The practice-goals polls - table hours per week

[moogie]

So in other words....it's a job like any other. Should be expected.

One piece of advise I'm going to give you is this: treat your employees as if they were your most important asset because they are. Clients like knowing that they can return to your spa and see their favorite therapist and not have to have someone new every time.

While it's true that you can demand that your therapists do X number of massages a day and they have to either do it or find a new job, wouldn't you rather have happy, healthy employees doing the number of massages they are comfortable with?? Most therapists can do too many massages for a short period of time and be ok but if asked to do so for over the long-haul they will either injure themselves or burnout.

Honor your therapists and treat them well and they will help you grow a successful business.

Angie

[oil-man]

That sounds fair. I suppose having 3-4 part time therapist instead of 2 full time would be better for everyone.

[fudja / aka Greatlakes]

That sounds fair. I suppose having 3-4 part time therapist instead of 2 full time would be better for everyone.

Keep in mind full time for an MT isnt 40 hours of hands on work. Full time for an MT is generally considered to be at least 17 hours of massage a week. But personally, I consider full time to be more like 20 to 25 hours of hands on a week.

[Looking4Spas]

I'm still building my business with a goal of 20-25 hrs per week. Currently I am doing 10 hrs per week. I find on days that I've done 6 hours that it takes a toll on me.

[Convoluted]

I voted 6 - 10 because I am doing mobile massage only right now. So even though it's only 6 - 10 table hours, it's actually 12- 20 hours (or more) for set up & drive time. I am not looking to anything more than that for the time being.

[JLWmassage]

my goal is 20 - 25 a week all the time. So I can buy my SAAB 9-5

[Timedess]

Although I am not taking any appointments right now, I voted how many we are aiming for for hubby to do weekly. Basically, 4 sessions/day 5 days/week, to 5/day 4 days/week. Many of his sessions end up being 90 minutes, though, so I'm thinking *at least* 20 hours/week. And that, including the occasional chair massage as well. Those hours really can add up fast!

Once he is as busy as he wants to be/can get, we'll work on getting me as busy as I want to be ... which will probably be less than him- I'm going to have another little one, in addition to all the rest of the family, PLUS the actual running of the business (paperwork, appointments, laundry, etc.).

[Gaspen]

I voted for 16-20. I've a habit of over-working and not receiving any bodywork myself. We have a very good rate. I work 5 days a week and end up doing mostly 90s but do very little full-body relaxation. I work in a clinic with 7 other therapists in a major city with good traffic even in this economy. Would I like to have more table time? Sometimes, especially when it's slow (I'm still trying to build a private client base), but things in general are going well.

[TouchofGrace]

I voted for 16-20. I've a habit of over-working and not receiving any bodywork myself. We have a very good rate. I work 5 days a week and end up doing mostly 90s but do very little full-body relaxation. I work in a clinic with 7 other therapists in a major city with good traffic even in this economy. Would I like to have more table time? Sometimes, especially when it's slow (I'm still trying to build a private client base), but things in general are going well.

I voted for 16-20 as well cuz like you, I have a tendency to overbook. I usually do get my own massage every week though. I only skipped last week, I promise. lol

[tranquilspirit2006]

Along these lines - the shop owner and I have on ongoing (friendly) argument about table hours per week. I would be happy with 4 table hours a day, 5 days a week. She says that's not very ambitious. But she sometimes does 7 a day, several days a week and it's really taken a toll on her body. For me, I'd rather limit what I do per day and be able to do massage for as long as I can. And I think that's more ambitious than having to find another job in a few years because I've burned my body out doing massage.

She says people rarely do massage for very long (she's been doing it for 8 years) because of the toll it takes on the body. Let me say here, she does love what she does. But when I say "I met so-&-so and they've been doing massage for 20 years!" she says yeah, but how many do they do a day? Personally, I don't think it should be a goal to do 7 a day and limit the years you can do it. I'd rather be in it for the long haul and I think that's more ambitious than killing myself doing too many now.

[Roxanne]

Right on tranquilspirit! This is a physical job, we have to continue to put our bodies into consideration here. My goal is to do 10 per week but am finding that to be a real challenge in this economy right now considering the circumstances my hubby and I are in. I'd rather go slow & easy in this line of work than run into it full force and then injure myself over and over. I've been there!

I've been a therapist for over 4 years now and have been asked many times how many massages I do a week. I'm always going back to how I'd prefer to do a smaller number of massages and remain in the career I love than burn out quick and then hardly ever be able to massage at all! This is such a simple concept, ha ha. Every persons body is different but we all have our limits.

I've been injured and it sure as heck is no fun. There's nothing worse than having to give a left handed full body massage, been there, would prefer not to have to be in that situation ever again. I've seen therapists down way too many pills just to get through the day and others work with ice strapped to their body just to help the pain so I know we are a self sacrificing (can be) group of people. We have to take care of ourselves (talking to myself here too) because no one else will!

Consider yourself lucky if you ever end up with a boss that will treat you fairly and not want you to get injured, they are few and far between... That's why I think far too many of us would rather go do outcalls and just keep it simple between us and the client, no middle man who wants all our hard earned cash.... Again, you're lucky, reallll lucky if you have a boss looking out for you, it's way too rare these days from all I've experienced myself and heard from other therapists.

[tranquilspirit2006]

Roxanne, we are in total agreement. But I want to clarify, I am so happy working where I am, with the shop owner. Like I said, it's an ongoing friendly 'argument' - or maybe discussion is a better word - among the MTs in the shop. I went to HS with her, we've known each other since we were 12. She's a single mom trying to make as much money as she can and I have the luxury of having a husband who has a decent income and supports me fully in my massage business even when things are slow. So I know that also colors how we look at business right now. Plus, she's got all the overhead of the shop. I'm an IC, the contracts are totally fair, the 4 of us in the shop are like family, right up to picking up each other's kids in a pinch or helping one another move. We're allowed to work on family members for free, set our own hours and days, decide how many massages we want to do. I've been there since I got out of school (she offered me a room while I was still in school), going on 4 years now. When the economy got so slow and she was talking about closing the shop, we begged her to wait it out and redoubled our already considerable efforts into marketing.

I could go on but I didn't intend this to turn into a dissertation, lol. Just didn't want to make it sound like she's not good to work with. It's just one of those points we're going to go on friendly-arguing about because we like to argue with each other.

[Convoluted]

I voted 6 - 10 because I am doing mobile massage only right now. So even though it's only 6 - 10 table hours, it's actually 12- 20 hours (or more) for set up & drive time. I am not looking to anything more than that for the time being.

It's now almost 3 years later since I answered this question.

Now my goal is 12-18 hours per week. I do not do outcalls anymore. I rent a room from a chiropractor and love it there. I did work at a couple of the local franchises and for quite a while I did 21-28 hours per week. Granted those were "50-minute" sessions instead of the full hour. I found that doing the 20-plus massages week after week was too much for me.

[petedose]

On this topic I'm wondering, I do massage part-time. There may be a day that I don't have any apts this may be a silly question but do any of you stay at your clinic or office if you don't have any clients for the limited time you are there? Should a person stay?
I feel quilty for not staying Thanks for your input.

[JLWmassage]

On this topic I'm wondering, I do massage part-time. There may be a day that I don't have any apts this may be a silly question but do any of you stay at your clinic or office if you don't have any clients for the limited time you are there? Should a person stay?
I feel quilty for not staying Thanks for your input.

I work for myself and I am by appt. only. I don't hang around my office if I don't have a client

[tranquilspirit2006]

I'm an IC at a shop and while we sign a contract stating what days and hours we want to work, it's all very flexible. There are occasionally days when I have no one scheduled and I'll mark myself out for an hour or two, to run errands or do things that I need to do. Back when I was so sick before my surgery, I would go into my room and take a nap on my table! There are rare days when I don't ever have an appointment but not too often. We'll take turns leaving early on slow days and sometimes will just close early and everyone gets to go home. While this may result in the occasional loss of a walk-in or last minute appt, it doesn't seem to have affected the overall income of the shop. Pretty much, we have our regulars and if they don't get an appt that day, they'll leave a message and get one the next.

[holley]

Goal to give @ 4-5 hrs/wk., to receive, two hrs/wk.
Goal for chair massage is to do as many peolple as I can, whenever I can (usually 5 min ea-at UU fellowship this past Sun did 20).

[renauddv]

I voted 11-15 as my "goal" per the question. Actually right now it's more like 9-11 on average, but would like 15.

Darren

[Convoluted]

On this topic I'm wondering, I do massage part-time. There may be a day that I don't have any apts this may be a silly question but do any of you stay at your clinic or office if you don't have any clients for the limited time you are there? Should a person stay?
I feel quilty for not staying Thanks for your input.

I usually don't stay, but I then go "on-call" during my scheduled hours. I live just a little over a mile away and can walk there in 15 minutes or drive even quicker. The office manager/repceptionist is great about calling me in.

[massagechick]

I voted for 16-20 a week. My ideal is 4 a day 4 days a week with 3 days off in a row. Right now it is sporadic with some weeks busy and other weeks slow. I just want them to become consistently steady.

[DRRX2009]

I voted 16-20, but I feel as if I'd like to build up to that within five years, and then taper off as I advance. I also plan on getting my esthetics license to be versatile. Hopefully I will be able to incorporate both to stay occupied and interested.

[Convoluted]

I voted 6 - 10 because I am doing mobile massage only right now. So even though it's only 6 - 10 table hours, it's actually 12- 20 hours (or more) for set up & drive time. I am not looking to anything more than that for the time being.

It's now almost 3 years later since I answered this question.

Now my goal is 12-18 hours per week. I do not do outcalls anymore. I rent a room from a chiropractor and love it there. I did work at a couple of the local franchises and for quite a while I did 21-28 hours per week. Granted those were "50-minute" sessions instead of the full hour. I found that doing the 20-plus massages week after week was too much for me.

My goals have changed again. Now It's in the 20-25 hours of massage a week goal. Reality is mostly 17-22 and it does average to 20 per week. A couple times I have done 24 & 25 hrs.