Clients don’t know their schedule?!

[Ethan Woods]

I am a masseur and just trying to figure out why clients constantly attempt to defer to my schedule or availability?

Example: client inquires about rates, I provide rates, I ask when the client is looking for a session, client says something vague like “I’m flexible”.

But I’M supposed to be the flexible one, as the person providing the service am I not meant to be available when needed? Is it not professional for me to adapt my schedule to my clients, and not the other way around? Please help me understand why clients can’t tell me what/when they want service, or assume that being paid to see them is such a hassle or burden. 

Edited November 20, 2024 by Ethan Woods

[BuffaloKyle]

If a client says I'm flexible that'd be a good thing. Seems like it'd be much easier then to quickly weed out a flake. I'd respond simply back great how does tomorrow afternoon/evening work for you? If they say it doesn't work then ball is in their court to make a set time.

[marylander1940]

3 hours ago, Ethan Woods said:

I am a masseur and just trying to figure out why clients constantly attempt to defer to my schedule or availability?

Example: client inquires about rates, I provide rates, I ask when the client is looking for a session, client says something vague like “I’m flexible”.

But I’M supposed to be the flexible one, as the person providing the service am I not meant to be available when needed? Is it not professional for me to adapt my schedule to my clients, and not the other way around? Please help me understand why clients can’t tell me what/when they want service, or assume that being paid to see them is such a hassle or burden. 

I think they're just trying to be polite. You can just ask back: "when are you available, just tell me!'

Where are you based? In some big cities you're less likely to run into people being vague.

[+ Jamie21]

Ha ha yes this happens. I just ask them when they’d like. They need to commit to it. I find the vague ones tend to be flaky. 
Worse is the client who at last minute wants a specific time. A recent example:

Client: hi are you free this afternoon?

Me: yes I can do 3:30 to 6. Does that work? 

Client: nothing earlier?

me: around 1pm?

Client: I can’t do that early…

Me: 🫠

I mean why didn’t he just ask for 2pm or so??? 

 

 

[Thelatin]

5 hours ago, Ethan Woods said:

Please help me understand why clients can’t tell me what/when they want service, or assume that being paid to see them is such a hassle or burden. 

Because some of us have to rearrange schedules and or travel to get from suburban areas etc.  If it’s not convenient for both parties involved, and the client just worked all week, drove 2 hours to get to the city, booked a room etc.  You don’t want to see a provider that doesn’t understand that it took you some effort to show up.

I think it’s why I prefer to buy them an early dinner first.  It relaxes the process. 

 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

If they're truly flexible, you can then throw out various dates and expect them to pick one that works best.

I don't see the issue here.

[pubic_assistance]

7 hours ago, Ethan Woods said:

I am a masseur and just trying to figure out why clients constantly attempt to defer to my schedule or availability?

I do it to be polite.

I assume that some providers have a day-job...and other appointments already booked..

[Ethan Woods]

1 hour ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

If they're truly flexible, you can then throw out various dates and expect them to pick one that works best.

I don't see the issue here.

the issue is that I asked an open-ended question on purpose and they deflected. it’s THEIR appointment, that THEY should set according to THEIR preference. 

Would you call up a restaurant looking for a reservation “anytime” or do you throw out some options since you’re the customer?

[Ethan Woods]

18 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

I do it to be polite.

I assume that some providers have a day-job...and other appointments already booked..

but you’re the client/customer; shouldn’t we defer to your schedule? why not throw out some options? why assume they’re booked if they’re responding to your messages promptly?

Edited November 21, 2024 by Ethan Woods

[Ethan Woods]

2 hours ago, Jamie21 said:

Ha ha yes this happens. I just ask them when they’d like. They need to commit to it. I find the vague ones tend to be flaky. 
Worse is the client who at last minute wants a specific time. A recent example:

Client: hi are you free this afternoon?

Me: yes I can do 3:30 to 6. Does that work? 

Client: nothing earlier?

me: around 1pm?

Client: I can’t do that early…

Me: 🫠

I mean why didn’t he just ask for 2pm or so??? 

 

 

I think we’re talking to the same clients 🤣

[pubic_assistance]

2 minutes ago, Ethan Woods said:

but you’re the client/customer; shouldn’t we defer to your schedule?

You're also not a restaurant with 50 tables.

I do give a general range that I am interested in. I agree it might feel strange to have no guidance on dates/times.

 

[Ethan Woods]

1 minute ago, pubic_assistance said:

You're also not a restaurant with 50 tables.

You don’t know what I am 😆

[pubic_assistance]

In that case...can I get a side of fries with my blow job ?

 

[+ JamesB]

I don’t get it. When I hire someone, my process is straightforward: after agreeing on the services and rate, I ask, "Are you available [day] at [time] for [length of service]?" If the answer is yes, we have a deal. If not, I work with them to find a date and time that suits us both. Am I the only one who handles it this way?

[ShortCutie7]

1 hour ago, JamesB said:

I don’t get it. When I hire someone, my process is straightforward: after agreeing on the services and rate, I ask, "Are you available [day] at [time] for [length of service]?" If the answer is yes, we have a deal. If not, I work with them to find a date and time that suits us both. Am I the only one who handles it this way?

You’re not alone; I have a very limited schedule, so once I know when I will be available for an encounter, I ask the provider if he is available at that date/time.  If I had the flexibility of the clients this thread is talking about, I would probably make a few suggestions and have the provider choose the one that works best for him, but just saying “whenever” leads to an endless exchange.

[Guest]

Most ppl are full of shit and have bad time management skills. ANY time they suggest for an appt would just be a guess; they have no idea if they will actually be able to make the appt. So......some clients simply agree to a time the provider offers and cancel or no call/no show if they run into traffic or remember that they double-booked.

TL;DR: ppl are kinda dumb. If someone doesn't know what time they can meet, they are probably a flake anyway 

[pubic_assistance]

8 hours ago, JamesB said:

I ask, "Are you available [day] at [time] for [length of service]?" If the answer is yes, we have a deal. If not, I work with them to find a date and time that suits us both. Am I the only one who handles it this

"If" ...is the key word in this negotiation.

I avoid this initial back and forth and I avoid coming off as being demanding by asking their general availability and giving MY general availability first. This narrows the possibilities but immediately allowing for an understanding of the range instead of picking one very specific date and time and throwing darts at the board while blind.

[soloyo215]

19 hours ago, Ethan Woods said:

I am a masseur and just trying to figure out why clients constantly attempt to defer to my schedule or availability?

Example: client inquires about rates, I provide rates, I ask when the client is looking for a session, client says something vague like “I’m flexible”.

But I’M supposed to be the flexible one, as the person providing the service am I not meant to be available when needed? Is it not professional for me to adapt my schedule to my clients, and not the other way around? Please help me understand why clients can’t tell me what/when they want service, or assume that being paid to see them is such a hassle or burden. 

I think that's supposed to be good for you. You have the opportunity of choosing when to see a client at your convenience. Furthermore, I have used the "I'm flexible" line to flirt, meaning that (although I know it's a massage), it can be used to your advantage. I recommend not to see/treat it as a bad thing. you have the upper hand that can help you with your scheduling clients. I fail to see anything wrong with saying "I can see you at this or that time". I know some clients are a pain and then might say "I can't at those times", but that's just how people behave nowadays.

[+ JamesB]

3 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

I avoid this initial back and forth and I avoid coming off as being demanding by asking their general availability and giving MY general availability first. This narrows the possibilities but immediately allowing for an understanding of the range instead of picking one very specific date and time and throwing darts at the board while blind.

 

I don’t think requesting availability for a specific day and time comes off as demanding, but to each their own. In my experience, giving people too many options often leads to endless back-and-forth rather than a quick resolution. This gets even more frustrating with some providers who have the attention span of a chipmunk and take hours to respond to each message.

[panpanda]

I'm a client and I think it's bad practice in general without letting the provider know when I have the availability to reduce any back and forth. When I try to schedule with a provider, I give a general timeframe of when I'm looking to book. If the provider is available, great. If not, not a problem.

If there is a need for further discussion with flexibility, that should be discussed later after the initial timeframe doesn't work.

[SometimesBi]

Suppose the client is a married man, who isn't quite sure when he can discreetly get away from her for a couple hours (or might not get the opportunity until just a couple hours beforehand). How would you recommend a client set up such an appointment? 

[TallMuscl37]

53 minutes ago, SometimesBi said:

Suppose the client is a married man, who isn't quite sure when he can discreetly get away from her for a couple hours (or might not get the opportunity until just a couple hours beforehand). How would you recommend a client set up such an appointment? 

This is (part of) why I have been charging deposit and consultation. If someone just wants to “inquire”, I have a $20 (is that a bargain or what?) consultation that is needed to discuss. However, if someone just sends the deposit, that’ll leave the option open to book me whenever they figure it out.

However, I don’t have time to do this; like one escort described:

Now, if RentMen ever decided to start paying us $20 an hour to reply to messages…like a call center does, maybe people wouldn’t mind as much. Until then, who has the patience for that nonsense 🤷🏾‍♂️ 

Edited November 21, 2024 by Jarrod_Uncut

[Ethan Woods]

5 hours ago, soloyo215 said:

I think that's supposed to be good for you. You have the opportunity of choosing when to see a client at your convenience. Furthermore, I have used the "I'm flexible" line to flirt, meaning that (although I know it's a massage), it can be used to your advantage. I recommend not to see/treat it as a bad thing. you have the upper hand that can help you with your scheduling clients. I fail to see anything wrong with saying "I can see you at this or that time". I know some clients are a pain and then might say "I can't at those times", but that's just how people behave nowadays.

It comes across as flaky most of the time. If you know you want to see me, you also know your schedule and the times that work best for you. Please provide those and allow the provider to choose the one that’s best for them.

[Ethan Woods]

6 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

"If" ...is the key word in this negotiation.

I avoid this initial back and forth and I avoid coming off as being demanding by asking their general availability and giving MY general availability first. This narrows the possibilities but immediately allowing for an understanding of the range instead of picking one very specific date and time and throwing darts at the board while blind.

As a customer, you’re entitled to be a little bit demanding. We live in a society where “the customer is always right”. Plus as a provider I don’t want you to feel like I’m boxing you in. Your appointment should happen at a time that is most convenient *for you*. The provider is getting paid, part of the business means being “on call” to some extent.

I think you mentioned earlier you try to provide options or at least a ballpark idea of availability… which helps a lot. As a provider sometimes it feels like I have to tweeze out what the client wants and when they want it, while others are extremely effective at communicating their desires, needs, expectations, availability, etc. 

[Ethan Woods]

2 hours ago, SometimesBi said:

Suppose the client is a married man, who isn't quite sure when he can discreetly get away from her for a couple hours (or might not get the opportunity until just a couple hours beforehand). How would you recommend a client set up such an appointment? 

Explain this to the provider when you contact them. Ask how much notice they need, and if possible tell them when you’re most likely to have an opportunity.