I am currently in school and I do not agree with previous comment. Looking from business prospective, business might loose clients overall if the client is not satisfied. A lot of clients have preferences.
Simple Question by the receptioninst on the call" Do you have male of female preference" is totally acceptable. And I am male myself. First if the business hired you it is based on the arrangements they hired you: if it is based on the commission where you are renting a room, why don't you get some marketing going, and while you waiting not working on clients and you have walkins at the place - get them in, market yourself. If you are hired hourly then it is business owner need to get you clients. They should market you as well.
It is all up to front desk person on the phone too how they market you. If they have client for a deep tissue and they most likely dont have preference, I would say they should give it to male therapist to fill your spots. It is always easier to get clients for female therapist.
In the school clinic we had a client whose wife made appointment and did not specify the preference of female. I was assigned to him. He did not say anything, however after massage when he filled out feedback form he noted that he was hossitated to have male therapist work on him, but after massage he loved it, He got what he wanted the firm pressure and great massage.
Do you think he has a preference now. It is a stereotype you have to break in the clients. You have to work on it, your employee has to work on it and the front desk person has to sell it. Good Luck.
Jan 19, 2010 Rating
informing clients by: Howard
I don't believe that there is a "proper protocol" for informing clients--the spa sets their own policy, then trains the front desk person accordingly.
At one massage & spa center that I worked, they didn't have a policy on that at all when I started working there. After I overheard the front desk person ask a potential client on the phone "Would you prefer a male or a female?", I knew that I had to speak with the owner of the spa. Being a female, she didn't completely understand the impact of that question on the amount of work her male therapists would get. So I explained to her that, from my experience, two-thirds of the population prefer or are more comfortable with a female therapist, when given a choice. However, a small percentage of those people who choose a female actually WOULD take a male therapist if they're NOT given a choice. But when the choice is presented, it will only take appointments away from the male therapists.
After discussing that information with the owner, she realized why the male therapists didn't last long working there (they were never busy enough). So she decided that the front desk person would not ask that question, but only state the therapist's name when making the appointment. For example, "Yes, we have an appointment available at 4PM with John." If the client prefers a female therapist, they will state that preference then (or they'll coyly ask for another time and hope to hear a female's name).
The only glitch in that plan is for female therapists who have names like Pat, Andee, etc. In those cases, the front desk would clarify it when telling the client, e.g., "...with Patricia, who goes by Pat." or "...with Andrea, who goes by Andee." so those female therapists don't lose appointments, too.
