Hi Geeks,
Just thought I would write about a situation I have just encountered, and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this and how you dealt with it.
I work as a massage therapist within a Physio clinic, as a contractor. Only 2 days a week. I give them 50% of my earnings each month. They deal with all the bookings. I get paid for each massage I do.
My scheduled hours on a sat are 10-2.30 , with a break at 12-12.30. I specifically chose a 4.5 hour shift because thats all i can actually handle of deep tissue massage. Dnt get me wrong i know there are therapists in spas who work 8hour massage shifts, i have been there myself and i ended up with sciatica. this is why i limit myself to a maximum 4 hours. and 4 hours are only possible if i get a wee break in between!! Every sat I have a break in between the first and last 2 hours of massage,I have made it clear that it's vital that I have this break because deep tissue massage is so intense, plus I have had a very dodgy neck and back recently, so I really need that break 1- to eat and drink and 2- to stretch off and save my muscles.
Yesterday (thursday) I looked in the diary for saturday and noticed that I am fully booked, and where my break normally is they have booked in a client. No break.
I emailed reception saying can you please reschedule that client on my break because I need a break. And she replied saying "no, the client has already paid"...
To which I replied "ok, but its not possible for me to do 4.5 hours of deep tissue massage without a break, they need rescheduled".
And she didn't reply. So I checked this morning and the client is still booked in. So I called reception and she said "did you not get my email, I told you the client has already paid."... As if to say, to hell with your well being, the customer needs his massage. My phone then cut out, so I emailed her saying yes I got your email but I emailed you back saying a break is vital for me, especially since iv had a dodgy back and especially since I have freelance clients straight after, I need the break! And she replied saying the same again "can't move them they have already paid, can you not stay later and I will move another client" to which I replied "no I can't I have plans after the clinic for other clients"...
And then I ended of offering to come in half an hour earlier (which i really dont want to do, but i was made to feel like it was my problem and not hers) so they could shift clients so I can factor in a break. And the reply was " your first client is coming in at 9.30 instead of 10am, iv left a message with your second client but can't guarantee anything". So basically as it stands I'm going to have to do 3.5 hours of massage non stop. When I say non stop I literally mean non stop, they book them in 10-11, 11-12 etc, for hour long massages with no time to even breath between clients, I have to work between two rooms so I don't run late.
I am so annoyed. Not only have they taken out my break, as a result I am now doing an extra half hour of massage, and even though I have explained 3x how Important my break is, they don't give a flying f@*k! She has no idea how tiring one massage is, let alone 4.5 hours.
Am I right to tell them this is unacceptable? I'm not a machine. It's exhausting me even thinking about tomorrow. Plus I'm self employed and I do set hours, and they have totally disregarded this and booked in more massage than I'm willing to do. I know that this receptionist didn't book them in, so she's annoyed that she has to deal with it. But it's not my problem. I don't get paid to arrange clients. And to be honest, since I'm doing 4.5 hours of deep tissue, I know by the last client I will be knackered and probably feel weak, and that's not ideal from a clients point of view.
Has anyone else experienced this situation?
Just thought I would write about a situation I have just encountered, and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this and how you dealt with it.
I work as a massage therapist within a Physio clinic, as a contractor. Only 2 days a week. I give them 50% of my earnings each month. They deal with all the bookings. I get paid for each massage I do.
My scheduled hours on a sat are 10-2.30 , with a break at 12-12.30. I specifically chose a 4.5 hour shift because thats all i can actually handle of deep tissue massage. Dnt get me wrong i know there are therapists in spas who work 8hour massage shifts, i have been there myself and i ended up with sciatica. this is why i limit myself to a maximum 4 hours. and 4 hours are only possible if i get a wee break in between!! Every sat I have a break in between the first and last 2 hours of massage,I have made it clear that it's vital that I have this break because deep tissue massage is so intense, plus I have had a very dodgy neck and back recently, so I really need that break 1- to eat and drink and 2- to stretch off and save my muscles.
Yesterday (thursday) I looked in the diary for saturday and noticed that I am fully booked, and where my break normally is they have booked in a client. No break.
I emailed reception saying can you please reschedule that client on my break because I need a break. And she replied saying "no, the client has already paid"...
To which I replied "ok, but its not possible for me to do 4.5 hours of deep tissue massage without a break, they need rescheduled".
And she didn't reply. So I checked this morning and the client is still booked in. So I called reception and she said "did you not get my email, I told you the client has already paid."... As if to say, to hell with your well being, the customer needs his massage. My phone then cut out, so I emailed her saying yes I got your email but I emailed you back saying a break is vital for me, especially since iv had a dodgy back and especially since I have freelance clients straight after, I need the break! And she replied saying the same again "can't move them they have already paid, can you not stay later and I will move another client" to which I replied "no I can't I have plans after the clinic for other clients"...
And then I ended of offering to come in half an hour earlier (which i really dont want to do, but i was made to feel like it was my problem and not hers) so they could shift clients so I can factor in a break. And the reply was " your first client is coming in at 9.30 instead of 10am, iv left a message with your second client but can't guarantee anything". So basically as it stands I'm going to have to do 3.5 hours of massage non stop. When I say non stop I literally mean non stop, they book them in 10-11, 11-12 etc, for hour long massages with no time to even breath between clients, I have to work between two rooms so I don't run late.
I am so annoyed. Not only have they taken out my break, as a result I am now doing an extra half hour of massage, and even though I have explained 3x how Important my break is, they don't give a flying f@*k! She has no idea how tiring one massage is, let alone 4.5 hours.
Am I right to tell them this is unacceptable? I'm not a machine. It's exhausting me even thinking about tomorrow. Plus I'm self employed and I do set hours, and they have totally disregarded this and booked in more massage than I'm willing to do. I know that this receptionist didn't book them in, so she's annoyed that she has to deal with it. But it's not my problem. I don't get paid to arrange clients. And to be honest, since I'm doing 4.5 hours of deep tissue, I know by the last client I will be knackered and probably feel weak, and that's not ideal from a clients point of view.
Has anyone else experienced this situation?