A proper way to do client deposit?

[Yoyotonodo]

I know deposit are frown upon and should not be asked in normal circumstances. However when the cost at risk is high (due to client no show or last min cancellation) and when you have to pay upfront cost like hotel and transportation, there must be some way to mitigate the risk to providers. What is the best way for clients to do a deposit? 

[Guest leftbench23]

First, be up front about it in your ad that you require a deposit. 

[RadioRob]

I would also be flexible with payment sources. For example, offering PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, and CashApp. Let people use whatever they’re already comfortable with. (Adding a step of making them open an account just to see you is unneeded friction.)

[+ KensingtonHomo]

10 hours ago, RadioRob said:

I would also be flexible with payment sources. For example, offering PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, and CashApp. Let people use whatever they’re already comfortable with. (Adding a step of making them open an account just to see you is unneeded friction.)

I agree with this. I'm not opening any further accounts. 

Also, the deposit should be no more than 25 percent of the rate. So, if it's $200/hour then $50. The point of the deposit is to hold the time and lock people in. 

[jtwalker]

I would start applying at local fast food joints, because you’ll need the extra income if you start putting up walls like this.

[Jamie21]

On 8/2/2022 at 8:57 PM, Yoyotonodo said:

I know deposit are frown upon and should not be asked in normal circumstances. However when the cost at risk is high (due to client no show or last min cancellation) and when you have to pay upfront cost like hotel and transportation, there must be some way to mitigate the risk to providers. What is the best way for clients to do a deposit? 

Generally clients won’t want to pay deposits, that’s my experience. So I don’t do them. Only if a client has booked a 4 hands and they’re not a regular client will I consider a deposit (if I get signals that they’re a bit flaky). Setting up a 4 hands is complicated and if the client doesn’t show up it’s wasting 2 masseur’s time. 

 

[Jarrod_Uncut]

On 8/4/2022 at 3:04 AM, Jamie21 said:

Generally clients won’t want to pay deposits, that’s my experience. So I don’t do them. Only if a client has booked a 4 hands and they’re not a regular client will I consider a deposit (if I get signals that they’re a bit flaky). Setting up a 4 hands is complicated and if the client doesn’t show up it’s wasting 2 masseur’s time. 

 

This has been discussed before:

Clients will pay deposits, but a person just has to have a good rapport built up, or some sort of existence outside of the usual sites. Before I had my own website, I was passing out business cards and had it as my iMessage avatar.
 

I mainly only see clients with deposits. I know some people don’t want or like to but, the times I didn’t I regretted it.

I’ve even had previously flaked clients send a deposit once they realize I’m not with the BS. Every so often I have to reschedule, but I always use it towards the following meet unless an extended amount of time goes by.

Some may be fine by no deposits, but understand some escorts really won’t work without one. There’s plenty who do. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Jarrod_Uncut

[Yukon21]

Not sure how many clients no show a provider.  I have personally never done that nor would I.  But what about the provider that no shows on the client?  Ive had that happen too often.  If the provider no shows whats the chance of getting the deposit back?  Lots of talk here about clients being the villan but for me its been the provider.

Edited August 6, 2022 by Yukon21

[Jamie21]

1 hour ago, Yukon21 said:

Not sure how many clients no show a provider.  I have personally never done that nor would I.  But what about the provider that no shows on the client?  Ive had that happen too often.  If the provider no shows whats the chance of getting the deposit back?  Lots of talk here about clients being the villan but for me its been the provider.

In the past few years I’ve seen over 600 clients, I can recall about 4 that no showed. It’s very rare, and in my view not worth the disincentive that a deposit will provide to potential clients to apply a deposit policy. If my experience of no shows was worse then I’d consider it.

I have occasionally (around 3 times) asked for a deposit if the booking is involving a lot of travel for me or if I have experience that the client is flaky. 

As for providers not showing up, you’ll get that if you engage amateur providers. 

[Jarrod_Uncut]

5 hours ago, Jamie21 said:

In the past few years I’ve seen over 600 clients, I can recall about 4 that no showed. It’s very rare, and in my view not worth the disincentive that a deposit will provide to potential clients to apply a deposit policy. If my experience of no shows was worse then I’d consider it.

I have occasionally (around 3 times) asked for a deposit if the booking is involving a lot of travel for me or if I have experience that the client is flaky. 

As for providers not showing up, you’ll get that if you engage amateur providers. 

Okay, fair enough. However, I think whenever you bring that up, you have to add “but I’m in London where it’s less conservative and not under the same stigmatic laws as the U.S.” Once you say that, then it’s right away a different dynamic. 
 

I wouldn’t have numbers to give, but I’d say atleast 1 or 2 inquiries every week that don’t follow thru. The number was higher before I started doing deposits. It may not always be a flat out no show but, especially when you add Covid and monkey pox to the mix, it really requires having something more dependable. 
 

Also I have to travel for majority of my bookings, because my area is mostly devoid of clients. I’m not going to drive 1-4 hours away, and get a hotel without a deposit. I used to be able to do that, but so many are full of shit nowadays, I had to adapt the best I could.

 

 

[BtmBearDad]

Deposits trigger a lot of hobbyists, so tread lightly! 😂

I don’t think it’s entirely unreasonable for a provider to request a nominal deposit from new clients or from clients who have been no shows or canceled at the last minute previously. I agree with @KensingtonHomo that the deposit should be no more than 25% of the agreed fee for the session. There will be a subset of hobbyists who will balk at any mention of deposit, who don’t want to leave any paper or electronic trail to this hobby. Be upfront about requiring a deposit in your ad. As I said, I think it’s fine for new clients, but I don’t think existing  clients should be subject to sending a deposit. 

As far as your mention of expenses - those expenses, (travel costs, hotel costs), should already be built into your hourly rate. The deposit is really just to separate the wheat from the chaff, the flakes from the serious. 
 

Good luck! 
BBD 

PS: you may want to consider posting your ad in your signature on here - you may be exactly what some gents on here are looking for 👍🏻

[Jamie21]

48 minutes ago, Jarrod_Uncut said:

Okay, fair enough. However, I think whenever you bring that up, you have to add “but I’m in London where it’s less conservative and not under the same stigmatic laws as the U.S.” Once you say that, then it’s right away a different dynamic. 
 

I wouldn’t have numbers to give, but I’d say atleast 1 or 2 inquiries every week that don’t follow thru. The number was higher before I started doing deposits. It may not always be a flat out no show but, especially when you add Covid and monkey pox to the mix, it really requires having something more dependable. 
 

Also I have to travel for majority of my bookings, because my area is mostly devoid of clients. I’m not going to drive 1-4 hours away, and get a hotel without a deposit. I used to be able to do that, but so many are full of shit nowadays, I had to adapt the best I could.

 

 

Yes I guess that’s true. London market is different. But I do get a lot of enquiries that don’t follow through. People saying “I’ll book next month” and “I’m thinking about it”. I’m not charging deposits to enter into a discussion with me. I’m fine to talk about the session with potential clients as long as it doesn’t become protracted or turn into a sex chat line service. Often they just want reassurance about coming because they’re nervous and inexperienced so it’s not a problem to me to help those guys. 

[Jarrod_Uncut]

15 hours ago, Jamie21 said:

Yes I guess that’s true. London market is different. But I do get a lot of enquiries that don’t follow through. People saying “I’ll book next month” and “I’m thinking about it”. I’m not charging deposits to enter into a discussion with me. I’m fine to talk about the session with potential clients as long as it doesn’t become protracted or turn into a sex chat line service. Often they just want reassurance about coming because they’re nervous and inexperienced so it’s not a problem to me to help those guys. 

I was talking to someone today who said, “I almost hired an escort, but then I changed my mind because I thought he could be a cop”. 
 

I understand it, but it goes to show how shitty and backwards America is. Things here are still being criminalized, that aren’t in other countries. It’s similar to how Americans are feeling the unfair prosecution of the Olympian girl in Russia is. Yes it’s horrid. But for years, America has and still does horrid things to its citizens as well.

I know that’s a leap of a comparison but, one thing affects the rest. Maybe deposits wouldn’t be necessary…but not taking them doesn’t make things any easier 

[Jarrod_Uncut]

On 8/6/2022 at 5:52 AM, Yukon21 said:

Not sure how many clients no show a provider.  I have personally never done that nor would I.  But what about the provider that no shows on the client?  Ive had that happen too often.  If the provider no shows whats the chance of getting the deposit back?  Lots of talk here about clients being the villan but for me its been the provider.

Do the math and all your answers will be revealed.

How many times does a client contact escorts per week? Per month? Per year?

Now, how many times does an escort get contacted by clients per week? Per month? Per year?

Right now, I’m going thru my phone sending cancellation fee requests (requested sessions for specific times and didn’t bother to follow thru or follow my booking instructions, thus wasting my time and not paying accordingly) who contacted me in the past few days, and it hasn’t even been a week.
 

So far, about 5. That should explain it all. So don’t it’s irrelevant to talk about how other providers don’t show up. When in fact we’re dealing with timewasters on practically a daily basis.

Edited August 8, 2022 by Jarrod_Uncut

[CalTec]

Apologies if this has been touched on already but has anyone explored the option of selling premium Snap subscriptions? Not Onlyfans, Snap.  Essentially getting a "deposit" and keeping the account PG.  Depending on how open the provider is to showing themselves on social, this could be a way to engage with new/existing clients while securing a deposit of sorts, rebilling monthly.  So instead of asking upfront for a deposit, the premium Snap sub gets the provider $ while also engaging with these clients.  No endless 1-on-1 DM's, direct to audience engagement.  If they opt for the sub, that amount can go towards the session.  If not, money stays in your pocket. Ideally crypto in the event a client tries to dispute a charge (depends on how you take payment).

As @Jamie21 mentioned, I would be careful to jump to deposit talk with an inexperienced/nervous client genuinely inquiring about a session. The clients that continue unnecessary chat (sex line) would be a prime candidate, imo, for a deposit talk.