ends. Let’s look at how to take care of this situation. First off I would say, let’s avoid this situation if at all possible and if not avoidable, make it work for you and the client. Here is how I avoid those awkward requests for “a couple more minutes” and how I deal with it when that question comes up.
1. Clear communication with your client about their specific needs before the massage begins. Ask them about their area/areas of concern and then work on those areas first. When you take care of a client’s need first, they know you’ve gotten to the problem area and then they don’t have to worry about when you’ll get around to it.
2. Honor their requests. If they want you to spend 30 minutes on their neck and 10 minutes on their feet, then give them what they want. When clients are very specific about their needs, it makes our job much easier to keep them happy. I say that the more specific a client is in their needs, the better. Some people would call those clients “High Maintenance”, but I call them easy to please. The better the communication, the better the massage.
3. When the request comes up and the massage is over, if I have time, I tell them, I would be happy to do another 30 minutes for $ (Whatever you want to tell them If I’m booked up, I politely tell them, “I’m so sorry but I have to get ready for my next appointment.”
Offer to schedule a future massage for a longer time period. If you’re willing and able to offer 90 and 120 min treatments, tell them. You’d be surprised on how many will take you up on your offer. A great advantage to a longer massage is longer treatment time on an area that needs it.
It can be a little awkward sometimes when you’re wrapping up what you thought was a great massage treatment and they present that question. If you have the time and you handle it right, you can make more money and keep your client happy for future bookings. If you don’t have time, just be polite and let them know its important to be on time for the consideration of all your clients.
Also, I think it’s a very nice touch to end each massage treatment with a “Thank You.” Remember that it’s a privilege to be able to lay your hands on others and have that very special trust. This is one of honors of the massage profession and one that I never take lightly.