When the masseur tries a time change and you refuse.

[viewing ownly]

When I set up a time to see someone and indicate that I can ONLY see him at such-and-such a time, either he can schedule me, or tell me no, or not respond at all and I'd move on to trying someone else. 

I scheduled an appointment two weeks in advance on a day I have very limited free time to see this guy I've been interested in for a long time, and I was pleased he was staying at a place I'm well familiar with. Today, a week later, he reaches out and asks if I could please move my time to an earlier time of the day. I wouldn't expect him to remember that I had limited availability, but now I feel I'm in a rock and a hard place. I can cancel him for not being able to keep my time I needed, or - this is what I did - be firm that my schedule is not flexible, and I am unable to change away from our original time. He quickly got back to me and indicated that he will honor the original time we scheduled. I texted Okay.

I now feel this sucks for each of us at this point. He has something he's not now able to do that he clearly wanted to do more than massage me at my original time, and there even could be a risk I'm taking that he will simply cancel me on the day of anyway, which I was given the warning sign when he wanted to change it. If you were in my shoes, what would you do? Tell him that you're happy to free up his day and wish him well while he's on vacation and cancel or presume he's willing to honor his initial commitment of seeing me but probably having his mind elsewhere during? 

[NYXboy]

You are overthinking it.   Calm down. 

For eg, It sounds like something else come up at that time - perhaps he called his hairdresser to make an appointment and that time conflicted  - he checked with you and you don't have any flexibility - he called his hairdresser back and says 'I will have to take the appointment later in the week. See you then!'

Relax and enjoy your massage. 

 

[+ Jamie21]

Yes you’re probably overthinking it. I’ve asked clients if they are ok to move a pre booked time. It’s usually to accommodate another booking. If they say no then it’s fine, we stick to the original plans. If they’re flexible then that’s great, we reschedule. I make it clear to them when asking that if it’s any trouble to them then the original booking holds. First come first served and all that. 

[DunwoodyGuy]

Don't make this into such a big thing. Just go have fun. 

[+ JamesB]

In my experience, when a provider asks to reschedule, it usually means they’re trying to accommodate another booking. Since my schedule isn’t very flexible, I typically respond with something like: I’m sorry, but the new time doesn’t work for me. I understand things come up, and if it’s not possible to keep our original time, we can just try again sometime in the future.

[Whippoorwill]

I think twice in the past five years I have had a provider ask to reschedule...I assume it is because they got a better offer. I was fine to accommodate them ...it worked with my schedule, and I want them to make as much money as they can so they stay in the business. And it works both ways...I have asked to reschedule once or twice and they accommodated me. 

[StarQualityLuke]

Rescheduling is ok.. 

It happens on both ends... 

Also I try to accommodate people all the time, and I will put out the question to somebody, if I need to reschedule, and if they say no, I cannot, then I don't change, I keep what I have going on.  But I always try to accommodate.

Edited April 16 by StarQualityLuke

[d.anders]

I have friends who think their time is more important than my time. Nothing seems to change their selfish attitude. I guess if I was a busy businessman I might care about a re-schedule, especially a massage I was looking forward to. But even when I was busy, I don't remember caring that much. IME, there are perks to being flexible. Many service providers remember when you helped them out of a jam, or made their schedule more tolerable or convenient. Some of those perks can be very delightful. These days, I love when the doctor's office calls me to offer an earlier appointment on the schedule. It helps that I always put myself on their cancel list. I tell all my doctors I'll drop anything to get in sooner. Flexibility has often worked to my benefit.

[+ DrownedBoy]

I don't trust rescheduling. I tried it with a certain popular provider, and ended up with an overpriced hour vs the acceptable 2 hour rate we had negotiated. Something he didn't share ahead of time.

You did the right thing. This is business, and your time is more valuable than the provider's. If he can't respect your schedule, there's more fish in the sea.