What's everyone's experiences with "Available Now" masseurs?

[NoahMathews89]

Most of the time (in my exp) they are not "Available Now" as the sign on their profile indicates. 

[LookingAround]

I view it as meaningless. 

[jmichaeliii]

Just now, LookingAround said:

I view it as meaningless. 

I do too.  I always schedule by appointment in advance.

[rickx]

Never has one been available.  The best was a provider was ready in 4 hours.

[+ WestGuy]

Only twice just my experience. And “now” is subjective because of travel to masseur, his need to get ready, etc. Least amount of time between my outreach and getting on his massage table has been an hour to 90 minutes. Most times the masseur says he is not available “now” or any reasonable time post-“now”.

[Jack Vernon]

It's only as reliable as the provider.  If he's prompt and responsive, it can be super helpful but if he's a flake all bets are off.  I've found that if they show as "available" but are slow to respond to a message (or don't respond at all) its a useful red flag.

[Peter Eater]

Mostly the “available now” sign seems to be something activated when a provider sets up an ad — and then is just left on for good. 

[MtnVwGuy]

I assume it means “awake and checking the site.”

[+ Nyctravelers]

I have found that in maybe, 25 percent of the times, I can set up an appointment with an available now provider within 2 hours. 

[Romantiquest]

I see it as an "online and checking messages" alert rather than available now. I get responses faster from people who are "available now" which is the only thing I find it useful for. 

[+ db66]

Another vote for it meaning “available to communicate with you now”, not necessarily ready willing and able to take an appointment right away. 

[Simon Suraci]

On 8/5/2024 at 12:41 PM, db66 said:

Another vote for it meaning “available to communicate with you now”, not necessarily ready willing and able to take an appointment right away. 

^ +1

I use the “Available Now” feature judiciously.

Sometimes I have between 1-3 hours between clients which is not enough time to flag Available Now, have the client see it, reach out, confirm a booking, and then have the client travel to me, and complete the appointment, and maintain a 30 min gap between clients, all before my next client arrives. Sometimes yes this scenario happens to work out smoothly if all works perfectly within that timeframe where the client sees Available Now right when I flag, and not 55 mins after I flag.

So…sometimes Available Now means available to respond to questions, make appointments (and to deal with constant client bs, but that’s another thread). Sometimes it means Available Now to start working asap if you contact me shortly after I flag it, but if you wait too long the window closes.

Other times it means truly that I have nothing going on for several hours and I’m ready to work asap. Which means I’m not sitting around. I’m going to the gym or running an errand to make the most of my time when I’m not actively seeing clients. So maybe it takes me 30 mins or longer to complete my workout, shower, or drive back from a store or something. I think that’s pretty reasonable.

There is no way to tell what’s happening with your provider at that particular time you text after seeing Available Now. There is only one flag for us to use…so we use it. You can’t get mad at us for using our free time in other ways than simply staring at our phones, unblinking, waiting for it to buzz after we flag Available Now. We have things to do.

It’s impossible to guarantee that someone will be available immediately after you see the flag and text. You might have an initial delay from a guy who legitimately is available, but perhaps he is on the phone when you text, or in the middle of a task he can’t pause immediately, he’s in the shower, or what have you. It may take a short time before we see the text. Other times we see your message right away and respond.

Client 1 sees Available Now, texts me, and books an appointment for some short time later, maybe 30 mins or an hour from the time they text. So far, the Available Now feature is working as intended. Sometimes only a few minutes later client 2 (who also saw Available Now flagged) texts requesting an appointment. I tell client 2 yes I can do X time later (in order to go after client 1 who is already on the way). That X time might be two hours or more later from the time client 2 is initially texting.

Client 1 thinks I’m waiting around for him to show up whenever he goddamn feels like it, because after all, I am “Available Now”, indefinitely as far as he is concerned. So he shows up half an hour later than he said he would, which makes it that much more difficult for me to confidently set a time for client 2, so I pad half an hour to avoid potential conflict from client 1 taking his sweet time arriving late. Uncertainty around floating client arrival times is certainly part of the equation.

 

[BaronArtz]

The guy I see regularly says he does list 'available now' as a tool to improve the visibility of his profile.

In other words, it means close to nothing.

I don't really expect anyone to be available now.  If I wanted that, I would just go to a massage parlor, of which there are many in NYC.  But even there, there could be a wait before someone is available.

 

 

Edited August 7, 2024 by BaronArtz

[+ JamesB]

In theory, "available now" should mean that the provider is active and ready to respond to questions and book appointments. In reality, it means nothing. Most providers use it just to gain visibility. I've noticed several local guys who are marked as "available now" 24/7, which is obviously not possible.

[Swazca]

Definitely not available.  Countless times I’ve inquired and been hit with, “I can be ready in 2-3 hours, can you wait?”  

[jeezifonly]

Sometimes included in the search for  _available now_  there will be couple (or more) providers with Not Available in red.

Or they’re in Dubai. 

It’s a feature for providers, not for clients. 

I’m an 24-48 hr notice client, anyway. 

[Lohengrin1979]

4 minutes ago, Swazca said:

Definitely not available.  Countless times I’ve inquired and been hit with, “I can be ready in 2-3 hours, can you wait?”  

Being available to see you in two hours sounds like “available now” to me.

[Aa11aa]

I find that if I am looking for something really short notice I’ll contact the guys that say Online Now and I’ve almost always been successful that way. As others have said, available now is meaningless unless it’s someone I’ve seen before I usually disregard it 

[Swazca]

On 8/7/2024 at 12:25 PM, Lohengrin1979 said:

Being available to see you in two hours sounds like “available now” to me.

Oh, I see we have a new definition of 'available now.' Apparently, it now means 'I’ll be ready in a few hours, just hang tight!' Newsflash: 'available now' isn’t some nebulous concept open to creative interpretation. It means *now*—as in this exact moment. If you think waiting two hours counts as being 'available now,' I’d hate to see what 'immediate' looks like in your world. Maybe next time, brush up on your understanding of basic time concepts before trying to redefine them.

[+ Jamie21]

I’m never available now. The best is 2 hours notice. I’m not hanging around all day on the off chance someone might want a massage…I’ve got stuff to do!! Also, it’s likely that those 11pm at night ‘are you available now?’ type of clients are usually difficult.

I turn down 3 or 4 requests a week from clients looking for very short notice bookings. Yesterday someone asked if I was available now at 11pm. I was in bed ready to sleep…so I said ‘no sorry but I can do tomorrow afternoon’. He said he’d contact me today to confirm, but without making any booking.

Today he messaged at 2pm to ask what time I was free. As I’d not heard anything from him I’d made other plans and told him sorry I was now busy. He said ‘but you said you were available’.  Well yes, I was yesterday but as I didn’t hear from you I made other plans. Had he booked last night or even this morning I’d have been available. 

 

 

[+ glutes]

On 8/7/2024 at 11:55 AM, JamesB said:

In theory, "available now" should mean that the provider is active and ready to respond to questions and book appointments. In reality, it means nothing. Most providers use it just to gain visibility. 

It means more marketing BS.

[Lotus-eater]

President Clinton: "It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is. If the – if he – if "is" means is and never has been that is not – that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement."

[Lohengrin1979]

11 hours ago, Swazca said:

Oh, I see we have a new definition of 'available now.' Apparently, it now means 'I’ll be ready in a few hours, just hang tight!' Newsflash: 'available now' isn’t some nebulous concept open to creative interpretation. It means *now*—as in this exact moment. If you think waiting two hours counts as being 'available now,' I’d hate to see what 'immediate' looks like in your world. Maybe next time, brush up on your understanding of basic time concepts before trying to redefine them.

Or maybe you need to sit your entitled self down. Next time you respond to me, do it with courtesy and choose your words more wisely. If a provider can be at your door two hours after contacting them, that’s immediate. They aren’t DoorDash and many providers have told you on this thread why it doesn’t mean “thirty minutes and go.”

Get a grip and learn to read before you come at someone like that again, especially me.

Edited August 12, 2024 by Lohengrin1979

[ReynST]

"Available Now" is a status indicator that can be set for up to 6 hours. Not a single person in the world is waiting for that period of time with no other occupation for someone to request a session. Especially considering that client inquiry may not happen. 

Someone might post as available now, but after 30 minutes decide to go to the gym, go shopping or take their dog for a walk. They can be available shortly but they obviously will not be available in the next 10 minutes for  the entire time.

Therefore, please consider it to mean they can accommodate a session within the next few hours. Or that they have available spots that day. 

 

Edited August 12, 2024 by ReynST

[Swazca]

16 hours ago, Lohengrin1979 said:

Or maybe you need to sit your entitled self down. Next time you respond to me, do it with courtesy and choose your words more wisely. If a provider can be at your door two hours after contacting them, that’s immediate. They aren’t DoorDash and many providers have told you on this thread why it doesn’t mean “thirty minutes and go.”

Get a grip and learn to read before you come at someone like that again, especially me.

Oh, I see you’re trying to school me on courtesy while simultaneously throwing your own entitlement around. Hilarious. Let’s get one thing straight: 'available now' means right now—not in two hours, not after a nap, not whenever it’s convenient for you or the service provider. If you think that’s 'immediate,' you might want to revisit the concept of time because you’re clearly out of touch.

And as for your little attempt to lecture me on service standards, spare me. I know providers aren’t DoorDash, but thanks for stating the obvious. The fact that you’re so quick to settle for whatever crumbs you’re given says more about you than it does about me.

So before you come at me with that weak attempt at a clapback, do yourself a favor: sit down, rethink your definition of 'courtesy,' and maybe realize that not everyone is willing to accept mediocrity. If you can’t handle a direct response, don’t dish it out. You came for me, and now you’re getting exactly what you asked for.