AAAAhh, just not sure about the protocol here? Well, here’s my take on this part of the business. Most licensed massage therapists who work for a spa are on somebody else’s payroll, receive an hourly wage, and, like a waiter may very much depend on tips to put food on the table for their family. But regarding folks like myself, a self-employed small business owner, what’s the proper thing to do?
Well, here’s MY answer. NO. I don’t EXPECT tips when I perform massage therapy. In the Flathead Valley, do you tip your chiropractor or physical therapist? Probaby not. I’m not your hairdresser, I’m on your health care team! Do I appreciate gratuity for my services given above and beyond the call of duty? Of course. But I do not expect my clients to pay anything over my hourly rate. Knowing this in advance, it can simplify the massage experience for the person on the table and remove any questions of “hhmm, should I have brought more money?…”. If you REALLY want to thank me for a job well done, and help other people at the same time, leave a review of my Kalispell massage therapy business on Yelp, Trip Advisor, or Facebook.
Here’s another insider tip for ya: some massage therapists in Kalispell have already factored the tip into their office fee. Sometimes these are LMT’s who moved from working at a spa to opening their own biz. In my case though, as a small biz owner I have a budget, expenses, overhead, and my office rate is simply a byproduct of my written business plan. I have a good feel for what the local rates are, what my skills cost to obtain (school, continuing ed, etc), and how much money I need to bring in each month to put food on the table for MY family. And I charge accordingly. There’s no elitist vibe, no groveling, and nothing but fairness in my approach to business. I am grateful for my clients and treat them like gold. I take good care of them, research their health concerns as necessary, and bring value to the appointment with online scheduling, evening and weekend sessions, and the most comfortable table in town.
If you’re a massage therapist reading this, you might be frowning at my tipping ideas, but consider this: If we want massage to be more accepted as mainstream health care, respected for the healers we are, and more high paying jobs available to us at hospitals, we gotta get the public away from thinking of us in the same ballpark as waiters, barbers, and cab drivers.
Now you’re armed with more info to navigate the Kalispell massage therapy waters. When your muscles are tired because you tipped over the boat and had to swim to shore, come see me. I’ll go all Ashi on ya and you’ll be ready to swim in the next Olympics! Stay tuned to my Facebook business page for current pricing updates, specials, and scheduling changes. CHEERS….
JOHNNY C.
