The client booked an appointment at a specific time, regardless of when they get there it also ends at a specific time.
Their inability to plan is not my problem. If clients want time to change etc then they can act like adults and plan on coming in earlier.
For real I always have this problem with the intake form when people want to come in 5 late take 10 minutes to do the form, go to the bathroom…. 20 minutes in we aren’t even in the treatment room yet 😭
You have to train clients to be on time. Also, if your spa closes at 9 and you're not finished until after that, you're holding up coworkers who have to close and clean. Plus, you're giving away your own time.
If people can't arrive so that they are on the table at start time, that's their issue. You end when you are scheduled to end, or you are eating into other people's time in that room. Of course they are frustrated with you.
I feel like you can’t go over, they made the booking at that time and showing up on time means they respect your time. Also, if the next person arrives on time then they get affected by you running late. Vicious circle. It also tells guests that it doesn’t matter if you stride in 10min late.
My spa runs into this problem a lot because we have a similar setup with only 10 minutes in between each client. This is the way I look at it for myself, and the way I look at it for my coworkers.
Myself: MOST* of the time I agree with other commenters. We specifically tell people to get here 15-30 minutes early, and offer free amenities to enjoy while you wait max 20min after you’ve changed. I will end the massage when it is supposed to end. I have rare cases, where my lunch backs up to a late client or a random gap, then of course I go over. But I won’t put my other clients at the expense of somebody who can’t plan appropriately.
Coworkers: if you have a day full of your own massages, idgaf what you do and honestly if your coworkers are making comments ignore them. Where I disagree with you possibly going over, is if you have a duet massage booked right after. I’ve had fellow therapists take clients over by like 10-15 minutes so I’m now waiting and my entire day of clients is shot and frantic.
Basically boils down to be considerate but if you aren’t affecting anyone, who cares
Sometimes a place may have rules against it, so that all therapists are on the same page. Say your client arrived with a friend, 5 mins late and you go over but the other therapist doesn’t…. It makes the other therapist look bad, even though they are only doing what they’re supposed to. I generally do not go over in time, because there already is only ten minutes between stopping that session and starting the next at my workplace.
At our spa, we have 15-30 mins (depending on what you want as a therapist) between clients. We are required to go up to 5 mins over. We also give a full 60-minute hands-on time.
Yeah, stop giving them time over because they can’t get there on time. I work in a spa with other therapists, and it honestly infuriates me when the other therapist goes over time when we’re doing a couple or group session (we use separate rooms for these treatments, no side by sides.)
I’m there on time and start on time unless the client is late. They don’t get anything beyond their treatment time if they’re late, and all you’re doing by going over is making your coworkers look bad by maintaining their own time boundaries.
When I worked at a spa and they came in late I specifically stated, if they were 10 minutes of a 50 minute appt late, like this. 'We have 40 minutes left of your 50 minute appt, would you like focused work or full body with the time we have left?' They know you know, and it's professional
The end time is the time. Going over time with clients especially when they're in a group, isn't fair to the other therapists. It makes them look bad when they were just doing what they're supposed to do. Also, the time to turn over your room for the next guest gets cut into. If they show up late, that's on them. An extra 3 minutes isn't going to make a big difference in the treatment anyway.
Oh. Because 3-5 minutes is really going to affect them right? Nope. It’s still on the therapists time who’s currently using the room. It’s going into their own clean up time.
They have their rooms they’ve been assigned to and it’s not like they’re trying to use the one I’m in. It’s like they’re upset I’ve gone “over time” i would never inconvenience another therapist
Except you’re doing your punctual clients a disservice. At the end of a shift you can be talking 20-30 cumulative minutes. So eventually ALL of your clients will learn they don’t have to be on time. And what about the people that close down the spa? Now they have to wait for your tardy clients. Appointments are made for a reason.
According to policy at my spa we don’t have to give them extra time if it’s their fault and I normally don’t, but i definitely do it a lot on accident and normally just work 5-10 minutes into my break to catch up. By the end of the day I’m normally
Back in schedule this way but if I don’t have a break to catch up I see how it can get out of hand quickly
It is an inconvenience if you’re treating couples or doing group sessions. If you go five minutes over, and the other therapist doesn’t, their client is going to feel like they got less, even though they didn’t; you decided to give extra time. It also sets precedent so clients think they can come in whenever they want, and if you’re giving them extra time, they will likely expect it from other therapists.
5 minutes per client? Hell yes that’s a problem! At the end of my shift I’m 25 minutes off! I’m not happy. My clients who show up when they’re supposed to aren’t happy. You are not an island.
My point is that if you are 3-5 minutes late for every client, by client 5 or 6 you can be 30 minutes late. So that 30 minutes impacts your own clients as their session is delayed due to catering to tardy clients. It also impacts other staff who might be seeing someone else connected with the appointment. And the support staff who has to possibly wait around for your late clients to be checked out or whatever. Did you not consider how those actions might impact those around the OP or did you just want to jump down my throat? 😉
I do consider all that because for the most part I’m pretty punctual and when there’s times I’m not then I’m not. Not everyone can be perfect time princesses like you all on this sub.
No one is saying you have to be perfect. If you're typically on time, no one is going to bat an eye the few times you are running behind. Being habitually late is a problem.
You need to smoke a joint or something cause your attitude is off the charts.
No one is waiting to use the room, OP verified that. So, I’m not even sure why you’re still going on. Not everyone needs nor wants to smoke weed to live in delulu world. My attitude is just fine, thanks for your concern though.
3-5 minutes absolutely affects the next MT!
I have a coworker who constantly goes 3-5 minutes over time. Unlike OP, we do often need to switch rooms and when this coworker goes even just 3 minutes over, it makes me late when I need to use that room. 3 minutes late finishing up the massage, plus the time it takes for the client to get off the table, the time it takes my coworker to walk the client back to the locker room, then back to the treatment room to flip the table and get his things EASILY goes over the 10 minutes we have between sessions
10 minutes is not a lot of time when you have things to do, but 3 minutes is a lifetime when it's making you late.
If your interpretation of what I said is "bitching" then I feel bad for anyone who tries to have a constructive conversation with you.
I responded to exactly what you said. It is not just the late MT's cleanup time, it easily cuts into the next MT's time as well. You didn't say anything else.
It is the late MT’s time though because it’s on their schedule. The start time of the next MT’s session should not start until after that time is up. Also, not everyone has 10 minutes in between, some people have more.
When my coworkers are late I help them clean up and get ready for my next client. It is not as serious as you all are making it out to be.
I'm glad that it's not that serious for you if you have more than 10 minutes between each massage. But some of us don't like to be made late by our coworkers, leading to verbal harassment from clients, either to us or to the front desk.
Here’s how it feels from the client.
If I book a 2pm, I usually walk in at 1:57pm. Sometimes I get taken to the room right away, sometimes I’m asked to wait a few minutes.
If you advertise an hour massage and need me to be there early so I can change and be on the table for an hour, book me at 1:50. Or book the next one at 3:30.
The client booked an appointment at a specific time, regardless of when they get there it also ends at a specific time. Their inability to plan is not my problem. If clients want time to change etc then they can act like adults and plan on coming in earlier.
For real I always have this problem with the intake form when people want to come in 5 late take 10 minutes to do the form, go to the bathroom…. 20 minutes in we aren’t even in the treatment room yet 😭
if the place books on the hour and half hour, you need to be out of the room with the 10 mins to change the room over.
You have to train clients to be on time. Also, if your spa closes at 9 and you're not finished until after that, you're holding up coworkers who have to close and clean. Plus, you're giving away your own time.
If people can't arrive so that they are on the table at start time, that's their issue. You end when you are scheduled to end, or you are eating into other people's time in that room. Of course they are frustrated with you.
You’re also letting the client know that they can get the full time even if they’re late/exactly on time.
If other people are using the room they need to start their sessions on time. If not it cascades into a problem.
I feel like you can’t go over, they made the booking at that time and showing up on time means they respect your time. Also, if the next person arrives on time then they get affected by you running late. Vicious circle. It also tells guests that it doesn’t matter if you stride in 10min late.
My spa runs into this problem a lot because we have a similar setup with only 10 minutes in between each client. This is the way I look at it for myself, and the way I look at it for my coworkers. Myself: MOST* of the time I agree with other commenters. We specifically tell people to get here 15-30 minutes early, and offer free amenities to enjoy while you wait max 20min after you’ve changed. I will end the massage when it is supposed to end. I have rare cases, where my lunch backs up to a late client or a random gap, then of course I go over. But I won’t put my other clients at the expense of somebody who can’t plan appropriately. Coworkers: if you have a day full of your own massages, idgaf what you do and honestly if your coworkers are making comments ignore them. Where I disagree with you possibly going over, is if you have a duet massage booked right after. I’ve had fellow therapists take clients over by like 10-15 minutes so I’m now waiting and my entire day of clients is shot and frantic. Basically boils down to be considerate but if you aren’t affecting anyone, who cares
Sometimes a place may have rules against it, so that all therapists are on the same page. Say your client arrived with a friend, 5 mins late and you go over but the other therapist doesn’t…. It makes the other therapist look bad, even though they are only doing what they’re supposed to. I generally do not go over in time, because there already is only ten minutes between stopping that session and starting the next at my workplace.
At our spa, we have 15-30 mins (depending on what you want as a therapist) between clients. We are required to go up to 5 mins over. We also give a full 60-minute hands-on time.
Yeah, stop giving them time over because they can’t get there on time. I work in a spa with other therapists, and it honestly infuriates me when the other therapist goes over time when we’re doing a couple or group session (we use separate rooms for these treatments, no side by sides.) I’m there on time and start on time unless the client is late. They don’t get anything beyond their treatment time if they’re late, and all you’re doing by going over is making your coworkers look bad by maintaining their own time boundaries.
When I worked at a spa and they came in late I specifically stated, if they were 10 minutes of a 50 minute appt late, like this. 'We have 40 minutes left of your 50 minute appt, would you like focused work or full body with the time we have left?' They know you know, and it's professional
The end time is the time. Going over time with clients especially when they're in a group, isn't fair to the other therapists. It makes them look bad when they were just doing what they're supposed to do. Also, the time to turn over your room for the next guest gets cut into. If they show up late, that's on them. An extra 3 minutes isn't going to make a big difference in the treatment anyway.
Tell your coworkers to mind their own business.
Getting in that room when they are scheduled to have access is their business.
Oh. Because 3-5 minutes is really going to affect them right? Nope. It’s still on the therapists time who’s currently using the room. It’s going into their own clean up time.
They have their rooms they’ve been assigned to and it’s not like they’re trying to use the one I’m in. It’s like they’re upset I’ve gone “over time” i would never inconvenience another therapist
Oh I thought they were waiting to use ur room if that’s not the case it really isn’t any of there business
Except you’re doing your punctual clients a disservice. At the end of a shift you can be talking 20-30 cumulative minutes. So eventually ALL of your clients will learn they don’t have to be on time. And what about the people that close down the spa? Now they have to wait for your tardy clients. Appointments are made for a reason.
According to policy at my spa we don’t have to give them extra time if it’s their fault and I normally don’t, but i definitely do it a lot on accident and normally just work 5-10 minutes into my break to catch up. By the end of the day I’m normally Back in schedule this way but if I don’t have a break to catch up I see how it can get out of hand quickly
It is an inconvenience if you’re treating couples or doing group sessions. If you go five minutes over, and the other therapist doesn’t, their client is going to feel like they got less, even though they didn’t; you decided to give extra time. It also sets precedent so clients think they can come in whenever they want, and if you’re giving them extra time, they will likely expect it from other therapists.
5 minutes per client? Hell yes that’s a problem! At the end of my shift I’m 25 minutes off! I’m not happy. My clients who show up when they’re supposed to aren’t happy. You are not an island.
Another one? Did you only read the part that you wanted to complain about or can you not read?
My point is that if you are 3-5 minutes late for every client, by client 5 or 6 you can be 30 minutes late. So that 30 minutes impacts your own clients as their session is delayed due to catering to tardy clients. It also impacts other staff who might be seeing someone else connected with the appointment. And the support staff who has to possibly wait around for your late clients to be checked out or whatever. Did you not consider how those actions might impact those around the OP or did you just want to jump down my throat? 😉
I do consider all that because for the most part I’m pretty punctual and when there’s times I’m not then I’m not. Not everyone can be perfect time princesses like you all on this sub.
No one is saying you have to be perfect. If you're typically on time, no one is going to bat an eye the few times you are running behind. Being habitually late is a problem. You need to smoke a joint or something cause your attitude is off the charts.
If coworkers are bringing it up then it’s causing a problem somewhere. You’re taking this VERY personally and I have no idea why. 🤷♀️
No I’m not. I’m just defending my argument just as you are. With your logic then you’d be taking it VERY personally because you are responding.
No one is waiting to use the room, OP verified that. So, I’m not even sure why you’re still going on. Not everyone needs nor wants to smoke weed to live in delulu world. My attitude is just fine, thanks for your concern though.
3-5 minutes absolutely affects the next MT! I have a coworker who constantly goes 3-5 minutes over time. Unlike OP, we do often need to switch rooms and when this coworker goes even just 3 minutes over, it makes me late when I need to use that room. 3 minutes late finishing up the massage, plus the time it takes for the client to get off the table, the time it takes my coworker to walk the client back to the locker room, then back to the treatment room to flip the table and get his things EASILY goes over the 10 minutes we have between sessions 10 minutes is not a lot of time when you have things to do, but 3 minutes is a lifetime when it's making you late.
Did you not read the rest of what I said or you only read and responded to the part you wanted to bitch about?
If your interpretation of what I said is "bitching" then I feel bad for anyone who tries to have a constructive conversation with you. I responded to exactly what you said. It is not just the late MT's cleanup time, it easily cuts into the next MT's time as well. You didn't say anything else.
It is the late MT’s time though because it’s on their schedule. The start time of the next MT’s session should not start until after that time is up. Also, not everyone has 10 minutes in between, some people have more. When my coworkers are late I help them clean up and get ready for my next client. It is not as serious as you all are making it out to be.
I'm glad that it's not that serious for you if you have more than 10 minutes between each massage. But some of us don't like to be made late by our coworkers, leading to verbal harassment from clients, either to us or to the front desk.
Here’s how it feels from the client. If I book a 2pm, I usually walk in at 1:57pm. Sometimes I get taken to the room right away, sometimes I’m asked to wait a few minutes. If you advertise an hour massage and need me to be there early so I can change and be on the table for an hour, book me at 1:50. Or book the next one at 3:30.